all of the things i want to do i fear.

I guess it’s about time to update about Viet Nam, to write my Vietblog.  Schoolwork and midterms have pretty much destroyed what free time I had on this ship.  Not to say that I haven’t had free time – I just count hanging out with people as non-Kristina time.  Therefore it’s not free? I don’t know.  I have a world religions midterm the day after tomorrow (Neptune Day – we crossed the equator at 3:15am last night) as well as a global studies exam.  I’m overwhelmed.  I’ve also decided to write a book about my travels.  I have all the elements for a decent travel story and will hopefully be able to have copies printed for family and friends.  We’ll see.  I know it’s ambitious but it will be pretty close to non-fiction and is a nice goal.

SO!  Viet Nam.  It’s been about three weeks since I’ve left, but luckily I took very detailed notes so I should be able to recreate it with little trouble.  But because I’m not super excited to write this reflection, it’ll be shorter.  Please hold your sighs of relief.  I’ve gotten a lot of messages about the blogs being too long, but I can’t upload pictures without using up tons of my internet time, and I never get around to posting until after ports (or three weeks after, apparently), so it’s hard to make this readable.  Sorry Mr Fumo.  You too, Mom.

Okay, but really, Viet Nam.  My first day in Saigon (I refuse to call it Ho Chi Minh City – no locals do, ever) we pretty much just explored.  I started off with Jenn, Elle, Traci, Bailey, Aleeza, Nick, and I.  Bailey, Elle, Traci, and I put in orders for tailor-made dresses – I got a sleeveless white one with delicate flowery lace designs all over it, with a fitted bust and a full skirt.  It’s a pretty classic shape and I’m very happy with it!  We then went and ate our first meal in a mall food court.  Everyone else was pretty happy with theirs…mine was terrible.  I had a meat pie type thing that I couldn’t eat and noodles that smelled like sewage.  And I’m by no means a picky eater.  After the meal, everyone but Aleeza, Nick, and I had to go back to the ship for their FDPs, so the three of us decided to head over to the Ben Thanh Market.

The market was hot, overcrowded, and filled with SASers.  I managed to buy my mom a present, but we didn’t really feel like hanging around there.  There were way too many crappy tourist products and it was HOT.  When I say hot, I mean it was 90 degrees every day.  Plus add in a bustling city with moped drivers honking and yelling at you to get on.  It was very overwhelming.  After our brief trip to the market, we walked across the street and ate some pho (because I hadn’t really eaten my first lunch) – a traditional Vietnamese dish.  So delicious.  We decided to walk to the War Remnants Museum.

To say the least, the museum was moving.  The museum itself was surrounded by tanks and US helicopters – things stupid Americans would pose next to, smiling.  It was very twisted, considering that the inside was filled with photos of Agent Orange victims, US troops dragging Vietnamese soldiers behind their Jeeps, a well where a whole family was murdered during the My Lai Massacre, and a tank with two fetuses, dead from Agent Orange aftereffects.  I felt guilty, but not the kind of guilt where it was my fault, but more the kind where you’re sorry that humanity is so cruel.  It really reinforced my belief in pacifism, that’s for sure.  The mock jail with tiger cells in the back, along with the laundry list of the various tortures the French committed against the Vietnamese, were also horrific.  The utter “guilt,” sadness, and compassion we felt for those suffering silenced all of us.  We walked through each exhibit quietly and without taking many photos – it didn’t feel right.  The fact that the Vietnamese have largely forgiven us is unbelievable; that we were able to go there and feel welcome shows their capacity to forgive is unparalleled.

After leaving the museum, we ran into Gabe, who had booked a two-day Mekong Delta trip.  We all got $12 massages at a nearby massage parlor – I got a 75-minute hot stone massage.  It was pretty amazing.  We even got to take a steam bath beforehand…but first Aleeza and I had to put on weird see-through throw-away underwear, hairnets, sandals, and a miniature robe and the boys got silk boxer shorts.  It was awkward.  After the steam, we dried off, put on new towels, and I got massaged naked next to male strangers.  Well worth the cost.

