Monsoon!!!

There wasn't any gradual transition, no slow progression of drip to drizzle to dreary, cold Northwest rain. This was the real deal, a late blast of monsoon rain, blasting the streets if Saigon in a deluge of water.

I felt a drop, two drops, and then I was running like a madman in the path of a firehose, dashing for the tenuous cover of an umbrella stand abandoned by a street hawker.

Waterfalls sprang from every eave. The gutter in the street filled in mere minutes, scooters cutting ridiculous rooster tails through the flood. As the monsoon poured off of my umbrella, splashing up my legs, I shifted passport and money out of pockets and into my bag, which I cinched up high. I rolled up my pants legs and, thus as prepared ad I could get, watched the world dissolve into water.

It was stunning. Then the rain really started. I have never seen anything like it. I have been in Forks, WA, when it rained five inches in 24 hours. That was a drizzle compared to this.

After a half hour of marveling at the insane game that the scooters and taxis were playing, I realized an escape plan might be a good idea. I began trying to hail a taxi, but they could not see me under my umbrella. Finally, I dashed out, and waved maniacally at a passing can, instantly soaked and giggling.

He stopped and I splashed into the back seat. From lessons hard earned, I had the name and address of my hotel written down. A bit of head scratching and we were off.

I cannot begin to describe the ride. Streets were flooded clear across the gutter lines, water flowing like a river from sidewalk to sidewalk, and yet scooters and taxis and busses careened within inches of each other, weaving about like drunken hippos. My taxi was throwing up water higher than my window as scooters veered in and out of the maelstrom.

It is hard to fathom how, but we arrived exactly at the entrance to my alley and we did it without inflicting or suffering mechanical violence. I love a death-defying cab ride as much as anyone, but the sheet magnitude of this collective folly was stunning.

I paid the very fair fare, including substantial gratuity, and ran splashing and cackling up my alley to my hotel.

The rain never wavered. All is calm now. It was exhilarating!! Pictures simply do no justice, but I have a great video I will try to post when I get some real wifi.