tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72510395412287473632024-03-21T07:30:52.947-07:00Union/HWS Term Abroad in Vietnam 2008This Blogsite will chronicle the travels and experiences of 16 students and one faculty advisor from Union College and Hobart & William Smith Colleges on a joint semester abroad in Vietnam. The students arrived on 30 August, and will depart on 5 December. By that time they will have seen much of the country, be able to speak passable Vietnamese, understand Vietnamese culture, and have an appreciation of the effects of the French and American involvement in Vietnam.Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-65083138884525581962008-11-29T22:34:00.000-08:002008-11-30T00:50:47.584-08:00Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, 11/29<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HxL3mYXGQXxdKSlF5f74P9grrt4V41kFLQSOT1ZShIOP2Nefv5nR_B-KJUVtiRK2zM0_K7TyrHkijSra7hXyqhyUltOmHae5oB1VHWS-7eFbXaxp7HetrufdiBVteh1E8tQ__tTlc4M/s1600-h/682+Off+the+Bus.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274342721169598450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 242px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5HxL3mYXGQXxdKSlF5f74P9grrt4V41kFLQSOT1ZShIOP2Nefv5nR_B-KJUVtiRK2zM0_K7TyrHkijSra7hXyqhyUltOmHae5oB1VHWS-7eFbXaxp7HetrufdiBVteh1E8tQ__tTlc4M/s320/682+Off+the+Bus.JPG" border="0" /></a>We had an excellent Thanksgiving dinner at Al Fresco's; turkey and all the trimmings. Jared's parents and sister, three extra students from Union, ten language partners, Ngoc, and Long were able to join us. We were thankful that the term has gone so well, and are looking forward to being reunited with loved ones very soon.<br /><br />Saturday the 29th we had our last local excursion. It's fitting that it was a trip to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum. Uncle Ho just returned from his annual refurbishment. They used to send him to Russia each year, but <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTd-w3N8eNytLUbsAtCuZAWQMmQ65Payeu4-QSH_swTSNAnp9uqh6-u73qjNv_7HUDBbuoOpx7GRUlZGCZFHI7LqFfL4pAiQeSB-Ot7_H9UD_SA0I25iTjrpdIXCBNyd5G_Obpx0ncLuQ/s1600-h/683+Fountain.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274342504136260818" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTd-w3N8eNytLUbsAtCuZAWQMmQ65Payeu4-QSH_swTSNAnp9uqh6-u73qjNv_7HUDBbuoOpx7GRUlZGCZFHI7LqFfL4pAiQeSB-Ot7_H9UD_SA0I25iTjrpdIXCBNyd5G_Obpx0ncLuQ/s320/683+Fountain.JPG" border="0" /></a>now have the capability to freshen him up here. Waiting in line, we walked by a fountain with the side of the museum in the background. They don't allow any cameras in the Mausoleum, so we gave them all to Long to transport to the opposite side for us. Going through the Mausoleum is a real experience. They have guards about every ten feet who don't let you talk, put your hands in your pockets, or even cross your arms. Everyone walks (marches) two-by-two through the viewing area. Uncle Ho is in a glass case, reclining like in a bed. The lights are turned do<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wErODX5fnfSJj3I0ZUfRKnNNHIg7YBwVFO3SSIhaMccRf39OxDd68cNdsn-CbxXBVrpBoyhu8EBdYG4-v7hOPNXRCfupR81hN5H9Xt1jtHGyintTvMfHcn3z8zOYPkj2sPM4l49YP3U/s1600-h/684+After+Mausoleum.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274342152854275970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5wErODX5fnfSJj3I0ZUfRKnNNHIg7YBwVFO3SSIhaMccRf39OxDd68cNdsn-CbxXBVrpBoyhu8EBdYG4-v7hOPNXRCfupR81hN5H9Xt1jtHGyintTvMfHcn3z8zOYPkj2sPM4l49YP3U/s320/684+After+Mausoleum.JPG" border="0" /></a>wn so it is impossible to tell if it really is him. I have no doubts that it is, but he sure does look like one of the characters in a wax museum.<br /><br />Although HCM is a must see if you are in Hanoi, it's refreshing to get to the other side and reclaim your belongings. It's interesting to note that Uncle Ho didn't want any part of this formality. His wishes were to be cremated and his ashes spread so he didn't take up v<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBhxnbBo_rAq3-9WwmBqMUpJ5lQXHFxKSzNkYataUk1YTjhzjR7FZbsGacyu988AHTqkw7zDuA0xODPk7-xc5gUAYZ-1cF3OAGJRL0ZvBG9y61qmkQoN3SfTNUC7GgbRWmccR51NCVRY/s1600-h/685+Group.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274341924130847586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 217px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBhxnbBo_rAq3-9WwmBqMUpJ5lQXHFxKSzNkYataUk1YTjhzjR7FZbsGacyu988AHTqkw7zDuA0xODPk7-xc5gUAYZ-1cF3OAGJRL0ZvBG9y61qmkQoN3SfTNUC7GgbRWmccR51NCVRY/s320/685+Group.JPG" border="0" /></a>aluable farm land!<br /><br />Once outside the Mausoleum we gathered for a group picture. One of the reasons they chose to put the Mausoleum here was because it was the spot where Ho Chi Minh gave his independence speech on September 2, 1945. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXA6RcW8a6mBDYnfeTprihJaGWbaERdH2v5TIjzsphd60hbtpYKTHsJ7cyDkGQiywKPoGzy3qvvEeX-_E_mG2UrGJFjTIHkzAAdxHGZyQZhRpZc4rwkaDu93is4h1GMgkKd7XfEnf_Two/s1600-h/686+Mausoleum.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274341690040919922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXA6RcW8a6mBDYnfeTprihJaGWbaERdH2v5TIjzsphd60hbtpYKTHsJ7cyDkGQiywKPoGzy3qvvEeX-_E_mG2UrGJFjTIHkzAAdxHGZyQZhRpZc4rwkaDu93is4h1GMgkKd7XfEnf_Two/s320/686+Mausoleum.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />The Mausoleum itself is kept at 65 degrees Farenheidt to preserve his body. There is an elevator shaft directly below his Sarcaufagus that will allow it to be lowered 70 feet into a bomb shelter if the Mausoleum is ever th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NzZUSfoeWDuz1qdLIx8Auk5vaGUYSH3ZiIqPf9Y78-uIr4jf4uj5Lgxy2V7K7u2HoMt8IIFj0zanQRO09eNMI0YNlvzMz7jOW7K7HLgJ6FR6dL1qip49aCbcEr5ZsfE7v2D2U7e3hbQ/s1600-h/687+Presidential+Palacre.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274341465733194882" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NzZUSfoeWDuz1qdLIx8Auk5vaGUYSH3ZiIqPf9Y78-uIr4jf4uj5Lgxy2V7K7u2HoMt8IIFj0zanQRO09eNMI0YNlvzMz7jOW7K7HLgJ6FR6dL1qip49aCbcEr5ZsfE7v2D2U7e3hbQ/s320/687+Presidential+Palacre.JPG" border="0" /></a>reatened.<br /><div><br /><br />This whole area is closed to vehicular traffice, so you can walk around without constantly watching for a motor bike, car, or bus that is intent on running you over. Included on the grounds is the Presidential Palace. Ho Chi Minh never lived here, but the building was used then, and still is today, as the office building for the executive branch of the government. It was originally the French Governor General's residence.<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsT5LAykXK3tMHk5wPjJ5eqT_M3VQtp6FZ8OnGLbQNJzOUwGi9hnfEgtP9_iJELxTcZVqOqbEQMS5O62_TRrzNkeCOnZ0MAxpwWg3JEiRn8glm8lF_BDFk_KtTftbjpHcQ_qEhzk4HCVw/s1600-h/688+Ho%27s+office.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274340926310333026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsT5LAykXK3tMHk5wPjJ5eqT_M3VQtp6FZ8OnGLbQNJzOUwGi9hnfEgtP9_iJELxTcZVqOqbEQMS5O62_TRrzNkeCOnZ0MAxpwWg3JEiRn8glm8lF_BDFk_KtTftbjpHcQ_qEhzk4HCVw/s320/688+Ho%27s+office.JPG" border="0" /></a>Ho Chi Minh generally led a simple life, although he enjoyed such luxuries as American cigarettes and bird's nest soup. He came to Hanoi permantently in 1954, after Dien Bien Phu and the French disengagement. He spend the years 1954-58 in a converted carriage house, while another house was being built. His office and living accommodations were Spart<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1AB_dL59i3tbwENghoME6_8ChY7sxBe2EV4PDGmmjDW7WFR2h4v_ExJ_7wwtw0uJK9wP86F77v1lnfFQdOPeU1D-uDFcrgfgZi4jDyrgG5Mti7K2QMhY_8YQom2pNEt7bNCD1BJljpA/s1600-h/689+one+person+bomb+shelter.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274340530060819986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1AB_dL59i3tbwENghoME6_8ChY7sxBe2EV4PDGmmjDW7WFR2h4v_ExJ_7wwtw0uJK9wP86F77v1lnfFQdOPeU1D-uDFcrgfgZi4jDyrgG5Mti7K2QMhY_8YQom2pNEt7bNCD1BJljpA/s320/689+one+person+bomb+shelter.JPG" border="0" /></a>an.<br /><div>Walking from the carriage house to his permanent home, we passed by an example of how Hanoi adapted to the American bombing. It is a personal bomb shelter constructed from a section of concrete sewer pipe with a cover over the top. These were constructed every few meters throughout Hanoi. When the air raid sirens went off, people headed for the first available shelter, first come/first served. I'm sure more than one Vietnamese could fit in a pinch.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKsdwun9_9MDkrkIyNeG4uyI4oKShCYJZ2xBXWA0_45uUP111krbYFpGiCweILiB7Ps3st7JsD3m1rFvze2Fod82-ymMNemiGi3Q3tS8lP1JI6wKsgugzDQhCZX6QRZu2dPDhcpeGkGI/s1600-h/690+Stilt+House.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274340276116158946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQKsdwun9_9MDkrkIyNeG4uyI4oKShCYJZ2xBXWA0_45uUP111krbYFpGiCweILiB7Ps3st7JsD3m1rFvze2Fod82-ymMNemiGi3Q3tS8lP1JI6wKsgugzDQhCZX6QRZu2dPDhcpeGkGI/s320/690+Stilt+House.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This stilt house was Ho Chi Minh's permanent home from 1958 until he died in 1969. It was modeled after the hill tribe homes. Upstairs was an office and bedroom. Underneath was used for meetings. There was a separate building that acted as a kitchen/dining room/sitting area. Uncle Ho was not <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DljekfAZhWihnCE8xtYd4cRRsQBcjqaC82KygLaHdL4C9MmL8pY9GOueOsSQePRjivBE4kwH3nqee2Q5kBq3_xcBg4kGptFejfslGOTGnk5KKFy4sklEr9PsKwcmF14NtKrcOPOuLfA/s1600-h/691+Guard.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274339900754743138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4DljekfAZhWihnCE8xtYd4cRRsQBcjqaC82KygLaHdL4C9MmL8pY9GOueOsSQePRjivBE4kwH3nqee2Q5kBq3_xcBg4kGptFejfslGOTGnk5KKFy4sklEr9PsKwcmF14NtKrcOPOuLfA/s320/691+Guard.JPG" border="0" /></a>one to be unprepared, so he had a large bomb shelter built into a slope behind the house. You can see how many people are in line to go through the house. White uniformed guards are posted throughout the tomb and living area. This sentry at first seemed intrigued by the young boy dressed up, complete with bow tie, but soon gave him the guard's wave to usher him back into line!<br /><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNbv9u2WAr3anoZWFQXqYtNi5tmp2IlkloUi3l5Km5iQj7k7dXO3q-8nx1glVyE3VTiWxFnBCpXuBhXlxVF1lZ8YYLpmaPM4ZP-W_FUNttrSrfrEreNa6bgvoLJpD8r2ePxzneW_cHJ0/s1600-h/692+One+Pillar+Pagoda.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274339423074170162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 257px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHNbv9u2WAr3anoZWFQXqYtNi5tmp2IlkloUi3l5Km5iQj7k7dXO3q-8nx1glVyE3VTiWxFnBCpXuBhXlxVF1lZ8YYLpmaPM4ZP-W_FUNttrSrfrEreNa6bgvoLJpD8r2ePxzneW_cHJ0/s320/692+One+Pillar+Pagoda.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div> On the way to the museum, we paused at the One Pillar Pagoda, which was built in 1049 by the emperor in honor of his daughter. It is supposed to resemble a lotus blossom. The French showed sour grapes when they destroyed it in 1945 before t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJZySMof2DdekzX_CXILKOfXmMSyQOM80A0YGNHLiVIBqWnlAcZjj0fNrPHN0dGu_HEppeAttWVD7Z3q4cBsjKtEFlMWYX-UTD-7hCc5lewheNiWF7ehSkRGQcsnqLl2y8Q86SyP1FcY/s1600-h/693+Outside+Museum.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274339174966821106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLJZySMof2DdekzX_CXILKOfXmMSyQOM80A0YGNHLiVIBqWnlAcZjj0fNrPHN0dGu_HEppeAttWVD7Z3q4cBsjKtEFlMWYX-UTD-7hCc5lewheNiWF7ehSkRGQcsnqLl2y8Q86SyP1FcY/s320/693+Outside+Museum.JPG" border="0" /></a>hey withdrew from Hanoi. It was rebuilt afterwards according to the original plans.<br /><br />The museum is fairly new, and from a curators point of view, is much more modern than the other museums we have seen, with the possible exception of the Museum of Ethnology.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbl-xg_uUd3HqU5A8bnxCpw0jSXNzTt9Fpj18LySHnmIRwzC5D0z1IsXOOdm5QdcLyipH3vP-ytfhnIBBpOXTPxEe-A7V7L2H0ZCMEB3HMNWOTTkzRAoOrintGbqtM3xvXUJ0XOUEpec/s1600-h/694+Ho+and+friend.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274338735096437986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbl-xg_uUd3HqU5A8bnxCpw0jSXNzTt9Fpj18LySHnmIRwzC5D0z1IsXOOdm5QdcLyipH3vP-ytfhnIBBpOXTPxEe-A7V7L2H0ZCMEB3HMNWOTTkzRAoOrintGbqtM3xvXUJ0XOUEpec/s320/694+Ho+and+friend.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />What would the Ho Chi Minh museum be without a statue of the man himself, with Uncle Walter at his feet <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROM3k-IbM2G1rrNNCCSqqIHqPzzcv3SXMdssJ12tUF4h39ceM2tNSJMqWf70EY1whYke8ZzoxZxsbjKKwlkQqCl8PMslGlD_MJrDQMxpk5qVfc64XhZJDrMvcJLWmTBAY8yRERIyyCMc/s1600-h/695+Information+Tablets.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274338331950467794" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiROM3k-IbM2G1rrNNCCSqqIHqPzzcv3SXMdssJ12tUF4h39ceM2tNSJMqWf70EY1whYke8ZzoxZxsbjKKwlkQqCl8PMslGlD_MJrDQMxpk5qVfc64XhZJDrMvcJLWmTBAY8yRERIyyCMc/s320/695+Information+Tablets.JPG" border="0" /></a>giving greetings to the visitors.<br /><br />The museum is definitely eclectic and even avant garde, but it also has a great deal of good information on Ho's life and times. Here Cat is looking through on of the many tablet displays with information and documents.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSHF0tBMWOJRZ7N9JNyJXoGPI8_1AanGycshQbcEsFZ9dQJJx0NVr1nMefCO-fpJRu0K7-RKKktGBo2fY4mdwJj9kSQOtKivoH5FuKHmOcTBPgpAUb7mddbUdgw_Go7jcYgyyJbRiwCE/s1600-h/696+Bull.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274337876404725842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSHF0tBMWOJRZ7N9JNyJXoGPI8_1AanGycshQbcEsFZ9dQJJx0NVr1nMefCO-fpJRu0K7-RKKktGBo2fY4mdwJj9kSQOtKivoH5FuKHmOcTBPgpAUb7mddbUdgw_Go7jcYgyyJbRiwCE/s320/696+Bull.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Other exhibits you have to wonder what they have to do with <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCc-Z6kSDUIkFvGMmIzNMxI-KkBf52H3hgBCD7_WOdqPrdjPoOGfi45AX7knVR8f5wD1agfzjc1YlVvHohBAhwd2uF_4zFeKoLw_EMe9ZBSqLu5LClVCFyUzxZ9WngTLpRNbRlHdvyjMI/s1600-h/697+Edsel.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274337664710735282" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCc-Z6kSDUIkFvGMmIzNMxI-KkBf52H3hgBCD7_WOdqPrdjPoOGfi45AX7knVR8f5wD1agfzjc1YlVvHohBAhwd2uF_4zFeKoLw_EMe9ZBSqLu5LClVCFyUzxZ9WngTLpRNbRlHdvyjMI/s320/697+Edsel.JPG" border="0" /></a>Ho Chi Minh!<br /><div><br />The display with the 1958 Ford Edsel sticking out of the wall was roped off, but you could still see the Edsel. I remember from 2006 that this was supposed to symbolize American commercial failure, which the Vietnamese use to symbolize the American military failure.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvB3eXRBn-WQxP_X6YzO1gm5ZX-JBu_A4SUYri26eTxgdw78jNQSrCZ1JtBE1A9uWCtoC4qrTNdQHNNsRMRD3oMaM7bsx5OmvrZ4wxWC-NpsldViGI0OCZmmRi2Ajjp7BQ01D7VAxrtg/s1600-h/698+Link.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274337470295183922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvB3eXRBn-WQxP_X6YzO1gm5ZX-JBu_A4SUYri26eTxgdw78jNQSrCZ1JtBE1A9uWCtoC4qrTNdQHNNsRMRD3oMaM7bsx5OmvrZ4wxWC-NpsldViGI0OCZmmRi2Ajjp7BQ01D7VAxrtg/s320/698+Link.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I'm not sure what the sculpture to the left symbolizes. It looks to me like the icon you see on web page design tools to link to another web site.<br /><div><br />The still-life Julia is looking at has the following description: "The symbols of nature in its beauty contrasted with the image of industrial plants in this hall represent<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWZownkfN9iTR-5V-NsSu-w_uu1xtU1abNqTSd5fqQGwz35C_Jg4TRkjoV1FSSWfN4GkhP9EgJT0xzzBkeC_jnyfiUauqvGcKPapNe_ZFwywPc1O2o5Ngw2tIU12q_yexJ2RrC6UrRuM/s1600-h/699+Julia+and+Table.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274336945612785010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWZownkfN9iTR-5V-NsSu-w_uu1xtU1abNqTSd5fqQGwz35C_Jg4TRkjoV1FSSWfN4GkhP9EgJT0xzzBkeC_jnyfiUauqvGcKPapNe_ZFwywPc1O2o5Ngw2tIU12q_yexJ2RrC6UrRuM/s320/699+Julia+and+Table.JPG" border="0" /></a> Uncle Ho's expectation that young people shoulder responsibility for the protection and preservation of the environment, and prevention of aggressive and distructive wars." You can see the scale even better with the little guy standing i<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIUNbgvkdXumKkepmBXKfNcdTe-H9Tujy31WMboQlEEVDWwJly-8JKHccP-Uq3m1Gc7PgD0JQeKoUScWs0-lnOChNzmv8FrJ4c6ZpLtAEXry4mVS3rSpD2fdd4Hurbt6oC0YWN0om2Qc/s1600-h/700+Child+and+Table.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274336564032509858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiIUNbgvkdXumKkepmBXKfNcdTe-H9Tujy31WMboQlEEVDWwJly-8JKHccP-Uq3m1Gc7PgD0JQeKoUScWs0-lnOChNzmv8FrJ4c6ZpLtAEXry4mVS3rSpD2fdd4Hurbt6oC0YWN0om2Qc/s320/700+Child+and+Table.JPG" border="0" /></a>n front of it.<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br />I still don't see what the table and fruit have to do with the theme, but I guess that is why I am an engineer, not an artist!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIo3SJNoxitJeA6C-yn1lPsnzENBVw0piD6fb8Ije-XYTFxHd8PoW-Y8xAofmoPEQy2tVAx0qrvGMtGfpFfp1j1IeCRLKOKPcIRjKjJGE8ht4szKgGYqDV24ZMS7DghkIZB6z7IDC-qY/s1600-h/701+Contemplating.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274336007796912530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIo3SJNoxitJeA6C-yn1lPsnzENBVw0piD6fb8Ije-XYTFxHd8PoW-Y8xAofmoPEQy2tVAx0qrvGMtGfpFfp1j1IeCRLKOKPcIRjKjJGE8ht4szKgGYqDV24ZMS7DghkIZB6z7IDC-qY/s320/701+Contemplating.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>The students hade to take a "time out" to process what they had seen.<br /><div><br /><div> </div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-70412987232089866762008-11-16T09:55:00.000-08:002008-11-16T12:40:39.998-08:00Perfume Pagoda, 11/16<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBusg0DG7bkT40J7WZ63ynu8NjBOEEHEjxPox0D5gxyXS9FLIir5kc-XiSgaZ3GXz6CUV4e_D7tpa1cjgoP7oOwljBKMQnH6VBgfGZpO_AYQEmlqpv9f7RCTp-kE-PJ2HbWNQsU0MpbQs/s1600-h/642+Dr.+Tran+Huong.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269329438270921714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 229px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBusg0DG7bkT40J7WZ63ynu8NjBOEEHEjxPox0D5gxyXS9FLIir5kc-XiSgaZ3GXz6CUV4e_D7tpa1cjgoP7oOwljBKMQnH6VBgfGZpO_AYQEmlqpv9f7RCTp-kE-PJ2HbWNQsU0MpbQs/s320/642+Dr.+Tran+Huong.JPG" border="0" /></a>On Wednesday of this week our Vietnamese Life and Culture class was different than usual. We traveled to Dr. Tran Huong's traditional medicine clinic.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpNkFNR8x7jOJrU2fXju2VSAw55qGeni5KT4DSBVLm2QNOBwW0AM8Qjwrgt6APdJcxtJxeBVLpbMZCvSDyR8U09aQCN08UokVGT06i7gVyrBsbA72JW8ZO5IfNmKbPm0VdIDU4UFhapA/s1600-h/643+Michael+as+patient.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269329178273292946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSpNkFNR8x7jOJrU2fXju2VSAw55qGeni5KT4DSBVLm2QNOBwW0AM8Qjwrgt6APdJcxtJxeBVLpbMZCvSDyR8U09aQCN08UokVGT06i7gVyrBsbA72JW8ZO5IfNmKbPm0VdIDU4UFhapA/s320/643+Michael+as+patient.JPG" border="0" /></a> Michael was her test patient. He said he had some back pain and had had a cough for about a week.<br /></div><div>She started out by finding the source of his problems.