After the massage we went to book my trip and tried to meet people for dinner, couldn’t, so the four of us went to Lemongrass, a cheap but delicious and highly recommended restaurant in the Palace Hotel.  It cost me $8 to get deep-fried shrimp and a Tiger beer.  Gabe got small freshwaster fish on sticks (surprisingly good) and we all enjoyed the view of Saigon from the top of the hotel.  Took a cab to Cyclo 351 and had a quick beer next to a man with a prostitute.

Now for the second day.  Do you see why I’ve neglected writing this?  Believe it or not, I left some things out.  Anyway, I woke up at 5:45 am to meet Gabe for our Mekong Delta trip.  We didn’t end up leaving until 6:57 – and we needed to be there at 7am to catch our bus!  We finally got there two minutes before the bus actually arrived at 7:15.  Magic.  After a very short drive, we boarded a speedboat with 12 or so other passengers from various parts of the world (Germany, Canada, France, etc) and took a three hour cruise to the Delta.  It was so beautiful and relaxing.

Arrived on Unicorn Island and had fresh honey tea and snacks.  The villagers played some traditional Vietnamese music for us – kicking their money bucket at us every few minutes.  It was very touristy and not so much fun.  Then we took a boat cruise down a half manmade canal to the open waters of the Delta.  Everyone we passed pointed at their fake $100 bills and shouted “tip money tip money” at us.  Mangroves, slithering fish working themselves through the muck, toothless grins, ladies in their finery working hard and sweating.  We arrived at a coconut candy factory and watched 6 or 7 ladies make the candy.  I bought two packages – so delicious.  The women make only 500 dong a bag

For lunch Gabe and I split a whole elephant fish steamed in coconut milk.  It was decent.  After lunch we took some bikes into a little town, passed two boys repeating “hello I am hungry” and handing us flowers.  We thought they were being nice until they started reciting their mantra.  They were both wearing D+G.

So, we rode into the village.  It was so cool, just as I thought Vietnam looked.  As we went further, past motorbikes and bicycles and people running out of their houses to say “hello,” I couldn’t believe it was real.  As we got further from the tourist area, people got friendlier and there were more Vietnamese flags everywhere (the poorer the region, the more flags).

After biking about, we boarded another ship, took a bus, and then another boat to our home stay.  Well, the home stay wasn’t really a home stay – more a compound where people could stay the night, where the family would ignore you in favor of playing on their cell phones, and where a cooking class means “cut this now.”  Oh, and they never told us their names.  Disappointing, except that we met three of the coolest people on the trip so far – Isabelle, Mia, and Christian from Denmark.  We all walked around and took photos of the area and then the Danes drank and we stayed up late discussing our differences and naturally, our similarities.  Seriously, they were so cool.

That night, I woke up around 2am and had to use the bathroom.  Panic ensued.  I thought there was someone outside my window smoking a cigarette…but I blinked a few times and they were gone.  I freaked out, but then realized I needed to pee badly enough (TMI?) so I walked through heavy moonlight to the bathroom.  This was all fine until I had to walk back through the darkness.  I thought about the war (it was impossible not to) and how terrifying it would be to be there at night.  I can’t explain how deep-rooted and pure my panic was.  I could hardly fall back asleep.  When I was unlocking the door, I heard Gabe’s breathing and thought it was someone hiding.  What a terrible, senseless war.  Just being in the jungle and listening to the puttering of motorboats (sounds like gunfire)…well, it was terrifying.

Plus I was half asleep.

The next morning (day three) we woke up and took a boat to the floating markets with two Frenchies and two Scots – the Danes were on a separate boat.  Everyone was so friendly – waving from different boats.  This was the day where I started really liking Vietnam.  The ride was indescribably beautiful (words don’t mean much on this trip, that’s for sure.  My chosen profession is going to be obsolete).  I can’t wait to show photos.  At the floating market, people would hang their product on long wooden sticks, so customers could see what they were selling from afar.  People would go there as early as 4am, before work, to buy their groceries for the day.  It costs 100,000 dong to feed a family of four for one day ($5).

We got off in a village to see coconut candy being made (again), as well as rice candy.  We also were able to try some cobra snake wine – tastes like Swedish glogg.

