Updates From Caroline: 04/07/16

Aloha!

Why Vietnam? As a college student in the late 60's, and dating a Navy helo pilot in the early 70's, the Vietnam War was a part of my past. I wanted to see what and why we fought over there.

Amazingly, and considering how much damage we did and how we did not belong in another country's civil war, the Vietnamese people like Americans! They came up to us, practiced English, asked our ages, where did we live. And they loved our US dollars. And the animosity is not to us, but towards the French, who were not the best of colonial overlords.

Enough politics.

First stop in Vietnam was Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). HUGE. Big bustling city. Motor scooters everywhere. Enormous buildings. Rex Hotel at night (During the war, the journalists gathered here). Great night markets- Under Armour shirts 2 for $7!!!

Not unusual to see this many on a scooter on the streets!

Main Post Office in HCMC/Saigon

The Cathedral of Notre Dame in HCMC/Saigon. All the bricks were
brought over from France!

Motor scooter wedding parade around the cathedral and post office square. Bridge and groom in the VW!

After a morning walking around the city, a group of us went to the Cu Chi Tunnels, 44 miles northwest of the city. These tunnels were first used by the Vietnamese against the French (1946-1954) and later were hideouts for the Viet Cong, especially during the 1968 Tet Offensive, The VC had over 124 miles of tunnels in the region and used these tunnels for surprise attacks during the Vietnam War (known as the American War). The tunnels included kitchens, barracks, and storage facilities and were often 33 ft deep!

In digging the tunnels, the excess earth became fake termite and ant hills around the jungle.

Cooking in the underground kitchen- Making rice pancakes

Lookouts above ground

A replica showing the tunnel system

After HCMC/Saigon, we flew to Danang and then drove to Hoi An, a world heritage site and a former trading ports in the 15th Century. The old quarter of Hoi An is well preserved with a Japanese Bridge, Chinese Pagoda, old Vietnamese houses, and colorful lanterns.

Entrance to the old quarter of Hoi An

On the main street of the old quarter

The 400 year old Japanese covered bridge. On the main street of Hoi An as you walk into the old quarter.

The Japanese covered bridge

Entrance to the Chinese pagoda

Walls inside the main door

Inside the main door of the Chinese pagoda

details of the entrance pond

This donation box and sign were also at the main entrance to the pagoda. A reminder of past atrocities.

Entering the pagoda altar area, the red triangular shapes at the top of the photos are incense - last about 30 days.

The back garden of the pagoda had a wall mural.

The fountain in the back garden. In the way back is a large statue of a goat- a sign of fertility.

The goat statue

The back garden of the pagoda

After the pagoda, we walked to a heritage site house. The mother-of-pearl carvings- a saying in Japanese- were really interesting. The characters/letters are also a shape --- one of the letters is a bird!

The right shows the bird character.

After walking around the old quarter, we headed to the Thu Bon River for a cruise on the river and a visit to workshops on the river islands.

Our trusty river boat

Photos below are the fisherman casting nets, Vietnamese women paddling a craft that is really a trawler(!), and an older fisherman in a circular, round bottomed fishing boat.

The river island communities had open air markets, souvenir product craftsmen, and boat builders.

Vietnamese Communist Party Propaganda sign.

Late lunch was at an organic vegetable farm and cooking school. Glorious farm, and I was totally impressed at lettuce growing the in mid day SUN! The palm fronds were used to cover seedlings. We cooked part of our lunch... Hoi An style pancakes- a rice flour /egg pancake with fresh vegetables and greens. Totally fun to do!

Karen (great new friend from the tour group) and I making our lunch.

After lunch, it was time for R&R and the beach- a swim in the South China Sea or the East Sea as it is known in Vietnam. Great time. I found a round bottomed fishing boat--- with fishing nets ready for use. Boat has a bench for sitting, too. AND fortunately, we also found beer at happy hour prices on the beach.