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUQt62wKFsdiYkf65ls_t58kPS6yQl0d4tDirmvygQzIcs4XArfAxgjQVA3jn2bZlLwfi7qgjEGU_XbU8pktpq5gcrmth9mJMbvuB6kKLKh2SuPyV5xQYuSKP8D_Wvy4dQ2Ewq_J3GAk/s1600-h/644+Acupuncture.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269328861938105266" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUQt62wKFsdiYkf65ls_t58kPS6yQl0d4tDirmvygQzIcs4XArfAxgjQVA3jn2bZlLwfi7qgjEGU_XbU8pktpq5gcrmth9mJMbvuB6kKLKh2SuPyV5xQYuSKP8D_Wvy4dQ2Ewq_J3GAk/s320/644+Acupuncture.JPG" border="0" /></a> Then she used acupunct<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1a34WiNP_1THlqAiZ4J-QJytlDs1fpogMi4Dbrhcx_lREHfACnY8dBuKFMzlRzatn-e9iXbhZeQha4xnunYsrUDgeWlFDI7EnBTYWDfIfzPhhyphenhyphenGN_ukTdLYOnLXmAFNEHF5tQjlcOts/s1600-h/645+Stimulation.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269328487864965746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 252px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1a34WiNP_1THlqAiZ4J-QJytlDs1fpogMi4Dbrhcx_lREHfACnY8dBuKFMzlRzatn-e9iXbhZeQha4xnunYsrUDgeWlFDI7EnBTYWDfIfzPhhyphenhyphenGN_ukTdLYOnLXmAFNEHF5tQjlcOts/s320/645+Stimulation.JPG" border="0" /></a>ure and electric stimulation to raise his endorfin levels,<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIeZmr0RMHO7ukuxb36m3BpyeQrTLpqSXLB8fUjpK9wRpbY4gzy8gs7Xz9ug2IcIaXPrJh2pBhQd6VkbCPYbJL87NdRT14RC6YK6aRpPeG0CtB8VMxJMFxycTxVEFAhTmLbGOZcPpytM/s1600-h/646+Cupping.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269328279137953474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyIeZmr0RMHO7ukuxb36m3BpyeQrTLpqSXLB8fUjpK9wRpbY4gzy8gs7Xz9ug2IcIaXPrJh2pBhQd6VkbCPYbJL87NdRT14RC6YK6aRpPeG0CtB8VMxJMFxycTxVEFAhTmLbGOZcPpytM/s320/646+Cupping.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />followed by cupping and massage to bring his endorfins to the surface. Michael seemed none the worse for wear at the end, But I keep forgetting to ask him if her treatment did him any permanent good.<br /></div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dH1dnIybpiequj5y5nExrlkYV65dh2nP-4XmeLAwGHmpGanUBJdNb4B9FaUL2g-33csGGvUnB-iz3-sJOXe_ZtdDQu4lpdOYnDgNJUcnYRQR3Dv_G-U40HkQmmv2x0Y5-6Nxm2u75pA/s1600-h/647+Discussing+needles+with+Kate.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269328009940101762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 226px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7dH1dnIybpiequj5y5nExrlkYV65dh2nP-4XmeLAwGHmpGanUBJdNb4B9FaUL2g-33csGGvUnB-iz3-sJOXe_ZtdDQu4lpdOYnDgNJUcnYRQR3Dv_G-U40HkQmmv2x0Y5-6Nxm2u75pA/s320/647+Discussing+needles+with+Kate.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the last picture Dr. Huong is talking with Kate about her fear of needles, and explaining there are other ways to apply traditional treatments. It was a most interesting presentation.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilC0FcErHt5kk1DwSb7D0RoPNzhCdyVccKXR2t4oWTk3eS9v3MdVl1vEeLnNngD9TmoZhiURfINCpV0zBGhzPxJ_bNr2-OXFCyNL-kMEXxAtj3ZjovtfnHHCN8UgsFdN5slJ4-CjWfE5U/s1600-h/648+Departing+on+boats.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269327760788748066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilC0FcErHt5kk1DwSb7D0RoPNzhCdyVccKXR2t4oWTk3eS9v3MdVl1vEeLnNngD9TmoZhiURfINCpV0zBGhzPxJ_bNr2-OXFCyNL-kMEXxAtj3ZjovtfnHHCN8UgsFdN5slJ4-CjWfE5U/s320/648+Departing+on+boats.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>On Saturday morning we drove to My Duc where we boarded steel boats for the row to the base of Huong Tich Mountain (Mountain of the Fragrant Traces). In this picture, Michael looks like he is doing just fine.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqaalIqpdsikEwFSWv2iAfd4f7jCO5MdKzEZtfkR3L9cOgRipl_CISvqaVlP4u5bIQMUsQhoRqXrpkJP9-IlMCwIOK_o9LGBnVtlTpnZvILXuJ8orRc24PoPxPqbA0njhD5nYdwk35fY/s1600-h/649+Monk+on+cell+phone.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269327547276623506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqaalIqpdsikEwFSWv2iAfd4f7jCO5MdKzEZtfkR3L9cOgRipl_CISvqaVlP4u5bIQMUsQhoRqXrpkJP9-IlMCwIOK_o9LGBnVtlTpnZvILXuJ8orRc24PoPxPqbA0njhD5nYdwk35fY/s320/649+Monk+on+cell+phone.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br />Soon after we started out we passed a supply boat with a monk on his cell phone. From this picture you can start to get an idea<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQzsMf3QIJ8GrI2zIGPEZp6ly6j6O88R63UCJAtCPfOqaEfaHWYc2yeInoA2dAdC3yaf4JwVqRy05gt-VandgdjpBSAcA5A45hDNxlNeXXqkeghAtKXTMsbdAXqVK-yu3JRTngNd3j4w/s1600-h/650+High+water.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269327219459939234" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQzsMf3QIJ8GrI2zIGPEZp6ly6j6O88R63UCJAtCPfOqaEfaHWYc2yeInoA2dAdC3yaf4JwVqRy05gt-VandgdjpBSAcA5A45hDNxlNeXXqkeghAtKXTMsbdAXqVK-yu3JRTngNd3j4w/s320/650+High+water.JPG" border="0" /></a> of how high the water was. The picture to the right shows it even more directly. It shows the top of a burial monument just sticking out of the water.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizVMsLf60qlVAQ7PRFZlWZDru333NXjmKipt8PGkf7KVwWRfwhtYjmC81tojhf7dmBWJyNbTZNh5J9MLtYju-445LyDxvprf8d_pzTLLeqxqDfGeltTOodgoLp17DRDkuqSudkn4e5LE/s1600-h/651+Mountains.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269326868273318322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizVMsLf60qlVAQ7PRFZlWZDru333NXjmKipt8PGkf7KVwWRfwhtYjmC81tojhf7dmBWJyNbTZNh5J9MLtYju-445LyDxvprf8d_pzTLLeqxqDfGeltTOodgoLp17DRDkuqSudkn4e5LE/s320/651+Mountains.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The river on the way in is beautiful, even if it is high.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA45f-80QkNPmj8fg6u0yaVTn4zPDeSdP0DIz_okqjY4HL8xw4gSmkTRgBXrED-tHBnbKLmLZmELWDnpZ907By8Lz7YwrR4k05vkw_z2Pq018j3tlXbo-qcHmVNZW5a0D6WdFVej_D9Do/s1600-h/652+River.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269326509871941346" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA45f-80QkNPmj8fg6u0yaVTn4zPDeSdP0DIz_okqjY4HL8xw4gSmkTRgBXrED-tHBnbKLmLZmELWDnpZ907By8Lz7YwrR4k05vkw_z2Pq018j3tlXbo-qcHmVNZW5a0D6WdFVej_D9Do/s320/652+River.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Pulling in to the drop off point again shows the height of the water. The structures to the left are usually food vendors.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7o6wUbG0090c7cYkYM0WryY8rQtQ2Sjx2EwxjXeCwAFVBtG1x7kaZYNgnwS9i0XM-tuZJP3oqjXJOdLgRWOsx8wiSiT8-g12_XpVMDSYzidLJZ4tCn87zGbkO_dxhTl2XleV-gFPymU/s1600-h/653+Approaching+quay.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269326344585005138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 238px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy7o6wUbG0090c7cYkYM0WryY8rQtQ2Sjx2EwxjXeCwAFVBtG1x7kaZYNgnwS9i0XM-tuZJP3oqjXJOdLgRWOsx8wiSiT8-g12_XpVMDSYzidLJZ4tCn87zGbkO_dxhTl2XleV-gFPymU/s320/653+Approaching+quay.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br />Our boats took us over the normal quay, past the booth that normally checks tickets,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioL2OIiUqE1k8X0e0aANK8C4Bjr2MDtV90oreG6oo8cXrwWWzZA50wizzS97F1G0fTxg3vuDiCOMYShuVfVN0uh_U3ZZ04wdTGMezNEtSqr6gePdZEgKtn_VxMUISg8QgSH5-fuExNxcs/s1600-h/653a+Ticket+Booth.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269326073968112194" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioL2OIiUqE1k8X0e0aANK8C4Bjr2MDtV90oreG6oo8cXrwWWzZA50wizzS97F1G0fTxg3vuDiCOMYShuVfVN0uh_U3ZZ04wdTGMezNEtSqr6gePdZEgKtn_VxMUISg8QgSH5-fuExNxcs/s320/653a+Ticket+Booth.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />and dropped us literally at the base of the steps leading up the mountain.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3laNWvcCPbB91lK0NKLR0dZXq1Vvy0F-LEofZ-qsuWOSTa0aFRej_2gLBkJfT2N62sgygQ5aO8cmNfdBoajVSRWTPNAR6SNksY12Sr35ZY71c-i1J1w8XoKoPhanzqQZg3ndr-GnZoH4/s1600-h/654+Heading+to+gondola.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269325679389897506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3laNWvcCPbB91lK0NKLR0dZXq1Vvy0F-LEofZ-qsuWOSTa0aFRej_2gLBkJfT2N62sgygQ5aO8cmNfdBoajVSRWTPNAR6SNksY12Sr35ZY71c-i1J1w8XoKoPhanzqQZg3ndr-GnZoH4/s320/654+Heading+to+gondola.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />What they call the Perfume Pagoda is at the top of the mountain. During the second and third lunar months of the year (roughly March and April), many Vietnamese make a pilgrimage here. Up to 80% of the Vietnamese population claims to be Buddhist, but only a small portion of those are what we would term practicing Buddhists. The rest believe in a combination of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist philosophies and beliefs that govern their behavior and relationships. One of those beliefs is that if they travel to the Perfume Pagoda, pray, and make offerings during the pilgrimage season it will bring them good luck for the rest of<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6viYMUoZy37UPUT1ma9s7x4royla7xy46DdmHsbrLUiZxgFIigjGohjXSN3Ypvgbd0ZN69xTG7_HsnWkwu4nnMrawPRT15nztgMf2_xPxufWOg24Yw126x4UYNGsrBQOvp13iKF_dpc/s1600-h/655+gondola.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269325074226475378" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6viYMUoZy37UPUT1ma9s7x4royla7xy46DdmHsbrLUiZxgFIigjGohjXSN3Ypvgbd0ZN69xTG7_HsnWkwu4nnMrawPRT15nztgMf2_xPxufWOg24Yw126x4UYNGsrBQOvp13iKF_dpc/s320/655+gondola.JPG" border="0" /></a> the year.<br /><br /><div>There are two ways to get to the pagoda. One is via a 4 km path that winds up the mountain, the other is by gondola, which we opted for, mainly to save us some time.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNssounMkqufCvzK6LZmGIW8t2Snt5YdPQQybibpATC3iX7KzN6_LVELrBfoChRfee2bLdHPTdAb9HSIlhCNsieqxqv0m_YskBvin6-zxdO7jNOIdob9sDejSUA407PV3YlvajnifHw-M/s1600-h/666+Pagoda+from+gondola.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269324761824700434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNssounMkqufCvzK6LZmGIW8t2Snt5YdPQQybibpATC3iX7KzN6_LVELrBfoChRfee2bLdHPTdAb9HSIlhCNsieqxqv0m_YskBvin6-zxdO7jNOIdob9sDejSUA407PV3YlvajnifHw-M/s320/666+Pagoda+from+gondola.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The ride up is spectacular in its own right. You get a much better view than you would on the trail. There are numerous shrines and pagodas on the mountain. The picture to the left shows one that is viewed from the arial tramway.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIlh7xvT1dJlMQ32M7Sw-h71cILiximXv3HTu5TaAknqLV2HQCrtG46YrXWH1PO7QQ6pTnpzuL2RfDl4Y36SW2EIzfp5UNCu31ys5t0D6Ba-8oKtuiQVCXHz5YSMvecuM5j-gCUN2wPQ/s1600-h/667+Upper+station.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269324244310363218" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggIlh7xvT1dJlMQ32M7Sw-h71cILiximXv3HTu5TaAknqLV2HQCrtG46YrXWH1PO7QQ6pTnpzuL2RfDl4Y36SW2EIzfp5UNCu31ys5t0D6Ba-8oKtuiQVCXHz5YSMvecuM5j-gCUN2wPQ/s320/667+Upper+station.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />For those of you who are skiers, this is a Doplymeyer lift, and the top looks familiar, except where is the snow?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhQf_xb3OQp9FRsGRNpi1jJi9T8S1-pINHD_c6FmC_gt0dYA_V0raXie0EuSV6nEyc07lizvZv3G-xIVU3TAcimBrm7xM5cyUWWnRSZR6hON6iGfoKILYPLhUtl7RDJUYkHTZax3rI6I/s1600-h/668+Ngoc+%26+Julia.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269323857872911122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhQf_xb3OQp9FRsGRNpi1jJi9T8S1-pINHD_c6FmC_gt0dYA_V0raXie0EuSV6nEyc07lizvZv3G-xIVU3TAcimBrm7xM5cyUWWnRSZR6hON6iGfoKILYPLhUtl7RDJUYkHTZax3rI6I/s320/668+Ngoc+%26+Julia.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>Once you get to the top it is a short hike to the grotto that houses the pagoda. Here Ngoc and Julia pause by the railing.<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcIw3DEoN4yCmqRH1dNXsrChVKlGF6gGdt5T7QIJTjDh5hx1uvnmqfmHnH8_-5NUIkskX6F4DOcOVJFzPdWOnfXJbEE6gBYEsde2npTuAFXStGndkYhk-Hrw5yotE2_u225urGdRqlFQ/s1600-h/669+Steps+down+to+grotto.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269323312862969282" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZcIw3DEoN4yCmqRH1dNXsrChVKlGF6gGdt5T7QIJTjDh5hx1uvnmqfmHnH8_-5NUIkskX6F4DOcOVJFzPdWOnfXJbEE6gBYEsde2npTuAFXStGndkYhk-Hrw5yotE2_u225urGdRqlFQ/s320/669+Steps+down+to+grotto.JPG" border="0" /></a>There is a steep set of steps down into the grotto. I didn't notice it when I took the picture, but the sign on the left side of this picture says "No Short Clothes Please" in Vietnamese and English. There was no need for the clothes police, as everyone was dressed appropriately.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRXCPl0d9RC49LxqczhALs9i-DoVOT7k1iD8UKHLmhmi5bcH0DzES6wfSoF8zX1WZzH1fDRko3ckJOrLNt4NAY_N33HP07BOGiNbHj6w-rpS8HhPtpzjSuXR2vTOha0a96-8dZhENs6w/s1600-h/670+entrance+to+pagoda.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269322910109441026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRXCPl0d9RC49LxqczhALs9i-DoVOT7k1iD8UKHLmhmi5bcH0DzES6wfSoF8zX1WZzH1fDRko3ckJOrLNt4NAY_N33HP07BOGiNbHj6w-rpS8HhPtpzjSuXR2vTOha0a96-8dZhENs6w/s320/670+entrance+to+pagoda.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The steps end in the grotto, and you enter the actual pagoda behind the big formation in the center that the flags point to.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGz-y1AGfmZjXYfK_VcBf7Z1_LakcIBXMI1sAiN_YuzKmI2L5nF61cAewvEODMfr1jlO3xi8QSavdn0hC9efg5_nKhf04stfPp3mfq-QZZc-YRdrsxOMq6tKJqTuVarOT9Xmtsahtki0M/s1600-h/671+bell+at+entrance.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269322340749694722" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGz-y1AGfmZjXYfK_VcBf7Z1_LakcIBXMI1sAiN_YuzKmI2L5nF61cAewvEODMfr1jlO3xi8QSavdn0hC9efg5_nKhf04stfPp3mfq-QZZc-YRdrsxOMq6tKJqTuVarOT9Xmtsahtki0M/s320/671+bell+at+entrance.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Just to the left of the entrance is a large bell that is used for calls to worship.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVIKzEUDKj3rnk4rpr7O0c8X2IbKgaKiZyD6nBHA7siKbcFzfbdyHZzK-ECaGdQ-fzIEc1CB9zC2Q6q9khAqCkM9eJBgS5KaKbdsE-gurJMr6OKfKRDhtoqj9yjYHQcL3IyWoH98nOoE/s1600-h/672+alter+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269321549625134722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilVIKzEUDKj3rnk4rpr7O0c8X2IbKgaKiZyD6nBHA7siKbcFzfbdyHZzK-ECaGdQ-fzIEc1CB9zC2Q6q9khAqCkM9eJBgS5KaKbdsE-gurJMr6OKfKRDhtoqj9yjYHQcL3IyWoH98nOoE/s320/672+alter+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />Inside there are three separate alters, and plenty of space to sit down and contemplate the<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7V5I3uQkdO_AkR0-AQmeN3LRIiICsxNLqDLaM4YT4rxrPy89h9e8TPZaZ7qMJo3_4wriUNsX2r6cWunJqi9-XyuvWz5lCZB03xHWT2icBuE2dWeIYXqsiqyy2pqJGzIKmfWa4LSfuWVQ/s1600-h/673+main+alter.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269320791320456338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7V5I3uQkdO_AkR0-AQmeN3LRIiICsxNLqDLaM4YT4rxrPy89h9e8TPZaZ7qMJo3_4wriUNsX2r6cWunJqi9-XyuvWz5lCZB03xHWT2icBuE2dWeIYXqsiqyy2pqJGzIKmfWa4LSfuWVQ/s320/673+main+alter.JPG" border="0" /></a> significance of this shrine.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4seLeb1I0mdjiyMATGSDEA8hXpUV1PX5e0BORcbVSRva7gfI7Qa16I9vAqcGyQ9cuKNcV1NcbTOFnwwvGv5bNodomewxElxkxrdQFzWerbqgCu7At1aRthXnpuD6P9P24mxFJmB2aOoY/s1600-h/674+resting.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269320488261892258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 257px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4seLeb1I0mdjiyMATGSDEA8hXpUV1PX5e0BORcbVSRva7gfI7Qa16I9vAqcGyQ9cuKNcV1NcbTOFnwwvGv5bNodomewxElxkxrdQFzWerbqgCu7At1aRthXnpuD6P9P24mxFJmB2aOoY/s320/674+resting.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzZ5kI2ETZOr2Iy2hEN_5uKGenLuj5NRtHTzS0uL06FNyE4zr4oBvHY92cFj2Jm0eGu3WlNb1mjQev6hX85E9iTPNbKzw_LfvpXnHzJTxZf1f53P3FSsOS4t1f8ubF0RUcqe8tZDETw0/s1600-h/676+Molly+%26+Buddie.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269319753829473602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzZ5kI2ETZOr2Iy2hEN_5uKGenLuj5NRtHTzS0uL06FNyE4zr4oBvHY92cFj2Jm0eGu3WlNb1mjQev6hX85E9iTPNbKzw_LfvpXnHzJTxZf1f53P3FSsOS4t1f8ubF0RUcqe8tZDETw0/s320/676+Molly+%26+Buddie.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj31EF5L4iYWLGEIpkORdp4NPcY8iVNasd3Z4A8hH4aC2VyGyp89tQwTRoK9ehyWPP67PpvyxuXYxHkycmqS_KpRsYIrVHTkea371HX664T6BofBDzczgr965ND_MFcWmJCIFghnpf63A/s1600-h/675+alter+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269320112266216114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj31EF5L4iYWLGEIpkORdp4NPcY8iVNasd3Z4A8hH4aC2VyGyp89tQwTRoK9ehyWPP67PpvyxuXYxHkycmqS_KpRsYIrVHTkea371HX664T6BofBDzczgr965ND_MFcWmJCIFghnpf63A/s320/675+alter+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Back outside our students and the language <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlJ-BoPF4C8rrxbidnfhWpdtdWR5epLwKPor4TaQbA453QtSEdo7fI-hd6MUt8trzm2KNWOcwjvhHqWq8yCAjfkYPu0bpm4B_uSHiLidbiANGtGGiD0-IApwdyVxf36uUu4qo5UH0Qwc/s1600-h/677+Group.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269319419167038498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlJ-BoPF4C8rrxbidnfhWpdtdWR5epLwKPor4TaQbA453QtSEdo7fI-hd6MUt8trzm2KNWOcwjvhHqWq8yCAjfkYPu0bpm4B_uSHiLidbiANGtGGiD0-IApwdyVxf36uUu4qo5UH0Qwc/s320/677+Group.JPG" border="0" /></a>partners posed for a group shot.<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpgsl52JtI6UNzhyO_h8Q6SflgJTGt07Wkhi5b2B-WaYe8jawiHHOEuHIbMNXXc3P4PnTN4Y0o-gTTGYC6T0SLJREz3oqAlQf04gW47QWzgQ4TuEuQS_4QJR9ZIOy2l9pHb6IglMQu4U/s1600-h/678+back+on+boats.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269318993128934914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpgsl52JtI6UNzhyO_h8Q6SflgJTGt07Wkhi5b2B-WaYe8jawiHHOEuHIbMNXXc3P4PnTN4Y0o-gTTGYC6T0SLJREz3oqAlQf04gW47QWzgQ4TuEuQS_4QJR9ZIOy2l9pHb6IglMQu4U/s320/678+back+on+boats.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Before long it was time to head back down on the gondola and make our way to the flooded quay. Getting on the boa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8myiTIrVNx9q14FPjyjyibUkihadDdsqDXKW2wrlDbub9SuhV-emSQMKwJTIOmGgAwOZeWK4YFV1tU3pwjdiX0A61GlNShO0C2j8eP3Wj6fU08sxBkEvgh0BEMJDQtPDURY3bZhVHSPE/s1600-h/679+downstream.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269318619786927170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8myiTIrVNx9q14FPjyjyibUkihadDdsqDXKW2wrlDbub9SuhV-emSQMKwJTIOmGgAwOZeWK4YFV1tU3pwjdiX0A61GlNShO0C2j8eP3Wj6fU08sxBkEvgh0BEMJDQtPDURY3bZhVHSPE/s320/679+downstream.JPG" border="0" /></a>ts looked like a traffic jam in Hanoi! That is Sarah's mother Jen in the boat next to her. </div><div><br />The ride back was no less spectacular than coming in.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3igKZ50G3MPDgdw3DFaRoZNEcz6srtFG6GRFSitgYSAHj5vTkCOwAIvZf9aipCtc64urnfA4gBukEVzCLEOTGDiYvt_7sip2OVBxaSAqOcY4cWYRI_ZtR2jlL8I0UaWwLwQYls4hXKM/s1600-h/680+sun.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269316555025599218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ3igKZ50G3MPDgdw3DFaRoZNEcz6srtFG6GRFSitgYSAHj5vTkCOwAIvZf9aipCtc64urnfA4gBukEVzCLEOTGDiYvt_7sip2OVBxaSAqOcY4cWYRI_ZtR2jlL8I0UaWwLwQYls4hXKM/s320/680+sun.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3rY9KBYVL-Cl9RnMHfTKOBuTNk-JTbnH4Q2QTUFmQpXl8CiZ73glCi4AT_B8HDqpliewPmsPEwQiOc_iZNdGdysy_Sd4-fWm-b7lrc8mAn9_KjmtkzlmoVR6Li8qlkMOjqD9-9dl5pY/s1600-h/681+locals.