The area formerly considered South Vietnam that was split by the DMZ (demilitarized zone) is where we headed to spend a few days visiting the American War memorials.  It was a couple of hours from Hue, which was the charming city that we were based out of.  In Vietnam they understandably refer to it as the American War, not the Vietnam War. We met our guide, Vu, at his newly built house. Vu sat back in his chair like a mafia boss smoking cigarettes telling us how successful he is because he built a house and he has a son (and a daughter…but I’ll get to that later).  It is just part of the culture but interesting to hear someone just come right out and say, “I’m successful”.   If you built a house in this region, since there are no mortgages, you have basically achieved safety and comfort for the rest of your life.  Vu, 36 years young, said this is the house he will stay in for the rest of his life.  In Vietnam the son takes care of their parents, so having a son means even more security.  So, since Vu has a son and a daughter he has hit the jackpot.  Vu’s parents live with him now and when his son marries, his wife will move in and take care of Vu and his wife when they need help.  Ideally, they will each have their own floor to live on with a common kitchen on the first floor.  Vu’s business is operated out of the first floor (in the front portion of the porch), which is a typical set up in Vietnam if you are not living in the countryside. Makes for a heck of any easy commute to work!  And childcare needs…non-existent with this set up.  A cup of tea, coffee and a few nibbles of a mysterious “lucky” fruit left over from the Tet (Lunar New Year) and we are on our way.

First stop is the former US marine base called Khe Sanh, known for the biggest battle in the war.  Over 120,000 North Vietnamese attacked this base where about 6,000 fought for months to hold the group, strategically important because it’s the first highland region heading into the south of the country.  So important that President Lyndon Johnson would get daily updates and shown troop movements on a small-scale model at the White House.  It was a brutal battle with thousands killed, Americas air war saved the day when we implemented a 24/7 campaign in the region carpet bombing ever piece of land in sight.  Even with this air power, there were a few weeks the base was surrounded and only air dropped supplies saved the marines on land.  There is something eerie about walking in the same footsteps and on the same land where kids 18 years old fought, killed and died in a war where they didn’t know the enemy or see them most of the time. We walked through the bunkers and the airstrip where there are still fragments of clothes, boots and shrapnel that get unearthed as the rains come every year.  Downed helicopters and tanks are on display and even today, 40 years later, you can’t walk beyond the base’s perimeter because of potential landmines and unexplored bombs.  It was very emotional as we talked to each other and tried to make sense of how this could have happened as well as appreciate what other US citizens went through to protect the interest of our country.  Seeing our country’s military markings on the side of a crumpled up plane that is on display for all to see in a foreign land made a sad knot in our throats. So, to sum this up, you know I was crying like a little baby and Greg had to console me.

The puzzle of life continues.  Another war over different beliefs and a large country supporting a small country.  Or maybe war is due to religion, or human rights, or philosophy…in any case there is rarely a true winner as all sides suffer.

Next stop the DMZ, not a spectacular site in itself but interesting to walk across the bridge that separated the two sides.  Still in place are massive loud speakers, the old style that look like trombones, where propaganda would blast and be heard for miles on each side.

The bridge at the DMZ

Of course, if we were DJ’ing the war would have ended on the spot…everyone would either start dancing or run away from the ear shattering hip-hop.  A great anecdotal story about the painting of this bridge sums the differences up.  The South would paint their half of the bridge blue, the North would then paint their half blue so the entire bridge is now blue.  The South would then paint their half yellow, and the North would then paint there half yellow so once again the bridge is one color.  This represented the South’s desire to have two countries and the North’s desire to have one country.  Like siblings drawing a line in a shared bedroom, there is no winner.  You step over the line and you get in a fight, you don’t step over and you become the weaker and only have half the space:).  Can’t we all just get along?

Last stop is Vinh Moc, a tunnel complex, dug by the North.  Thousands, yes literally thousands, of miles of these tunnels is what made the hide and seek game played by the North so frustrating for our troops.

