Vietnam

We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on February 26 early in the morning – already in the sweltering heat. We had an on ship diplomatic briefing before clearing customs. Customs luckily moved pretty quickly and soon we were on our way to downtown. The port terminal in Ho Chi Minh City was located about a mile outside the center of town, so Semester at Sea had charter buses constantly running – which made navigating around town much easier. We were told by the Foreign Service officers to only take one type of cab in Ho Chi Minh City, Vinasun, because all the others wouldn’t use a meter and would rip us off. The traffic is insane. I can’t think of any other way to put it. I thought that the traffic patterns in China were bad, but HCMC is ridiculous. The roads were overflowing with motorbikes, the most common form of transportation. Vietnam is at the level of development where most cannot afford a car, so families rely on motorbikes. We were warned in preport to walk at the same speed the entire time we were crossing the street, because motorbikes would time their route around our walking. It was so hard not to just sprint across when a loud motorbike was flying straight towards us. After a few days I got the hang of it, but in the beginning it was a little scary. So upon our arrival to downtown, we were immediately in search of a Vinasun cab to take us to the War Remnants Museum, formally called the Museum of American War Crimes. We were told that this museum would give us another side to the story of the Vietnam War (The American War as it’s called in Vietnam). In our two days at sea prior to Vietnam we learned so much about the war, listened to stories of veterans on the ship and I tried to mentally prepare to visit such a war torn nation. It excited me for the opportunity to visit such an important nation in my country’s history. But I quickly learned that the war that preoccupies the minds and memories of so many Americans does not do the same thing for the Vietnamese. They have moved on from the war, rebuilt, developed and have tried to forget. Sadly, the war with the United States, while it killed 3 million Vietnamese – is only one of the many wars that Vietnam has had to endure in its extensive history.

I have mixed feelings about my visit to the War Remnants Museum. The majority of the displays were grotesque pictures and one-sided analysis of the horrific actions of the United States during the war. The pictures are undeniable. The crimes which were committed by American soldiers were horrendous and unforgivable. I gazed upon picture after picture of burning villages, mangled babies and completely destroyed landscape. There were so many photos that I would never see in an American history textbook, so many that we have been shielded from to protect our perceptions of our military action. But maybe it is because I am an American, but I was upset by the presentation of the museum. There was not one single picture of offensive Viet Cong action, no pictures of American soldiers suffering and no documentation of anything positive on behalf of the United States. I was disappointed by this one-sided propaganda, especially when I really wanted to learn the true Vietnamese perspective of the war. Is this what everyone thinks of it? Or was this just the government’s press release on how the American War should be understood? We later were able to tour the tiger cages where captured Viet Cong soldiers were kept. The soldiers were kept in the blistering sunlight all day – about 8 to 12 soldiers inside one very very small cage. I wish that I could describe the heat. The humidity along with the temperature made walking around pretty miserable – the thought of being locked in a cage with 11 other people during that heat is almost too much to think of. In the end, I don’t know how to characterize my feelings about the museum. I am horrified by my nation’s actions during this awful time in our history, but at the same time I am upset by the lack of full disclosure in which the information was presented. I left feeling guilty and saddened – upset but also amazed at how much Vietnam has developed since the 1960’s.

Later, we walked around the downtown part of Ho Chi Minh City and had lunch at Pho Noodles, basically local fast food. I had some delicious spring rolls and then we spent the rest of the afternoon lost in Ben Thanh Market. Ben Thanh Market is this unbelievably huge market right in central HCMC, everything possible was for sale, from food to artwork and clothing to knockoffs. The smells were so pungent and the shopkeepers were very persistent. Later, we ventured to the Rex Hotel – a beautiful old luxury hotel infamously known as the location from which the last US helicopters left when we pulled out of the war in 1975. The rooftop is a beautiful old bar with a wonderful 1960’s glamorous feel– I felt like Marilyn Monroe should be sitting at the next table.

