Since I collect stamps - and Vietnam stamps in particular - the trip obviously presented some unique opportunities.
We visited the local dealer's Sunday "Stamp Cafe" at the HCMC Art Museum on Le Thi Hong Gam, shopped at Cotevina's HCMC office (on the way out Dien Tien Hoang to
visit my second home in Sai Gon), made many trips to the Sai Gon Central Post Office on Dong Khoi Street for postage for the commemorative envelopes and postcards we mailed, and visited
Cotevina's Ha Noi office on Tran Hung Dao Street to take Director Nguyen Ha Giang to lunch.
In addition, the delightful little girl at the singing contest in North Vietnam ran after us as we left and gave us each a 5000 dong coin as a souvenir. HCMC dealer Vinh,
knowing that I wanted a circa-1966 500-dong Tran Hung Dao note as a reminder of when I lived in Sai Gon, sent me one as a gift. Vietnam is a country full of endearing people !