After leaving the village, we continued on our boat to a different part of the Delta.  Everyone was so friendly and kept waving at us from other boats.  It was so unbelievably peaceful – it smells like Martha’s Vineyard, but muddier, earthier.  Everywhere people were cooking, bathing, and washing their clothes in the Delta.  One of those beautiful big boats only cost $1,000.  New life goal, y’all.  I wrote that riding on that boat (sailing? Who knows…there was a motor) “is one of the highlights of my life.  I kept getting sprayed by the Mekong and I love that I can write that.”  While relaxing and writing in my little notebook, I asked my tour guide, Chi a bunch of questions regarding Vietnamese life.  It was very interesting, to say the least.

We then boarded a small boat (four people and five including the young woman paddling us) through a small part of the river to a little village.  We walked along dirt roads through lush trees and nice-looking open houses…very French design.  We arrived at a nearby restaurant where Gabe and I laid on hammocks to wait for steamed rice, veggies, tofu, soup, and spring rolls.  It was delicious – totally hit the spot.  Gabe went to hold a python and I laid back down on my hammock to listen to a woman singing softly in Vietnamese.

After we digested our food, we (Gabe, the Danes, and I) rented bikes and rode into the countryside.  The wealth discrepancy in Vietnam is amazing – some houses were made of spare boards hammered together, whereas others were more beautiful bright French-style homes.  We met an old man who just asked if we spoke Vietnamese, then asked if we spoke English and laughed.  He was around for the war.  I wonder if he fought.  The ride itself was hard – my pedals were slanted so I couldn’t stand up while going over bridges (and there were a lot of bridges).  Some others yelled “hello” at us, but many just passed by on their motorbikes.  The honking is scarier than the actual bikes!  I wish I could describe how beautiful it was, how peaceful, but unfortunately I didn’t take my photos.  Open homes with people of all ages, lying in hammocks or eating or manning their shops that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere.  When we rode through a tarp-covered marketplace, we all had to duck to make it through.  Chickens, chicks, flea-ridden dogs.  The culture there was so well-preserved and makes me wonder if someday the Delta will be comparable to more tourist-ridden areas of the world.  Hopefully no resorts.

That trip was precisely what I wanted out of Vietnam.

Took another boat to a bus, which brought us back to Saigon.  Luckily we were with the Danes.  God they were cool. Just talking.  Had one of the best showers of my life and went out with Bailey, Traci, and some randoms to the Rex Bar…the place where the last soldier was lifted out when Saigon fell, as well as the place where reporters would stay during the war.  It was a great bar – the house band was great, and the rooftop garden was beautiful.  Yellow painted birdcages, open and airy…if the drinks weren’t so pricy I would’ve stayed longer.

I went with Martin and EJ to Apocalypse Now on a motorbike.  I hate motorbikes.  I don’t feel safe on them.  Anyway, I drank some vodka outside with Briana, a SAS girl, because the drinks at Apocalypse Now were also too expensive, then had a really great time dancing with the boys and the Danes (who showed up! Woo hoo!) under the strobe lights.  We tried to smuggle in cheap beer, but my Tiger was caught, so to speak.  It was a weird night though – lots of prostitutes everywhere.

The next morning I decided to set out by myself.  I went to the post office, followed by the Notre Dame Cathedral.  No one really harasses you when you’re alone.  I stopped into the church for comparison’s sake.  Nothing.  Christianity is so dead to me.  On the way in, a man with two deformed hands was begging.  He was young, but considering the agent orange photos I saw I gave him 2000 dong – not much.  I figured I could send some positive vibes into the universe.  None of the Christians gave anything.

After Notre Dame, I walked to a pagoda.  It was a good half hour walk – and it was closed.  But the walk itself was wonderful – I passed the Reunification Palace (closed), almost got hit by a motrobike (then the driver tried to persuade me to get on…hmmmm), and walked for a bit while talking to a Japanese kid from Kyoto.

So I went back to the ship.  It was sp hot.  I met up with Nick and Max (because Bailey, Traci, and Scotty were in a rush) and we decided to get the Vietnamese crepes that are so famous (forget the true name now).  Best meal thus far.  A sprouts and shrimp filled fried crepe that you wrap in lettuce and dip in fish sauce.  We then went for a walk towards a Cao Dai temple, since it takes three hours to get to the giant one outside of the city.  The walk itself was also a journey – went through a random market, saw tools and parts sold, a music store where all the instruments are made in-shop.  Max bought a frog thing and Nick and I bought mandolins.  Finally arrived at the Cao Dai Temple and it was pink and run down but beautiful.  I have further notes on it, but I think I’ll just mention the tradition where one throws a turtle into a little pond filled with other turtles as a wish or prayer.  This tradition is fucked up – there was a very small spot of land for the turtles to rest on, so they were crawling all over one another so they could stop swimming.  It was very sad and we watched for awhile.  One turtle was very very dead.

