Southeast Asia Trip
This will be a continual log of my Study Abroad trip to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos with Texas State University. I’ll add posts in chronological order as I have time to write them and internet access to get them posted.
Namaste,
Dave
May 17, 2011
This is the first full day in Vietnam on my study abroad trip. I flew into Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC, formerly known as Saigon) from Hong Kong, via Kuala Lumpur, yesterday and met up with a number of my traveling companions (“classmates” just doesn’t seem to fit) both at the airport and then at the Family Inn Saigon, our hotel.
Family Inn Saigon at night
Trying to find our way first night in HCMC
Seven of us explored the area of the hotel last night, finding a nice restaurant recommended by the front desk clerk where the food was both delicious and amazingly cheap. I had fried spring rolls, which I shared with the table, and sticky rice with lemongrass and braised pork ribs. Really yummy food and the local Saigon beer was not at all bad. In fact, I am drinking one now while sitting in my room writing this blog entry.
Following dinner, we made our way to a nearby hotel with a roof top bar where we listened to some okay covers of 80s and 90s music and had another beer–same beer but, at this bar, it cost almost as much as the entire meal per person at the other place. Still it was a fun experience and I enjoyed being with the group.
Waiting on our drinks while enjoying the music at the rooftop bar.
My roommate, Jesse, as well as a number of others, got in late last night and we had a chance to get to know one another a bit before we both crashed. Breakfast this morning was at our hotel, and there was time for more visiting with each other, meeting some of the other travel companions and getting groups together to explore the city today as the tour itself does not actually start until tomorrow.
Jesse and I joined Dr. Leah Renold, Dr. Paul Hart, and two other students, first to find phones and sim cards for a few of us, then for a walk to a Buddhist temple. Today is the Buddha’s birthday, so it was a special day to be at the temple. The incense was thick, though mostly just on the first floor and around the various statues of the Buddha outside the temple. And there were plenty of lotus, and other, flowers to purchase and leave as offerings.
Dr. Leah Renold with a lotus blossom
Buddhas at the temple
Probably the biggest impression that the city has made on everyone at this point is the traffic. Although there are most likely nowhere near the numbers of people in Ho Chi Minh City as there are in Hong Kong, there is no real public transportation here and almost everyone gets around on motorbike. Crossing the street is like playing a living game of Frogger. One just has to pick a thin spot in the traffic and cross at a stead pace, trusting that the cars and motorbikes will miss you. So far, they have. Actually, with the constant crush of traffic and the impression that lights, stop signs, traffic lanes (even, at times, direction of travel) are more suggestions than regulations, I am amazed to report that I’ve only seen one accident so far. And, it didn’t look like there was much damage.
HCMC Traffic
Dr. Renold playing Frogger
Well, I’m going to enjoy sitting in the room for a bit, maybe a nap and then a foot massage before meeting the entire group at six this evening. Probably we’ll head out for more exploring and a couple of beers tonight. More later.
May 18, 2011
This was the first actual day of the tour.
The first site we visited was the Cu Chí tunnel complex in the countryside not far from Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly known as Saigon and the capital of South Vietnam. The complex was used by the Viet Cong to hide from ARVN and U.S. troops during the day or for longer periods of time during intensive periods of search and destroy operations in the area. The far reaches of the complex come near to a major U. S. military installation. It was rumored to extend within the perimeters of the installation, but veterans on both sides say that that was not true.
There were three levels to the complex, one at about three meters depth, a second at 5-6 meters, and a third at 8-10 meters. The layout was complex, with many pit traps set to catch intruders who might venture into the tunnels without knowing the layout. The its had bridges that could be lowered across them while the VC were moving in that part of the tunnel, then lifted to expose intruders to the dangers. Most of the pits were located at the bottom of down slopes where an intruder’s momentum would make it difficult to avoid falling into the pit and the various punji sticks or other destructive elements.
There were a number of air vents built into the complex with the surface openings disguised as termite mounds or other natural jungle formations. Often the VC would plant wood on the constructed mound to attract termites during the rainy season so that, even if the mounds were not originally actual termite mounds, they soon were transformed into such, making it more difficult for suspicious troops to tell the difference.
Kitchens, classrooms, and workshop areas were most often constructed as recessed bunkers with tunnel access built into the floor. Cooking fires were only permitted during the early morning and late afternoon periods when the smoke could be dismissed as surface fog if it had failed to completely dissipate into the surrounding forest. The chimneys for the fires would channel the smoke 100 to 150 meters from the kitchen and then filter it through vegetation to help it dissipate. If the chimney outlet were discovered, because of the distance, the VC in the kitchen had time to escape before the actual kitchen was discovered.
The tunnels themselves were small and very stuffy, even with the air vents built in. The complexes, such as Cu Chí were situated in the areas where the soil was mostly a heavy clay which compacted into almost rock-like walls. They also had to be in areas far enough away from the major rivers of the area to allow for the tunnels to be deep enough to provide protection from bombs and artillery without reaching into the water table. But they also had to be close enough to allow for wells to be dug as part of the complex.
