Back At Sea on the Way to Da Nang, Vietnam

Our tour of Saigon started in an odd place - the Jade Emporer Pagoda, a Chinese temple to Taoism. Several photos will illustrate - quite a change from Buddist Temples.

Wards off evil spirits 

A Tao Shrine

Next we visited an old post office building built by the French and now restored and converted to a tourist center with many shops. This photo is prominantly displayed on the back wall when you enter:

Guess Who?

Our tour guide was a bubbly young Vietnamese woman who spoke frankly about the economic challenges that face the average citizen. While all are free to worship as they please, to own property, to start and run a business, and to come and go from Vietnam as they please, financial stability is very hard to achieve.  We toured the most prosperous district in the city as the next days tour would make abundantly clear.