Family time is always precious.

Though Ho Chi Minh has been beset with rains, dousing water on our plans to to a Mekong Delta River cruise or visit the Cu Chi tunnels, we were blessed with a sunny afternoon yesterday and decided to head out to the Saigon Zoo.

After a quick and hearty lunch at PHO 2000 - the restaurant made famous by former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s visit — we found ourselves staring in awe at a wide array of animals. The Saigon Zoo is clean and well-maintained and populated by funky monkeys, a smart orangutan, proud lions, absolutely adorable elephants, tubby rhinos, smart giraffes and a host of other hale and happy animals that both children and adults will enjoy. The kids and I and I had a great time traipsing through the zoo in spite of the strong afternoon sun that had us gulping down bottles of water. Most memorable for us was feeding “Horton” and his buddies! I had not seen so many elephants all together in my whole life L was really fascinated by their disposition as he feed them specially prepared sugarcane stalks. I’m sure it is one memory that P and L will both keep and treasure ’til adulthood.

In 1864 the French built a 12-hectare botanical garden a few hundred metres from the middle of Saigon City, northeast of Thi Nghe Canal. Later a number of animals were put on display. In 1924 the park was expanded to include 12 more hectares across the canal. Saigon Zoo and the Botanical Garden are approximately 132 years old but very well-kept.