The next day, I went on a Semester at Sea organized day trip to The Great Temple of Caodaism in the city of Tay Ninh and the Cu Chi Tunnels. It was about a 3 hour bus ride to reach Tay Ninh. We drove through miles and miles of countryside, which was such a nice change from the fast paced rhythm of Ho Chi Minh City. The countryside is beautiful with green fields of pasture as far as you can see. In the distance I could see men and women working hard in the fields, their tiny straw hats bobbing up and down. Along the roadside the entire way were small houses with shops in the front and residential homes behind them. Many children were out playing in the streets and old men sat in plastic chairs watching the traffic go by on the dirt roads. We had a traditional Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the Cao Dai temple for an afternoon service. Caodaism was founded in 1926 by Ngo Minh Chieu in an attempt to create the ideal religion. It fuses religious and philosophical traditions from the West and the East, including Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism, native Vietnamese spiritism, Christianity and Islam. The main tenets of Caodaism include the belief in one God, the existence of the soul and the use of mediums to communicate with the spiritual world and ancestors. The Great Temple is considered to be one of the most unique and striking structures in all of Asia – and I would definitely agree. The eclecticism of the religion is showcased through the architecture of the Great Temple. It is constructed with brightly colored columns, with the all seeing eye serving as a focal point throughout the structure. At the front of the temple, the leaders of all the religions included are featured in a beautiful mural. We were escorted to the balcony of The Great Temple to watch the service. I felt like it was a little intrusive to watch such a special service and not really understand it, but at the same time I’m so glad I was able to witness something so spectacular. There were probably close to 300 people participating in the service, all sitting cross legged on the floor wearing white robes –which was such a beautiful contrast with the bright colors of the building. The higher clergy members wore different colors and were seated higher and closer to the front. We just quietly observed the service while musicians played the traditional music. It was one of the most beautiful religious ceremonies I’ve ever seen. I just kept thinking about the magnificent combination of religions and how these people had created a peaceful way to incorporate all of the major religious viewpoints of the world. While I still don’t fully understand all the tenets of Caodaism, I was blown away by this religion. The people were so hospitable and kind – I wanted to stay there for days and just ask them questions and learn more.

After our afternoon in Tay Ninh, we proceeded on the bus to the Cu Chi tunnels, about another hour away on the bus. Cu Chi is famous for its 200 kilometer network of underground tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the war. The tunnels were used as a base from which the Viet Cong could launch strategic attacks and then seemingly disappear into thin air. Most of the tunnels are only about two feet wide and five feet high, but some of the lower levels are even smaller than that. Upon arrival we were shown a replica cross-section of the network of tunnels. I am still amazed at how intricate they are. People could survive for weeks inside, with rooms for sleeping and eating, which were all connected to different pathways and exits. We were taken around a park type area where they also had on display the trap door tools used by the Viet Cong to capture American soldiers. They were awful contraptions, basically a hole in the ground with really sharp bamboo rods sticking up vertically. We then were given the chance to walk and crawl through the tunnels. I’m not really claustrophobic at all, so I didn’t think it would be a problem. But once inside, I don’t know how anyone could spend more than just a few minutes in there. Everyone grew anxious while crawling through the tight, dark space. It was really the first time I’ve ever felt really stuck in somewhere without a clear exit. Luckily our guide could sense our anxiety, which I think happens with every visitor after the first few minutes inside, and quickly moved us through to the nearest exit. I kept thinking about the soldiers who had to live in these tunnels in order to survive. That put things quickly into perspective for me. The ingenuity of the tunnels was amazing, especially how each room connected to another and how they were completely undetectable on land. I am so glad I was able to visit these tunnels. I made the war real for me. It was finally tangible in a way that it hasn’t been through books and lectures. Here I was standing inside the tunnels used less than 50 years before in a war that changed the landscape of world politics as we know it. We had about a two hour ride back to the ship and then had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant called Lemongrass in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. (I kept thinking about Lemongrass on the Corner – made me miss Wertland!)