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5269316334673677746" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 230px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx3rY9KBYVL-Cl9RnMHfTKOBuTNk-JTbnH4Q2QTUFmQpXl8CiZ73glCi4AT_B8HDqpliewPmsPEwQiOc_iZNdGdysy_Sd4-fWm-b7lrc8mAn9_KjmtkzlmoVR6Li8qlkMOjqD9-9dl5pY/s320/681+locals.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Just before we got back, a young embassador waived goodbye to us. Actually he was waving "hello," but it makes a good last picture.<br /><br /><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-31945481818251390742008-11-11T17:23:00.000-08:002008-11-12T16:58:05.473-08:00Cat Ba Island, 11/9After we checked into our hotel on Cat Ba Island, I <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOXcoNf5Dc96zqMHYKI4nzzKEbmSP1FWAAsr4rJA5d_vc-J9kVdPfj5eAuhr4T2DUqkI-VuGbYxPdn8gI_HWeQlxVFipqL3JrBmnNrQDUbgiF_kumWKJDsMWnPMz19A1uZuNIZbk-P78/s1600-h/617+Before+Dinner+Gettogether.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267596082442083170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOXcoNf5Dc96zqMHYKI4nzzKEbmSP1FWAAsr4rJA5d_vc-J9kVdPfj5eAuhr4T2DUqkI-VuGbYxPdn8gI_HWeQlxVFipqL3JrBmnNrQDUbgiF_kumWKJDsMWnPMz19A1uZuNIZbk-P78/s320/617+Before+Dinner+Gettogether.JPG" border="0" /></a>went up to the roof deck to take some pictures of the sunset, and joined some students who had gone up for a social hour before dinner. We ate on the same deck, but it was after dark. The picture below is of the portion of the harbor where most of the fishing and charter boats are moored. The next six pictures are a sequence of the sunset.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavzM0QfxBNSH3ImOhXp7tEUxkvACKcwLz6M7iu-Xz_qs5zRTlaPuSH-44GgSvunTVKoQP_x9uFtzXGOgkdmNAOTowgqzLGiZo2d_q92myzXWqZfFbDh45MAk82AMd2EjrTw-YvR43nug/s1600-h/618+Bay+near+sunset.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267595704951379042" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavzM0QfxBNSH3ImOhXp7tEUxkvACKcwLz6M7iu-Xz_qs5zRTlaPuSH-44GgSvunTVKoQP_x9uFtzXGOgkdmNAOTowgqzLGiZo2d_q92myzXWqZfFbDh45MAk82AMd2EjrTw-YvR43nug/s320/618+Bay+near+sunset.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIea3G6fHyub_cmbiQGk52QY76XBtHsaGPWMqfqQd-3Y7hdPNNJIrwDQA34FWSqPfsAJ6SzBILdsTfm53YEHY0fnqaseDtw_ewuT4u76uzxmxm0rTGCtjZDX0WntdHKNINAzVW-Hp9f3c/s1600-h/619+Sunset+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267595377930904626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIea3G6fHyub_cmbiQGk52QY76XBtHsaGPWMqfqQd-3Y7hdPNNJIrwDQA34FWSqPfsAJ6SzBILdsTfm53YEHY0fnqaseDtw_ewuT4u76uzxmxm0rTGCtjZDX0WntdHKNINAzVW-Hp9f3c/s320/619+Sunset+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwrx_frsZ2CczKvQoQgJdnD3__zBxXQWbW4IvUM5wNtknXBaE8tNWImlS9DcoeJMFA2jiuzhE_5RDOrhaMGQBy2-_1ihMsEIv6iwfeF-b9GpRH49mg9PN1XdzUKYeM3Uyq-6V3U48yvI/s1600-h/620+Sunset+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267595031765410626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwrx_frsZ2CczKvQoQgJdnD3__zBxXQWbW4IvUM5wNtknXBaE8tNWImlS9DcoeJMFA2jiuzhE_5RDOrhaMGQBy2-_1ihMsEIv6iwfeF-b9GpRH49mg9PN1XdzUKYeM3Uyq-6V3U48yvI/s320/620+Sunset+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-T9V3kvTFiArlRpuVLqmf0XGCERhV3u_aHkdavVJyx0WEToZsnLxuQJTaBDGovsaWUO292jlDl0n6UAuzwtVaVywAXuSvYJ54Yua0X1ndARYmi_HhZ2R4td1I5gVAwEmg75mCGQl6_M/s1600-h/621+Sunset+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267594669830635314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij-T9V3kvTFiArlRpuVLqmf0XGCERhV3u_aHkdavVJyx0WEToZsnLxuQJTaBDGovsaWUO292jlDl0n6UAuzwtVaVywAXuSvYJ54Yua0X1ndARYmi_HhZ2R4td1I5gVAwEmg75mCGQl6_M/s320/621+Sunset+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWWNh4jN2o4WOrLUgMJlLvsd9fcJ285PhcUs-bIoeGwBPBjQry5McPSPeVtng5p2G8HduXTuhrrIyeMtM0NMFg96_rv44yBII5P8ci7brcE-9rGIRSAi-b3I6J2DV-0GVX1N4Xgi_n3E/s1600-h/622+Sunset+4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267593734717425506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaWWNh4jN2o4WOrLUgMJlLvsd9fcJ285PhcUs-bIoeGwBPBjQry5McPSPeVtng5p2G8HduXTuhrrIyeMtM0NMFg96_rv44yBII5P8ci7brcE-9rGIRSAi-b3I6J2DV-0GVX1N4Xgi_n3E/s320/622+Sunset+4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DRXDTx-3tW25GN45S2z7W9AKaZjF49v3VLCeH5kIg0TPa8hIL78P8L0KJeumz8kd8A-YUeWd2KW5dLg8xBl907g6KY-PYqos29ctsaLuQFA7bUbdk-7FjrE2NHWw5oeRiEFZ1A5u-b0/s1600-h/623++Sunset+5.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267592951036879746" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DRXDTx-3tW25GN45S2z7W9AKaZjF49v3VLCeH5kIg0TPa8hIL78P8L0KJeumz8kd8A-YUeWd2KW5dLg8xBl907g6KY-PYqos29ctsaLuQFA7bUbdk-7FjrE2NHWw5oeRiEFZ1A5u-b0/s320/623++Sunset+5.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxnMD6VpHSBkLq9dujIfDbv3u7AMxGNK8-tap14SQhT0Mqn6hwIyVvR08K44QxU1PZ2xQMx22nP3sTbpmw6c4kxmCcTTiwBDY1qIkHxqeQifh8VaXBuj_Rw7PVKYjxxcbXBPDQhltg78/s1600-h/624+Sunset+6.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267592631784955970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAxnMD6VpHSBkLq9dujIfDbv3u7AMxGNK8-tap14SQhT0Mqn6hwIyVvR08K44QxU1PZ2xQMx22nP3sTbpmw6c4kxmCcTTiwBDY1qIkHxqeQifh8VaXBuj_Rw7PVKYjxxcbXBPDQhltg78/s320/624+Sunset+6.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Sunday morning continued to be the clearest weather I have seen in this area. The other times I have been here there has been a haze over the formations.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRgQLrqhSFNGqrLOgKlioDNFDAqc4t2CsG2-d8Sk6sqw-MNoo1R3rNtV09aYFhnjKUErIVkMNevxjCPJU7KmMjKweX1owuSqtWMT-ofcpo_cHKdH8eJf_53Y7GLXfevYECXD68XutsMc/s1600-h/625+Bay+next+morning.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267589763905797394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRgQLrqhSFNGqrLOgKlioDNFDAqc4t2CsG2-d8Sk6sqw-MNoo1R3rNtV09aYFhnjKUErIVkMNevxjCPJU7KmMjKweX1owuSqtWMT-ofcpo_cHKdH8eJf_53Y7GLXfevYECXD68XutsMc/s320/625+Bay+next+morning.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br />Here are two pictures of the same moorings I took at sunset yesterday, and one in the direction of the sunset shots.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR80FLEP9DrBAoVRQVGHr1ewwH-3gO0P0cqBizldjVCknjJyQhOWdfe4UXof2ZlrEtwgd4dnfjhjHWH67o3CCDgcgWL0s7KYHtrLlHoHurw6UqG4EpDscrwciTeS0sN4mKk94P_g09lP0/s1600-h/626+Next+Morning.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267589328796333602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR80FLEP9DrBAoVRQVGHr1ewwH-3gO0P0cqBizldjVCknjJyQhOWdfe4UXof2ZlrEtwgd4dnfjhjHWH67o3CCDgcgWL0s7KYHtrLlHoHurw6UqG4EpDscrwciTeS0sN4mKk94P_g09lP0/s320/626+Next+Morning.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCDkeSbNtGyjyt4lnQ1bfjjsRQVK-m3KuKEiQf2Wa-79h5nveuwD0BmHecv3tBMyKOI8eW29LoH0P8KE0PGtQTSC9l0QzOCQWiJP8-BvD_HOwYzn94VepmLLRa1RukFPelazYMEys3AQ/s1600-h/626a+Next+Morning.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267588993135283298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqCDkeSbNtGyjyt4lnQ1bfjjsRQVK-m3KuKEiQf2Wa-79h5nveuwD0BmHecv3tBMyKOI8eW29LoH0P8KE0PGtQTSC9l0QzOCQWiJP8-BvD_HOwYzn94VepmLLRa1RukFPelazYMEys3AQ/s320/626a+Next+Morning.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We boarded a smaller boat that would transport us to a sheltered section of islands for kayaking.<br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjHfVfjPIWTK0oiSE6YR6nCY1udVuixkB9w9Zmlp-HzTha6pnYDfYrw5GLqyQO-jq6FuYUrL5MvypePkm6LJdnakZH6LgnfrYbZHNvl-faIoWHeZlRim_z1ACRu-jN1j3V5EFZh_58nM/s1600-h/627+On+Boat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267588458092593698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjHfVfjPIWTK0oiSE6YR6nCY1udVuixkB9w9Zmlp-HzTha6pnYDfYrw5GLqyQO-jq6FuYUrL5MvypePkm6LJdnakZH6LgnfrYbZHNvl-faIoWHeZlRim_z1ACRu-jN1j3V5EFZh_58nM/s320/627+On+Boat.JPG" border="0" /></a>On the way we passed many fish farms. The people live on the platforms, and raise the fish in the mesh tanks underneath and around them. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjDyNE5waSWFd3JcLyZgU3I3OnE3yxuNjmJOTdoCrU6SPZB2BmotorsYY7odrhVEvRo0PtU6andIYO3yRqmljAaG0vS3lvcgSYHRAX9kY1iMXHUnC0sdR4ROGswvvO575OMKIZgkyRlE/s1600-h/628+Fish+Farm.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267588038069932178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDjDyNE5waSWFd3JcLyZgU3I3OnE3yxuNjmJOTdoCrU6SPZB2BmotorsYY7odrhVEvRo0PtU6andIYO3yRqmljAaG0vS3lvcgSYHRAX9kY1iMXHUnC0sdR4ROGswvvO575OMKIZgkyRlE/s320/628+Fish+Farm.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The ride to where we would begin kayaking was as beautiful as yesterday.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjE7NOeaHzTOoYt_fdvK0XaeaolqkVnb6Xdi9033wWVSoo5OB-NIy5ON3n4EKxZPxJQHZCjiWermNHzoPACuz-dGCcs-N-x3O_UJF3LuAejFyt5zbm-CO8EfrxzxeyyQRwdAYMC4Hyq2c/s1600-h/629+Boat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267587680208191218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjE7NOeaHzTOoYt_fdvK0XaeaolqkVnb6Xdi9033wWVSoo5OB-NIy5ON3n4EKxZPxJQHZCjiWermNHzoPACuz-dGCcs-N-x3O_UJF3LuAejFyt5zbm-CO8EfrxzxeyyQRwdAYMC4Hyq2c/s320/629+Boat.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsd8WcrSweCPQU2nQ55CCJnHp0oEiU89Me_H0A0Mbt6ure3fMFqR59bOBIkYJ-4XapEEBts4s4krO_GDaSCfCYay5Z-G3LA1eiiLTkblVrrHx1gTci4cEwFJklWaS-DiT2sGxc4RvcHY/s1600-h/630+Formation.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267585095174525634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsd8WcrSweCPQU2nQ55CCJnHp0oEiU89Me_H0A0Mbt6ure3fMFqR59bOBIkYJ-4XapEEBts4s4krO_GDaSCfCYay5Z-G3LA1eiiLTkblVrrHx1gTci4cEwFJklWaS-DiT2sGxc4RvcHY/s320/630+Formation.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jdSBttcb4bC9b4poFSMue9nWWFlvpyZTju-yTswt5oPQBZUiexRr7Ln6iBCiCx0EEvNVlkEPoCE4iYrr17C46uUjAgbHCQa9BxP7k1rj-7iC4v8DQpKRXnUQNckqKFQelMqXmSBWOlo/s1600-h/631+Formation.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267584639229988306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jdSBttcb4bC9b4poFSMue9nWWFlvpyZTju-yTswt5oPQBZUiexRr7Ln6iBCiCx0EEvNVlkEPoCE4iYrr17C46uUjAgbHCQa9BxP7k1rj-7iC4v8DQpKRXnUQNckqKFQelMqXmSBWOlo/s320/631+Formation.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFzP1MjK7PMfFqyNPkompb81D0_mQoNxl090GZOVn9GSdpsbn-3QYOGYD7v1-tBsd1-iiooHdH7_Bca871of58ouFVHSw52C4vSE52AF1_dCQpbOhFgFOC7uXAMKzOJ_P0Xd16MbBJSk/s1600-h/632+Canoe+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267584045200930098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFzP1MjK7PMfFqyNPkompb81D0_mQoNxl090GZOVn9GSdpsbn-3QYOGYD7v1-tBsd1-iiooHdH7_Bca871of58ouFVHSw52C4vSE52AF1_dCQpbOhFgFOC7uXAMKzOJ_P0Xd16MbBJSk/s320/632+Canoe+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />So was the area we kayaked through.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoS1dOqpA6RiWFBxMKV8n2EThN1s-jfM3HLRbdpFaHEs3mxEC6CB3usVLVpdng0tnjCNotWsJ1_2WSFrtI6KHiJOWo7prrpFm9IoNfN6YzbLPEE6KW2yLYj-W9WUu0qxG1ho8OGTPNf70/s1600-h/633+Canoe+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267583521231831138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoS1dOqpA6RiWFBxMKV8n2EThN1s-jfM3HLRbdpFaHEs3mxEC6CB3usVLVpdng0tnjCNotWsJ1_2WSFrtI6KHiJOWo7prrpFm9IoNfN6YzbLPEE6KW2yLYj-W9WUu0qxG1ho8OGTPNf70/s320/633+Canoe+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKKVcFZEIKL2QYui_M5LOnaQAy1xURMNXNw-QK9dkgrEBNbS8Xmuo9n2Yy_9VPWIhQosSXw-gxO18yp2OXJleevegLhSsHLVesknlwyOPhtIOee1YwdJlC2_FYPDWV_2DHg6RqKJrXUU/s1600-h/634+Canoe+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267583006111414514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcKKVcFZEIKL2QYui_M5LOnaQAy1xURMNXNw-QK9dkgrEBNbS8Xmuo9n2Yy_9VPWIhQosSXw-gxO18yp2OXJleevegLhSsHLVesknlwyOPhtIOee1YwdJlC2_FYPDWV_2DHg6RqKJrXUU/s320/634+Canoe+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EjytDZdJFj6yWSDAsjb5pcincAEhooeGtxX1lnH44swTexz9ZBNxa8iBf5aggXYEvSmNhPfiesPOAuDElkMKTzghpFWzaAZTg9j5itHTu2oNw-cF2FnWjBNni2CHrdmXEhrkL3ePqsA/s1600-h/635+Canoe+4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267582595875642866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8EjytDZdJFj6yWSDAsjb5pcincAEhooeGtxX1lnH44swTexz9ZBNxa8iBf5aggXYEvSmNhPfiesPOAuDElkMKTzghpFWzaAZTg9j5itHTu2oNw-cF2FnWjBNni2CHrdmXEhrkL3ePqsA/s320/635+Canoe+4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Jo3oEelZ2JpdPafbP7F6CSn9cVwUCk9tE90MAr2UnzJEstxMYZ2HLnLR1EIp8AbRkk7NubhyOxryq4f2VmAQCd6UxSUqHRYH4UQlOsZW8GOPBKi2lX9Uk-JaOgNtZQku40cmIEl50X8/s1600-h/636+Canoe+5.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267580333230698978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8Jo3oEelZ2JpdPafbP7F6CSn9cVwUCk9tE90MAr2UnzJEstxMYZ2HLnLR1EIp8AbRkk7NubhyOxryq4f2VmAQCd6UxSUqHRYH4UQlOsZW8GOPBKi2lX9Uk-JaOgNtZQku40cmIEl50X8/s320/636+Canoe+5.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYUSTtLDjGVUja1b4CZy0jvHzHbZ0DajazhZJi7E-gHQdRHkoQLRDgrghpHL2IKZRCLRMUff3W3Alk79vT91BuffuksWDoKKBJQMpIvoGbjl29KW-EK4qNDlRvo8YMCk00VNg4xJQF6M/s1600-h/637+Canoe+6.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267579787272563138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYUSTtLDjGVUja1b4CZy0jvHzHbZ0DajazhZJi7E-gHQdRHkoQLRDgrghpHL2IKZRCLRMUff3W3Alk79vT91BuffuksWDoKKBJQMpIvoGbjl29KW-EK4qNDlRvo8YMCk00VNg4xJQF6M/s320/637+Canoe+6.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>Everyone enjoyed the kayaking. There was even one place where we could paddle through a hole in one of the formations. All made it back to the pick up point by the designated time. </div><div> </div><div>The trip back was equally spectacular.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_u92G_plRvVOgUI3wuDZhX6UHHe7kUFAo_jT8ppuFJ6ubDcYDYwe1Om00CCqveRW1fFcXucWt17EoIVIANnWIjWuc8wQF75MOLloYJYIxJm38C6xraIpPTAno06JIBzbqXp290nnT-4/s1600-h/638+Formation.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267579072425796178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_u92G_plRvVOgUI3wuDZhX6UHHe7kUFAo_jT8ppuFJ6ubDcYDYwe1Om00CCqveRW1fFcXucWt17EoIVIANnWIjWuc8wQF75MOLloYJYIxJm38C6xraIpPTAno06JIBzbqXp290nnT-4/s320/638+Formation.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboTYQ0nuH8y8BK54fKIaCjsz68F4F7la7BJBNgDwKuHGZCBsENOQcDEDzkz_46R1UHZeTaXmaRh6VjABSWJszw4WyfmP05Uo9_bu8WBt-mhwmCQTzYf9mcR6E_hFCPpQVHcvBwQ908vI/s1600-h/639+Topside.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267578326111780706" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 286px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjboTYQ0nuH8y8BK54fKIaCjsz68F4F7la7BJBNgDwKuHGZCBsENOQcDEDzkz_46R1UHZeTaXmaRh6VjABSWJszw4WyfmP05Uo9_bu8WBt-mhwmCQTzYf9mcR6E_hFCPpQVHcvBwQ908vI/s320/639+Topside.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Some enjoyed it from the top deck, while others relaxed in the lower cabin.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtfqWDH6_fDkpKlXrZ7HVTe8FBi8i-VgH96Et55GFDD-7mHLOGvukMLAGEmEBYoUy1oqmuakbWoakygp4cBxof3Acm51V8hsaT1VJcIoxcm_gIW4vhmpKBgJYNLgGI9a0faR_PrD04IA/s1600-h/640+Below.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267577757118047330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDtfqWDH6_fDkpKlXrZ7HVTe8FBi8i-VgH96Et55GFDD-7mHLOGvukMLAGEmEBYoUy1oqmuakbWoakygp4cBxof3Acm51V8hsaT1VJcIoxcm_gIW4vhmpKBgJYNLgGI9a0faR_PrD04IA/s320/640+Below.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><div>After lunch at the hotel we took this fast ferry to Haiphong. Our bus met us there for the 2.5 hour ride back to Hanoi.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgspeZxynWT07kVJu4wPWFiOJBXEJvzf7AaGnYN9CMHcMQW2oRrrxVI2s2evOEBzIFwbCfj6B3Lipqtuh56A0snPWVUQ0CaZ104Uv-mFBLoi9pQxtwaXv7BQSlIjd2LdifGUyVz2NYo4/s1600-h/641+Fast+Boat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267577289355226226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgspeZxynWT07kVJu4wPWFiOJBXEJvzf7AaGnYN9CMHcMQW2oRrrxVI2s2evOEBzIFwbCfj6B3Lipqtuh56A0snPWVUQ0CaZ104Uv-mFBLoi9pQxtwaXv7BQSlIjd2LdifGUyVz2NYo4/s320/641+Fast+Boat.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-56368705166549686862008-11-11T15:56:00.001-08:002008-11-12T08:09:31.567-08:00Ha Long Bay, 11/8<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDRxp48TJMHLcXtGn5gv-UjhbmEaqn5Qwp_LqlDzkNfx9fB43R9or4VLCLXnGDqPqKib4xoHIBAHRvg19kXxLjLZKZgZqG4dZnhobHB67dPgih8Z41ny7YcjlM0nNwEgCSfnlbFLeNsI/s1600-h/578+Ha+Long+Bay+City.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267574469716143698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDRxp48TJMHLcXtGn5gv-UjhbmEaqn5Qwp_LqlDzkNfx9fB43R9or4VLCLXnGDqPqKib4xoHIBAHRvg19kXxLjLZKZgZqG4dZnhobHB67dPgih8Z41ny7YcjlM0nNwEgCSfnlbFLeNsI/s320/578+Ha+Long+Bay+City.JPG" border="0" /></a> Saturday morning dawned overcast and cool, but no rain. The only problem would be that the overcast would drain the colors from the formations so we wouldn't get great pictures.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCVMBxc5psrUpfx-hgVDn1S1Of8ieUNEgIeN923q7G008viGXRVxFGEB4UO-Prr9vrD5-aFnG5c7-gxyq6CJXPUQfGOruffHzSoW7LGdMWtOLd20DxBMZcJNOOMW8L7EdXeak4DkBeJw/s1600-h/579+Interior+of+Ha+Long+Bay.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267573969419007810" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFCVMBxc5psrUpfx-hgVDn1S1Of8ieUNEgIeN923q7G008viGXRVxFGEB4UO-Prr9vrD5-aFnG5c7-gxyq6CJXPUQfGOruffHzSoW7LGdMWtOLd20DxBMZcJNOOMW8L7EdXeak4DkBeJw/s320/579+Interior+of+Ha+Long+Bay.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQcONBJ695QUnaaHGVycrkSW7hDJ3-m7qxwTQo8RmNTEx1LrrxqsJuNejJC8_8j6zrFKqHE4ZUO8GsIHjlChaJ4RNtKrj2h8NZO_GrPrqanNmHCOXRi_9uhrWmXju78vtQy90m9I9NIc/s1600-h/580+Bay+from+Hotel.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267573230945950338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQcONBJ695QUnaaHGVycrkSW7hDJ3-m7qxwTQo8RmNTEx1LrrxqsJuNejJC8_8j6zrFKqHE4ZUO8GsIHjlChaJ4RNtKrj2h8NZO_GrPrqanNmHCOXRi_9uhrWmXju78vtQy90m9I9NIc/s320/580+Bay+from+Hotel.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmtLlp3zHq7g42ALbUbs-c2YiK508w15MBIXimesga0P7hDBZ94SX9m9wCxg2-FVrGGUujWkVFJVEDTr_lSye6xhnuNbDvNfNb2TObFMRTjE5ZxfSPH_QqIpdXOWd7NKDmyHF5cNH3xA/s1600-h/581+Boarding.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267571525644076930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmtLlp3zHq7g42ALbUbs-c2YiK508w15MBIXimesga0P7hDBZ94SX9m9wCxg2-FVrGGUujWkVFJVEDTr_lSye6xhnuNbDvNfNb2TObFMRTjE5ZxfSPH_QqIpdXOWd7NKDmyHF5cNH3xA/s320/581+Boarding.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />We boarded our boat about 9:00 am. We had to bring all or gear as the boat would let us off on Cat Ba Island.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JhPh_CddgpSXgowm9BWRYoXaaBeSQC7sL0_XfNxQ0HgRaa-XOODsxT9gu6O3uCROjVY6WWwrL9vqBoydCW-Rg-QrrAydnwF9kb_jImxcDtSpiXkYdsH6PmCdEnwh7czkHnxArvihhzs/s1600-h/582+Leaving.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267571136570591842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0JhPh_CddgpSXgowm9BWRYoXaaBeSQC7sL0_XfNxQ0HgRaa-XOODsxT9gu6O3uCROjVY6WWwrL9vqBoydCW-Rg-QrrAydnwF9kb_jImxcDtSpiXkYdsH6PmCdEnwh7czkHnxArvihhzs/s320/582+Leaving.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />You can see in the picture above how tightly packed the boats are at the wharf. Three boats are visible. </div><div></div><div>We were the first to back out, but others didn't wait for us to clear. The boat in the right part of the picture actually bumped into us twice as it tried to maneuver to take our vacated spot.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRl5EhwKsNyWG62jTdZ_HUq28tLDQ1LcpGLIEKMEL0AYDfjMvPEfLCnDxYU5_1joGBUz2Z6YJAyTHQcb3ybQOu2XI6qGKUzFweR4B5723IUD-F79wIAHomQ2NKQVIhb_VrGItFJodPJM/s1600-h/583+Sleeper.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267570786388962706" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRl5EhwKsNyWG62jTdZ_HUq28tLDQ1LcpGLIEKMEL0AYDfjMvPEfLCnDxYU5_1joGBUz2Z6YJAyTHQcb3ybQOu2XI6qGKUzFweR4B5723IUD-F79wIAHomQ2NKQVIhb_VrGItFJodPJM/s320/583+Sleeper.