Vinh Moc Tunnels

As you walk around the complex, which winds around working rice fields, massive craters still exist from our bombs.  Then you enter the tunnels, five feet tall corridors where hundreds of people would live, eat, give birth…to avoid the constant bombardment of bombs.  These tunnels were mainly built by hand for years and years by thousands of people.  Once again the will of the people to be independent is so powerful.  It reminds me of the movie Wolverines, where Patrick Swayze lead a group of high school in fighting the invading Russians guerrilla style.  (As you may have guessed, that comment was all Greg, because I have never and would never watch a film called Wolverines.)  Sounds like a familiar plot, I wonder if the VC wrote the script for the movie.

On to Ho Chi Minh City, which prior to 1976 was known as Saigon. We spent a few days walking the modern streets of another big city in SE Asia.  One of the ‘must see’ museums here is the “War Remnants Museum”.  There were a few renditions before they landed on this name.  In 1975, when it opened it was called the “Exhibition House for US and Puppet Crimes” (Puppet is referring to the South Vietnamese) then in 1990, the name changed to “Exhibition House for Crimes of War and Aggression”, dropping both “US” and “Puppet.” The term puppet just cracked us up…could there be a bigger dig?!  In 1995, following the normalization of diplomatic relations with the US and the end of the US embargo from a year before, the references to “war crimes” and “aggression” were dropped from the museum’s title as well. Now, we end up with the current name of the “War Remnants Museum”.

A picture of a US medic that is wounded, yet still vigorously helping his comrades.

It was certainly one sided, but a moving experience.  We both walked away deeply saddened by all of the pain and suffering on all sides of the war.

A section of the museum was dedicated to Photographers and their touching photos that were published…here are a few with interesting descriptions.

A boat trip to the Mekong Delta was next on the agenda and our highlight.  An hour down the river that twists and turns through the countryside is the scene for hundreds of miles.  This is where the heavy fighting and the famous PT boats did the horrific job of patrolling the riverbanks.  It was just as I imagined, canals about 50 yards wide with heavy dense jungle on each bank. Huge bunches of palm tree ferns sprout out of the ground with 2-foot thick bases gown on top of each other.  The perfect setting for an ambush at any section of the river.  I can’t imagine being on a boat cruising the river and smaller canal day after day for months just waiting to be ambushed.

Mekong River Delta

The poverty on the Mekong Delta was staggering. It reminded us of the Townships in South Africa, but on the water.  

As you can tell we are a little caught up in the war, so moving on.  A few surprises along the way like stopping at an orphanage in a small village for lunch, then to a local market

These little girls followed me around the market giggling. We chatted it up despite our language barrier and they gave me some pretty pink flowers (the ones in her hand). They are so sweet!

and finally to a local farmers house to drink fresh coconut juice was a real treat because we saw Vietnam in a raw environment. Our guide grew up in this area, so it was not on the typical tourist path.  The day was perfect, but was it the calm before the storm? A quick stop at the house of an 85 year old lady who’s Mom was 108 brought out my worst fear.  As we sat and chatted with the local family, well more like stared at each other since we didn’t speak each other’s language, a giant 90 lb., 10 foot Burmese Python slithers by the patio deck.  While Linda held the hand of her new BFF (she’s not taking little Sophie’s place!!!), Greg was shivering in his boots.

Linda with her new 85 year old BFF! Her Mom’s (108) was taking her afternoon nap.

It was a planned part of the experience but we didn’t know that at first.  I really hate snakes so Linda carried the familia bravery torch and did the family photo shoot with this thing hanging off her neck.

She didn’t have a name, so I named her Ellie (for Elephant) as she was HUGE!

This sums up the types of experience you get when traveling in a developing country; unexpected events automatically create excitement and adrenaline which as we know makes you crave for more.

We are discussing seeing family and friends daily and feeling like it is time to start thinking about what’s next in life.  I know our meditation retreat was about living in the moment but sometimes you can’t help it.  We have taken inventory on how we feel about the trip and have decided we will get back to the USA at our scheduled time (April), after living a few more unique cultures and seeing a few more babies on scooters.  Like a good martini or piece of Lindt milk chocolate, sometimes you just can’t get enough.

Now, time for us to move to Bali, Indonesia to Eat, Play and Love.  Yes, that was a cheesy nod at the book “Eat, Pray, Love”!  Couldn’t help it! 🙂

VIETNAM PHOTOS

– Hoi An and Hue

– Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)