Early the next morning we woke up to explore more of Ho Chi Minh City. We had heard that the Post Office and the Vietnamese version of the Notre Dame Cathedral were both beautiful, so we set off in search of both. Vietnam was colonized by the French, so a lot of Saigon (HCMC was previously named Saigon prior to the fall of Southern Vietnam) has a very European feel. They even created a replica Notre Dame Cathedral made out of red brick right in downtown – which is beautiful. We also visited the local Post Office which is housed in a beautiful old building. On the inside walls are huge murals of old maps of Vietnam, before and after the reunification of the nation. On the back wall, right in the center, is a huge portrait of Ho Chi Minh. We got some postcards and stamps and wandered around. We then made our way to the Reunification Palace or the “Independence Palace” as it is called by the Vietnamese government. The Reunification Palace was formally the home of President Diem – the American puppet president of South Vietnam during the war. After Diem was murdered, it became home to Nguyen Van Thieu, who lived there with his family until South Vietnam fell on April 30, 1975. It is here that the famous photos were taken of tanks plowing through big ornate metal gates, signifying Northern control of Saigon and South Vietnam. While it symbolically represents the end of the war, it is also a beautiful home and headquarters, which has been left untouched since the 1970’s. It was like stepping back in time. All the rooms were decorated in flashy art deco décor and really brightly colored carpet. It is just an unbelievable mansion with room after room for entertaining, including three separate dancing halls, for intelligence gathering, with a full military office underground, and the inner-workings of the South Vietnamese government. Each room had a unique feel, but all very dated. I loved that everything was kept just like it was. After our trip to the Reunification Palace, we had a wonderful lunch at a little café. We sat in the upstairs part of this tiny restaurant, near a fan – trying to get a short reprieve from the heat. It was such a relaxing and pleasant little French café, a welcome change from the type of establishments we have grown accustomed to. Later, we walked through more of HCMC and spent about an hour in a local park and botanical garden. We were really the only tourists there, and I felt like I was finally visiting a place where real residents of Ho Chi Minh City liked to congregate and hang out. We later figured out that this park was also a zoo, and there were several mistreated animals in tiny cages around the park. I could hardly handle looking at them, we left soon after. During our time in HCMC we discovered a little frozen yogurt place called Tutti Fruitti that we visited almost every afternoon during our stay. I think it provided us with just enough time out of the heat to keep exploring; otherwise I’m pretty sure we would have headed back to the ship earlier each day. Later that night we ate dinner at an outside restaurant called Pasteur Garden where they served food on a little barbeque right in front of us.

The next day, the majority of our group of friends had a day SAS trip so Mckenzie and I decided to get out of HCMC for the day and take the hydrofoil to a little fishing village called Vung Tao. The hydrofoil is a fast moving boat, shaped like the body of an airplane. We had assigned seats and were served breakfast just like a flight. The hydrofoil trip took about an hour and a half to reach Vung Tao. Vung Tao is known for its great fishing and beaches and is really just a quaint little town away from the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City. We had a little lunch of rice and chicken at a family restaurant right across the street from the hydrofoil station where we were asked if we would like a guided motorbike tour of the city for the day. Not really having any sort of plan, we agreed and hired two tour guides to show us around. They first took us to a giant Jesus statue, similar to the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio. We climbed what felt like a million stairs to reach this incredible statue, which overlooked the coastline. We were also able to climb inside the statue and stand on his shoulder, which was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. It was the perfect clear day. They later took us to the popular beach location in Vung Tao, followed by a trip to a local Buddhist temple. We were greeted by friendly monks who showed us around the entire compound. Looking incredibly out of place, we were stared at with confusion by temple goers the entire time. It was a beautiful temple; we removed our shoes and spent several minutes of silence with the monks in front of a large shrine to the Buddha. Even though we were separated by language, I could feel their warmth and welcome – it was so pleasant to be so nicely received. Later, we drove through the actual fishing village right along the coast. The sun was high in the sky as we looked out onto these huge fishing vessels pulling in tons of fish right from the sea. I wish I had a picture of that moment, as we rode by the ocean on one side and this fishing village on the other – a tiny road separating it. Lastly, we visited the White Palace, home to a French prince during colonialism. It was this immaculate house overlooking the ocean, all the doors and windows opened right out onto the sea and everything has been left in place just as it was. It was a beautiful way to end the day. Our tour guides took us back to the hydrofoil station where we told them goodbye and we bought our tickets back to HCMC. We had about a half an hour to spare before our trip, so had some Vietnamese fast food and relaxed inside the terminal. But to our dismay, as we were waiting to board our boat, we realized that our boat was by a different company than we thought and we watched it pull away from the dock. We ran to the operator who started yelling in Vietnamese, there was mass confusion and we quickly purchased new tickets for the last boat of the day, which was leaving in just a few minutes. They luckily had two seats on the last boat trip and we made it back to Ho Chi Minh City later that evening. The entire trip back McKenzie and I just sat there so glad that we made that boat back, I don’t know what we would have done otherwise. We later had dinner at a great restaurant called Al Frescoes that was recommended by David Vaughan and we prepared for our trip the next day to the Mekong Delta.