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Our pilot was patient, and we were soon heading into open water. The boat to the right is a larger Junk that has sleeping accommodations on it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdVo_ayMGsY4vQLNyMnVXT9r5AY399fAkRBWwbKokY6Bk0SydTyTRklyx8M5aFAWAm5EfKbJkJohaf12Qq3Zf3mwEZsHwO1npLoOVCOaeBvLa9PLUuzlULkb5JvWLS9qW_wmlZp__V7E/s1600-h/584+Breezy+on+Deck.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267570419854907330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdVo_ayMGsY4vQLNyMnVXT9r5AY399fAkRBWwbKokY6Bk0SydTyTRklyx8M5aFAWAm5EfKbJkJohaf12Qq3Zf3mwEZsHwO1npLoOVCOaeBvLa9PLUuzlULkb5JvWLS9qW_wmlZp__V7E/s320/584+Breezy+on+Deck.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Katie and Kate ended up in almost the same spot as last evening. At this point people were wondering how inviting swimming wa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv8kJgyPg6eD2skhS8k8k5ZDTHt06vms8myshZbOLkEDfu_CgKITUouPn-p2HztLZDltEM0Vtjcc7h-ADZds40kYlKop3RsA6aB50O2Jn82EYkKOn_2SAC-tc9pKcvS3A0pao9D-JjK0/s1600-h/585+On+Deck.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267569614980705090" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 205px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv8kJgyPg6eD2skhS8k8k5ZDTHt06vms8myshZbOLkEDfu_CgKITUouPn-p2HztLZDltEM0Vtjcc7h-ADZds40kYlKop3RsA6aB50O2Jn82EYkKOn_2SAC-tc9pKcvS3A0pao9D-JjK0/s320/585+On+Deck.JPG" border="0" /></a>s going to be later in the day.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKY_Zp7jEOLr7f8l8NnWpZnw_fhGbFj_ZgdNEIo8JZktk98RmFPpZv8hcUWZHvYV3R1XXDD57E7aVm1ubwLFfLe1Cw4VHwhnhDbaiPipmonThOKMvfwmwxFYsZ1gybG4HirK1uacRGWZ0/s1600-h/586+Indochine+Set.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267569095826014898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKY_Zp7jEOLr7f8l8NnWpZnw_fhGbFj_ZgdNEIo8JZktk98RmFPpZv8hcUWZHvYV3R1XXDD57E7aVm1ubwLFfLe1Cw4VHwhnhDbaiPipmonThOKMvfwmwxFYsZ1gybG4HirK1uacRGWZ0/s320/586+Indochine+Set.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>We cruised by the old section of Ha Long Bay City, then past the place where they filmed the slave market scene of <em>Indochine</em>, which we had watched in the Director's Seminar on Friday. Other scenes were also filmed in the Ha Long Bay area. That, plus its excellent portrayal of the French colonial system are why I show it.<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lRM9WKwxKuXB9bTbGrlASrxPbQeOXk7Q20oJTQ4ideiTSr3bsfZafsYKESRXVxAsJHKJsItrx6N8n5UE40xdBiubMoSkDn_wZ3v5las7MzbnszCqrCG0ZZIATch05nOEP_rU96-REYk/s1600-h/587+Karst+Formations.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267568443358879090" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2lRM9WKwxKuXB9bTbGrlASrxPbQeOXk7Q20oJTQ4ideiTSr3bsfZafsYKESRXVxAsJHKJsItrx6N8n5UE40xdBiubMoSkDn_wZ3v5las7MzbnszCqrCG0ZZIATch05nOEP_rU96-REYk/s320/587+Karst+Formations.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The karst formations are spectacular, even in the flat light.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDP4MQUB90o-cV8Grf2pO_Kl4tgv5zGcUm3HsFx5IZPkwgjHbS_4mi36AmcXWHV1eAA6P6Ml6xe3B-OmtDAZP4jtg8KTK-JCg7CDly44UqOM2s7oTViy2M-vGVZMPCakf0hNaPibU-9cY/s1600-h/588+Dragon%27s+Head.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267567224683669074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDP4MQUB90o-cV8Grf2pO_Kl4tgv5zGcUm3HsFx5IZPkwgjHbS_4mi36AmcXWHV1eAA6P6Ml6xe3B-OmtDAZP4jtg8KTK-JCg7CDly44UqOM2s7oTViy2M-vGVZMPCakf0hNaPibU-9cY/s320/588+Dragon%27s+Head.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Jared and Andrew were on the lookout for the Ha Long Bay "tickler." Maybe they are leaning against it!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOPnoydAFMLmZtCo3Phwod0AnTM8hFjJNCehxcz_tAEIeZrRKHPqmYDeedf8dGBVaG51VQcbZikYYh2YbvIfZMGJ8Db3YOvpoFs3Tyd56qQrdqotFFhnLPYh936Dl3M_FdTxRIkh6H14/s1600-h/589+Traffic.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267566845300301330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOPnoydAFMLmZtCo3Phwod0AnTM8hFjJNCehxcz_tAEIeZrRKHPqmYDeedf8dGBVaG51VQcbZikYYh2YbvIfZMGJ8Db3YOvpoFs3Tyd56qQrdqotFFhnLPYh936Dl3M_FdTxRIkh6H14/s320/589+Traffic.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br />Even though it is the off season, there was a fair amount of boat traffic all day. I can imagine what it is like during the summer season.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEhBKSLgqZ1eKkgCUGq7OhYOYkXU7_kN3kKgh-YnJoKD_BaHnoFFdxe0qWzidyDXox6ZB43MwVRJRxBHXRndBDcxgLuDtuLggzPagVhoCeBAB85dSBzqTQ1CDBwWt4OJOD0mwSgeJbVU/s1600-h/590+Pearl+Sellers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267565719264766290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 251px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEhBKSLgqZ1eKkgCUGq7OhYOYkXU7_kN3kKgh-YnJoKD_BaHnoFFdxe0qWzidyDXox6ZB43MwVRJRxBHXRndBDcxgLuDtuLggzPagVhoCeBAB85dSBzqTQ1CDBwWt4OJOD0mwSgeJbVU/s320/590+Pearl+Sellers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Ha Long Bay is noted for its pearl sellers, and they even find you on the boat.<br /><br />Some went to the cabin to get out of the cool breeze.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb22yDC0k4uVr-5P-ca5LNXdKldB4EZGZVUA7QelBpLlm0HTRPLDQcX3mMIKLRjxWhHb3yEHNj28y9t3MRD2jXBpAvO4d7uZpqyp-F4k8moG326wB57lu6GCccU-1NA9Lbhtj5DhY9n2s/s1600-h/591+Down+Below.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267565075459249586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb22yDC0k4uVr-5P-ca5LNXdKldB4EZGZVUA7QelBpLlm0HTRPLDQcX3mMIKLRjxWhHb3yEHNj28y9t3MRD2jXBpAvO4d7uZpqyp-F4k8moG326wB57lu6GCccU-1NA9Lbhtj5DhY9n2s/s320/591+Down+Below.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk2VlcJfP6Pmq9j9hvQUNyTm1U63Tzx88SoZNPt7QiU7J1mtRfdw_b0WHNCUXOVmfCzyIi4dZFkSpmA1D1jxF0Lm01dgotgxT6964Gve74v0lUNYXoh07kc_BsrkKgClmgHqip9yIWgo/s1600-h/592+Julia+Studying.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267563668554507122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 260px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLk2VlcJfP6Pmq9j9hvQUNyTm1U63Tzx88SoZNPt7QiU7J1mtRfdw_b0WHNCUXOVmfCzyIi4dZFkSpmA1D1jxF0Lm01dgotgxT6964Gve74v0lUNYXoh07kc_BsrkKgClmgHqip9yIWgo/s320/592+Julia+Studying.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />While Julia was on deck reading one of our required books, <em>People's War - People's Army</em>, by General Vo Nguyen Giap. During the term the students have, or will, read several books by North Vietnamese or National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) authors. That's the best way to see how the American conflict was viewed by the other side, and also to show that war basically sucks no matter which side you are on. War is the result of a failed political process, and generally there are no winners, even though one side may claim it won more dominoes. Anyway, back to our most pleasant day in Ha Long Bay.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7QELLBepXlzr3aFgvzCd83F6T6IK9zqokJVi-3wRfAh7CV_e5loLTDS0D0u_9odAu2E9JanNQZTl-iUpG10ifJ_6bx4AMKa1iGmTAYDDa1J3LiPBD7j0LWLKZBF7jM4eh6T8L0fUTlI/s1600-h/593+Junk.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267563433062895154" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp7QELLBepXlzr3aFgvzCd83F6T6IK9zqokJVi-3wRfAh7CV_e5loLTDS0D0u_9odAu2E9JanNQZTl-iUpG10ifJ_6bx4AMKa1iGmTAYDDa1J3LiPBD7j0LWLKZBF7jM4eh6T8L0fUTlI/s320/593+Junk.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Our first stop was in a cove below a large cave in the karst formations. If you look directly over the top of the Junk with its sails up, you can see the entrance to the cave. By the way, the sails are just for show. All the Junks these days have motors, and the sails are just to make the tourists feel good. If you look at the pictures of our boat, you can see that it has sails, but they didn't bother to pu<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoTivDPSOxhwg7oRCzfe8yTjcqfFhYmH2dpcHLO_RmdooDpoUWCy0fCQo8meJQp_4KgVxcakinD_EBSOza5f3aLn4PMBURb9qR3MgwqmwB2ZGD_MKJmhcxtGYK6ol1YKyaFRATnN56PI/s1600-h/594+Tom+%26+Diana%27s+Friend.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267563062348300146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdoTivDPSOxhwg7oRCzfe8yTjcqfFhYmH2dpcHLO_RmdooDpoUWCy0fCQo8meJQp_4KgVxcakinD_EBSOza5f3aLn4PMBURb9qR3MgwqmwB2ZGD_MKJmhcxtGYK6ol1YKyaFRATnN56PI/s320/594+Tom+%26+Diana%27s+Friend.JPG" border="0" /></a>t them up.<br /><div>We disembarked and walked up to the entrance. Just inside Tom and Diana found a friend, while Jill was exploring the geology.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiqgDooNrzGQFxxouTCtudVDLUvoV2YubEq9cEt_QIPmN8FF3uep2HSt_bca2o6u8Svcidehn8YRoBTBYPay2cTN6ryrEUY0O3dXg5sFiVrzoIhr_I9zqZAVOy82zhea85KkYUVfM3KA/s1600-h/595+Jill+and+Rock.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267562505087964386" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNiqgDooNrzGQFxxouTCtudVDLUvoV2YubEq9cEt_QIPmN8FF3uep2HSt_bca2o6u8Svcidehn8YRoBTBYPay2cTN6ryrEUY0O3dXg5sFiVrzoIhr_I9zqZAVOy82zhea85KkYUVfM3KA/s320/595+Jill+and+Rock.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjA_0SF5Nmly6-9sYoVMfVOYDgNMvogEOSkakdbW0Wbn9Gch4MQb_D0FUBfFv24tqBvDYj_KnSfp5tYBvAVObCHdXfL2KrybVk9vCwRPazOluJmGI5HXICiLK2CTtUfcjoe5A-F-OHMQg/s1600-h/596+walkway.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267561990565479138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjA_0SF5Nmly6-9sYoVMfVOYDgNMvogEOSkakdbW0Wbn9Gch4MQb_D0FUBfFv24tqBvDYj_KnSfp5tYBvAVObCHdXfL2KrybVk9vCwRPazOluJmGI5HXICiLK2CTtUfcjoe5A-F-OHMQg/s320/596+walkway.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Unlike the Cu Chi tunnels, this cave was very user friendly.<br /><div><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4gNEcMeSHs-93rv02sQ_xGAYaSNyZ0qJOe938cAgdbDZxfIjFXth9IbT-U7gqU_xrlZvQdMni8kI7QzddMZLscAeLsoeZmmnp9TLjtAgcJaOkZFzzXJBe-Z_s4J6MwsQdsBv6WR3M-g/s1600-h/597+Formation.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267561315466176578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil4gNEcMeSHs-93rv02sQ_xGAYaSNyZ0qJOe938cAgdbDZxfIjFXth9IbT-U7gqU_xrlZvQdMni8kI7QzddMZLscAeLsoeZmmnp9TLjtAgcJaOkZFzzXJBe-Z_s4J6MwsQdsBv6WR3M-g/s320/597+Formation.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Some of the formations were quite spectacular, and some were quite tacky, like the red lights on a formation approximating a certain part of the male anatomy.<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5eoSZtt5YiycN7PkZSpmR1MvXLWTnjq6ACbsMOsK31NMKQb1Egvy-Tek8_OAcqycHCbzC8HBFvriD67NFnBeZxUh8Cj7cN7VEZxu8mKmGwHts0UPif7HuozPxIVKML6z9U2FzbiFsow/s1600-h/598+Walter+Cronkite.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267560949297115378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 216px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5eoSZtt5YiycN7PkZSpmR1MvXLWTnjq6ACbsMOsK31NMKQb1Egvy-Tek8_OAcqycHCbzC8HBFvriD67NFnBeZxUh8Cj7cN7VEZxu8mKmGwHts0UPif7HuozPxIVKML6z9U2FzbiFsow/s320/598+Walter+Cronkite.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />Lo and behold as we exited the cave, there was Walter Cronkite expounding on the role of Ha Long Bay in the struggle for independence. Turns out it wasn't much, except watching for incoming supply ships. The North also used some of the caves as safe havens for headquarters and hospitals, figuring they were safe from the B52s. Just to be sure, they built reinforced concrete structures inside the caves.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cBvSc865G1bG1-qaY2MRpdBPDODBuQT-spisBXltijwUuDW05Az1LRO3E6Y0fda3JS9soxuyAwrQ7A_ZEWPJcYuFww7OeNf6hj2OxNwyVbfTFLKTKkYXU6pHiCrO8ZfeOQfq1xhkldc/s1600-h/599+Bay.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267560632073279218" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7cBvSc865G1bG1-qaY2MRpdBPDODBuQT-spisBXltijwUuDW05Az1LRO3E6Y0fda3JS9soxuyAwrQ7A_ZEWPJcYuFww7OeNf6hj2OxNwyVbfTFLKTKkYXU6pHiCrO8ZfeOQfq1xhkldc/s320/599+Bay.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The view of the inlet from the top was pretty spectacular. Our boat is the last one in line at the quay, with the lighter <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWDSD_gAaTZ1Gp777-CgvhEZrze4VsB4b7XMRT6MleWb2bYSSPAvKVa-8QR4MjLqDq-MJ9uuRcdVUcficksCXO0j34DfvFf-gv1NlN3efOlrtEu2Z80KhWbBQutmOH2JbGGjU-QeKP7Y/s1600-h/600+More+Sellers+%26+Buyers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267560210549663234" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 232px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWDSD_gAaTZ1Gp777-CgvhEZrze4VsB4b7XMRT6MleWb2bYSSPAvKVa-8QR4MjLqDq-MJ9uuRcdVUcficksCXO0j34DfvFf-gv1NlN3efOlrtEu2Z80KhWbBQutmOH2JbGGjU-QeKP7Y/s320/600+More+Sellers+%26+Buyers.JPG" border="0" /></a>roof.<br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Of course there were things to buy as soon as your exited the depths.<br /><br /><div>On the way back to our vessel I passed this woman selling fresh seafood, with an emphasis on crabs. This was obvi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIBAcCNF5h8gd9pR9qNNGK8gjPSbiy_ysLSohmIsEJqUpVrFQX9MvliQgI26HoJ5ZSxcLSCcc0lKXTwmt1h3k8ACUVobuGStLvITY_3oKqviV1qOBjmm9Bnfojg_mMC8Yv5K7nmmP64Q/s1600-h/601+Fish+Merchant.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267559326217682114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIBAcCNF5h8gd9pR9qNNGK8gjPSbiy_ysLSohmIsEJqUpVrFQX9MvliQgI26HoJ5ZSxcLSCcc0lKXTwmt1h3k8ACUVobuGStLvITY_3oKqviV1qOBjmm9Bnfojg_mMC8Yv5K7nmmP64Q/s320/601+Fish+Merchant.JPG" border="0" /></a>ously not something the tourists would buy as a souvenir, but soon after reboarding our lunch was ready, and I think you can guess what we had.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjVe6IuPxC8WAFlmYNx8rTpTYKFCgvpiB_c7sv5T-uDGCw72CkA70PbXQJ-RxkZvhPFOhzQ-jzpQPqtz10JEZ2xODUJppK50Q1rVdImhkC4ds0McP_yx-8VrHTkeNEl701K-PFRM8fuM/s1600-h/602+Diana+%26+Long.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267558842312682322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 264px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjVe6IuPxC8WAFlmYNx8rTpTYKFCgvpiB_c7sv5T-uDGCw72CkA70PbXQJ-RxkZvhPFOhzQ-jzpQPqtz10JEZ2xODUJppK50Q1rVdImhkC4ds0McP_yx-8VrHTkeNEl701K-PFRM8fuM/s320/602+Diana+%26+Long.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br />Diana and Long are eagerly awaiting the repaste at our table. </div><div></div><div>After lunch, we motored to a calm bay to go swimming.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaIQLhEQp8jzmSSOd7ZGOU4CQVOP8ANbDeBApMgWyUuLrhIw1dpzm-yOAw6g4bt_nB51jfKQavrUEwTRYNz5__s7_HRVTqnD0M0FLVg1smYwbMAxebdJl2DZJxSvggSgGEtSbK8-Iqfg/s1600-h/603+Entering+swimming+cove.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267558521095756594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 263px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaaIQLhEQp8jzmSSOd7ZGOU4CQVOP8ANbDeBApMgWyUuLrhIw1dpzm-yOAw6g4bt_nB51jfKQavrUEwTRYNz5__s7_HRVTqnD0M0FLVg1smYwbMAxebdJl2DZJxSvggSgGEtSbK8-Iqfg/s320/603+Entering+swimming+cove.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQi38CjsJQqVKN3UQFmUMzHY4RbFfiD7DbNiEF-6qB56D_4Mrp7PP98aqOg-OpQY0eMdhjqSOAmZmED3-RxIF8v3HW56Vd_LggvV5UJPZ2WsaoiwAcY-7yLQpS4MCCCtZv92dJo6qlbM/s1600-h/604+Jared+and+Michael.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267558034822834514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQi38CjsJQqVKN3UQFmUMzHY4RbFfiD7DbNiEF-6qB56D_4Mrp7PP98aqOg-OpQY0eMdhjqSOAmZmED3-RxIF8v3HW56Vd_LggvV5UJPZ2WsaoiwAcY-7yLQpS4MCCCtZv92dJo6qlbM/s320/604+Jared+and+Michael.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />By this time the sun had come out, and it was ideal swimming weather. Plus the water <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxg3fjdB6DUfsTfRoyAJ5dtYy267hcHo2FpkPkNKwLPbDno2LkjxvxH2qvURAgJbDkWluOlWyc7gf0_sFJxFcfRb4YkDnW6UyW2ZJ_mcdOwUp7t244_7JyG7zB20Bd99BKd2Oilf3Yng/s1600-h/605+Long.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267557531470058082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdxg3fjdB6DUfsTfRoyAJ5dtYy267hcHo2FpkPkNKwLPbDno2LkjxvxH2qvURAgJbDkWluOlWyc7gf0_sFJxFcfRb4YkDnW6UyW2ZJ_mcdOwUp7t244_7JyG7zB20Bd99BKd2Oilf3Yng/s320/605+Long.JPG" border="0" /></a>was an inviting temperature.<br /><br />Almost everyone enjoyed the water, including Long, and Julia.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oidElXVulD_wD3Qjg-EqALoNtiX8YHRHtChcq_4WHYMsGAYufI85NfP0t-JdbGqpuATnj79vWWDkffq8YMPvxb4tMSRs2ZA26FpaMBJtOo7qYIj3hkKTrArWaniAl7UEesjSXhzrAIs/s1600-h/606+Julia+and+Jill.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267557223113094994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 245px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oidElXVulD_wD3Qjg-EqALoNtiX8YHRHtChcq_4WHYMsGAYufI85NfP0t-JdbGqpuATnj79vWWDkffq8YMPvxb4tMSRs2ZA26FpaMBJtOo7qYIj3hkKTrArWaniAl7UEesjSXhzrAIs/s320/606+Julia+and+Jill.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MrYaOblig_4WQmnoD9m3ICjUX80wWNt6xTh185P3OWGejhY8Dr6x6qYieNWsAaBUOADitBpHz17xdJ6WrKLLBmNUo_vIexE-V15GlVKANH2MPAuwb_a8C3W4np_ThwsKhDJPNFErz98/s1600-h/607+Blue+Sky.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267556982721355554" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MrYaOblig_4WQmnoD9m3ICjUX80wWNt6xTh185P3OWGejhY8Dr6x6qYieNWsAaBUOADitBpHz17xdJ6WrKLLBmNUo_vIexE-V15GlVKANH2MPAuwb_a8C3W4np_ThwsKhDJPNFErz98/s320/607+Blue+Sky.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />You can see how much the sky has cleared.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgAXw03ZXR_PFJygF6_JO0760_W1mTk-OFs7ct83e1-kX6csKwF3UwtGG9LWoyCOzWKrlVHYkS5qse1MAwLR3QORbu5emycvVLToCpUEmMriPIxZ5s-eLhFnBkqRRX0U4j2E4Sa7tewE/s1600-h/608+Long.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267556374615439442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMgAXw03ZXR_PFJygF6_JO0760_W1mTk-OFs7ct83e1-kX6csKwF3UwtGG9LWoyCOzWKrlVHYkS5qse1MAwLR3QORbu5emycvVLToCpUEmMriPIxZ5s-eLhFnBkqRRX0U4j2E4Sa7tewE/s320/608+Long.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />This is a picture of Long that we will have to show to his son Minh when he is in the rebellious years.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5Exv5uacCopE4h_XbycqY7qIXu7JaFSX7AXEkFk2WfXblxhSlLJKmP-Ccl9O2_-VTzeUaiLfKJyM39CPk_fvW3mMVI3ahSd2yZwv1c3N3emXIesABynBCLOH55MN_5ADKs-8d8ypGsM/s1600-h/609+Jared.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267555884714185074" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 219px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5Exv5uacCopE4h_XbycqY7qIXu7JaFSX7AXEkFk2WfXblxhSlLJKmP-Ccl9O2_-VTzeUaiLfKJyM39CPk_fvW3mMVI3ahSd2yZwv1c3N3emXIesABynBCLOH55MN_5ADKs-8d8ypGsM/s320/609+Jared.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The same for Jared's possible future son.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmV0JPoqb2t2tCh1ZX2WCnjVtc_CiBzA9MhIab0mNpHwaoekzi05PiZoMp7fVjo14YxzXl1UVHJG9uhId8IvsUtYxtWR2WqxlLT5H_TuL_tGA4KwbA3605bOfOgqe9VW19rIEjvX5hvZE/s1600-h/610+Diana.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267555586965659202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 219px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmV0JPoqb2t2tCh1ZX2WCnjVtc_CiBzA9MhIab0mNpHwaoekzi05PiZoMp7fVjo14YxzXl1UVHJG9uhId8IvsUtYxtWR2WqxlLT5H_TuL_tGA4KwbA3605bOfOgqe9VW19rIEjvX5hvZE/s320/610+Diana.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div>The girls were a bit more subdued, but they still got into the act.