Just a Walk in the Park 4/18/10

       It Wasn’t Exactly a Walk in the Park

The heat and humidity in the South are both all they are touted to be. As I mentioned before that the day’s activities consisted of a 3 hour drive to the north and a visit to the most beautiful temple in the world. That would remain to be seen.

The drive out of Saigon was as you would expect of a roadway carrying in excess of 3 million +/- motorcycles. The frenzy was that of rush hour the difference being that it was going in both directions with no end in sight in either direction. As the day’s itinerary unfolded and the bus ride continued, I began to question the wisdom and planning behind a 3 hour drive to spend 45 minutes in the ornate Temple of Cao Dai in the town of Tay Ninh. The Monks we are going to see are a unique collection representing Confusianism, Taoism and Budhism. Fortunately for us, they are all wearing their team colors, so we can easily identify the players.

The drive this morning sounded like a tuberculosis ward on Michelin Tires what with all the hacking, coughing and sneezing as we wound our way thru the countryside. For the most part, the health of the group has been good with just a few chronic “sickies”. For most of us its just been a mild case of head colds, due primarily to the ins and outs of all the air-conditioning and then back into the heat and the humidity. No major accidents to report as we all are watchful to “mind our steps”.

Our arrival at the Temple was with the timing of a military operation. The mid-day service, one of four conducted each and every day. (sure wouldn’t want the 4am duty) was set to begin shortly after a walking tour of this magnificent Temple. The Temple was an odd gathering of colorful robes distinguishing the various players. I chose not purchase a program and was a bit confused as to whose sect belonged to the white, orange, blue (green?) jerseys. If I remember correctly white elected to punt and orange elected to defend the south entry of the temple. It was quite the spectacle as viewed from the surrounding balconies, in the orchestra area.

I elected to bow out of the service early as is my Sunday practice, and strolled back to the bus, seeking a bit of refuge from the rising heat and terribly, oppressive humidity. With shirts sticking and the winners declared in the first ever Cao Dai wet T-Shirt Contest, we pushed on to the infamous Cu Chi Tunnels of South Vietnam.

As the guide books point out, the Cu Chi tunnels are an intricate network of tunnels that acted as a refuge for the VC during the day so as to do their dirty deeds during the night time hours. In addition to being a staging area, they also acted as a supply depot for goods and weapons coming down the Ho Chi Minh trail. They were originally constructed for similar purposes by the Vietnamese during their fight with the French. A good portion of the tunnels were far too small for an American "Wide Body", but many were spacious rooms used as schools, hospitals and motor pools.

After a grainy, black and white propaganda piece produced by a low budget communist PR firm, we set off on a walk about, thru this cheery little underground city complete with pop-up VC, distant gunfire, pungi pits, stakes included and all sorts of snares aimed at the allies. After this inspiring/perspiring visit we boarded our bus for the return to the War Famous, Rex Hotel in the center of Saigon.

While it was touted as a 5 Star hotel (which I’m sure it was during the war considering the other options) today a couple of the stars should come down. The lobby area while spectacular was never air conditioned making it difficult to enjoy. Some Vietnamese bean counter in times past had determined that tremendous savings would result if hotels did not provide A/C to any of the common areas to include lobbies, hall ways, and elevators.

Some of us called a halt to the pace, and passed on dinner down by the water. Just a bit too over-heated and exhausted by our day in the sunshine. We did rally to the roof-top bar previously frequented by reporters and generals who reported and planned the war’s goings on, over gin and tonics, fine food, and wonderful service. I bet the entertainment was similar to that of the 70”s. We had a great collection of talents, that included a Karaoke singer made good backed by computer generated band of 35, and a real nice little dance band with an Asian singer who I think understood the words to what she was singing.

We danced and dined on our cheese burger/fries, bought tonic to go with our smuggled in vodka and simply enjoyed the lights of the city and the breezes that had begun to cool down Saigon (excuse me, Ho Chi Minh City aka HCMC). As I look back on the night and previous cocktail parties, I think we would have done better to smuggle in the tonic and buy the vodka given their relative prices…..but it’s the gaming and the thrill of it all that keeps us on a budget mentality.

Today is Friday, Day 17, of this marathon. On route to the airport where we fly to Siem Reap, and the numerous temples of Angkor Wat, we tour to the south to the great rice bowl known as the Mekong Delta. While the jungle fighting that had occurred in the North, fighting in the South in the Delta region would have to have been pure hell. With temperatures in 100’s and the humidity above that, the thought of humping serious amounts of supplies and weapons, could hardly be imagined. The extreme heat, humidity, bugs and overall conditions gave me a new appreciation for what many of the GI’s experienced. Now, I really feel guilty having just sat on my beach in Chu Lai with a beer in hand, not to mention the 365 days I spent there in 1969.

In the wars ahead, which are sure to be many, we should pick our points of conflict based on weather conditions, with less regard for political realities and natural resources. For history teaches us that once the war is over, the tourists are sure to return, and we don’t want to be mucking around in inclement weather and humidity.

The boat trip thru sections of the delta, helped keep a crease in our pants while providing a nice viewing point for this region. Lunch overlooking the waters of brownish waters of the Mekong Delta River. We lunched on a local specialty, (elephant ear fish) something fish, deep fried whole, served vertically, and picked apart by a skinny Asian gal who puts the delicate white fish into rice paper to what amounts to a “see thru” fish taco……….mmmmmmmmmmmm good! Of course I find any thing tasty if you can put enough chili/hot sauce on top.

I have to say, without exception, I have yet to taste anything that I thought was totally inedible. Sure the dishes have become repetitive over time (the thought of another deep fried spring roll sets me reeling…..I may even have to give up taquitos on my return) but the food always seems fresh, well prepared and always in abundance. Beer with a meal usually runs $.50-$.90 wine a bit more. In the hotels considerably more, but since we eat most of our meals on the road and in small restaurants, the beverage charges are always quite reasonable, amounting to just a couple of bucks (ten million Dong per meal)

Its now time to “say good-bye” (aka its time to tip again) to Cuong and our driver. Our driver who is from the south left us in Hanoi, and drove the 700 miles south to pick us up in Saigon (there should have been a better way of doing this, but we did hear he was from the South as was the bus).