On our final day in Vietnam we woke up early to meet our tour guide for our independent trip to the Mekong Delta. The Mekong Delta is called the “lifeblood of Vietnam,” the place where a lot of the commerce in the south is centered. We drove for about two hours to get to the Mekong from HCMC and boarded a big barge type boat with a covered top and built in seats. The Mekong River is wide; several larger barge type boats could fit across it. We rode for about an hour, taking it all in, the homes along the shore, the murkiness and smell of the water and the people who make their living working on this river. Our first stop was at a coconut distribution plant, right on the Mekong river bank. There were probably about 20 people working underneath one large tarp type area, each person with a distinct job. They cut the coconut, drained it, shelled it and separated all the parts of the coconut. I was amazed by their efficiency, and how sustainable it was to somehow use the whole thing! (Sustainability is the theme of our voyage) After leaving the coconut plant, we then went to a salt plant, located just a little down the river. There were just huge vats of salt water where people sift through the water to retrieve the salt. Later, we stopped at a brick manufacturer, where we were walked through each step in the process of making clay bricks right from the river. We then visited a family for a little while in a home right on the banks. They showed us how to make straw mats and we enjoyed some strained conversation and wonderful exotic fruit. The entire time we were there, the largest spider I’ve ever seen hung in the corner of the wall, right above the table. It was all I could do to focus on the family and not the spider; I had an inner dialogue with myself the entire time not to freak out. Afterwards, we took motorized rickshaws to our lunch location – which was basically just an open tent area in the woods. We had incredible food, including an entire Elephant Ear Fish for the table, which definitely could have fed nearly 20 people (there were only 6 of us). Elephant Ear Fish is this large fish that is fried and then served entirely. It was so beautiful I felt a little bad eating it. Following lunch we finally were able to board tiny wooden canoes for our trip down the narrow backwaters of the Mekong. We were given the traditional Vietnamese straw hats to wear because the sun reflecting off the water was really hot, and we just sat in the base of the canoe, as a little elderly lady steered us through the canals. The water is totally brown, and on each side are tall reeds of bamboo and other shrubbery growing all around. It was quiet, peaceful and beautiful. Afterwards, we bicycled through a small neighborhood for late afternoon tea with another family. Following tea, we bicycled back to meet our van to take us back to HCMC. We biked through the crowded streets, where I think all of us got a little overwhelmed by the traffic and people. Just biking was slightly scary; I can’t imagine trying to maneuver a motorbike through the traffic. Our tour guide looked back at us several times and just laughed, as all of us were struggling to keep up and not be totally overtaken by all the traffic. It was definitely an experience. We then headed back to the ship and we departed the next morning at 0600.

I loved Vietnam. And I love that I feel like I saw a cross-section of the country, at least in the South. After visiting Vietnam, I have a new reference point in relation to the War. Overall, the people were so welcoming and open. It feels like the nation is on the brink of development, real economic growth and major change. I would love to go back and visit Vietnam later in my life and see the changes that have occurred. I will never forget all the beautiful things I saw, the adventures in Vung Tao with Mckenzie and just really exploring on our own. It’s been a few weeks now since our trip to Vietnam, and Mckenzie and I were discussing our favorite memories so far, and we both just kept coming back to Vietnam. How happy we were, how beautiful it was and what awesome memories we will forever take away from the five days there. I had incredible experiences each day – and I’m so proud of how much we saw and accomplished on our own. They say that it’s the people that make this trip special, and Vietnam proved that to me.