<br /><div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdF9bCAdUn9Yxw_Up9mNabhZr10s89FCCu62q-7Yh9GhLDr86tMR9ivnKRU7wIH29iOc_0Lg3Ja7_GXsW5XXI_kvhAGWBxtY-x_tcIcJJ_ACJ9Tx6p9zyY3XvB_aFDBK5Hu3dIWVE2_IM/s1600-h/611+Peaceful.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267555169884061906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdF9bCAdUn9Yxw_Up9mNabhZr10s89FCCu62q-7Yh9GhLDr86tMR9ivnKRU7wIH29iOc_0Lg3Ja7_GXsW5XXI_kvhAGWBxtY-x_tcIcJJ_ACJ9Tx6p9zyY3XvB_aFDBK5Hu3dIWVE2_IM/s320/611+Peaceful.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />It was a beautiful afternoon just to enjoy the view and company.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvzPv0RRPLO-fdGnnNbtniiaOaTWz_8zihJDBOCkKd7CYQGUj-PHgdEP4_ev2L-FIQg9g55epF6PAo-rTimgtfwJSDQ4S1zsqRcWD83IcIyFcr6OJcAVguZYZ0J0ZZ0hoyHBhZ8cze_A/s1600-h/612+Pam%27s+Sister.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267554828752757138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvzPv0RRPLO-fdGnnNbtniiaOaTWz_8zihJDBOCkKd7CYQGUj-PHgdEP4_ev2L-FIQg9g55epF6PAo-rTimgtfwJSDQ4S1zsqRcWD83IcIyFcr6OJcAVguZYZ0J0ZZ0hoyHBhZ8cze_A/s320/612+Pam%27s+Sister.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Pam's sister was hanging out, while the Rodman clan was posing for any stray photographer.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFJCrOoCroIiUGKGJo_9K8aIOpwehh77817RMmkPkETwNTmeIDnxgY4TzXy0osQpxJSRx6Xt3oFDmeKR5m-TeZkCUf98Nhh0sAwcAwdwtVK1CXEyfXP0_7ndCV2sq6Pf83CvDgs7jb4s/s1600-h/613+Rodman+clan.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267554383725841778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 261px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFJCrOoCroIiUGKGJo_9K8aIOpwehh77817RMmkPkETwNTmeIDnxgY4TzXy0osQpxJSRx6Xt3oFDmeKR5m-TeZkCUf98Nhh0sAwcAwdwtVK1CXEyfXP0_7ndCV2sq6Pf83CvDgs7jb4s/s320/613+Rodman+clan.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CDD8F88Osh9dKpTADEKM4ykQn-rpPCxJq_zQD7U7lBl2eHavZvGvEWLZi5lbPTCFBu3nfoRK03K_a56fIHCdDFzsooPDWHogEPXaGPRfmRPIWLVoW9b7YftesF0G9YEywhc16kbdmRM/s1600-h/614+Josh+and+Julia.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267554147409149330" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CDD8F88Osh9dKpTADEKM4ykQn-rpPCxJq_zQD7U7lBl2eHavZvGvEWLZi5lbPTCFBu3nfoRK03K_a56fIHCdDFzsooPDWHogEPXaGPRfmRPIWLVoW9b7YftesF0G9YEywhc16kbdmRM/s320/614+Josh+and+Julia.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><div>Josh and Julia blended into the scenery<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJH84qaiSC8E5CSKm2LaSXQMJKwJLanO4gCkx7UTjCj6BsZISCiknsKWKAPHfxBvBW4Vy1Ckf1e1qCsLvfXPoRcNqeM82feXKST5OJd25E-5ctaZt0wn2-mGfsgnF6ooE8Qmb_gZSAItM/s1600-h/615+Another+Junk.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267553933559289538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJH84qaiSC8E5CSKm2LaSXQMJKwJLanO4gCkx7UTjCj6BsZISCiknsKWKAPHfxBvBW4Vy1Ckf1e1qCsLvfXPoRcNqeM82feXKST5OJd25E-5ctaZt0wn2-mGfsgnF6ooE8Qmb_gZSAItM/s320/615+Another+Junk.JPG" border="0" /></a>.<br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJvHV7rDfwRLBzKv3UVyJwjjeRUdpeiHKxsssVQC8lxsVRc4RbN3BNDg47p0N3BtL3F8TMKRxAdeu8EwB_OEkervxF1oDdrO45_tXnsL93bZie9KX95H4CX_G9BS248c5o_Ew97_cHmc/s1600-h/616+Open+Sea.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267553691356950482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJvHV7rDfwRLBzKv3UVyJwjjeRUdpeiHKxsssVQC8lxsVRc4RbN3BNDg47p0N3BtL3F8TMKRxAdeu8EwB_OEkervxF1oDdrO45_tXnsL93bZie9KX95H4CX_G9BS248c5o_Ew97_cHmc/s320/616+Open+Sea.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div>The next stop beyond those rocks is Hawaii. </div><div></div><div>All too soon our cruise ended at the Cat Ba Island wharf. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-64841086950336525792008-11-10T16:32:00.001-08:002008-11-11T21:22:56.572-08:00Ceramic Village & Evening Cruise, Ha Long Bay, 11/7Thursday afternoon brought an urgent message from Long that there was a substantial threat of heavy rain on Thursday evening, and possible failure of the dikes protecting Hanoi. Picturing New Orleans, I emailed the students and told them about the threat, and to stock up on non-perishable food and water. Even if something happened we would be safe, as we are in one of the higher sections of Hanoi, and everyone is on at least the second floor. However the power might be out and the stores closed. No rains came on Thursday evening or Friday morning. I found out some further information on the threat. A strong storm system was headed straight for Hanoi, and was expected to drop 8 - 12 inches of additional rain. With the 15 - 25 inches that fell last week the Red River was high (although not at flood stage), and the ground was saturated. The authorities were afraid that the added rain might threaten the dikes, so sent 1000 troops to monitor them and make emergency repairs if need be. We held class as usual on Friday morning, and by the time we finished the sun was out. I found out later that the storm system had turned south into the South China Sea before it made landfall. So we continued with our plans for the Ha Long Bay trip. I guess they aren't any better at forecasting weather over here than we <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7DbhyH03HcnbeXyXJwIxeQSb4juLYzpj76jwXdExIjguguhr8AL6_u2Z0oGu8uBchmjwAB7NaVNYAu2Tem04fg17A2l213pjWfFDBg2IGeiG1m1pdms75a9Z8DiBvkiwlTce47XbGmY/s1600-h/560+Painting+Pottery.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267201592961554098" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 259px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7DbhyH03HcnbeXyXJwIxeQSb4juLYzpj76jwXdExIjguguhr8AL6_u2Z0oGu8uBchmjwAB7NaVNYAu2Tem04fg17A2l213pjWfFDBg2IGeiG1m1pdms75a9Z8DiBvkiwlTce47XbGmY/s320/560+Painting+Pottery.JPG" border="0" /></a>are at home!<br />Our first stop on the trip was at Ba Trang, the Ceramic Village. It is another of the trade villages where nearly everyone is involved in the same industry. The tour buses stop at a large shop/factory where you can observe the pottery making process. The third floor (left) is where women sit at tables decorating pottery before it is fired.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvv0e25beLSrXkGp19YNhrLPHZW8W5WsA_tVLKXFCtF5FKxAgo8CjcL7hBEGUBLJ9ySBasn0EJqrikpNgLIDP0p90OjStSzB-mnoT9YKpNq5izxyKXAOtJg3zXiWY6jS_qX2BUYz_F-g/s1600-h/561+Trimming+Pottery.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267201276246604946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 262px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvv0e25beLSrXkGp19YNhrLPHZW8W5WsA_tVLKXFCtF5FKxAgo8CjcL7hBEGUBLJ9ySBasn0EJqrikpNgLIDP0p90OjStSzB-mnoT9YKpNq5izxyKXAOtJg3zXiWY6jS_qX2BUYz_F-g/s320/561+Trimming+Pottery.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div><br />The fourth floor (right and below) is where they trim the raw pieces after they come out of the molds. The students are a bit distracted at the moment, as Jill, who is a bit blurry in the picture, is recovering from almost tripping over a low stool that was up against a pile of unfired bowls. This is not a note on Jill's coordination, but rather a comment on how little attention the shops put toward making it easy for tourists to observe.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoNvGTHMXi6IVlUZKzZLz-cSbJn7FHrL1GQcaGxbMvzHVHipVp5jAkTP0PC-hKkylokU2iqRrwBjdw4f0Ko7moudou7A-hcKndSxXtVVecbA6zAucZ-VeZ274VKilJURFXCwXjTku6VM/s1600-h/562+Trimming+Pottery.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267200952069320466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAoNvGTHMXi6IVlUZKzZLz-cSbJn7FHrL1GQcaGxbMvzHVHipVp5jAkTP0PC-hKkylokU2iqRrwBjdw4f0Ko7moudou7A-hcKndSxXtVVecbA6zAucZ-VeZ274VKilJURFXCwXjTku6VM/s320/562+Trimming+Pottery.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The fifth floor (below) was the mold pouring section. Cat said the clay slurry is thin to allow the air bubbles to escape before it <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GCPiWvqmPiMOyMzbfaWumgsMUAubO-MlSkPqkuayUJr3aeyGmgrn0cG44XqVb55dx1Z27w9wPRq0xJKcI9nnIylYEiSOygGEpFIQ2vt-RF_n96LIkLYNBwcsmgdupgdDEw_A5C_QIj4/s1600-h/563+Pouring+Molds.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267200531521807298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8GCPiWvqmPiMOyMzbfaWumgsMUAubO-MlSkPqkuayUJr3aeyGmgrn0cG44XqVb55dx1Z27w9wPRq0xJKcI9nnIylYEiSOygGEpFIQ2vt-RF_n96LIkLYNBwcsmgdupgdDEw_A5C_QIj4/s320/563+Pouring+Molds.JPG" border="0" /></a>hardens.<br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0A8JUkv6884umSe-B78Laac6mNqoFU1UX9tJpCXnBb1L7cySbxp4KydoE7AR-Fv1dWKBWCCsE8JpcRyfwcaSiIslJgTsVJYL2ISMVMUrF3RsLp-ZGP4NjT2P8uGJS-uKLlXOFIz8qqc/s1600-h/564+Tom+and+Vase.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267200162737470178" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0A8JUkv6884umSe-B78Laac6mNqoFU1UX9tJpCXnBb1L7cySbxp4KydoE7AR-Fv1dWKBWCCsE8JpcRyfwcaSiIslJgTsVJYL2ISMVMUrF3RsLp-ZGP4NjT2P8uGJS-uKLlXOFIz8qqc/s320/564+Tom+and+Vase.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br />When you make your way down to the second floor, you arrive at two floors of shop. Here Tom is wondering how he can get this piece<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEYpsfmtugYww2h8mZKuHILko4nCAAIPRiRqoC1SO2uUy-YetMLyhxgc7zPEAO-gyxlh8EGIhmi6b2c8m7NKQdn558HGp58MHWfJrApOHahOb1J-qdLLsipW96VAFL94Ex5e56ZFa13Y/s1600-h/565+Which+way+next.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267198240284062834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEYpsfmtugYww2h8mZKuHILko4nCAAIPRiRqoC1SO2uUy-YetMLyhxgc7zPEAO-gyxlh8EGIhmi6b2c8m7NKQdn558HGp58MHWfJrApOHahOb1J-qdLLsipW96VAFL94Ex5e56ZFa13Y/s320/565+Which+way+next.JPG" border="0" /></a> in his carry-on luggage?<br /><br />Most of the rest of the main street is devoted to retail shops. The factories are on back streets, and not set up for tours. Some use electric kilns, but many still use charcoal fired kilns. Many of the ceramic items found in Hanoi shops come from Ba Trang. The shop that Sarah and Katie are exiting claims to be wholesale, but the prices are about the same everywhere, so it is a come-on. Bargaining is encouraged.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnXX2ySTseTrJBvg4B2WGBkCnJlmPV_uXotxngOXwIkuP6nOnXOXL2fBTe0XZQFthCHTwB7sSqNM5zWaEgBLh40O5tYzfX9x5XHl4AUQ9ahNy0aRiPFrPrso6auWe4BBwmkhVFXqUjuY/s1600-h/566+Molly+and+Michael.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267197922699587410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnXX2ySTseTrJBvg4B2WGBkCnJlmPV_uXotxngOXwIkuP6nOnXOXL2fBTe0XZQFthCHTwB7sSqNM5zWaEgBLh40O5tYzfX9x5XHl4AUQ9ahNy0aRiPFrPrso6auWe4BBwmkhVFXqUjuY/s320/566+Molly+and+Michael.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />Molly is advising Michael on the best quality pipes, while Tom, Pam, and Cat are contemplating the existential pleasures of pottery!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6g4g4B99N259HjzlBf28j0eMtoQ28TUTyE7xVUVRgM00m6XCM7kenu-8Wnn6vfr5YbrcpdM-_-GiIiaKeGaPXzCnKCC1gBNsAseQF9PJ0KvfwRre4VnBuP_wKjDboUgxRxWpcv20IVE/s1600-h/567+Contemplating+pottery.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267197470872042930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid6g4g4B99N259HjzlBf28j0eMtoQ28TUTyE7xVUVRgM00m6XCM7kenu-8Wnn6vfr5YbrcpdM-_-GiIiaKeGaPXzCnKCC1gBNsAseQF9PJ0KvfwRre4VnBuP_wKjDboUgxRxWpcv20IVE/s320/567+Contemplating+pottery.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div>Molly, Sarah, and Josh needed a rest after their purchases.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1eqP5KNkcT1uJCqfxi9UejoywZqXzT7w7zkvGukdce9kJuxRJtZxhwoY5Eqgk25UtuIRP5dJ2lDFxEA0UfETTqAKe6sjRUbtZXEKwzgOU6kA98JFy1e9OtZtnnKqv0c-s-6Snt9bHPk/s1600-h/568+Too+much+shopping.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267196956716240146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 277px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1eqP5KNkcT1uJCqfxi9UejoywZqXzT7w7zkvGukdce9kJuxRJtZxhwoY5Eqgk25UtuIRP5dJ2lDFxEA0UfETTqAKe6sjRUbtZXEKwzgOU6kA98JFy1e9OtZtnnKqv0c-s-6Snt9bHPk/s320/568+Too+much+shopping.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /><div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We continued on to Ha Long Bay City where we were to spend the night. Long surprised us by treating us to a dinner cruise on the same bo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoKqNJgMgldMr_UXppVxA-wh7UK4VfzN0aGqbUOcscNjxheh6tMdzDHctXpfZaTOoPaK066g1koKIrP3WslmfFun3WsjGWjI5H9HGTWb485jTUAjK2HOrj0HAM8YWsVRLwLHgXrelV30/s1600-h/569+On+Deck.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267196696372369426" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 285px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYoKqNJgMgldMr_UXppVxA-wh7UK4VfzN0aGqbUOcscNjxheh6tMdzDHctXpfZaTOoPaK066g1koKIrP3WslmfFun3WsjGWjI5H9HGTWb485jTUAjK2HOrj0HAM8YWsVRLwLHgXrelV30/s320/569+On+Deck.JPG" border="0" /></a>at we will be on tomorrow.<br /><br />It was a cool and overcast evening, but otherwise beautiful. No rain! The seafood dinner was excellent, including stuffed crab.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEOuYdt9dYXJUWwgcOkFXhuwA2MVw6m-GC2O0xaJCBVad0v_fpkkVVNR92IQoU24X6Mhh8Hc31gDMkhc53XXP2p8C4EOA5on_CZGglyYRFtpCaCmgvpFXX1t5eBaPzfBHnPD9-eRNKKA/s1600-h/570+Dinner.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267196384240952738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIEOuYdt9dYXJUWwgcOkFXhuwA2MVw6m-GC2O0xaJCBVad0v_fpkkVVNR92IQoU24X6Mhh8Hc31gDMkhc53XXP2p8C4EOA5on_CZGglyYRFtpCaCmgvpFXX1t5eBaPzfBHnPD9-eRNKKA/s320/570+Dinner.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Sitting with Julia and Josh are Pam's mother, Harley, and sister Ariel.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliSD9wcrTjO-eu5gwpBcYVPjqsTSjTcgSkSU-MnYEqO7UDTYG644CEqRYmTVTjQlffl3iydGFKNoNa3m6-nI4QXk3V5M7M7-4b3xj3461t2XPv53_CNeUS51PTVmAsLMgv5cUfsKyF-Q/s1600-h/571+Pam+%26+Jared.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267195909165346274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 227px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliSD9wcrTjO-eu5gwpBcYVPjqsTSjTcgSkSU-MnYEqO7UDTYG644CEqRYmTVTjQlffl3iydGFKNoNa3m6-nI4QXk3V5M7M7-4b3xj3461t2XPv53_CNeUS51PTVmAsLMgv5cUfsKyF-Q/s320/571+Pam+%26+Jared.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />After dinner most moved to the upper deck to enjoy the evening and the lights of the city.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN7KvPI6EPheJiGi1DbAtvK-UFGuTy4W8McMWOlcrmtOOWXJUJWjKUAx2LgdviRHk7hESsd28uuDcVaS3oNbHHSXq20Ln3AfdNTVY9xhcr0eLSXEeImNzzHvQRYjh1_aWYT5DWFIOkJU/s1600-h/572+Pam+on+Rigging.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267195711681467170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSN7KvPI6EPheJiGi1DbAtvK-UFGuTy4W8McMWOlcrmtOOWXJUJWjKUAx2LgdviRHk7hESsd28uuDcVaS3oNbHHSXq20Ln3AfdNTVY9xhcr0eLSXEeImNzzHvQRYjh1_aWYT5DWFIOkJU/s320/572+Pam+on+Rigging.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbsuHwTRnswJYBfyOsW6pSQozWXNcOY0lSZli-4ljpGOxfDZouqJDxa253G0rHlJq-17VFPsxfHR03SRcH5Lz2fPkQh_6E19M32sOm2RszsuzSAERcDeZzrdqMBtMduPSlBlKvewD0JU/s1600-h/573+Katherine+and+her+Dad.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267195462267799442" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhbsuHwTRnswJYBfyOsW6pSQozWXNcOY0lSZli-4ljpGOxfDZouqJDxa253G0rHlJq-17VFPsxfHR03SRcH5Lz2fPkQh_6E19M32sOm2RszsuzSAERcDeZzrdqMBtMduPSlBlKvewD0JU/s320/573+Katherine+and+her+Dad.JPG" border="0" /></a>Katherine and her father, Bill.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqryTG-ojUo9uQ8Zsh5osFjIHBS2OWIOVF5dYvA8HmKgF0sYllfmSHUX1Tvt96j6rvHqTsGo_Cw-aO79c092zZh-stzTv4opCM5E_MI7CILx_0_ncGgDpAYNfQibfFHmBrZizr9uttr0/s1600-h/574+Long+and+his+toy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267192754436501090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 255px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqryTG-ojUo9uQ8Zsh5osFjIHBS2OWIOVF5dYvA8HmKgF0sYllfmSHUX1Tvt96j6rvHqTsGo_Cw-aO79c092zZh-stzTv4opCM5E_MI7CILx_0_ncGgDpAYNfQibfFHmBrZizr9uttr0/s320/574+Long+and+his+toy.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> I caught Long below playing with his latest toy. He has a new one every time I see him!<br /><div><div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHy3XziE1Elcz01WfP7M-CEgJj8CR5VsDzY3Tyc-NrR8kpumRBhyphenhyphenKCMMC2LgREwWIb8FyZpb5zhqz9jpU3MT-uSviFVoG1ek9xWTPFEsM4LEJ39_7C_QTrmtNVkypulTqZDAL5xWFM58/s1600-h/575+Kate+and+Cat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267192561972301762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiHy3XziE1Elcz01WfP7M-CEgJj8CR5VsDzY3Tyc-NrR8kpumRBhyphenhyphenKCMMC2LgREwWIb8FyZpb5zhqz9jpU3MT-uSviFVoG1ek9xWTPFEsM4LEJ39_7C_QTrmtNVkypulTqZDAL5xWFM58/s320/575+Kate+and+Cat.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_I98-9IgVDzD-U0MzXWMuRCu7kwF6iLLUe_tiVr-Z9lh2JfXFj7YBa3vjiRrPTaCpDuKS-yv6CuLZuwmjBHuu6310tEspKMZg58cqwdgsQUy3kkOf6XdP3wqWp6YFQ6WwamYcv8c0pw/s1600-h/576+Pam%27s+Mom+%26+Sister.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267192313228518114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_I98-9IgVDzD-U0MzXWMuRCu7kwF6iLLUe_tiVr-Z9lh2JfXFj7YBa3vjiRrPTaCpDuKS-yv6CuLZuwmjBHuu6310tEspKMZg58cqwdgsQUy3kkOf6XdP3wqWp6YFQ6WwamYcv8c0pw/s320/576+Pam%27s+Mom+%26+Sister.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSykXuFtAz3nRp9UK6OxJfSUt40PSLaebP5drFEwL3mpYCnX0XUJn4d2k6K5IX2qrBSHCzE1QJOeMUhjp8YZTOfO4xYx_kT5q4SJPdPDwYqvFeuV2MLmTvOOdt8EBQPak13NJAf-6LYU/s1600-h/577+Everyone+had+a+good+time.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267192018371546258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 211px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSykXuFtAz3nRp9UK6OxJfSUt40PSLaebP5drFEwL3mpYCnX0XUJn4d2k6K5IX2qrBSHCzE1QJOeMUhjp8YZTOfO4xYx_kT5q4SJPdPDwYqvFeuV2MLmTvOOdt8EBQPak13NJAf-6LYU/s320/577+Everyone+had+a+good+time.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Everyone had a great time. Thanks Long!<br /><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-79127277120941635212008-11-03T06:16:00.000-08:002008-11-03T16:06:27.264-08:00Halloween Party, 11/2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAy5Uioib4ChnpTauEJ_mzWrEajIe4LgEnFYVfk9pZfSJBDW6ha5nelsPtggvx9HA6C4IQDrSWvyq7I5EPmspA0wTnGMcfmMW4U5sJh6at1-YOIUldXVJAxFSYzwy0N5qXmgE4bh6fEc/s1600-h/538+Aggressive+Wars.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264444260755120290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVAy5Uioib4ChnpTauEJ_mzWrEajIe4LgEnFYVfk9pZfSJBDW6ha5nelsPtggvx9HA6C4IQDrSWvyq7I5EPmspA0wTnGMcfmMW4U5sJh6at1-YOIUldXVJAxFSYzwy0N5qXmgE4bh6fEc/s320/538+Aggressive+Wars.JPG" border="0" /></a> Before we look at some of the crazy costumes the students came up with, I want to revisit something from the beginning of the term. The first week the students were here we went to the War Remnants museum. The picture to the right appeared in the blog for that visit, with the text of the plaque Tom is reading. It says "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness," with the attribution below saying (U.S. Declaration of Independence adopted on July 4, 1776). I added that Ho Chi Minh had included this passage in his Declaration of Independence for Vietnam speech that he gave on 2 September,1945, but without attribution. When we went back to discuss Ho Chi Minh's Selected Writings, I realized that Uncle Ho had not quoted the passage word for word, and he did attribute its source. This also leads into another interesting story.