The Saigon Airport was a bit of a circle jerk as Cuong had to rescue me at the ticket counter so that we boarded on time. He was not allowed to accompany us inside the international terminal so as his second in command I was put in charge. With my limited command of the language it seemed I allowed all of the other tour groups, of which there are many, to walk all over the “Gary Brown Group”. As the clock ticked away, here came Cuong to the rescue and began nudging and conjoling his way to the head of the line insuring our timely departure. We made our one flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia with time to spare. We are all anticipating our visit to the Temples of Angkor Wat, while at the same time dreading the extreme heat that surely awaits us.

We arrive in Siem Reap and after navigating the visa process …big spender Don Orr, tips his way thru the paper work and greets us on the other side with our new guide Loeung Viseth. After learning his life story and Don sharing his with Mr. Viseth we are all introduced to one another and head off to begin our brief visit to Cambodia.

We are immediately greeted with the news, that for the next few days the temperature will be down +/- 10 degrees with overcast skies making for what we are promised to be a wonderful time for visiting the temples. The Temple grounds cover 77 square miles and are a designated World Heritage Site. While we will only be viewing a very few of the temples in our two day stay, others will spend a week or more, going from Temple area to another.

We stray a bit from the itinerary, and start with the Angkor Temple after an early departure from the hotel in the hopes of avoiding some of the after noon heat and the expected crowds. While the locals were aware of the existence of the Temples the grounds and temples themselves were not discovered until the early 19^th century when European explorers stumbled upon these ancient cities.

In the years that followed the jungles were pushed back shedding modern light on these magnificent structures. But with the wars that followed and the arrival of Pol Pot and the Khemer Rouge this extremist Maoist Party left the Temples to again be devoured by the jungles. It was only after the death of Pol Pot and the eventual demise of the Khemer Rouge, did the country realize the potential tourist bonanza they had waiting for them.

With under developed oil reserves to the West, tourism seemed the most likely revenue source. Today, this moderately, socialist government and the people of Cambodia have these 70 plus stone temples to thank for their marginal 20^th century successes. While the jungle has been driven back to reveal the bulk of these ruins that were built between AD 800 and 1432, there is a generation or two of restoration still ahead.

While Angkor Wat is touted as the world’s single largest religious complex, the other temples are equally stunning. It was not only the encroachment of the jungles that decimated the temples it was also the warring of the diverse religious orders that inhabited the region over the years. Each surviving group, desecrating the religious and sacred icons of the conquered religion and reigning king. Elements of Buddhism and Hinduism fought for control as each religion/king sought to expand his empire.

One of the single greatest problems that confronted the restoration of these religious grounds, was the removal of all of the land mines that were placed about the temple grounds by Pol Pot and his group of madmen. Many thousand lost their lives as well as their limbs in an effort to make this the tourist attraction that it is today……….Something Disney never had to deal with………

His reign lasted 15 years from 1975 thru the early 90’s and he is credited with the deaths of 2 million Cambodians in what is deemed to be one of the worst acts of genocide in modern history.

Sunday, Day 19 lead us back into the Temple grounds for a few more looks and very steep climbs. The early am visit was to Angkor Thom (12^th century and pronounced “Uncle Tom’s ) and a climb to the top with panoramic views of the surrounding jungle. Thru the use of satellites, ruins are still being discovered, but with that comes the problems of additional land mines. The day was filled sites such as the Elephants Terrace…..The Ta Prohm Temple….the Temple of Preah…….The Royal Baths…….Banteay Kdei……….no, that was the local restaurant for lunch…….then back to the hotel for a rest, more shopping and the transfer from the hotel to the airport and our flight back to Hanoi and our home away from home, The Flower Garden Hotel.

We said good bye to our guide and driver (and you know what that means) at the international airport and prepared for our flight back to Hanoi. Interesting as to some of the tipping requests…. Bruce Lyau and Ron Dong, our male, Asian representatives in the group are constantly being asked for tips by the immigration officials for processing their visa requests. Bruce, when asked, issues a defiant “no” grabs his passport and moves on. Some of the white boys have been assessed additional $1 charges for incomplete paperwork and missing signatures….what a system. We even had a cop at one of the temples trying to sell us his badge. Made us all think we may just need a “get out of jail card” before our journey ends.

Bach in Hanoi on Day 19 and in the safe confines of the Flower Garden Hotel we begin to re-pack our bags with dirty clothes and gifts we have left at the hotel from previous stays. The group flies home Monday on different flights….an 11am departure and a 5pm departure with Toni and Steve spending and extra day and a half……..‘cause Toni had a bit more shopping to do.

Monday, AM, we shared good byes amongst the group with all agreeing that it really had been an adventure and that we had proved ourselves “travelers” and not just mere tourists……‘The first Bus departed only to return as we discovered a left bag in the lobby with Barbara Orr’s name written all over it.

Not quite ready to plan a return visit, but still a trip that will remain with us in the years ahead. A trip that will surely become more memorable with time and far less demanding as the memories of the heat and humidity and the discomforts of the road fade from our memories……….It truly was a wonderful 3 weeks filled with enough experiences to last us until our next departure………..gb

　

Only one question remains unanswered……….5 Flights ……20 plus Hotel Stays…….2 Train Trips…….50 plus meals……..100’s of miles in bus transport + drivers and two guides……numerous boat trips………museum tickets………..all for $2100

              .…………….How the Hell Do They Do That?.......................................

Two Days and a Wake Up Call 4/15/10

                          Two Days and a Wake Up Call

One universal trait that every GI in Vietnam shared was that he could tell you to the day how much longer he was going to be "in-country". You did everything you could to minimize the day count. A “short timer” had less than 100 days……a double digit midget had less than a 100 days…..and then came those lucky enough to be in the single digits……those were the real short-timers. I recall how excited I was to find that I had miss-counted by two days and got to recalculate my number. My visit to Chu Lai re-kindled a lot of those memories. Guys with time remaining in the single digits often spent their last week holed up in bunkers all day and over night in order to avoid the errant mortar.

