Travelogues

15th September Saigon
A well managed but long journey took us straight from PP to Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City as it is officially called). I was expecting HCM to be crowded, dirty and full of thieves. It turns out it is a bustling, clean and as long as you don't wear jewelery,carry a handbag or camera it seems to be crime free. We spent our time browsing in the markets and shopping for beautiful Vietnamese silk works. We ate out cheaply in the evenings and our clean, well located and nicely furbished hotel offered free breakfast and dinner. The photo exhibition of images from photoraphers who died covering the 'American War' was moving, not only to learn their biogs but also to see some of the beautiful but tragic pictures they took. It had been organised by Horst Fass and based on his book "Requiem'.

We were joined by an American Veteran and his Vietnamese friend on a discovery holiday when we went to visit the Cu CHi tunnels. He sat with dignity through a propaganda film from the 70's about the tunnels that talked about the "American Killer Heroes' but he was clearly full of conflicting emotion as we walked around the site. Talking to these two guys gave us a greater insite into the war than any museum or tour and although we had a great guide they really brought the conflict to life for us. He was 19 when he was drafted, received 6 months medical / army training and deposited in a strange country aamong the bombs and bullets. His friend was not much older. The next part of his trip was to take him to Humburger HIll where his division (the 101 Airbourne) were based and I wish him well on the rest of his voyage of discovery. Old propaganda films aside, VN seems to harbour no ill will towards the US. The VN that fought alongside the US are a different matter however. Although, on a street level I don't think that people make a North / South distinction, those that fought for the South were separated from their families after the war and put in 're-education' camps and are still unable to do official jobs today. The Cu CHi tunnels is defintely a VN showpiece of "this is how we incongruously won the war." They delight in this and it is hard when you are crawling through a tunnel or eating guerilla food to remember the horrors of the war itself, especially when you are shooting the deafening AK 47's the whole day is actually made quite good fun.