Wow! What an amazing lifestyle! One river completely shapes the way these people live! The Mekong is a beautiful area, full of traditional Vietnamese people.
We did the tour thing, which just about drove me crazy, but that is kinda how traveling in Vietnam is. But we met interesting people, so that was a benefit. Last night was the best for me. After a long day with the tourist crowd, there were 7 of us who decided to stay at a homestay place. Well, we trampled into a rickety old boat in complete darkness last night and our boat driver took us for a beautiful, awe inspring boat ride down the Mekong. It was fabulous! I haven't seen so many stars in such a long, long time! Beautiful stars, thousands! It was so peaceful and calm. I loved looking into the people's dailyness of life. We were able to peak into the private lives of these people by looking in their windows and doors of the little river shacks they live in. I am just amazed every country I go to, how simple people still live these days. Life doesn't have to be complicated, we make it that way.
The Mekong is their survival. They brush their teeth in it, do their laundry in the dirt brown water, the use it as drinking water, everything! We went to a floating market where everyone just goes grocery shopping from boat to boat. We also took the "classic ride" down the Mekong. The picturesque ride of an old person rowing you down in a traditional boat in an canal of trees and nothing else could be seen. I was loving it. And just like that it was over. As they dropped us off at our bigger boat, the beautiful, "tradional" scene was then over, as the old people whipped on the motors of their boats and took off to do the same tourist trap ride! Ha Ha! I could do nothing more than just laugh at this scene!
Next we are headed off to DaLat, Vietnam. I don't know what we will find, but hopefully some scooters to rent and some peace and quite. Hope you all are well, take care and I miss you!
Friday, 29 August 2008
Wednesday, 27 August 2008
The Agent "Mr. Orange"
Hello Everyone!
I am in Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam right now. I've been here for three days and I feel a little crazy. Crazy because I don't think life is all too strange here. I am used to it now from living in Taiwan. I actually feel like Saigon is much better because they have lots of trees and fresh air compared to Taiwan!
The last couple days have been all about the Vietnam War. I learned all about Ho Chi Minh, who is the man who wanted Communism here. We went to the War Museum! Wow! It's amazing that this war still affects these people today! The pictures of what the American bombs did to these people were horrifying. Children born in 1991 still come out all deformed because their parents were exposed to Agent Organge. Napalm victims in many places! What damage a war can cause. It just makes me think of what we are doing in the Middle East! The last effects war has on a place are inmeasurable...
We also went to the Cu Chi Tunnels today. This is where the Viet Khong, (the Vietnamese Communist Soldiers) build hundreds of Kilometers of underground tunnels to kill the American soldiers. It's amazing. We went into the tunnels that they have made bigger for the Western tourists to go in and I was still crawling on my hands and knees to get in it! I highly reccommend reading about the Cu Chi Guerilla fighters. They are the ones who made America loose the war! So, Vietnam is a Communist country today because of these people. Truly amazing! Oh Yeah! And I got to fire an AK47 automatic rifle. Now that baby had a kick!
Tomorrow we are spending two days on the Mekong Delta. We will spend the night with a host family, do boat rides, floating markets and the like. I don't feel shocked at all here. Just like normal life for me. Very similar to Taiwan in many ways. Thoughthe Vietnamese are exceptionally friendly and very beautiful!
I will post photos as soon as I can! Hope you all are well!
I am in Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam right now. I've been here for three days and I feel a little crazy. Crazy because I don't think life is all too strange here. I am used to it now from living in Taiwan. I actually feel like Saigon is much better because they have lots of trees and fresh air compared to Taiwan!
The last couple days have been all about the Vietnam War. I learned all about Ho Chi Minh, who is the man who wanted Communism here. We went to the War Museum! Wow! It's amazing that this war still affects these people today! The pictures of what the American bombs did to these people were horrifying. Children born in 1991 still come out all deformed because their parents were exposed to Agent Organge. Napalm victims in many places! What damage a war can cause. It just makes me think of what we are doing in the Middle East! The last effects war has on a place are inmeasurable...
We also went to the Cu Chi Tunnels today. This is where the Viet Khong, (the Vietnamese Communist Soldiers) build hundreds of Kilometers of underground tunnels to kill the American soldiers. It's amazing. We went into the tunnels that they have made bigger for the Western tourists to go in and I was still crawling on my hands and knees to get in it! I highly reccommend reading about the Cu Chi Guerilla fighters. They are the ones who made America loose the war! So, Vietnam is a Communist country today because of these people. Truly amazing! Oh Yeah! And I got to fire an AK47 automatic rifle. Now that baby had a kick!
Tomorrow we are spending two days on the Mekong Delta. We will spend the night with a host family, do boat rides, floating markets and the like. I don't feel shocked at all here. Just like normal life for me. Very similar to Taiwan in many ways. Thoughthe Vietnamese are exceptionally friendly and very beautiful!
I will post photos as soon as I can! Hope you all are well!
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