We left the shopping frenzy of Hoian and traveled back thru DaNang passing by China Beach, still wondering who was going to purchase all of those Condos. Such a lovely stretch of sand but totally the wrong product for this section of the world. They should be taking lessons from those in the South Pacific and just begin throwing up thatched housing with lush landscaping. That would certainly sell me with all that beautiful water right out my front door rather than looking down on it from 20 stories up. But oh well, I am not in charge of this development circus, I just worked here years ago.

Back in DaNang and looking forward to the quick flight to Cam Ranh Bay to see what changes were in store there. In 1969, my last night in Vietnam was spent in Cam Ranh Bay, in transit and on my way home. I was really short the last time I was there. If you were stationed there, you were on the gravy train. It was probably the most secure base in all of Vietnam. A massive re-supply harbor and depot, it also served to process the great numbers of GI’s coming in and out of the country.

We arrived in a most timely fashion into the Cam Ranh Bay Airport. As we were the only arrivals off the only plane at this new and modern airport we easily found our luggage and made our way to the ever waiting bus. Vietnam really is on time from the planes to the buses, there is quite simply no down time due to missed connections.

Our destination for the next two nights was the garden spot of Nha Trang situated right on the China Sea. The city boasts 326 days of sunshine and didn’t disappoint us in the least. The bay is dotted with numerous islands that we will explore in the days ahead.

During the war, Nha Trang was the site for in-country R&R’s for GI’s in desperate need a few days rest after a particular stressful period in the bush. Those of us rear echelon soldiers weren’t really eligible for these kinds of breaks so I never had the opportunity to see Nha Trang when I was last here.

As we move further south, the country in rapidly improving in terms of modernization and westernization. Our hotel ended up located right on the strand, ten yards from the water with views of the entire bay. We settled in and then it was off for a quick view of the city which included a 150 step hike to stare at another Budha. Even tho it was hollow it was quite impressive and even better views of the city from this vantage point;

As the trip moves along we have become a bit more insistent as to how our days should be handled. Like other tours, the leader feels an obligation to give us more than we really want, need or can even understand. When Cuong begins a speal at the year 1400, its as though I’ve been fed a sleeping pill and begin immediately to drift off and move further away from the subject at hand. Judy Hinch has been very insistent that she is taking this tour on a pass/fail basis with no intentions of writing for the final exam. Others have followed suit and often adopt that far off look when the talk delves too much in to the minutia of the moment……..We just keep telling ourselves that Cuuong just wants us to get our money’s worth. Tho, sometimes, however, he just makes you want to scream!!!!!!!!!!!

Cocktails on the 11^th floor roof top garden bar were followed by dinner in a lovely garden setting at some very non-descript restaurant that I could never hope to find in a million years of searching even tho it was just a few blocks away.

We all awoke very excited, to experience the entire day on the water in and out of the nearby Islands. Nha Trang is just a lovely beach town with miles and miles of sand and shaded walkways. We boarded our scow (boat would have been far too generous) and clunked our way to the neighboring islands. The boat, while functional, was undoubtedly rejected by the boat people as being an un sea worthy vehicle for escaping the invaders from the north.

Our friendly crew consisted of a group of multi tasking sea men who did everything to tending bar (passing out beers) to providing any measure of massage you were willing to pay for. Susan paid dearly to have her back ruined and popped Excedrin all the rest of the day to help combat the pain. We should probably examined their licensing and credentials a bit closer. We arrived at the snorkeling cove and were told that if we lost the mask and snorkel the charge would be $40. I could make a handsome living selling this quality of equipment at that price. We plunged into clear waters with the temperature in the mid 80’s to be greeted by a couple of rather uninterested fish. While most had seen better underwater sites, the group had fun and the day was so very beautiful that we a very little to complain about……….except Susan and her back. We then motored on to a neighboring island for a little beach sitting under some Mexican like palapas. The cool breezes off the sea, amongst good travelers, made for a marvelous few hours in the sunshine of this spectacular bay.

Gondola like cable cars connected some of the higher end resorts and islands and we did notice the beginning of some South Pacific style resorts, complete with thatched roof dwellings and sandy beach right out in front of each bungalow……..maybe I should consider developing this part of the world. The next stop would be our lunch stop. Our meals have been great and the further south we go they get even better. The meals seem tastier and much liter than we experienced in the north.

For some the next few hours took a bit of a dump. We tied up our scow next to an active fish farm, complete with cuttle fish in the nets, sharks, eels and snakes. Just about all of your basic food groups, fresh and available at this one stop fish market.

To go the rest of the way it was choice of a round basic rowed by an old lady or a Tom Sawyer style pull barge then onto a very shakey pontoon bridge and we were at the restaurant, Toni and Steve were held for ransom and additional monies as they were taken to the wrong eating spot. Steve prevailed with the help of Cuong and we sat down to wonderful lunch.

After lunch we walked thru the fishing village to meet the boat back to the other side. After a rather marginal visit to a local aquarium, we headed back to the hotel for shopping or napping. Can you guess what I chose? I finally got the computer up and going thanks to the help of the Hotel Tech Expert…..just a few simple settings. The hardest part was having her accept the tip.

　

Dinner that evening was on us so a group of seven headed out to the Sailing Club, a wonderful spot on the beach thru a series of gardens. Steak Diane and Fries $7 for me while Susan had Lasagna $5. The tropical drinks were as tasty as they could be and the wine was more than acceptable. They are very good a splitting up the check any way you choose, so dining out in large groups works quite well.

Rise and shine to the airport for the trip south to Saigon. We knew it was going to be hot, but we were not prepared for what temperatures and humidity awaited us. The walk to the bus from the air conditioned confines of the new airport.

The ride from the airport to town was as chaotic as any we had experienced. The town is much more modern and indeed more western than Hanoi. However, they still subscribe to the “no rules of the road”and drive with a devil may care approach to the road and all of the other drivers. The mind set of the road is not even remotely understandable, with their total disregard for their own lives and the lives of the family members and cargo they are transporting.

So as not to miss a thing on the itinerary, we headed to the War Reparations Museum, a real rap on the US which would have been more suitable in the communist north. Cuong is from the north and has no trouble what so ever defending their take over of the south. The South is rarely mentioned while the buzz words about the American Atrocities are mentioned at the drop of the hat. To me, there is a real conflict in ideology when a communist sings the praises of HoChiMinh while making his living of the somewhat wealthy tourist that pay his way.

