Time for a Bit of Culture in Saigon

After all that shopping it was time for a bit of culture so we headed off to Chinatown to visit some temples. Note the intricate figures on the roof.

I thought these ceramic plaques were fabulous.

Those curved pieces hanging from the ceiling are incense.

A local fire engine.

After all this culture we headed for the Rex Hotel. The crown on topon the rooftop bar is lit at night and can be seen for quite a ways.

The Rex Hotel has an unconventional history: It used to be a French garage, was expanded by the Vietnamese, and then was used by the United States government for information and espionage purposes in the 1960’s and 1970’s. It served as a sort of Officers Club and the soldiers and correspondents used to hang out here during the war. At the time there weren't the tall luxury hotels currently here and you could see firefights off in the distance. The hotel was changed in a massive renovation and opened in 1990 for the first time as the Rex Hotel

The view from the roof today. The area is full of luxury hotels and shops (like Chanel and Tiffany)

And its a bit expensive as you might expect.

Ok. Back to reality and the street where we were staying. There were lots of restaurants with tables by the sidewalk where you could watch the world go by. it was much more fun than the Rex.