Inside one of the tunnels.The second major stop of the day was at the War Remnants Museum in HCMC. Since the museum was constructed by and is maintained by the winning government in the war, that of the communists under Ho Chi Minh, there are many references in the signs and documents offered that are strongly biased in their favor. VC and NVA fighters are almost always referred to as patriots and martyrs, for example. Almost all actions by the U.S. government in pursuing the aims of the war are described as war crimes. There is no direct reference to any actions by the patriotic fighters that might could be considered in the same light.
Waterboarding in Vietnam, 1968.While the displays are clearly constructed for their propagandistic value and to glorify the actions against the United States and the government supported by it in South Vietnam, that does not mean that there is not truth in what is presented. The massacre at My Lai did happen. And it was only one of about 100 massacres of more than 100 people in the 1969-70 time period as documented by the Quakers. The multiple thousand tons of Agent Orange and other defoliants, all laced with dioxin, sprayed over huge swaths of Vietnam and Laos leave many hillsides still void of much vegetation. The documented illnesses and birth defects that showed up in the U.S. troops who handled the materials are a small fraction of those that occurred to the people who lived and farmed in the areas targeted for deforestation. Much of the countryside is still laced with mines spread and not recovered.
Examples of some of the mines dropped by U.S. troops in Vietnam.The U.S. and ARVN troops were not the only ones to use mines in Vietnam, nor were all of the atrocities committed by soldiers on only one side of the war. The pictures here reflect what was presented in the museum in HCMC.
It was interesting to listen to the Army and Marine veterans that are part of our group. Their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan made them quick to dismiss almost everything presented because of the slant. I readily admit that I am not a veteran and have never been in an active war zone, let alone served in one as a combatant. I understand that if one is exposed to an environment where there are people shooting at you, trying to kill you and your comrades, that it probably makes sense to shoot them first. And it would probably take a pretty special person to not have the urge for revenge when one has been surrounded by the death of people with whom one has built relationships. It’s probably not natural to expect that within a large fighting force, no one will act on those impulses. And that’s really the bigger point.
During the Vietnam War era, there were T-shirts, key chains, and charms sold with a drawing of a flower surrounded by a saying, “War is not healthy for children and other living things.” Violence always begets violence. Period. I am not personally quite to the point of claiming that war is never justified, but I am damn close. It should always be the very last resort, if used at all.
May 19, 2011
This morning we left HCMC, flying to Da Nang where we met our next tour guide, Hanh, and traveled by bus to Hoi An. Like most of our days on this tour, it was a combination of purely touristy stops and more enlightening stops, today’s at a museum in Da Nang that tells the story of the Cham people.
Hanh explaining the history of the Cham people of Vietnam.
Travel days are tiring, and this one was no exception. We boarded the bus at 7:30 in the morning for the almost hour drive to Ton Son Nhut Airport in HCMC. Vietnam Airlines did a nice job of processing us through check-in, and there was only one incident in getting through security when Walter forgot that he had his leatherman in his carry-on luggage. They let him go back out and check it, but he felt he was being followed around the airport from that point until we got on the plane.
The domestic terminal waiting area feels much more like a bus terminal than most airports in the U.S., or the international terminal waiting areas I have experienced so far on this trip. It was crowded with people and the seating was in hard plastic chairs, bolted in groups of three to the support beams of the chairs. When it is time to board, there is no “boarding from the rear of the airplane” organization. They announce that the plane is boarding and everyone crowds towards the gate. At least we all have assigned seats, though I am not so sure how much of a blessing that is as I am stuck in the center seat between two other of our guys. At least there seems to be a bit more leg room than on most U.S. carriers, even though the domestic population tends to be much smaller than the average U.S. citizen.
Our first stop in Da Nang was for lunch. Prices at this restaurant tended to be almost double what we had been used to paying at the restaurants in HCMC, meaning entrees were closer to 100k Vietnamese Dong, or $5.00. Even though $5.00 isn’t much, looking at prices of 98,000 instead of 52,000 just seems ridiculously more expensive for any item. And it was tough to make ourselves pay 30,000 for the same beer we had paid only 18,000-20,000 for just the day before. Funny how fast one can get used to one price as an acceptable price and feel gouged when that price increases. Still, the food was good, and it was nice to be able to sit in the air conditioning for a bit before resuming our journey.
Mackenzie's fish is served while Vicki looks on.
After lunch we visited the Cham Museum in Da Nang. There used to be hundreds of Cham temple sites all over the central part of Vietnam, extending mostly along the coastline quite a ways into the southern portion of the country. Many Shiva Lingams, alters, and other statuary have been removed to the museum for display and safekeeping. They show the great Indian influence on the Cham people.
A Shiva Lingam at the Museum of the Cham People in Da Nang.
A representation of Brahma.