As we near the end of our time with Cuong, I find his harping on the US to be a bit disconcerting, and like I said with little mention of the South’s involvement and willingness to take our help. We were wrong to get ourselves involved in the mess, and it so unfortunate that we tend to keep making these same types of mistake. We simply shouldn’t involve ourselves in the workings of foreign governments. Korea, Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin…….the trumped up WMD’s in Irag. When will we learn, and fix the situations at home before intervening into the lives of people halfway around the world. There was no domino theory in play in Vietnam and fortunately we find ourselves as friends and trading partners to day.

Tomorrow we are off to the most beautiful temple in all of Vietnam (according to Cuong, but he said that about the aquarium) then to the tunnels of Cu Chi. Its going to be a long, hot one tomorrow.

All for now………………………………...gb

If its Sunday it Must be Chu Lai 4/11/10

       If its Sunday it Must Be Chu Lai

I figured that if my old stomping grounds were just a mere 100kms to the south that I really should take the opportunity to see what has changed in the 40 years since I'd left this place. I arranged with Kwang (still not sure how he spells his name) to have a car and a driver pick me up at the hotel at 7am. After mentioning that I might make the journey south, Jeff Cole asked if he could tag along. As I was not going for any form of catharsis, there was no good reason to do this on my own.
At dinner last nite I sat down with Kwang and drew out a map of the area as best as I could remember. As he had been to Chu Lai visiting his brother many times over the years, he was more than familiar with some of the landmarks I was trying to describe. Thru the driver, Kwang arranged for us to pick up his brother once we were on the Chu Lai air base. I think I mentioned before that his brother was an air traffic controller as was their father.
Jeff and I met in the lobby for the drive south as the driver arrived on schedule. Kwang showed him the map that we had concocted the night before and we were off an running straight into the morning rush hour. As we left the hotel and the green "Welcome Group Gary Brown" sign the traffic immediately picked up on Highway One as we joined the rush hour traffic to the south. The closer we got to Chu Lai the more familiar the towns name's begin to sound.......Tam Ky was a particular hot spot that needed our air support on a daily basis.
As we pulled into Chu Lai I was thankful for the driver as I would have had no idea when and where to turn off to get on the base. Currently the base serves both the military and as well as handling a few commercial flights from Saigon and Hanoi.
At the end of the runway standing just outside a cafe, we spotted Kwangs identical twin (easy to spot) pulled over for a cup of cafe and developed our strategy for looking at my former residence. The map once again gave us starting point for our assault on the base. We drove past commercial portion of the base and as we drove, I was amazed to see that virtually nothing was left of the U.S. presence....and I mean nothing, not a building, or even a shred of what had once been.
We headed to the beach front bearing to the left of what had once been the Americal Division Headquarters. The base was shared by the Navy, Marines, and the Army. To the North, was where the Seabees had their quarters that we frequented when we were in need of a good meal. We found the harbor which now serves the Vietnamese, and had a quick look around.

 As we turned back to head up the beach to my actual stomping grounds we pulled up to a familiar looking bridge and palapa beer bar that hung out over the beach. The beach looked all to familiar, and after a brief chat with the owner, who spoke wonderful English, Jeff and I learned that in fact this was the sight of the former USO club. He had grown up right across the street...still lives there with his wife and owns the bar and restaurant that we had decided to stop at.
He has kids in CA, Washington DC, and family in New York. The Vietnamese government won't allow he or his wife to travel to the US..........for whatever reasons we couldn't fathom. The owner of the restaurant brought out pictures of his family but still couldn't place the actual residence. Just as we were leaving, he wrote down the number 714 and held his hand to ear simulating a phone.................ah 714 area code.............probably Santa Ana, or Orange, or Westminster. We had a good laugh, paid for our beers of which our driver had had a couple. Probably not wise on our part to climb back in the car, but what alternative did we have.
After chatting with the owner a final time, we were assured we were headed in the right direction according to the information, map and landmarks that I remembered. 2-3 miles down the road on some truly amazing beach front property, the landmarks became even more familiar and my orientation complete. My predictions of 40 years ago came true when I arrived at the site of the 14th Combat Aviation Battalion........now the site of "Chu Lai Resort" and future home to Paradise Time Shares a Joint venture between the Vietnamese and the US. My recollections were spot on with the exception that the wonderful river that was to the south of us was no longer running under the picturesque bridge. The blowing of the sand dunes and the vast amount of construction going on in the area had all but altered the flow of the river so that all that was left was just a mere trickle of water.
As Jeff will confirm, if you had to spend a year in Vietnam, this was certainly the place to do. More beautiful than China Beach, the miles and miles of white sand and blue seas are now interrupted by a growing number of resorts. Almost as disturbing and upsetting as the harassment by the VC some forty years ago, the new development going on, while good for the country, is equally as disturbing. While these beaches weren't exactly carefree all those forty years ago, today they represent a new kind of concern.................do we really need another resort?...................And who is going to fly half way around the world to buy one of these beachfront locales at prices starting in the mid $500,000. I'm passing on this investment opportunity, as its doubtful that I'll be vacationing back here any time soon.
But the rest of you can think about it...............the waters are warm, the people too..........might be just the retirement spot............quite a day looking back...............gb

Good Nite Vietnam 4/10/10

                       Good Nite Vietnam
                           Good Nite John Boy..........Good Nite Bob Gaugrahn  4/10/10

Well my luck with public internet equipment is notorious. This is the second try to get this note out but will try again. As we make our way towards the dreaded "Home Stay" the air is filled with anticipation as we contemplate all of our possible sleeping arrangements that might possibly await.
After our customary 2 1/2 hour bus ride from the hotel and one boat ride later, we arrive in Mai Chai to continue our adventure into the Village of Poong Con where our family awaits our overnight stay.

 We arrive in a lovely village offload from the bus and begin our climb up some very steeps (sans handrail) to inspect our quarters for the evening. The Stairway should make for very interesting and exciting potty runs as the evening progresses. Susan and I, the Carmans, Coles and Guarahns end up with Moma-Son and the baby. We trust that the three young men in the corner playing cards will not be spending the nite.

