We've been living lavishly. We were upgraded to a deluxe superior room. I was envisioning something with a piano in the corner and maybe a fireplace, but it more resembles a standard room in a Holiday Inn. This is perfectly fine because our location is excellent. We're within 4 blocks of some excellent photo locations.
We first did some scouting on the rooftop bar of the famous Rex Hotel, a popular hangout of war correspondents back in the 60s and 70s. This is roughly the location of where the famous photo of a helicopter evacuating Saigon was taken. Nowadays, there are so many high-rises in the way it is impossible to see the building.
Post-Rex, Greg was surprisingly hungry for pastries. Using my phone, I found us a French-style bakery within 3 blocks, and Greg wolfed down a cream-cheese danish. Let me tell you, that boy is really putting on the pounds. He's lookin' like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man these days.
We then set about doing some time-lapse in the Dong Khoi District. I made a point to not replicate any of Greg's shots, but he's sleeping now, so you'll have to wait a few hours to see his posting. In the meantime, I've uploaded a couple time-lapse sequences I shot. First off is the ol' Rex itself.
The next is from the roof of the Majestic Hotel by the Saigon River. This was an unassuming hotel - not nearly as famous as the Continental, the Caravelle, or the Rex, but according to the ad in the elevator, they have a pirate show - and not just any pirates . . . Vietnamese pirates! I don't know how they aren't in Vegas yet. Give it time.
We then had a delightful time at a nearby beer garden. It was similar to the Hofbrau Haüs except there were no Germans. Vietnamese servers were dressed in traditional Germanic garb - serving a bit of beer and broken English. ^_^ Eating traditional Vietnamese pho-bo with chopsticks with a liter of German-brewed ale is not too shabby.
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