<br />Ho left out the first part about truths being self-evident. The rest had all the same key words, but he modernized the structure. He went on to say "This immortal statement appeared in the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America in 1776. In a broader sense, it means: All the peoples on the earth are equal from birth, all the peoples have a right to live, and to be happy and free."<br />Ho Chi Minh had good reason to try to reach out to the U.S. through this speech, which was probably the most important of his long career. During the latter stages of WWII the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which was our precursor to the CIA, had contacted the Viet Minh in their Viet Bac sanctuary and given them aid and advice to help fight the Japanese occupiers. Prominent members of the OSS can be seen in photographs taken during the speech. Ho felt there was a good chance that the U.S. would recognize his fledgling government as the legitimate government of an independent Vietnam. If Franklin Roosevelt had lived, it might possibly have turned out that way, but Harry Truman was an ardent anti-Communist, and the "Cold War" mentality had set in. Also the U.S. wanted to keep France as an ally in Europe, so was hesitant to resist their desires to reestablish their colonial relationships. Thus, Vietnam was once again left out in the cold.<br />That brings up another interesting parallel with 1963. A number of historians believe that President Kennedy saw through the haze of Vietnam, and would have balked at continuing to support corrupt regimes. If he had lived it is possible that we would have disengaged from Vietnam before the conflict really got started.<br />Back to the present though, and the Halloween party. The rain continued through the weekend. Although we haven't been directly affected, there has been some severe flooding in parts of Hanoi, and south and west of here. Reports put the rainfall since Friday at 420mm for Hanoi, and 627mm for Ha Dong City, which is about 20 km southwest of Hanoi. That is 16.5 inches and 24.7 inches! Sunday saw some breaks of blue sky, so word went out that the party was on. However, by the start time the rains had started again, so we ended up partying in the open-air hallways in front of the student rooms. It didn't dampen the spirits though. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxg2MhIMQcpo98h-5hX355ukM_k4I90aaeoW0-wT-tpYLCtA_l2n79XD0ExB2ni5KZ6BhfLm-TN5aRAnQgcqHZ1FbyexOJO2XdXv2vk-3uoZlXbvn6GW9jZudptmDka4axG-v6hli9K4/s1600-h/540+Cereal+Killer.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264443483353656594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnxg2MhIMQcpo98h-5hX355ukM_k4I90aaeoW0-wT-tpYLCtA_l2n79XD0ExB2ni5KZ6BhfLm-TN5aRAnQgcqHZ1FbyexOJO2XdXv2vk-3uoZlXbvn6GW9jZudptmDka4axG-v6hli9K4/s320/540+Cereal+Killer.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We had four superheros in attendance,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindfu6fNNHiL_cuYPibYYT05XFTwnaqa57u-pJ4Xud53aYzwJiEWFdueoYDOSG9io3y7Op7e9iQ2NrGZJX5wLih5J_3GR5U0qpy_-e55E_EEjwlOnwWAvmYzaTSmGFEcCmrbiRErsIUKg/s1600-h/539+Super+Heros.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264443814100406690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEindfu6fNNHiL_cuYPibYYT05XFTwnaqa57u-pJ4Xud53aYzwJiEWFdueoYDOSG9io3y7Op7e9iQ2NrGZJX5wLih5J_3GR5U0qpy_-e55E_EEjwlOnwWAvmYzaTSmGFEcCmrbiRErsIUKg/s320/539+Super+Heros.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />as well as a "cereal" killer.<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OKxP8axGiBYt5xzR7IWaqDyevNpQMTIPz27oTvB0p767iX6UXX6PE_Po0cIiBIoLkBqjm8zTafNa-ph6L-DizPLw6Xk6JtOXvNGJKT3EGLZ78lyL4be8G7KacxDQttfJMvgqLFOerR4/s1600-h/542+Ninja.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264442864827950482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OKxP8axGiBYt5xzR7IWaqDyevNpQMTIPz27oTvB0p767iX6UXX6PE_Po0cIiBIoLkBqjm8zTafNa-ph6L-DizPLw6Xk6JtOXvNGJKT3EGLZ78lyL4be8G7KacxDQttfJMvgqLFOerR4/s320/542+Ninja.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8zOLoYGsrr_vi7_OTtFq4fSwJ-_S4e6ETe3qE_yRlDqpIMpQvhJukjp9qfw-9jj2-UV9mQZQG6fwC-j2ThHb595FNg81QeZSgM0y7_YOyHTEb_vAo1PXyuouZs_OjvnwPfLCQBcs6Vo/s1600-h/541+Princess.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264443140023949842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 234px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB8zOLoYGsrr_vi7_OTtFq4fSwJ-_S4e6ETe3qE_yRlDqpIMpQvhJukjp9qfw-9jj2-UV9mQZQG6fwC-j2ThHb595FNg81QeZSgM0y7_YOyHTEb_vAo1PXyuouZs_OjvnwPfLCQBcs6Vo/s320/541+Princess.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />A princess and a ninja.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOhLgLZnuOOMbEKrOHCNv-8JE3RNdrFMefLnqjBZ9Lzagv0HTyzaofon5XcmCTvkk88A9f7cv-SIG1WNHu4IQEjjvJN8QVA55e7cSD5L1b5y7YRjQvdwQQyoN6jAJCzZntXsR0Ci_tzU/s1600-h/544+The+Law.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264442064307531298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 213px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibOhLgLZnuOOMbEKrOHCNv-8JE3RNdrFMefLnqjBZ9Lzagv0HTyzaofon5XcmCTvkk88A9f7cv-SIG1WNHu4IQEjjvJN8QVA55e7cSD5L1b5y7YRjQvdwQQyoN6jAJCzZntXsR0Ci_tzU/s320/544+The+Law.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PRXE33pKY6OpdXjReZAu23wVO5ZH_uYCUVJBRaILdSAS9ZouqrW_phrEnWi4xx7IUrq_AhE-kPZXEnywy7OpmBAO08eqpwzFZ7NE_zf0NWiYFwU2MQKhZdgCySa1WN6jTPZE1TjfYuQ/s1600-h/543+Spy+hiding+behind+Ninja.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264442478760815442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PRXE33pKY6OpdXjReZAu23wVO5ZH_uYCUVJBRaILdSAS9ZouqrW_phrEnWi4xx7IUrq_AhE-kPZXEnywy7OpmBAO08eqpwzFZ7NE_zf0NWiYFwU2MQKhZdgCySa1WN6jTPZE1TjfYuQ/s320/543+Spy+hiding+behind+Ninja.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />A spy hiding behind the ninja, and the law.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGyGCiOa8bGI_DFQ2LXF7Biu5F4bAKHS753vQnlTJRIeKRlkl_ERkFwQcx-ofCWC64gIeWr-9Omet1zSfvPI6CXm84COZHI598CV2JV3f45Luq2cAZfP9RgkLACRG3A9pe8h-uOS_Ewo/s1600-h/546+Superman,+Princess,+and+Wilma+Rubble.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264441121074340866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 234px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpGyGCiOa8bGI_DFQ2LXF7Biu5F4bAKHS753vQnlTJRIeKRlkl_ERkFwQcx-ofCWC64gIeWr-9Omet1zSfvPI6CXm84COZHI598CV2JV3f45Luq2cAZfP9RgkLACRG3A9pe8h-uOS_Ewo/s320/546+Superman,+Princess,+and+Wilma+Rubble.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4F-ZREKHx-zzgpsteWq5mOmPHdzVFvozOC6iB1XA_O8kMKBoUAnTGAi2G19LMu1zbuAllEMx55B9BbThNJszHTuJ7CgdDRMQpLcVLnit_2dRIo9syXJbcPc1cPTHy5FsBGB8cmfySmIQ/s1600-h/545+Princess+meets+Viking+woman.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264441745023804770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4F-ZREKHx-zzgpsteWq5mOmPHdzVFvozOC6iB1XA_O8kMKBoUAnTGAi2G19LMu1zbuAllEMx55B9BbThNJszHTuJ7CgdDRMQpLcVLnit_2dRIo9syXJbcPc1cPTHy5FsBGB8cmfySmIQ/s320/545+Princess+meets+Viking+woman.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Princess meets Viking woman, and also Wilma Rubble.<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwCYfnerbNyzP4HFO_wsqZu02-K_xKgtAFUSDDoDkAH9SKi_tJSUn7H2BVqYT550HTRUcxsplUTRUe27Vr8fiHezdhKHGEUMlVfBTra91ahSanzpK4h3pZcD90QvT-RHdNRf9wrn3I9s/s1600-h/548+Katie+and+Sarah+as.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264440327378882594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLwCYfnerbNyzP4HFO_wsqZu02-K_xKgtAFUSDDoDkAH9SKi_tJSUn7H2BVqYT550HTRUcxsplUTRUe27Vr8fiHezdhKHGEUMlVfBTra91ahSanzpK4h3pZcD90QvT-RHdNRf9wrn3I9s/s320/548+Katie+and+Sarah+as.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUkslDOEygqqZtyOUPGEVbUeyVvqf5HS3E9H_2SQ_mITM4kjXOFD5Y8tFL5am4UVbg4eSnYBCr8Agiz_9hLNF1QPuwHi310JCdnxklKZFlxCBcuDzY7JuuJeeyGeryonpc9E8A_x5m2M/s1600-h/547+Hollywood+Starlets.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264440600547769890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 243px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUkslDOEygqqZtyOUPGEVbUeyVvqf5HS3E9H_2SQ_mITM4kjXOFD5Y8tFL5am4UVbg4eSnYBCr8Agiz_9hLNF1QPuwHi310JCdnxklKZFlxCBcuDzY7JuuJeeyGeryonpc9E8A_x5m2M/s320/547+Hollywood+Starlets.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> Two Hollywood starlets, and Katie and Sarah as ?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEneieBLUdNVVhJA3D9mwlinCSTTMz27Z4AqPN64LwrxMjfaZkvm4bD8PctfBTPGiqteJIQdPmbKupR1PdCWeGkRWorN6-C6SvMONsi0PkCgZeZbcXfPRpLBY6lrplGlyqDElsko7rrs/s1600-h/550+Ruby.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264439642223093010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYEneieBLUdNVVhJA3D9mwlinCSTTMz27Z4AqPN64LwrxMjfaZkvm4bD8PctfBTPGiqteJIQdPmbKupR1PdCWeGkRWorN6-C6SvMONsi0PkCgZeZbcXfPRpLBY6lrplGlyqDElsko7rrs/s320/550+Ruby.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnd7HQ1iqlRoilfYMwJ0DUkpCH_ZSWtZvhj21WDtbRMhmbH8hEAPUETWppaEfrN0ibA2nHGjA0D5EpEZa-KjWnYaBG9sX9Kfptu3wH_YqYx9tJfIpNCQ0jR3LdFMwRBL6hR_yxBSlaxdQ/s1600-h/549+Pam+and+sister.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264440027387373074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnd7HQ1iqlRoilfYMwJ0DUkpCH_ZSWtZvhj21WDtbRMhmbH8hEAPUETWppaEfrN0ibA2nHGjA0D5EpEZa-KjWnYaBG9sX9Kfptu3wH_YqYx9tJfIpNCQ0jR3LdFMwRBL6hR_yxBSlaxdQ/s320/549+Pam+and+sister.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Pam's sister was visiting.<br /><br /><br />Ngoc (Ruby) as a bumble bee.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVe-XdqHxP0IkrM0wKnlzRrmaBQVwqZJ7zkJBYeNBOSpl1iuuLDmkqJoSCcfLXH07mwVkg-CAa6gC4waznBsrC3h8OHb-LkPdC1ZdEbMa9R2AagOyUeFpI-5R6nuZwf5Ifjwr5zk-9wM/s1600-h/552+Me.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264438635757479250" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHVe-XdqHxP0IkrM0wKnlzRrmaBQVwqZJ7zkJBYeNBOSpl1iuuLDmkqJoSCcfLXH07mwVkg-CAa6gC4waznBsrC3h8OHb-LkPdC1ZdEbMa9R2AagOyUeFpI-5R6nuZwf5Ifjwr5zk-9wM/s320/552+Me.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseACithkGYYnWxIHnJ-aHEUaVNbtoB3jn9SPI463qTctcqSd4_u9Ht7LTCNScy3QjiQZYxwxTmbS7nX_E1LkPWSVUfHscD_KDsVWc4Um2jxby1SyEIHG3h15ZUV1J4Vcj2pMPXHcEtzc/s1600-h/551+Long+as+bumble+bee.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264439120246658370" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseACithkGYYnWxIHnJ-aHEUaVNbtoB3jn9SPI463qTctcqSd4_u9Ht7LTCNScy3QjiQZYxwxTmbS7nX_E1LkPWSVUfHscD_KDsVWc4Um2jxby1SyEIHG3h15ZUV1J4Vcj2pMPXHcEtzc/s320/551+Long+as+bumble+bee.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Long wining at beer pong again.<br /><br /><br />Some unidentifiable skeleton creature.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEU0gDEHv6LBl9-KGv32PZ9gdfhkhpxLtEXBf_tuNwrXc2b9EdYkFA1TGp-5YfGD5jXbE130JBR_m_OWPK9ZxGPjO4HYNbsyy_wrAUSYXOKJCMY_lIK3WHdFcwVQJXsEDdiz011V0zjg/s1600-h/554+Superman+and+Wilma.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264437403511148530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaEU0gDEHv6LBl9-KGv32PZ9gdfhkhpxLtEXBf_tuNwrXc2b9EdYkFA1TGp-5YfGD5jXbE130JBR_m_OWPK9ZxGPjO4HYNbsyy_wrAUSYXOKJCMY_lIK3WHdFcwVQJXsEDdiz011V0zjg/s320/554+Superman+and+Wilma.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRVCePmEMAUvFujbKC7_odbS5IlarGsqAHwVo5qyiEPmoq5JL_rjxezhIlGo9RMOwoMm7XY7_8UH_0lP5Gqr7LNmqu8zencUivic8rn7EuwX5AVIxeYZXhT0ky-YvWf5KFu7WeNeO6_I/s1600-h/553+Molly%27s+Aunt+and+Uncle.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264438370675516738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgRVCePmEMAUvFujbKC7_odbS5IlarGsqAHwVo5qyiEPmoq5JL_rjxezhIlGo9RMOwoMm7XY7_8UH_0lP5Gqr7LNmqu8zencUivic8rn7EuwX5AVIxeYZXhT0ky-YvWf5KFu7WeNeO6_I/s320/553+Molly%27s+Aunt+and+Uncle.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Molly's Aunt and Uncle were visiting. A sliver of Pam's Mother can be seen in the right background.<br /><br />Superman and Wilma hit it off.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_IoK8oFU47wUXIE0wzdGjc0M84k8JtaL1Xr2BydyzXAeJsP3aG1fJFVrPh4hMjlee2JGlcwYML1VzkNkzmZDRvSSjYGv6vgF_M8eaBg5RF88aZGgizmdVqBzec2QnMzK2ohH1mWREls/s1600-h/556+Beer+Pong.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264436791914737634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 253px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN_IoK8oFU47wUXIE0wzdGjc0M84k8JtaL1Xr2BydyzXAeJsP3aG1fJFVrPh4hMjlee2JGlcwYML1VzkNkzmZDRvSSjYGv6vgF_M8eaBg5RF88aZGgizmdVqBzec2QnMzK2ohH1mWREls/s320/556+Beer+Pong.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJre6swfc2VAQpSSFLEhw0EzhTain9EAHxNIO1Th87zBuVfqQ7bz71349smSWTGJ3CwIV-xuQiLGjmVgEDRHSUfnmM5Rq_D8KLauDjS87oepgGNejXiDOVK6BJABmVqCvxAKqgp6Pt3U/s1600-h/555+Happy+Spy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264437050458075842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJre6swfc2VAQpSSFLEhw0EzhTain9EAHxNIO1Th87zBuVfqQ7bz71349smSWTGJ3CwIV-xuQiLGjmVgEDRHSUfnmM5Rq_D8KLauDjS87oepgGNejXiDOVK6BJABmVqCvxAKqgp6Pt3U/s320/555+Happy+Spy.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The spy came in from the cold, and the starlets played beer pong.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmbgMnWjkbxosjoXlbXIjDoiRe08WJesZ9xQEuLw2z2Um5TwNVJyAKx6OZJS8RvzQE6GJTamSdkvNBqpBFUPPwA7lVSVWzDCqzYLrPdG-bGnuzwsLavHFis1BA3wFdhYATJDmMNQ8VzA/s1600-h/557+Superman+gets+around.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264436469141608226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmbgMnWjkbxosjoXlbXIjDoiRe08WJesZ9xQEuLw2z2Um5TwNVJyAKx6OZJS8RvzQE6GJTamSdkvNBqpBFUPPwA7lVSVWzDCqzYLrPdG-bGnuzwsLavHFis1BA3wFdhYATJDmMNQ8VzA/s320/557+Superman+gets+around.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>This superman guy gets around! Below, four comrades.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx69AG1lI_4RCiH9YMCyZTAP1lv2Wld0vsMn86AHOid-sfQlDUG2dFm8wNSL-p_vHvhwBTuOYJr82XCvc4RuMODaz_-njRGKagyTG9-a7yHwbp5IhEIxJFrswM-F96YSQRjrdWAaIcig/s1600-h/558+Guys.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264436137651141330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGx69AG1lI_4RCiH9YMCyZTAP1lv2Wld0vsMn86AHOid-sfQlDUG2dFm8wNSL-p_vHvhwBTuOYJr82XCvc4RuMODaz_-njRGKagyTG9-a7yHwbp5IhEIxJFrswM-F96YSQRjrdWAaIcig/s320/558+Guys.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoZEwkX4eCBG52OVVAWvpIql2IevzxKCTgoIsoV2C4NrZT9L2VPthdq5tphELlgnJsbqibT3_tFx1T5Ndu47aFJFwYnN475eI138VdXnXSUYeK4gmfhWF5h_MMNeIE5xnKS-hjeYGD2M/s1600-h/559+Girls.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264435674306063698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoZEwkX4eCBG52OVVAWvpIql2IevzxKCTgoIsoV2C4NrZT9L2VPthdq5tphELlgnJsbqibT3_tFx1T5Ndu47aFJFwYnN475eI138VdXnXSUYeK4gmfhWF5h_MMNeIE5xnKS-hjeYGD2M/s320/559+Girls.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br />Wilma meets Hollywood.<br /><div><br />Everyone had a good time, and were up and ready for the Director's Seminar Monday morning.<br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-28389972386362040792008-10-31T19:24:00.000-07:002008-11-03T04:39:54.474-08:00Museums, Street Flooding, & Flowers, 10/31<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAYrNj3idEi231nFVGkThSsvyoJFphQrlKbDpDPoo15HI8MmxMQziACZd7qZiHs6Y76vuBGgGTTENFvYQoOJaKYmdhKdxVMCZvMvCzKH-3DNIy8eqPGBK_pRe9L1eJZJ2N-VFPvv5I_E/s1600-h/491+Fansipan+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263536657496902434" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 214px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAYrNj3idEi231nFVGkThSsvyoJFphQrlKbDpDPoo15HI8MmxMQziACZd7qZiHs6Y76vuBGgGTTENFvYQoOJaKYmdhKdxVMCZvMvCzKH-3DNIy8eqPGBK_pRe9L1eJZJ2N-VFPvv5I_E/s320/491+Fansipan+1.JPG" border="0" /></a> I will start this blog with five pictures Josh Strenger provided from the Fansipan trip. He is preparing a narrative to go with them, and I will add that when I get it.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdKcNRXUD3fW05hyphenhyphenvW8xn9SKgn1TP2yuerIFqTc7qLMlmoWW7YLTS21OoLgLq_SEljdl1wsYqye9Ou8AnwSTnj5sDAJygGp9aYMte9AEOrwg_2TjLnNP3m9r2jRiv5b4qu5UwQMrSJ64/s1600-h/492+Fansipan+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263535507310514178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSdKcNRXUD3fW05hyphenhyphenvW8xn9SKgn1TP2yuerIFqTc7qLMlmoWW7YLTS21OoLgLq_SEljdl1wsYqye9Ou8AnwSTnj5sDAJygGp9aYMte9AEOrwg_2TjLnNP3m9r2jRiv5b4qu5UwQMrSJ64/s320/492+Fansipan+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXJmnOqgHLErJ2dAeAMVvCI0iGxU2JeK-l6Ot7u6uSTK3GSYa1QOuzvJGErqLuz47t2tz3A02-7F1awaITZ_G0T3g_N71cWPgAVwW5hOPtJ0mvEJFkPwOKt9Z4FNEFftRZlfSVYOBWuQ/s1600-h/493+Fansipan+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264407933435232130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXJmnOqgHLErJ2dAeAMVvCI0iGxU2JeK-l6Ot7u6uSTK3GSYa1QOuzvJGErqLuz47t2tz3A02-7F1awaITZ_G0T3g_N71cWPgAVwW5hOPtJ0mvEJFkPwOKt9Z4FNEFftRZlfSVYOBWuQ/s320/493+Fansipan+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Starting out (above and right)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTpu3lXjRGAkg93DGSrqn03fYT9WRWzexi_Ax3Jfigou2XMQeJ_V2CdfLlGJYT6jghVu-HVgGL6oGsueD4olxfmLNQ3pBfgyrFKh879CUxCQRwxe7g3ySRbQqRI5Q2uuja4yAiYdGVnY/s1600-h/494+Fansipan+4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263534729268612578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDTpu3lXjRGAkg93DGSrqn03fYT9WRWzexi_Ax3Jfigou2XMQeJ_V2CdfLlGJYT6jghVu-HVgGL6oGsueD4olxfmLNQ3pBfgyrFKh879CUxCQRwxe7g3ySRbQqRI5Q2uuja4yAiYdGVnY/s320/494+Fansipan+4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On the trail (left)<br /><br />At summit (below)<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPopjk-byzxI20scy49i6MQvUh0sMbgw9ixLB-QE0BZhlZIwHiASVJvwqGYZuczeh1qDV9RGwMy-GFWVq_ERu4CDTWniG3BUpl8IslN3DP9XpGqp7DnmlJ3YR_-_LnZ-9qb5iqs6yCvI/s1600-h/495+Fansipan+5.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263534074830420802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPopjk-byzxI20scy49i6MQvUh0sMbgw9ixLB-QE0BZhlZIwHiASVJvwqGYZuczeh1qDV9RGwMy-GFWVq_ERu4CDTWniG3BUpl8IslN3DP9XpGqp7DnmlJ3YR_-_LnZ-9qb5iqs6yCvI/s320/495+Fansipan+5.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The picture above reaquires a little more explanation. There is a metal shelter where they spent the night on the mountain. When they arrived at the shelter, it was occupied by several Buddhist monks on a retreat. So most of the students ended up sleeping in a tent, and fighting to stay dry all night. However, the monks did invite everyone in to visit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbiE6jeUxxnROty645B3fBlt8c0OEQjBCbW2vUxSCTT1CHcPoBoeLlc8yNnhda9ANaZ1vZr9iwszb6QNPCvJPtXzmv3-CsKypqdn-1rf4ULoWRqfRD6WRBRzoP-VoKm0O13P85p3z3TI/s1600-h/496+Josh+and+Ancestor.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263532613949756402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrbiE6jeUxxnROty645B3fBlt8c0OEQjBCbW2vUxSCTT1CHcPoBoeLlc8yNnhda9ANaZ1vZr9iwszb6QNPCvJPtXzmv3-CsKypqdn-1rf4ULoWRqfRD6WRBRzoP-VoKm0O13P85p3z3TI/s320/496+Josh+and+Ancestor.JPG" border="0" /></a>, and here Julia is being healed by one of the monks.<br /></div><div>Friday we visited the History Museum, and the Museum of the Revolution. The History Museum is a combination of sociology, anthropology, and archeology museum for Vietnam, and goes from prehistoric times up to the formation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945. You have seen lots of pictures of students looking studiously at displays, so I didn't take any more this time. However, I couldn't resist taking this picture of Josh trying to interact with one of his murky ancestors. In the process of posing, he almost p<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxI8S1X3ww2ioDnqtCCshyphenhyphencOQXRDc7J7JZOkO-XEWQhjDhBs21HmGu68ijRPofQFs5FlniTBhSHbz49UAvoftQbWAweQ7VmiTXB7G-gywKj_A7UFn6ihemwZ4ajxwbfX3pNGsE-3SKcjw/s1600-h/497+Messenger.