What a wonderful world!

I started the day with an early morning walk north along the beach. I enjoyed watching the local fishermen at work 

and seeing the apparently abandoned Vietnamese mythology themed resort. 

Back for a delicious buffet breakfast right over the beach with a big swing just below. Then Elijah and I swam in the ocean and I went for a delightful stand up paddle board ride.

 The weather and the water were just perfect, and j loved seeing the place from a different perspective. 

A 'Grab' into town and we stumbled across two temples 

and then got Banh mi for lunch. Some great artwork at the cafe complex. 

Another grab ride. This time the driver took one look at me and put on a suitable Spotify playlist for a westerner my age - 'US easy listening' - full of Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. Would have been spot on for my dad's generation!

Having read about Phu quoc prison online and at the war remembrance museum I was keen to see the real thing. 

Built by the French for their Vietnamese prisoners, the South Vietnam government used it on the vietcong. At one time 40,000 political prisoners were held here - the biggest prison in all of South Vietnam. 

About 20 barracks have been preserved with statues demonstrating the interactions of the soldiers and the prisoners, as well as the torture techniques that were used - including driving nails into bones, water boarding and smashing limbs with mallets. 

Some of the prisoners managed to build a tunnel and escape. 

Of course the south of Vietnamese jailers were referred to as 'the enemy' and their leaders as 'the American puppet government.'

What would you put at the end of such a confronting demonstration of the cruelty of the American backed capitalist government against your communist comrades?

A gift shop full of glitzy jewellery!

An even greater contrast was Them beach. It's now full of luxury resorts, where the prison used to be. 

Back to our resort for another beautiful sunset

and sitting in the pool listening to my audiobook tracing the tragedies if a Vietnamese family through  man-made famine and war. 

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world - in which we destroy one another. 

Goodbye Saigon, Hello Phu Quoc

A final early morning short run

 then we went out to breakfast to a simply delightful German- French patisserie for pastries and Oolong tea. 

It even had a quote on the wall from the main character in the novel I just finished which was set in Saigon in the French--vietnamese war. 

I would have loved to come here with you Danielle!

Back to our hotel for a 30 minute/$8 dollar grab ( Uber) ride to  the airport. At the airport we discovered that vietjet was living up to its online reputation for cancelling a flight when it can fit everyone on the next one. But the flight itself turned out to me no more than 45 minutes, with Elijah spotting Phu Quoc after 25 minutes. I'd been feeling anxious after the last flight but it all went smoothly. Another grab ride to our hotel and it's absolutely delightful. The room itself is basic but the infinity pool looks out onto the beach with a very relaxing, well- shaded area on the beach.  Great prospects for swimming and long walks along the beach. 

Gorgeous sunset over the water while Elijah swam. 

Tonight was seafood barbecue night so we selected our locally court red snapper, octopus and squid and ate it on the beach.

A long walk along the beach followed by a swim in the lovely pool, completed a great evening. 

We loved the variety and craziness of Saigon for 4 days, but now this is just what we wanted to relax. It's hard to believe we're in the same country, less than an hour away.