All the houses are on stilts, with storage area underneath. This area will also serve as our eating area. The room is open with straw mats, pads and blankets that will make up our bed for the evening. We suspect that the pads will be draped with mosquito nets given the proximity to all of that standing water in the rice paddies.

While waiting for the evening meal and obligatory cocktail hour (I must say the group is getting awfully good about no ice in their drinks........rum and Fanta at room temperature proves to be quite good when faced with these conditions) we venture into the village proper for a look around. As per usual the lady folk begin their assault on the textile market while the men stand patiently waiting. The village is quite immaculate, while primitve. All of the homes are on stilts and intermixed amongst their homes are neat little stalls for their livestock. Out door shops and little eating places dot the roadsides, all making for an interesting stroll before dinner.

Back at the home as we await dinner, we are once again put on the honor system of drinking, just paying for what you consume as your count is the one they go by. The same is true for the lunches and dinners we have out. At the end of the meal you tell them what you had and pay for it. The meal that followed was simple. Procrastinate as we tried, it eventually came time to go to bed. The nets had been hung and all was in place for our dreaded "sleepover". The fans came on and the lights were turned off, Moma-Son was secreted in her corner bed and the three kids playing cards were no where in sight.

It was a long night..........several trips to the toilet (we did have two sit down ones) while dodging the occasional cats and dogs, not to mention the weird assortment of night crawlers........................Long story short and everyone proclaimed it a lot of fun even tho the accommodations were somewhat lacking in ***'s

On our way back to Hanoi, we stop for another stroll thru a Duong Village where once again we meet some new best friends. We arrive back into Hanoi to await a 4am wake up call so as to board the flight to the old capital city of Hue. Come to think about it a leisurely wake-up in the rice paddies sure beats a 4am phone call. Into the city of Hue and not wanting to waste a moment, we set out for the Citadel the sight of much of the fighting during the Tet Offensive of 1968. The Citadel and some of the Forbidden City have been destroyed over the years during the conflict with the French, the North, and finally with the US. Our guide tries to gloss over the US involvement but its rather difficult to ignore. The palace is a poormans Forbidden City with courtyard after courtyard of lovely buildings, some destroyed and left to be seen as is, while others are actively being restored.

Another boat ride down the Perfume River to visit yet another Pagoda with a display about the monk who drove to Saigon to set himself on fire. His car was there to look at even tho he was not. Then it was back to the Huaong Giang Hotel where Susan and I had a suite fit for a King and Queen. A special thanks from Asia King Travel. In addition the "Welcome Group Gary Brown" signage awaited us just outside the hotel complex for all the world to see. 

After a cocktail party to end all, with every drink brimming over with ice in the "Suite" we headed out for dinner. What a surprise awaited us as we arrived and were escorted into the wardrobe room to be out fitted with traditional Vietnamese garments. As it should have been, Susan and I were to be King and Queen for the night with all of our invited minions, also in full costume. We sat in a private room, dressed to the nines, eating and drinking while enjoying the music played by local musicians. Quite an evening.

After a group picture gathered about "The Sign" , we departed Hue for DaNang and eventually on to Hoian, another World Heritage Site. We made our way to the coast and over the mountains passes and into the fourth largest city in Vietnam. We skirted the town and headed to China Beach, which I had last seem some 40 years ago. I visited there several times during '69 as I accompanied the Battalion Commander up to DaNangs PX for critical supplies and an occasional game of golf.
Well, as I had predicted, all of the major Hotel Chains, Time Shares, and Joint Ventures are spread across the sands of China Beach with units in the Millions of Dollars. Not many completed thus far, but their intentions are clear. The cranes and the construction crews were busy at work preparing for opening day which seems to be a few months out. The scope is large, and the monies being invested are truly unimaginable.

We arrived in Hoian, a truly charming town and shopping paradise. The sun, the first of the trip, has been shining down on us all day long. Its good to be on the coast and in the sun again.

Tomorrow should be an interesting day. I have decided to book a car and driver and leave the group to head south to Chu Lai, the place where I spent 1969. I'll be lucky to locate anything but its bound to be more interesting than the tours that have been planned for us. I'm not doing this for any special reason other than the fact that being this close some 60kms and not making the effort to see my old stomping grounds is something that I am sure to regret.

I'll let you know how the day goes........next time........................gb

Vietnam...It Continues to Amaze 4/8/10

       Vietnam.......It Continues to Amaze
                                        4/8/10

The country continues to amaze all of us travelers. The people are so very friendly, that its hard to believe we were ever at war with any of these docile people. In general, most Vietnamese feel that the war is long over and we should forget and move on with our lives since there is nothing we can do about it. Sounds like some kind of Buddhist mantra to me and I‘m glad to buy into it. Many on the trip have asked me if it is hard coming back here. I have to be candid with them when I say that the Army did very well by me in that they realized I would further compromise their already ineffectual efforts by sending me out onto the field of battle. Instead they saw fit to park this 24 year old, less than “”gung ho”” trooper on the beach to guard the troops that were there to do the actual fighting and dying. I have said many times that my single biggest regret in life was allowing myself to be drafted into this most unpopular venture. For me the alternatives of avoidance, were far too time consuming and what I really needed was just to get my life going. So for me the path of least resistance was to let the army take charge and do with me what they may and I would just have to roll the dice on the next two years of my life.

I ended up being stationed in a place called Chu Lai, in the I Core, on the coast just south of DaNang . Not a day went by that I didn’t envision Conrad Hilton building a mega resort on those magnificent sands once the war was over. I just learned the other day from our guide Kwang as in King Kwang, that his twin brother is lead air traffic controller in Chu Lai where the airstrip is intended to be the single largest airport in all of Vietnam and is scheduled to receive the bulk of the international air traffic by the year 2013. Conrad Hilton won’t be far behind.

While I did survive the ordeal both mentally and physically, my first marriage ended shortly after my return……..but that was another story. The scars left behind were nothing in comparison to what others endured. My friends Bob and Debbie Marquis, that were forced to cancel, would have offered another side to the story and it would have been beneficial to all to have had his insights.