Went back to the music shop (to buy the mandolins) and had to move slowly because a giant fire broke out across the street.  It was so crazy – mopeds and trucks were blocked off so traffic was even worse, everyone was staring at the billowing black smoke from the street.  I only paid $20 for my mandolin, FYI.  So cool.

We then took a cab to the Saigon Market.  It wasn’t really what we were looking for, but I did manage to get the entire Seinfeld series for $10.  Then we went back to the Binh Thanh Market so the boys could tell off some girls who stood them up.  I ended up buying a Tintin in Vietnam shirt and some chopsticks.  Took a cab, showered, went out at eight.  Went to Apocalypse Now, whatever.

The next morning I jumped on a SAS-led trip to the Cu Chi tunnels – the tunnels in which the Vietcong lived in and used as “base camp” while the US was bombing the shit out of them.  So incredible and ingenious.  I couldn’t shake the feeling that people had died there…in the parking lot, where the souvenirs are sold.  The tourism aspect was bizarre.  People posing with models of VC and tanks and shooting guns.  It’s “fun” but so fucking macabre.  Gunshots are terrifying (thank you, obvious).  Seeing the aftermath of such a horrific war combined with smiling French tourists…it’s very odd.  And Jesus Christ!  The tunnels!  I only went in level I and they were unbelievably tiny.  And they were widened for tourists!  I walked around with Phee and Angie – Phee’s parents were Vietnamese refugees, so it was interesting to see her reaction.  The home made weapons section was really “cool” – quotations because they were super fucked up but very ingenious.  The whole tunnel system was as well thought – it makes sense that we lost so badly.  I just can’t imagine being a GI trying to get into those tunnels to find someone trying to kill you.  There is literally no room for battle.  Breathing vents every 500 meters and the VC would hide traps in various areas of the tunnels.  And how could they even remember where to go?  And how would they clear the bodies?  They had to dig the tunnels with four people – one would have to either put the dirt in a basket and send it down the river or throw it in a B52 ditch.  Just a mindblowing experience altogether.

It was so green too.  And that’s an understatement really.

We only had an hour or two at the tunnels because SAS-led trips are horribly scheduled, and then we went to a restaurant nearby.  The meal was great – chicken, chicken fried rice, mini pho, pork spring rolls, bread, and a noodle dish.  Then we walked around a little village and went into houses.  It’s incredible how they lived – so humble, so modest. I don’t mean that condescendingly.  Termites were devouring one of the houses, yet the Cao Dai shrine was the main focus of the house.  Both women were very shy about showing their homes.

It was weird being a tourist where tourism wasn’t a normal thing.  It was a really invasive feeling – like they were a novelty.  Wealth disparity was nuts.  Lots of dogs and chickens everywhere.  At the first house, one guy was force-feeding the family rooster an unborn chick right out of the shell.  I didn’t understand why.

Overall, I liked Viet Nam.  I have to admit that I hated writing this blog.  Hopefully India’s will be better.  Tomorrow is Mauritius so I’d really like to get all of this out of the way.  At least I got a 98% on my marine biology midterm.  And I’m in class in my swimsuit ☺



THINGS:
1.      Far more touching by shopkeepers
2.      Cheap cheap cheap
3.      It was difficult to focus on the beauty without constantly imagining the war.
4.      Most everyone speaks some variation of English
5.      Lots of people sit around outside or lay in hammocks
6.      More people stare than any other place thus far and there were more tourists in general – French especially
7.      Once you acknowledge its hot, the heat becomes bareable
8.      More people wear the traditional triangle-shaped hats than I had thought…some women incorporate their own scarves as straps
9.      The fronts of boats had giant eyes painted on them…they were supposed to scare away the crocodiles that no longer swim in the region
10.     Because of changing tides, it is important for boats to have a long propeller that can be adjusted accordingly