The Day

I wrapped up the day by skipping the Reunification Palace and wandering back to my digs. Late afternoons here get hot and I wasn't up for exhibits on napalmed civilians. I know a big part of the legacy of Saigon has to do with the Vietnam war, but today, not for me.

I found an amazing street stall complete with school kid sized chairs, where I hunkered in for BBQ fish and rice. This was lunch for a buck My presence greatly amused the locals hunkered down with me so more's the pleasure.

A few wrong turns made right and I was near home on a small street when a scooter pilot clipped a local pedestrian and things went bad. I was the closest witness, but the locals swept by me and started picking up the broken scooter and pilot, who had gone down hard. The walker will have a sore arm but stayed upright.

A local man looked at me and said, not unkindly, "You go now." I figured it for words of wisdom and did just that.