Bob and I were both in combat aviation battalions. On the one hand I went to work every morning to an office. then to the beach in the afternoon to life-guard. Bob on the other hand, was a crew chief (aka gunner) and went flying every day with machine gun in hand, hanging out the window of a loach helicopter daring the bad guys to bring he and his crew down from the sky. Bob participated in the war to the nth degree while I was only a casual observer and occasional participant. I deeply regret that I could not have shared this trip with he and Debbie as I know that he would have benefited greatly by returning to what is today a wonderful, and truly beautiful country……….I miss you Bob, and what you surely would have contributed to, this adventure……… a much safer this trip and infinitely more relaxing this time around.

Our time in Halong Bay was a lovely adventure.  Being out on the water and subject to some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable made our short stay a very pleasureable one.  Our boat/ship was reminescent of a Chinese junk complete with a "Welcome Gary Brown Group" sign.  Both the food and accomodations were superb.  A trip ashore to a visit to the caves was the high lite of the next day.  Cocktails on board that evening just completed the day.  A truly memorable part of the trip I am sure.

We departed the spectacular Halong Bay for our bus ride back into Hanoi in preparation for our “”night-train”’ to the north and into Lao Cai situated near the border of China. The train trip has been anticipated with mixed emotions. The intimacy of sharing a sleeping car with another couple has been less than well-received as the particulars of the journey are revealed.

As we approach our out-dated train and assess our sleeping arrangements, tensions begin to mount as it becomes apparent that some couples must split up to make room for our uneven numbers. The fact that we were 24. 4 into 24 is six cabins………..thanks Bob………and now we are 22 presented all sorts of mathematical compromises and bunk swapping. Long story short, Don Orr ends up bunking in with 3 women……..Don Kuri and I end up with a lovely German couple a few doors down and Kwong ends up with 3 strangers who are intent on drinking all night,

Nine hours and 250 miles later we arrive as far to the north as you can go and still be in Vietnam into the lovely town of Lao Cai and home to the mountain people, the H’’mongs. So as not to waste a precious moment in the region, we head out immediately after breakfast and into their homelands. The trek thru their villages was a little over 4 miles on uneven road and accompanied the entire time by our “”new best friends”” in life . We were ambushed as we left the bus, by tens of women and children each wanting to be our new, special best friends. How disappointing to learn that after just a very short period of time it turns out that all they really wanted was to peddle their gifts on some unsuspecting tourists. Ah, capitalism triumphs once again.

It was a leisurely walk, thru their villages in what had become a rather misty, slippery morning……..and never to far from our newly made friends. We had hoped that as we entered each new village some of these new entrepreneurs would drop out but instead their numbers seemed to swell. We did acquire one elderly lady who physically attached herself to Susan’’s arm as they strolled up the hill with the older woman offering assistance as well as constant chatter thru what remaining teeth she had. Glenda took a Polaroid picture of her, so Susan quickly lost her new best friend……

The old lady did promise Susan she would accept her as friend on face book which seemed to ease Susan’s loss. The ordeal with old lady of the mountains cost everyone a few dollars, but they were dollars very well spent.

Sapa is a resort town originally frequented by the French during their 100 year stay from the mid 1800’s to the mid 1900’s. People usually don’t have a lot of good to say with regards to the French but without out them, Vietnam would not have the rail and road system they have today. The French are credited with all of the infra-structure that keeps present day Vietnam running as well as it does.

While the US did its best to bomb these improvements out of existance, what was bombed and ruined has been rebuilt by the communists. The French did fail to address any of the electrical and communication issues of the day as most were far too new to deal with. While the communication dilemma has been solved by the cell phone, the streets and sidewalks abound with wires running in all directions without the least sense of order.

Due to Sapa’s elevation we were shrouded in misty clouds for our entire stay. We were assured, however, the surrounding country side is some of the prettiest in all of Vietnam. For those of you that have been to Bali, the drive to Sapa is what you experience in the hinterlands of Bali with its dense foliage, terraced rice paddies and the sight of farmers trying to eek out a living from this harsh but fertile land.

To date our time in Vietnam has been a series of one night stays and again tonight was no exception. We bedded down at the Chau Long Hotel after a disastrous experience with the local laundry. The price was right but the finished laundry stuffed into a plastic sack left a little to be desired. They can be somewhat forgiven in that the power to the town has been on and off for most of the day. We ate by candlelight sometimes and generated power at other times, in a lovely Italian restaurant before retiring back to the hotel.

Food and drink seem to be the best travel value we have encountered. Meals, seemed priced at $5 and wonderful beers for under a $1. Shopping has become addictive as bargains are to be found everywhere.

The next morning we ventured back out of the mist to still no sunshine in the valleys on our way to the Sunday Market at Bac Ha. Just what I need is another market. The market is famous thru out Vietnam as both a tourist spectacle and a meeting a gathering place for the locals, many of who venture several miles to and from their villages to both buy and sell and the market. While the lady folk continue to corner the market on scarves, bags and bangles, I set out to see what the indigenous folks were up to. I quickly stumbled upon the meat, fish and vegetable portion of the market. I saw unrefrigerated parts of animals that I had no idea even existed. The frenzy of bargaining and bickering seemed to heighten the level of activity throughout. They brought horses to trade, water buffalos to swap for new and improved models while all the time having what appeared to be a wonderful Sunday afternoon at the market.

After a run down the black smith’s and iron workers section and finding nothing that I couldn’t live without, I purchased a dozen mini pears for a dollar that ended up being forgotten and rotting in my backpack. I sought out the gang for a traditional lunch of noodle soup which proved delicious.

Back in Lao Cai we awaited the departure of our evening (overnight) train back to Hanoi. I the restaurant that Kwan parked us I made a disastrous mistake by not counting the 0’s behind the price of a bottle of wine. The wine went from $3.50 to $35 a bottle. The only solace I had was that I had originally ordered and $85 bottle that lucky for me they were out of. It did turn out to be an awfully good Chilean wine.

We rallied at the train station ready for the ride south back into Hanoi and to the safety of the Flower Garden Hotel where we will once again be greeted by the “Welcome Gary Brown Group” sign. A real comforting sign that signals we are once again back home. Most of us, myself included, didn’t pay close enough attention to the itinerary to note the number of times that we were to be in and out of Hanoi City. It has proven to be good point to travel out from and then back to as the Flower Garden Hotel has become our home away from home.