The bus trip to Hoi An included two other stops, first at a marble sculpting factory. Much of the marble used to come from Marble Mountain, a peak just behind this factory, which was also a prominent landmark from ancient times. Now, partially to preserve the mountain, the marble is trucked in from a more remote location. Still the marble carving is beautiful and some of the pieces are very tempting. Conveniently, they would be most happy to ship them for us.
Walter and a marble Phat Ba.
The second stop was in the village of Hoi An, at the Yary Tailors shop. This area of Vietnam is on the old Silk Road, and the area has long been known for production of silk and other fabric as well as for custom-made clothing. Yary appears to be the largest tailor shop in the area and many of us will end up having suits, shirts, and/or dresses custom-made for ourselves while we are in Hoi An.
Having completed the short tour of the tailors, we drive the short distance to the hotel where we will be based for the next three nights. There is time for a swim in the hotel pool or catching up on email before those that want to explore the town can catch the hotel shuttle for a trip in. We hoped to do a bit of shopping—at least window shopping—after dinner, but we overwhelmed the restaurant and barely made it out on time to catch the last shuttle of the night back to the hotel, though some did stay behind and walked back later. The food, however, was wonderful and it was nice to be able to relax and visit after a long two days of travel.
Nate, Dr. Renold, and Brett relaxing at dinner in Hoi An.
Emily, Lori, and Nate at dinner in Hoi An.
Banana Flower Salad.
May 20, 2011
Today was a day for unescorted exploration in the Hoi An area. Because we are a fairly large group, Hanh was able to arrange for the hotel’s rental bicycles to be available to us for free and many of us took advantage of that opportunity. Other optional excursions included a trip to a farm, where we could experience the methods of planting and harvesting lemongrass and other locally grown crops, or a fishing excursion, to learn the traditional ways of catching fish in the central part of Vietnam. A number of the guys on our trip chose the fishing excursion, but most of us just wanted a bit less directed experience.
(From left) Jaclyn, Emily, Mackenzie, Lori, Jesse, and I riding through the streets of Hoi An.
- (We chose to ride the bikes into town. The first stop was the tailors, where I ordered a suit, a sport coat, and a tux all custom-made for me and shipped back to Austin for about $500. Some of the women had dresses made that are just beautiful. Others found a nearby shop to have shoes made for themselves while we were choosing our material and styles and getting measured. After the tailors, we rode further in to town, finding the coldest beer we have had in Vietnam to go with our lunch, and many other interesting shops and places of interest.
Yaly Tailors. I ordered a green linen sport coat in this style.
Mackenzie and I enjoying ice cold San Miguel beer on draught. Notice the waitress sneaking into the picture.
Traffic in Hoi An is not as crazy as HCMC, but it is still interesting to ride on roads where all of the laws, including direction of travel, seem to be more suggestions than anything that is enforced. And yet, somehow, it all seems to work. Both the bicycle riding, and crossing streets in Vietnam is simply a matter of learning to negotiate with all of the other users of the road around you—and trusting that they won’t hit you. I’d never try the things that are normal and expected here at home, but it has been an interesting experience.
Direction of travel is supposedly on the right side of the street but, as you can see here, that seems to be more of a suggestion.
Biking back from China Beach.
Fishing boats along the river in the old village of Hoi An.
Colorful silk statues in the river at Hoi An.
Our bicycle exploration took us all over Hoi An, including the old village that I’ll talk more about in tomorrow’s blog as we are doing a walking tour of that part of the city as part of our escorted tours in the area. At the end of the afternoon, Laurie, Emily and I rode past our hotel a few kilometers to get to the beach. We didn’t swim, but it felt really nice to soak our feet in the waters before returning to the hotel.
Lori and me on the beach outside of Hoi An. We heard two different locations referred to as China Beach, this being one of them.
Of course, after a long, hard day of bicycle riding, a nice massage is always welcome. Our hotel has a spa and many of us took advantage of the opportunity to indulge ourselves. Personally, I had a hot stone message and a manicure/pedicure.
The day wasn’t a totally free day. We had about an hour and a half of lecture, including a short quiz, this evening before many of us walked to the White Lotus restaurant, a restaurant owned and operated by an NGO that works to improve education and employment opportunities in this part of Vietnam as well as Cambodia and Laos. Jaclyn had mentioned at lunch how much she loved Hoi An and would love to be able to find a non-profit to work with in the area for the rest of the summer. The director of the NGO happened to be in the restaurant this evening and she was able to arrange a meeting with him for tomorrow to discuss an opening they have for a teacher. It’ll be interesting to see how that turns out.
Great pictures … good story. Sounds like you are enjoying. Anxious to read more!
I’ll try again. They didn’t like my first comment??
Thank you for the account of your trip, and also for the great pictures. Waiting for more.
Keep up the good work. Interesting story, and I know you are all enjoying the very different country and culture. Anxious to hear more.
It is great to read about everything. It seems to be an interesting trip/class and also well-run. Glad you are getting to do this. Keep up the blog!
Dave, love the pictures from the War Museum in HCM City! I missed seeing these! Oh and that banana flower salad.. yummy!
Dave, I loved reading this.