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263532305048779154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxI8S1X3ww2ioDnqtCCshyphenhyphencOQXRDc7J7JZOkO-XEWQhjDhBs21HmGu68ijRPofQFs5FlniTBhSHbz49UAvoftQbWAweQ7VmiTXB7G-gywKj_A7UFn6ihemwZ4ajxwbfX3pNGsE-3SKcjw/s320/497+Messenger.JPG" border="0" /></a>roved the "Domino Theory" conclusively.<br /><br />The Museum of the Revolution chronicles the resistance and independence movements from the first colonization by France, through the end of the American conflict. There are also rooms dedicated to post reunification industrialization, including a cut-away model of the Hoa Binh Power Station that we visited. There is also one room tucked off in a corner at the very end dedicated to Russia, showing pictures of leaders of the Communist Party from the revolution through Putin. There the labels are just in Vietnamese and Russian, and it doesn't seem to have much to do with the rest of the museum. Two sculptures in the museum stood out for me. The first is of a young boy acting as a messenger between camps in the Viet Bac region of Viet Nam (northeast section near the Chinese border). This is the region from which the Viet Minh leadership, including Ho Chi Minh, conducted operations during the French Indochina War (1946-54). The leadership fled here after the French reoccupied the north and Hanoi, making it quite obvious that they didn't want any part of Vietnamese independence. The messengers carried communications between camps when the conventional modes (radio or telephone) were either not available, or too dangerous to use. The French were never able to locate and go after the leadership, although they conducted several operations against supply depots and isolated camps. Sounds eerily familiar to the U.S. attempts to eliminate the Viet Cong and National Liberation Front leadership from the Iron Triangle and Parrot's Beak areas near Saigon. Getting back to the sculpture, is is typical of those honoring "Heros of the Revolution" that we have seen in many of the museums we have visited.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzN61ieL_VU8AgBQgJ3kivqtPp_L7YTnd4aAebleCyKoWvr1GVDo7M9l2YfvujDrMDNgw515nhKZXOnFfj3cK8NvLQdeL5G4Kb_krcx6UpQL6OqOE2btr1Kmrk3MPhrK2WIw4q2Kwqs_I/s1600-h/498+Uncle+Ho.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263531608670703490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 282px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzN61ieL_VU8AgBQgJ3kivqtPp_L7YTnd4aAebleCyKoWvr1GVDo7M9l2YfvujDrMDNgw515nhKZXOnFfj3cK8NvLQdeL5G4Kb_krcx6UpQL6OqOE2btr1Kmrk3MPhrK2WIw4q2Kwqs_I/s320/498+Uncle+Ho.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The other sculpture that stood out for me was one of Ho Chi Minh, done in 1968, a year before he died. The title is "Uncle Ho Translates History of Communist Party." It doesn't say what language he is translating from, but I would guess Russian, although he was also involved in the formation of the Communist Party in France soon after the finish of WWI. It emphasizes the intellectual aspects of Ho, rather than hia being a revolutionary leader.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNuiROQMZpRn3yRf6i2Ed3f_iB1YXUn-6S-MmtWhIXnaDsUiDk0wm3-UwLtQ-s2uRfVqjUsJPrnhehyphenhyphen4-VX_C6w2NHWIgZO0k9-OQ8cAwnQn4h3mcpax-04roLDrIOkkoxAfjkg4QSJ4/s1600-h/499+Flood.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263531095984959986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNuiROQMZpRn3yRf6i2Ed3f_iB1YXUn-6S-MmtWhIXnaDsUiDk0wm3-UwLtQ-s2uRfVqjUsJPrnhehyphenhyphen4-VX_C6w2NHWIgZO0k9-OQ8cAwnQn4h3mcpax-04roLDrIOkkoxAfjkg4QSJ4/s320/499+Flood.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />It had been raining heavily all morning. When we headed back from the museums we were greeted by scenes of flooded streets. The rains kept up all day, and it is still raining on Saturday as I post this blog. The student's wisely decided to postpone their Haloween party, so I'll try to add some pictures from that in the next post. News reports this morning say that the rain is the heaviest this region has received in 35 years, and attribute several deaths t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_yjhisounL-6gqZDm_lAvf1pa66t5oCky6uK9Yz1OjEExKy7FDCGqLxVgqpymxsRyuppZTSI6V9UvL1dxW2PQLLpr6ZE_p1kRZXDZm3j_cC_rlZwdzDsmUYm9GItu30hRd3_h6G1gs4/s1600-h/500+Flood.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263530509870360226" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_yjhisounL-6gqZDm_lAvf1pa66t5oCky6uK9Yz1OjEExKy7FDCGqLxVgqpymxsRyuppZTSI6V9UvL1dxW2PQLLpr6ZE_p1kRZXDZm3j_cC_rlZwdzDsmUYm9GItu30hRd3_h6G1gs4/s320/500+Flood.JPG" border="0" /></a>o the storms. South of here one Province received 10.6 inches of rain, and that doesn't include what has fallen today. We are all safe and sound, but the students are not going to be able to get out and do much on their first free weekend of the term. Some of the areas we visited last week have, or are predicted to have, flooding problems. We were very lucky in the timing of our trip.<br /><br />Since I don't have a lot of pictures to post this week, the remainder of this post will be devoted to a much more pleasant subject than flooding, flowers. I have been saving pictures as we went along. These are all pictures I have taken at places we have visited, and in many cases they are not in any type of formal garden, just along the way. I don't know all of the names of the flowers, so will not try to annotate them. The only repeats are two pictures of different colored hydrangeas, and three pictures of lotus blossoms at the end, because they look so different as the flower opens. Hope you enjoy.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuVyO-jwBZWEptLlQD6bTz-OVOSqZVAcNeIfHyuXpWkXT_oo65FmqP8Xkj7f3ZbtYEH-6URZusDuNYBhfH5p4_45Ko_WYxdpXlzFGujUa27Z8vAVzla50qv0XBPUeUcOFfWJ5U4Ta8h8/s1600-h/501.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263529044037253650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuVyO-jwBZWEptLlQD6bTz-OVOSqZVAcNeIfHyuXpWkXT_oo65FmqP8Xkj7f3ZbtYEH-6URZusDuNYBhfH5p4_45Ko_WYxdpXlzFGujUa27Z8vAVzla50qv0XBPUeUcOFfWJ5U4Ta8h8/s320/501.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcyKBm_u5JA6w_TfQ-GW2ea7FBQDE1H-YPpoPqmDH7fwO9NCLv0-c5zAUWI-e5a5HpWqS4lxIYBDrQZIFVpCDZgAo9kQzMs_g5-OHHdaKcPhdHWgamDT7cdKhlHJ40x4CdWhLpewDg0mw/s1600-h/502.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263528761777508162" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcyKBm_u5JA6w_TfQ-GW2ea7FBQDE1H-YPpoPqmDH7fwO9NCLv0-c5zAUWI-e5a5HpWqS4lxIYBDrQZIFVpCDZgAo9kQzMs_g5-OHHdaKcPhdHWgamDT7cdKhlHJ40x4CdWhLpewDg0mw/s320/502.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRlZqxsfG2cROgP9G7kWyWFvRfXmShLG8f4oywlXIQL12CNx660oKTQzyA68HXOMjMfbdkvB4ZxOwSPxUFgDWowaMHU8RwJbc5a7CUd5YhFS9Ptv1gfuszCkXlholqhMqKKtkfpozrrLM/s1600-h/503.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263528339472990594" style="FLOAT: left; 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MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNJ644qoujQT8F0sUthS_f3PsKkk7N-6YSQbV4QOVWeUtfy7SVWGpf2wMBh6Nc5X0-pjoJWpl8JqJLNW5Vt7fDfXwiS4nKLlUtsr6Sfq4YoHvo8rSyoPPKAZnSLncz2-CnrwC5ZtZBCE/s320/536.JPG" border="0" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-33265722970402617562008-10-27T20:26:00.000-07:002008-11-01T00:21:16.882-07:00Bac Ha, 10/26<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-m2DZU6Z6H1E3Ux0Suj7FJ34pzUK3m5SGCLYqonW4XCfGsppILrXN6Fm57DNfBf56JjXiO_bhmrAmKLx7fgxALtq6meKLRJcFLNOfaBSmTyvj6np3nhZd1We1ivnLs11fTJU1vCfQGM/s1600-h/469+Eager+Shoppers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262049212061304498" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 281px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-m2DZU6Z6H1E3Ux0Suj7FJ34pzUK3m5SGCLYqonW4XCfGsppILrXN6Fm57DNfBf56JjXiO_bhmrAmKLx7fgxALtq6meKLRJcFLNOfaBSmTyvj6np3nhZd1We1ivnLs11fTJU1vCfQGM/s320/469+Eager+Shoppers.JPG" border="0" /></a> Sunday morning we were off to Bac Ha at 7:30. The roads again held us up, and it took us over four hours to reach Bac Ha, when I remember it not being more than three hours in 2006. The students were energized by their last chance to shop in an ethnic marketplace.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDc0MIUaAHohnY6CYShtITPYBqjwXoqu9jHb31FRkBL2_GZQx7FwHYickdENw0vSyKmTqxxFm2-iWnMngui7OvrMZyz-aMswWYNiDih634rsWZOIOgx1kuupc8Y0IOR_z1kyea5DjgN-Q/s1600-h/470+Flower+H%27mong+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262048954403114050" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDc0MIUaAHohnY6CYShtITPYBqjwXoqu9jHb31FRkBL2_GZQx7FwHYickdENw0vSyKmTqxxFm2-iWnMngui7OvrMZyz-aMswWYNiDih634rsWZOIOgx1kuupc8Y0IOR_z1kyea5DjgN-Q/s320/470+Flower+H%27mong+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexf9eYcBZSzGK6OAz0ubYafNDMM88r-4VKcVeBqI4ooqYEdsLZdq0W-e6yQibhLYbjj64Jej1rBDaNwkNH6v2g3D8eCdSGL5zAB9Orxa7kGTwdxyh6k-3CIjmhP_pjipGORLzD9rGQT8/s1600-h/471+Josh.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262048710884410514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjexf9eYcBZSzGK6OAz0ubYafNDMM88r-4VKcVeBqI4ooqYEdsLZdq0W-e6yQibhLYbjj64Jej1rBDaNwkNH6v2g3D8eCdSGL5zAB9Orxa7kGTwdxyh6k-3CIjmhP_pjipGORLzD9rGQT8/s320/471+Josh.JPG" border="0" /></a> Flower H'mong are the most prevalent people in this area. They are noted for their colorful clothes. Married women also wear the headgear.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwQ_zPqYRO0y8tGfp8HxS-Ik3vYFU5U_7ACC0w1qpoh2-9Q-2wjZOQsaXEALkeu6X_23AyQrX5nnEib5dGqhZUTttoG3PYFRc4fklYml2Pf2aUqJu3ngq2oE8eibJ1_y29T0KJyzJ1sk/s1600-h/472+Flower+H%27mong+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262048373870895666" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwQ_zPqYRO0y8tGfp8HxS-Ik3vYFU5U_7ACC0w1qpoh2-9Q-2wjZOQsaXEALkeu6X_23AyQrX5nnEib5dGqhZUTttoG3PYFRc4fklYml2Pf2aUqJu3ngq2oE8eibJ1_y29T0KJyzJ1sk/s320/472+Flower+H%27mong+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Josh still found some things to buy, as did Kate<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezDx2PzOYbPPzkFym8NhNH94CsvB881pR4pQf83O7RupTTfYo1Gt23HyLne8aoNR3vo35g8wAOWWWJiH-Zf9xMUQZANKajLuzv3c-CUE-K0k11pvcr5bV06EcleMUq6azUbDKY29gqK0/s1600-h/473+Kate.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262048138748082738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezDx2PzOYbPPzkFym8NhNH94CsvB881pR4pQf83O7RupTTfYo1Gt23HyLne8aoNR3vo35g8wAOWWWJiH-Zf9xMUQZANKajLuzv3c-CUE-K0k11pvcr5bV06EcleMUq6azUbDKY29gqK0/s320/473+Kate.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />There are several other ethnic groups in the Bac Ha area, but they all wear somewhat similar clothes.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9YlwZCDKz6AHte7ymnl2laZL49T4fVXXUM9Ht5mPXmIsiiDqdX_ts_0n3pGMmWoW5S30el2HFVAntD9_w4Yq9cTrlVJZZj2sgv0usD2qPRuyphpza5WlmJsks1GWGyO14vqghmx7tQQ/s1600-h/474+Ladies+in+Market.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262047733696422658" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 282px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9YlwZCDKz6AHte7ymnl2laZL49T4fVXXUM9Ht5mPXmIsiiDqdX_ts_0n3pGMmWoW5S30el2HFVAntD9_w4Yq9cTrlVJZZj2sgv0usD2qPRuyphpza5WlmJsks1GWGyO14vqghmx7tQQ/s320/474+Ladies+in+Market.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Here's some intersting traffic in the central square.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0LQjuaUA9RPV7Hnt0aByiGlIwsJKOseaHGXt19mWK7MOEF4Cjy7HbWrDsaZDFnQQU66sdDJYCDczKpnmbQ9alFjbZPj6hQjbKetzebMvqLiJa8qlctWUZAQs7q8XSlUXBW3DpaFs-GU/s1600-h/475+Interesting+Traffic.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262047389126886194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0LQjuaUA9RPV7Hnt0aByiGlIwsJKOseaHGXt19mWK7MOEF4Cjy7HbWrDsaZDFnQQU66sdDJYCDczKpnmbQ9alFjbZPj6hQjbKetzebMvqLiJa8qlctWUZAQs7q8XSlUXBW3DpaFs-GU/s320/475+Interesting+Traffic.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkwd2KfVJqSh68n5_Ma50LdugdLyMFtRIz9ws9X12e-_KwQB3PpS-4wxO-8s8N38rqJuB46jjPi0UCDdT7guIvBgp_AOU0mqrNnEkvPFSJ7Fp7iFczasiupnhRxTwGK0hLyN4EMFOJu4/s1600-h/476+Michael+Deciding.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262047193844969618" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 244px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkwd2KfVJqSh68n5_Ma50LdugdLyMFtRIz9ws9X12e-_KwQB3PpS-4wxO-8s8N38rqJuB46jjPi0UCDdT7guIvBgp_AOU0mqrNnEkvPFSJ7Fp7iFczasiupnhRxTwGK0hLyN4EMFOJu4/s320/476+Michael+Deciding.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Michael is trying to figure out what to buy, and Jared is little help, so Julia steps in to assist.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC3OqPzGAPfOoBJhBK6Q730Jv7uHjmd7SC1jVR9iPZSxugQPE-zx4tG_UjlNBiE6eZBHlkPh1ceu-RYLVjeedIDzakurlVVOEma-MFRKMnwDZUVJX3k0r-3rVzLxLeJI2eqHJ5xMKcRY/s1600-h/477+Julia+Helping.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262046884025664034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizC3OqPzGAPfOoBJhBK6Q730Jv7uHjmd7SC1jVR9iPZSxugQPE-zx4tG_UjlNBiE6eZBHlkPh1ceu-RYLVjeedIDzakurlVVOEma-MFRKMnwDZUVJX3k0r-3rVzLxLeJI2eqHJ5xMKcRY/s320/477+Julia+Helping.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The next few pictures explore the many variations of the clothes.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k6AF23AR5meR-UkimLl51LLLdNdGmXT_bvDKZrBvYJoLS_Rp190uZdkrATXeHUiDszG-QxiqebfuC54BbOMI9niGPncxAc5n6YrKz845WODEi0jn03fIXvadhiEiyR2Ny1iBrV5uBaM/s1600-h/478+Flower+H%27mong+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262046465975142338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-k6AF23AR5meR-UkimLl51LLLdNdGmXT_bvDKZrBvYJoLS_Rp190uZdkrATXeHUiDszG-QxiqebfuC54BbOMI9niGPncxAc5n6YrKz845WODEi0jn03fIXvadhiEiyR2Ny1iBrV5uBaM/s320/478+Flower+H%27mong+3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKuHaqRYCSjxbarNVAl8S93hfctodrp4D5-KTe7oZN4VqI-LB672L2I00OauwZNTHskE_l9KqWyt6SsyR6TE84IV0_tXFjlauhAtSlXstwGNcZBA9JsB7tDqvjjTgqfhGfc7k1A7Lw4c/s1600-h/479+Flower+H%27mong+4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262046117370978162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBKuHaqRYCSjxbarNVAl8S93hfctodrp4D5-KTe7oZN4VqI-LB672L2I00OauwZNTHskE_l9KqWyt6SsyR6TE84IV0_tXFjlauhAtSlXstwGNcZBA9JsB7tDqvjjTgqfhGfc7k1A7Lw4c/s320/479+Flower+H%27mong+4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfw3XWE-crIDYmQNWhhss4bYoDR6VlSFG9Ar8juGf0KGLWD5KOUHSEUkjtp8p486oD1fv776Swjcif_uNNNRHD4GKwLenS5yeQFw9GHG3aFB6oOsdJKPAgoYMtLnzg-yZ8kGkFT-YYLNY/s1600-h/480+Mother+and+Baby.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262045884985595986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfw3XWE-crIDYmQNWhhss4bYoDR6VlSFG9Ar8juGf0KGLWD5KOUHSEUkjtp8p486oD1fv776Swjcif_uNNNRHD4GKwLenS5yeQFw9GHG3aFB6oOsdJKPAgoYMtLnzg-yZ8kGkFT-YYLNY/s320/480+Mother+and+Baby.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKVVe9qM38jiy95GmnOxDMLXKEVCxoAuOVLTKb0gRbJ8Myg9XmoatJdGHjCVFF2LVaXAOcVBT_xUa-FsEug0NCuubwFA_-Ax2HxT8FGeeB9gEIa4dE9_32wBDgUdqDm2sNavH_-Kw0K8/s1600-h/481+Variations+1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262045630252358178" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 302px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKVVe9qM38jiy95GmnOxDMLXKEVCxoAuOVLTKb0gRbJ8Myg9XmoatJdGHjCVFF2LVaXAOcVBT_xUa-FsEug0NCuubwFA_-Ax2HxT8FGeeB9gEIa4dE9_32wBDgUdqDm2sNavH_-Kw0K8/s320/481+Variations+1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa_DBLJ6mo8MUxK5X8JBLd95BojNX4fOq-IBoF7FIZ2BuQ14Pl8_m9rGmSyWYzKMH0A8a8fdRNyaPwULagXCqBZX6hQkaO_uFN0fJpxxFAhD2Wc8TXpnyU5u4Wx9SkilY8zerEhBhiWY/s1600-h/482+Variations+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262045443335341106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 264px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFa_DBLJ6mo8MUxK5X8JBLd95BojNX4fOq-IBoF7FIZ2BuQ14Pl8_m9rGmSyWYzKMH0A8a8fdRNyaPwULagXCqBZX6hQkaO_uFN0fJpxxFAhD2Wc8TXpnyU5u4Wx9SkilY8zerEhBhiWY/s320/482+Variations+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25zxVudJgWZSeZRedw50oiFxhvbbH5l8UZswVP2Pmj43A_7cxR5BvlMkcZ5mkjb6jNNri4CsHPx0qvKDZPID9WKXYxFCdiWPKDv8cg8EVtGFWlAlRFxpTr4FtVehFP5RIyBSqOdsXXhE/s1600-h/483+Variations+3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262045093602688290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 208px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25zxVudJgWZSeZRedw50oiFxhvbbH5l8UZswVP2Pmj43A_7cxR5BvlMkcZ5mkjb6jNNri4CsHPx0qvKDZPID9WKXYxFCdiWPKDv8cg8EVtGFWlAlRFxpTr4FtVehFP5RIyBSqOdsXXhE/s320/483+Variations+3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4W3CDnHCizxijIxbohyphenhyphenDopcQevnQ-fPWfzGQL1pXiDpy63DUlwUmQJbvKc6JazFi7b5lqULFnn2xJRD6wJTJpHxDPK68NGXar4FDGsxxZaQ9B0054NE2WBx2vEBTMSzVZnFZto7HecQ/s1600-h/484+Vietnamese+Baby.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262044761497739826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz4W3CDnHCizxijIxbohyphenhyphenDopcQevnQ-fPWfzGQL1pXiDpy63DUlwUmQJbvKc6JazFi7b5lqULFnn2xJRD6wJTJpHxDPK68NGXar4FDGsxxZaQ9B0054NE2WBx2vEBTMSzVZnFZto7HecQ/s320/484+Vietnamese+Baby.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I noticed in 2006, and again this year, that the shop keepers and restaurateurs of Bac Ha are almost exclusively ethnic Vietnamese, like the mother and child to the right in the doorway of the restaurant where we had lunch, rather than minorities. Yet the shops are selling supposedly minority products. Rumor has it that some of the items for sale have made it across the border from China<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dQwfEhDpW34ns3iTK4v6Nbp6g0FdAa_8U9VowY_H2eJXtzj72YOQMj_5IX5sbcPXJazdPEBpstelv7tEbXNv8D7EbTJ624J2k2b5-m-bL3jGLMLRUbhcd4DNh9udSaeEfsUPL2xVF9w/s1600-h/485+Shop+til+you+drop.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262044492098406258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 260px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dQwfEhDpW34ns3iTK4v6Nbp6g0FdAa_8U9VowY_H2eJXtzj72YOQMj_5IX5sbcPXJazdPEBpstelv7tEbXNv8D7EbTJ624J2k2b5-m-bL3jGLMLRUbhcd4DNh9udSaeEfsUPL2xVF9w/s320/485+Shop+til+you+drop.JPG" border="0" /></a>.<br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br />Most of the students suffered "shop till you drop" syndrome before our alloted time was up, so we actually left a half hour before our scheduled departure.<br /><br />That was OK, as we wanted to view the Chinese border in Lao Cai before it got dark.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDCQJNruDbUZVJGFcypYoczIw4zCWkkF5QUR45ZuhHh_O2T2RnMGVc1is6TpQDoeHY69zHzJ0wFBsXdqf0c_3P_WSt5mdblHAAnkKO1s24bo943dPtS6ErgOgw5S2LpJftG4GFr-0FBg/s1600-h/486+Chinese+border.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262044139409946034" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyDCQJNruDbUZVJGFcypYoczIw4zCWkkF5QUR45ZuhHh_O2T2RnMGVc1is6TpQDoeHY69zHzJ0wFBsXdqf0c_3P_WSt5mdblHAAnkKO1s24bo943dPtS6ErgOgw5S2LpJftG4GFr-0FBg/s320/486+Chinese+border.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />There is a constant stream of traffic across the border, both pedestrians and vehicles.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dx4DDRmb_FAnc0khIf7c_-knVUt_r3no6KYYUgkRk2LxMGdICYQ2Wn6-veXmjPJhIitWmlKPi_stIuLI8QuUVLE2WhuVgO60vtJnJIBWdOErTd3g5T1cGWjca4T7P2ZBLhhp83rM4wI/s1600-h/487+Contemplating.