As all the museums and most monuments are closed on Mondays…..why are we here for our City Tour?………..we did manage a few sights. A trip to Uncle Ho’s final resting place and the grounds he called home after insighting the peasants in the north to stand up against the French, the South and finally the Americans, reminds me of a poor man’s Tianimen Square. He didn’t quite get the recognition Mao received but he is admired and loved by his own people. Most would admit that HoChi Mih may have some problem with today’s burgeoning capitalistic system, while they easily dance around the contradictions between these two competing systems.

Tuesday, its back on the bus and heading to the south for a bicycling tour of Hoa Lu and then a boat ride thru the most famous caves. Famous for what has remained unanswered. The rains caught up with us on our two hour ride and for some the idea of cancelling the bike ride seemed rather appealing.

The rains subsided even tho the sun didn’t shine and the bike ride was underway after being “introduced to our bicycles” at the hotel. We cycled a while thru flat scenic country side to the wharf where our boats awaited us. For some of us it felt like getting on a cruise ship as the photographers were there to record our every move. Once in the boats the paparazzi took shots down the river as our oarsman and coxswain navigated these rather uneventful waters while inquiring as to our numbers of children and grandchildren, etc. We reached the caves, reminding us all of Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean.

From that point on the trip disintegrated rather rapidly. We should be learning that when the natives become overly friendly their motives should be questioned. So out came the over priced goods and the sales pressure that would have made an insurance salesman proud. The intense tactics persisted, so we countered with our own, my attempting to pre-pay just to shut them up to out right ignoring them. I finally gave them their umbrella back and toughed out the rain while all the while the red dye from my coolie dripped down the back of my new polo shirt.

The fans were not pleased with the local’s tactics and let our guide know. When we got back to the hotel and he proposed an additional 5km trek to see the stone carvers, mass rebellion took hold as we unanimously voted to start our cocktail hour early and shit can the idea of another hour on the bikes.

Tomorrow some of us face what could be a rather uncomfortable event and that being the overnight stay in the country with a local farmer and his family. The star’s come off the hotel ratings on this stay as we actually go into a village, have supper with the family and retire group style into family dormitory. As we venture further into the countryside, the food becomes a bit more simply and all of the toilets take on the “squatting version”

Should be interesting to say the least and I’ll keep you posted………..gb

Vietnam Update 4/2/10

                       Vietnam Update
                              We Still Lost the War
                                        4/2/10
“Good Morning Vietnam”

Such a trite way to start a travelogue and yet so fitting when you stop to notice that on nearly every corner someone is hawking a T-Shirt with the very same sentiments. For me its been nearly 40+ years since my last morning in Vietnam, and what a difference that amount of time makes. I have been looking forward to this trip for quite some time. Unlike my first visit here, where they were dragging me kicking and screaming onto the plane, this time I actually paid good money to get here.

When people hear that you are planning a trip to Vietnam there are usually only two responses……”why” or “I’ve heard its great and would love to visit someday” When I put the word out to the group sometime ago, I wasn’t quite prepared for the response. Our group of travelers quickly swelled to 24 and eventually settled at 22 as I set about planning our sojourn thru the country.

 I soon became well acquainted with Mr. Nam and Asia King Travel located in Hanoi halfway around the world. Since the trip had been in the back of my mind for some time, I dug out some previous e-mails to see if he was still in business and what he could do for us. Many e-mails later we arrived at what I hoped to be an entertaining 3 weeks. The weather is always a tricky consideration in this part of the world, while I didn’t have much say so on my first trip here, my second excursion would be at my choosing. Even at that we are going to experience all the extremes. If the weather does co-operate, we should have mild to cool weather in the north as we make our way to Hanoi then north to the Chinese border. As we wined our way to the South it will get warmer and more humid until we begin to perish when we reach Ho Chi Minh City aka Saigon. Check your local weather in the paper and you’ll notice that its 93 degrees with 110% humidity Should be lovely.

 Today, after a rather rough start for some in the group we find ourselves in John McCain’s turf, far to the north in Hanoi, were he spent more than a few miserable years. Our stated goal was to meet up in Hanoi and begin our adventure on March 31^st. As some of us were traveling on miles, others purchasing their tickets and all coming from various parts of CA, and Utah, we began to trickle into Vietnam as early as the 29^th.

The Carmans arrived first with the Browns, Coles and the Kuris scheduled next with the remainder in on the 30^th. The Kuris had arranged a limo and champagne for our trip to LA and all was going as planned when things began to disintegrate rapidly. Due to a clerical error, the Kuris were left in LA to sort out their visa application as we winged our way west trusting that we would see them again. Long story, short and several e-mails later they joined the remaining travelers the next day and traveled to Taipei and then onto Hanoi just a few dollars lighter and with their nerves for the most part still intact.

Our arrival in Hanoi, much like forty years ago was without much fanfare. There was a nice young man there to greet us holding a hand printed “Gary Brown” group sign rather than a mean spirited SGT, barking orders at us from the tarmac. The baggage handling was also considerably more civilized than before, as we were escorted to are waiting vehicle to begin our early morning trek to the city proper.

Its difficult to believe that you are in third world country, with all of the activity that surrounds you. As we get closer to the center of öld town” and the middle of Hanoi, the frenzy of activity is overwhelming to say the least. There are currently some 3 million vespas and assorted motorbikes in Hanoi and on this particular morning they were all on the road, driving into and around us to some undisclosed destination carrying everything from pigs to plumbing supplies and all in a great hurry.

We settled into the Thien Thai Hotel and then hooked up with the Carmans to begin exploring our section of Hanoi while doing battle with the remaining motor bikes who hadn’t already tried to run us over. The traffic and the noise (the honking) is more than incredible. Our advice from our driver was to proceed into the cross walks……eyes straight ahead……no sudden moves…..while moving a at deliberate pace…….and whatever you do, do not show any fear. That advice sounds wonderful on paper but when put into practice can be a bit more difficult. As we set out it only took a few moments until some where on one side of the street while others were stranded a short distance away shouting encouragement to the more timid members of the group. You learn early on that there will never, and I repeat, never be a break in the traffic. So you just plunge in, put the blinders on, show no fear, and try not to flinch

The sidewalks are alive with thousands of merchants who all appear to be selling the very same items and all without a customer in sight. Years ago, the streets were named by the trade guilds depending on what type of trades that were practiced in an area. Today this practice has resulted in a concentration of like businesses being located side by side, block after block, still with no one buying.

