The guided missile frigate U.S.S. Gary has docked in Sia Gon Port as a part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of the “normalisation” of diplomatic relations between the two countries and it is the third U.S. naval ship to visit Viet Nam since 2003.

I knew that the ship was in port but it still felt strange to see U.S. sailors in uniform walking down Dong Khoi St in and out of the shops and bars. The group in the photo were drawing some spending money from the ANZ bank when I attempted to do likewise. They were attracting a lot of friendly attention from the ever eager cyclo drivers, some of whom are old enough to remember when American service personnel were here in much larger numbers.