Hanoi, or Ha Noi (where the river bends) continues to amuse and frustrate. Some of the group members do very well navigating the streets and its traffic, while some of us just tag along. Our first “”shopping”” outing was more than a little bit frustrating, the guys doing a lot of foot tapping while the gals felt compelled to peruse every single item being offered for sale. Needless to say the guys soon became first class members of the royal pain in the ass club, while the women couldn’t help comment on our impatience and total disregard for shopping etiquette. After all of that, the lady folk returned empty handed with the guy types dogging behind, pissing and moaning.

　

　

　

The next day, the gals changed up their game plan after a bit of reading and plotting. Jill had read about a shopping district where you park the men in one of many bars and the women then go out shopping, uninterrupted sans their foot tapping spouses. Sounded like a plan to us. First though we headed out for the “eyeglass wear”” section of town for some inexpensive eyeglasses. Although I found it hard to beat my $1 pair from the 99cent store others found the prices to be great, even though they decided to purchase twice, three times the number of pairs they actually needed. All in all, the merchants were smiling and the troops were about to see well for the first time in years.

Then it was off to the long awaited shopping/bar district. Stepped out of the taxi after a 50,000 Dong ride and into a lovely bar on the promenade and the women were off shopping with their hubbies tucked safely away. Several Tiger beers later, we re-grouped and headed back to the hotel where hopefully we would meet up with the Kuris as well as the rest of our group

.

Since I’m in charge here, I can’t help but jump forward to the present moment which is truly spectacular. The day is Friday the 2^nd, and we find ourselves on this beautiful morning sitting aboard our private “’junk’’ in Halong Bay, world renowned World Heritage Site in Haiphong bay in the Gulf of Tonkin. If you have not heard of Halong Bay it would be well worth your time to Google the site. With its thousands of limestone mountain peaks jumping out of greenish waters, the mystical surroundings take on an almost magical quality. What with all of the folk-lore bullshit our guide spins, one can almost image the dragons about to leap out these waters to form new awe inspiring sites. For those of us that were together in China, it is a salt water version of the region around Guilin, one of my favorite spots that I have ever visited. Coupled with the site of passing junks and those at anchor, it does make for a good morning in Vietnam.

But I digress. We did meet up with the rest of the group. China Airlines took pity on the Kuris and gave them the best possible seating. The rest of the group, all of whom ended up flying together , were hustled on the plane and jammed into seats designed for a starving Chinese refugee, only then to endure a 13 hour plane ride with 400 of their new best friends.

 

Since all of us hadn’t met one another face to face, we began the Hi, my names Fred routine forgetting one name as we were introduced to the next. It is a large group and I’m sure at times its going to get a bit unwieldy, but I’m in charge for only a few more hours. I can’t imagine on trying to get a consensus from 22 people on where to have dinner. I had trouble enough getting the group out of the hotel and directly across the street for a bit of lunch.

 

A bit of a side note. In addition, to the signage at the Airport, another, even more impressive “”Welcome Gary Brown Group”” greeted our travelers in the entry of the Flower Garden Hotel. Needless to say, I am becoming quite well-known in the Hanoi area. The meet and greet went well and we made plans to meet back at our hotel down the street in the “””hot pot restaurant, after mandatory cocktails in the Coles room. Dinner was great, each of us cooking our pre-selected buffet items, and then cooking our goodies in our own boiling pots. We let the new arrivals head back and bed down while the rest of us headed to the disco-NOT!

Those of us early arrivals, staying down the street, needed to join up with the rest of the group. While it was only a short walk down the street, the more intelligent members chose a $2 taxi ride, while the more brave at heart felt the need to economize and prove themselves,

Walked hand in hand with luggage down the busy, honking streets to the Flower Garden Hotel.

Being the creatures of habit that we are, and realizing a good thing we headed back to our favorite shopping and drinking area, this time in larger numbers and many more Taxis. Our bar of choice was actually an Italian restaurant, so we had a lovely lunch after once we were a party of 22 again.

Later that evening we met up with our guide, whose name we still can’t pronounce…..I just call him Kung as in King Kung. English spoken with a Vietnamese accent should prove challenging. Made it thru the introductions and it was everyone in the bus for our welcome dinner. As usual way too much food to sleep on as I prepared to resign myself to the number 2 position and let Kung take the reins.

Day two, found us checking out early and heading north by bus to the area of Halong Bay and the scenery that was surely guaranteed to impress. It was lovely to be free of the noise and congestion of Hanoi and out to the countryside…….after a three hour bus ride, with pre arranged stops at a local gift mart we found ourselves in the environs of the Bay itself. We were tendered out to our private junk and immediately over-whelmed with the relative luxury we faced. Private rooms, with bathrooms, stunning deck areas to include a wonderful dinning room.

We began our short cruise into the area itself, impressed at every turn with the natural beauty that confounded us. We arrived in one of the bays and were escorted to the caves for an hour plus walking tour thru the likes of Carlsbad Caverns, spectacular to say the least. Then it was back on board with the option of Cocktail or a trek to one of the man-made beaches. What an easy choice when confronted with the above in such an usual and magnificent setting.

 

Dinner, again, was four courses too many but however delicious. We are currently departing the bay amongst the others concluding their stay in this truly special and unforgettable region of Vietnam.

This Friday evening finds us back in Hanoi after a three hour bus ride from Halong Bay. The Bus driver tore off someones over hang on the way into town, but other than that it was rather uneventful. We're out for dinner then its on to the train station for our overnite train trek to the northern most portion of the country where the border touches the Chinese mainland.

The trip and the countryside move by at a rapid pace with the weather overcast and Seatle like. Once again I'm up against time constraints and won't be able to proof or spell check..........plz understand

I'll write again soon..........................................gb