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262043761032735922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 256px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5dx4DDRmb_FAnc0khIf7c_-knVUt_r3no6KYYUgkRk2LxMGdICYQ2Wn6-veXmjPJhIitWmlKPi_stIuLI8QuUVLE2WhuVgO60vtJnJIBWdOErTd3g5T1cGWjca4T7P2ZBLhhp83rM4wI/s320/487+Contemplating.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />What is everyone contemplating? Perhaps an escape to China?<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPB05QH6LovPu9vQLLGYgsGVkXlA29OOwYZ5Kt-DQahvje7OWjyHybtRPdiKdmf2Wzz2zyi0myMzvLOefCmrvS-STH1EAor5llWp96ewFVdobRsEvISsgipX99PKBsNgz81sPNsn7Pugo/s1600-h/488+Jared+and+Michael.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262042827553015874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 263px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPB05QH6LovPu9vQLLGYgsGVkXlA29OOwYZ5Kt-DQahvje7OWjyHybtRPdiKdmf2Wzz2zyi0myMzvLOefCmrvS-STH1EAor5llWp96ewFVdobRsEvISsgipX99PKBsNgz81sPNsn7Pugo/s320/488+Jared+and+Michael.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />This is as close as Jared and Michael got.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-2ZnzabVJAUmcZD2sD-3MJPfGeCubZx9-JM0RaBR4mdeH1LHzx4Dnssx8hZFEhyJL3pcE0N4pRXJHu1BNFFuYC_FIFpWpT46waCCPHzwDNIen-mFBnf1hgC2TRULYhjbo_YRCYun3Yw/s1600-h/489+Discussion.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262042314681059810" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-2ZnzabVJAUmcZD2sD-3MJPfGeCubZx9-JM0RaBR4mdeH1LHzx4Dnssx8hZFEhyJL3pcE0N4pRXJHu1BNFFuYC_FIFpWpT46waCCPHzwDNIen-mFBnf1hgC2TRULYhjbo_YRCYun3Yw/s320/489+Discussion.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><br /><br /><div>Lively discussions of the fate of Pam's tennis shows we<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eCih2Y-3L5_jJZZXsueO6zJmVPMEvsyOdEQStn6NKsYioAuYd21E4xH3H_lg1K9_TELHWmCzxaojNCezPt6T61JE0i4VNS0d9TN-wZhg_NmWL9Er80PacsGJrV4wQPYqy0ErnQ86JBE/s1600-h/490+Boundary+Marker.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262041658210659314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7eCih2Y-3L5_jJZZXsueO6zJmVPMEvsyOdEQStn6NKsYioAuYd21E4xH3H_lg1K9_TELHWmCzxaojNCezPt6T61JE0i4VNS0d9TN-wZhg_NmWL9Er80PacsGJrV4wQPYqy0ErnQ86JBE/s320/490+Boundary+Marker.JPG" border="0" /></a>re going on, while she waited at the base of the international border marker for them to return. It seems that the big gig in Lao Cai is cleaning shoes. We were kidding Pam that they were getting a good price for her shoes in the local market, but she eventually got them back. However, all they really accomplished was to spread the dirt around so her shoes were a more uniform dirty. My hiking boots had a good patina of mud baked into them from the various treks over the past week. I must have had 50 vendors at the border and during dinner approach me with exhortations about how my shoes were an insult to society, but I kept telling them I liked them that way; that they had character.<br /><br />We had dinner together in Lao Cai while we waited for the train. We had originally planned to go back to Hanoi on our buses, but the floods earlier in the summer did a lot of damage to the roads, and we were told the driving time could be up to 20 hours. So a nine plus hour ride on a sleeper train looked like a great alternative. The quality of these trains is much better than what we came up on from Dong Ha, as this is a prime tourist destination. We arrived safely back in Hanoi at about 5:00 in the morning. The students had the morning off before continuing with their internships in the afternoon.<br /><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-33375922543746048902008-10-27T09:22:00.000-07:002008-10-31T05:38:19.888-07:00Sapa, 10/25<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtQiluSJFJPQqFXQvcvq1KPMXK14k_vtShNxiuFlU3thWm7woAfol0_mpJNgUMcdYIJDWqE1c5_BYOu6gpTXgtSJ6S7X5T51JT-M1u3KNUdZjjWBxRX4V0-eg65qRNbrLQG_8nGnRkwQ/s1600-h/440+Convoy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261961117119237698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtQiluSJFJPQqFXQvcvq1KPMXK14k_vtShNxiuFlU3thWm7woAfol0_mpJNgUMcdYIJDWqE1c5_BYOu6gpTXgtSJ6S7X5T51JT-M1u3KNUdZjjWBxRX4V0-eg65qRNbrLQG_8nGnRkwQ/s320/440+Convoy.JPG" border="0" /></a> On Saturday morning the reunited group left in five Russian jeeps for a trip farther along the rim of the valley, then a hike down to a waterfall on the other side of the river. The picture to the left shows the convoy getting ready to leave. The steps to the rear are a shortcut from downtown to near our hotel. Below you can see how luxurious the Russian jeeps are!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzaHnBxyjx81NQo_HP334HwWnbjqLuzLLzjdPwK1OfYJ3-Q6c5co0syGOTeSD8AYWYZbNVLiPlAAohTxW-_j1jEnd0Vcr86L_Tpi4uyAmemhee6ojp3kK98eR7Y2QJ_BZS3Lck_HxO8o/s1600-h/441+Inside+Jeep.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261960712032707074" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzaHnBxyjx81NQo_HP334HwWnbjqLuzLLzjdPwK1OfYJ3-Q6c5co0syGOTeSD8AYWYZbNVLiPlAAohTxW-_j1jEnd0Vcr86L_Tpi4uyAmemhee6ojp3kK98eR7Y2QJ_BZS3Lck_HxO8o/s320/441+Inside+Jeep.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Sapa streets were definitely not designed for two-way automobile traffic.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIFGt2RAITxLVBvxjCv6Uxlh38nPuKdTy_tc_uHeTFv7uwC4b0GE5iz5vRyG01Q1IXVFF5u-3RlaEeVZuz6T83O7gclZkJD7UAhNDbO1S0NXJ-RDpIy03D9AWOlJoxOzSk1lx6WFPJ3k/s1600-h/442+Sapa+streets.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261960293311092962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIFGt2RAITxLVBvxjCv6Uxlh38nPuKdTy_tc_uHeTFv7uwC4b0GE5iz5vRyG01Q1IXVFF5u-3RlaEeVZuz6T83O7gclZkJD7UAhNDbO1S0NXJ-RDpIy03D9AWOlJoxOzSk1lx6WFPJ3k/s320/442+Sapa+streets.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIFGt2RAITxLVBvxjCv6Uxlh38nPuKdTy_tc_uHeTFv7uwC4b0GE5iz5vRyG01Q1IXVFF5u-3RlaEeVZuz6T83O7gclZkJD7UAhNDbO1S0NXJ-RDpIy03D9AWOlJoxOzSk1lx6WFPJ3k/s1600-h/442+Sapa+streets.JPG"></a> </div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuIFGt2RAITxLVBvxjCv6Uxlh38nPuKdTy_tc_uHeTFv7uwC4b0GE5iz5vRyG01Q1IXVFF5u-3RlaEeVZuz6T83O7gclZkJD7UAhNDbO1S0NXJ-RDpIy03D9AWOlJoxOzSk1lx6WFPJ3k/s1600-h/442+Sapa+streets.JPG"></a></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4bast2R0nN7bBL5_BmkkhTLiakcVBzqfwTxekn9jofNMWXBhx3QQqBX_iw5SEPVOTKOTRsUelmR_go61gu48MXJFtwh7pN-NtfPQgZ_1yohTnn5W4qQ8UgdnqcEEbLXsaUwpFSMYxBk/s1600-h/443+Looking+into+valley.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261959790741319474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4bast2R0nN7bBL5_BmkkhTLiakcVBzqfwTxekn9jofNMWXBhx3QQqBX_iw5SEPVOTKOTRsUelmR_go61gu48MXJFtwh7pN-NtfPQgZ_1yohTnn5W4qQ8UgdnqcEEbLXsaUwpFSMYxBk/s320/443+Looking+into+valley.JPG" border="0" /></a> We stopped two or three times along the way just to look at the scenery, and to interact with some of the locals.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ts63NqF-hpIHI3JJEEZnFKvJrHL91vo1YNVPcLT9KatNVPilXmSloNAyZctNYEadrkjn77omPTzK2o2L_Dj7LDhQewpiLJiFi92ljuIlDG_qMiyoJxIpatRgCXiIbupDRBtRhzWmEsc/s1600-h/444+Julia+with+kids.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261959433889268162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ts63NqF-hpIHI3JJEEZnFKvJrHL91vo1YNVPcLT9KatNVPilXmSloNAyZctNYEadrkjn77omPTzK2o2L_Dj7LDhQewpiLJiFi92ljuIlDG_qMiyoJxIpatRgCXiIbupDRBtRhzWmEsc/s320/444+Julia+with+kids.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2mQobJHb42exAKKATnkS9F3qol2JOPF_1Vre0y7urlVKJRDzJRjUV4Xs0Fi-8ElfeXovjulmUMDagS727_CnPmhpIucp2GRp3CprfV695A-i7wwvz9er9N86Lr9ExnZOc7RefrN3Xhk/s1600-h/445+young+H%27mongs.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261958787763755218" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2mQobJHb42exAKKATnkS9F3qol2JOPF_1Vre0y7urlVKJRDzJRjUV4Xs0Fi-8ElfeXovjulmUMDagS727_CnPmhpIucp2GRp3CprfV695A-i7wwvz9er9N86Lr9ExnZOc7RefrN3Xhk/s320/445+young+H%27mongs.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9o-4lXx2i1E1eI_8LiPlm1AM-vG-8OUDseEJ9bDx5Kt_XMIT-tES72L6uokrUB4foOdjrE2CIpY6Du7-AudhZbHEjYWXcesQLRaNKcm2_Y16S-o-pXLvwbjtoSxThcFVFHgLOMCnQWHw/s1600-h/446+Looking+at+yourself.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261958464092127250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 268px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9o-4lXx2i1E1eI_8LiPlm1AM-vG-8OUDseEJ9bDx5Kt_XMIT-tES72L6uokrUB4foOdjrE2CIpY6Du7-AudhZbHEjYWXcesQLRaNKcm2_Y16S-o-pXLvwbjtoSxThcFVFHgLOMCnQWHw/s320/446+Looking+at+yourself.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The kids love to look at thier image on the playback screen.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx65slxPoF6L_8ckhJgNbYd7Y7W1eTksFcqS9MQ0nwIM_BbcWN4bjpEp8c7q7rfkP90bldo0rPJoZAYPlpdSASs4tphdl94zGB8Br8x8fgWQh8FfKjp1sVakL8Zm34-pQmuz6Rq2hIxOs/s1600-h/447+Ready+for+Trek.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261958037772024146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 246px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx65slxPoF6L_8ckhJgNbYd7Y7W1eTksFcqS9MQ0nwIM_BbcWN4bjpEp8c7q7rfkP90bldo0rPJoZAYPlpdSASs4tphdl94zGB8Br8x8fgWQh8FfKjp1sVakL8Zm34-pQmuz6Rq2hIxOs/s320/447+Ready+for+Trek.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>It was about 20 km to our drop-off point. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYqfsIqzCco4hwSFR3LOOAg2-1eaoZ1jg2fcSArN0f0OhT9rAOdHurgyujHuwKwpu3cS7cgoZu-3I7c7U6Yt4tp5fabnB2x9Xknpg5nYx5zQWH4WjxK5pvcLl6HOj2UfEjTQ1xGDXRfI/s1600-h/448+Starting+out.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261957577292739986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQYqfsIqzCco4hwSFR3LOOAg2-1eaoZ1jg2fcSArN0f0OhT9rAOdHurgyujHuwKwpu3cS7cgoZu-3I7c7U6Yt4tp5fabnB2x9Xknpg5nYx5zQWH4WjxK5pvcLl6HOj2UfEjTQ1xGDXRfI/s320/448+Starting+out.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>The trail was amazinly dry for all the wet weather we had the last few days. It was good to leave Sapa's eternal cloud be<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUe86DoTeGY-CvWNT3Gw5FqrBpPhLRa4ddPNMJ87eum3By4hLfIBB7Z7EpPs1mNlKp3DSp1Sp6cTisbWbPjzggORgZ52IHVMQXJhjL0PjD6OSp0M16ZM6Ytqlk_gl4TYxoV_WBS7dZoPI/s1600-h/449+On+the+trail.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261957083983403554" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUe86DoTeGY-CvWNT3Gw5FqrBpPhLRa4ddPNMJ87eum3By4hLfIBB7Z7EpPs1mNlKp3DSp1Sp6cTisbWbPjzggORgZ52IHVMQXJhjL0PjD6OSp0M16ZM6Ytqlk_gl4TYxoV_WBS7dZoPI/s320/449+On+the+trail.JPG" border="0" /></a>hind, and actually get some sunshine during the trek.<br /><br /><br /><div>A couple of H'mong girls shadowed us all the way down, but didn't try to sell anything.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTnqUgPNzgH-sFoEOfIc6VG4H0M-ORjBKpAJsI8Eb4rY1YN40_YxaVZtAmbIwhSSW6CMzJLTsBlrJJ4hxzgwdWY1SFu3pFKS2eFQ68Vhhd8yCMvrKSmYffPznj3da6-USVax4ciQqMjI/s1600-h/450+On+the+trail+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261956584346988194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTnqUgPNzgH-sFoEOfIc6VG4H0M-ORjBKpAJsI8Eb4rY1YN40_YxaVZtAmbIwhSSW6CMzJLTsBlrJJ4hxzgwdWY1SFu3pFKS2eFQ68Vhhd8yCMvrKSmYffPznj3da6-USVax4ciQqMjI/s320/450+On+the+trail+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>They are building a new road up this side of the valley, so in several places we had to cross the construction, and fi<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFgYvSGlolydCEU4P_ZU8O-BC9HcesXFApKurWhLCUyXoWNJuNnY9mtufSje8Wbcb0raY4wahTyohBwB_A-PZ3L4RMgVNvk70pN2jxx-u7AmfuqlxImVmf6e85daGsH6AHR68P1Mcmjk/s1600-h/451+On+the+trail+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261956013539110946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFgYvSGlolydCEU4P_ZU8O-BC9HcesXFApKurWhLCUyXoWNJuNnY9mtufSje8Wbcb0raY4wahTyohBwB_A-PZ3L4RMgVNvk70pN2jxx-u7AmfuqlxImVmf6e85daGsH6AHR68P1Mcmjk/s320/451+On+the+trail+3.JPG" border="0" /></a>nd the continuation of the trail on the other side. <br /><br /><div>This construction is new since 2006. Then you followed water buffalo trails the whole way down. I'm not sure why they are putting in the new road, as the town at the bottom of the hill is connected to the road we traveled down on. Perhaps it is to open this area up to more settlement. I have been told that the government has "encouraged" some of the hill people to move down into the valley to increase rice produc<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nIrPGNvh_cmvwAyfL1OBi6hZltXRVqTceBfWju2vLaQYv5UPSH6QUcyQ59SLQHIa0l6etgDOt2UnuldfjrUsItLvL4frHAOVaFsLyIoE5ent6na6DftUfDQ4EnBtdFoBUlN9Eq6SacE/s1600-h/452+On+the+trail+4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261955416079715362" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5nIrPGNvh_cmvwAyfL1OBi6hZltXRVqTceBfWju2vLaQYv5UPSH6QUcyQ59SLQHIa0l6etgDOt2UnuldfjrUsItLvL4frHAOVaFsLyIoE5ent6na6DftUfDQ4EnBtdFoBUlN9Eq6SacE/s320/452+On+the+trail+4.JPG" border="0" /></a>tion.<br /><br /><div>At times it looks like the trail just drops off the face of the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczx5Sy9HFrpbq0Vsu_r4ML5_7COyyNqOPfosMKL2xt_WyMAyO0VIo4s6Xk_dMRsXZl3n4WBkdK3r28XzwK9h7UPBsOAYAYHUTzZ4_QdtDKSbQzwvhidg7Nc7OEwu5cMkWPF_HhZIsQTs/s1600-h/453+Pot+Belly+Pigs.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261954809209856354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczx5Sy9HFrpbq0Vsu_r4ML5_7COyyNqOPfosMKL2xt_WyMAyO0VIo4s6Xk_dMRsXZl3n4WBkdK3r28XzwK9h7UPBsOAYAYHUTzZ4_QdtDKSbQzwvhidg7Nc7OEwu5cMkWPF_HhZIsQTs/s320/453+Pot+Belly+Pigs.JPG" border="0" /></a>earth,<br /><div>Livestock is let out to graze where ever they can. These little pigs and their mother are grazing on what looks to be left-over dry rice straw. This type of rice does not require immersion in water during the growing process, but does not pr<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTd0ObsGjgkebd52VHGEsuxocbsZj6k3_3hbI20eYx5auXI3fEsMPwmIJOARW-9JC8Wq3_K8nuOgY4lpO_p5Gx-WAFw-REFvy6HYeiqeVWgJ-9il_Vu7gxSMqgfyHzPVVzJol_4Zs6ho/s1600-h/454+Tiger+Beer+commercial.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261954537867396258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKTd0ObsGjgkebd52VHGEsuxocbsZj6k3_3hbI20eYx5auXI3fEsMPwmIJOARW-9JC8Wq3_K8nuOgY4lpO_p5Gx-WAFw-REFvy6HYeiqeVWgJ-9il_Vu7gxSMqgfyHzPVVzJol_4Zs6ho/s320/454+Tiger+Beer+commercial.JPG" border="0" /></a>oduce the yield that the wet rice fields do.<br /><br /><div><div>We stopped at a home-stay near the bottom of the valley for a refreshment break. Here Josh and Pam pose with one of our followers for the next Tiger beer commercial.<br /><br />The homes of the minority people in the Sapa area vary, even within the same community. Some are on low stilts, like the home shown below,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXgqj-yWBD_ywWXAvOIasBTO0u2ymCP2_cUfUFDb_I7V-iySliK1YW0ORr27A0uuGISmw82ylRmtMpqPI-Mil3woQs2cMYOIY9c2JtM6rS5LJDifXwrfnnYEbk6LbHUgyeXhWjwmvV_k/s1600-h/455+House.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261953951387175778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFXgqj-yWBD_ywWXAvOIasBTO0u2ymCP2_cUfUFDb_I7V-iySliK1YW0ORr27A0uuGISmw82ylRmtMpqPI-Mil3woQs2cMYOIY9c2JtM6rS5LJDifXwrfnnYEbk6LbHUgyeXhWjwmvV_k/s320/455+House.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />some are on concrete slabs, like the one we stopped to have our lunch at, and others are on the traditional high stilts.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9fsmt-6TEsyfSF1pmbNEMZmKbrGFKcmw2L2gpHwcaiuWYOULhus5ZXHPL990WdYek08ztEg7gxjX9Km0hhApYcxVHOkcNcBNRKvFzHvNVJTARv_q0grDlpgSY6sqOTKhJLKf1YD9HbI/s1600-h/456+Lunch+Stop.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261953464604782402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb9fsmt-6TEsyfSF1pmbNEMZmKbrGFKcmw2L2gpHwcaiuWYOULhus5ZXHPL990WdYek08ztEg7gxjX9Km0hhApYcxVHOkcNcBNRKvFzHvNVJTARv_q0grDlpgSY6sqOTKhJLKf1YD9HbI/s320/456+Lunch+Stop.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>In this particular community, most of the houses sell themselves as homestays, as advertised by the circular signs. Some are obviusly more prepared than others for taking in guests. The home above also has the circular signs, but it doesn't appear to have power. Most of the houses with power also ha<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1t6aWmytvlw6h1vJskeDEe8cPFpPMmZj1Z0Pzevv7ZrtjRljYnwWqoH7k1cfcGhp3KEjjrGTL4HjfqXi3gRxCBiqISYidufnGW1yWS_Ste8Zv7Vd1vBdQwMX_-lAqNZLBdMYdfgOU3m8/s1600-h/457+Lomb.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261953051737210146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1t6aWmytvlw6h1vJskeDEe8cPFpPMmZj1Z0Pzevv7ZrtjRljYnwWqoH7k1cfcGhp3KEjjrGTL4HjfqXi3gRxCBiqISYidufnGW1yWS_Ste8Zv7Vd1vBdQwMX_-lAqNZLBdMYdfgOU3m8/s320/457+Lomb.JPG" border="0" /></a>ve satellite dishes for TV.<br /><div><br />The wife of the home-stay owner demonstrated the operation of her loom to us, and some students bought scarves straight off the griddle, so to speak.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFcB0NOmCSEdtrbQ7J5Vo8LlCIELO4em9EO9IFOM4EMI9_v0r3b_yIFn06nHXSL09h7mASgKCmeGdjGEkDyWMVKqchwVmqHu_BFKkDTbB4pv1L-Q7V2-6zYi7o0gwbLIZqN3BmbvSO7k/s1600-h/458+More+Sellers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261952709577348626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoFcB0NOmCSEdtrbQ7J5Vo8LlCIELO4em9EO9IFOM4EMI9_v0r3b_yIFn06nHXSL09h7mASgKCmeGdjGEkDyWMVKqchwVmqHu_BFKkDTbB4pv1L-Q7V2-6zYi7o0gwbLIZqN3BmbvSO7k/s320/458+More+Sellers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The sellers eventually found us, but we soon departed for the waterfall on the other sid<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8jX-UBqbad6iyxew2UbGgSiNCSJ61BQOZt0OQHCKmY-WIgbuqd7cktdZVfYf05E27ea14PAPZECDvsiWOFPycgYsbigFT_U_fTVMZY9hmxAEo9EQiWDsolDFaKegC7XMtjbJzqTORwo/s1600-h/459+Clive%27s+Uncle+and+Aunt.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261952283137378770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq8jX-UBqbad6iyxew2UbGgSiNCSJ61BQOZt0OQHCKmY-WIgbuqd7cktdZVfYf05E27ea14PAPZECDvsiWOFPycgYsbigFT_U_fTVMZY9hmxAEo9EQiWDsolDFaKegC7XMtjbJzqTORwo/s320/459+Clive%27s+Uncle+and+Aunt.JPG" border="0" /></a>e of the valley.<br /><div>On the way we were greeted by Cliff Oxley's aunt and uncle.<br /><br />The pool below the waterfall provided a refreshing interlude.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6AQpbuhiHGYnmuZlRnG9e_O9aT2lWEEXQAcOvyewbxM3RbAx-7FLTL_0ux4akJmnqSYwwqBNH2HaB13JwNFj4WHosM61Mw0DD8RpinJx-2JyUvQkaHpUbhXxSzcpOnhYYdVb_2wil-o/s1600-h/460+Swimming+Hole.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261951689027088962" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf6AQpbuhiHGYnmuZlRnG9e_O9aT2lWEEXQAcOvyewbxM3RbAx-7FLTL_0ux4akJmnqSYwwqBNH2HaB13JwNFj4WHosM61Mw0DD8RpinJx-2JyUvQkaHpUbhXxSzcpOnhYYdVb_2wil-o/s320/460+Swimming+Hole.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>This is the l<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywKNZaX5a4eMMflJSghTdmyMDPnMSBz9PQqLYHRjBGAxNXn6aAAB3m910eBpevA3IOHKjmr8ySh_DPTlprFkC21FR6ViPNudeiAJmx3NVFqjg3kAZfnJHTB1AX3DvYf3XCJaxb4Pxr0Y/s1600-h/461+Water+Fall.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261951185665467698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhywKNZaX5a4eMMflJSghTdmyMDPnMSBz9PQqLYHRjBGAxNXn6aAAB3m910eBpevA3IOHKjmr8ySh_DPTlprFkC21FR6ViPNudeiAJmx3NVFqjg3kAZfnJHTB1AX3DvYf3XCJaxb4Pxr0Y/s320/461+Water+Fall.jpg" border="0" /></a>ower of <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UZ-E3R4bdcyqyjGhjvNRGCqCCemrC3O_XXWdEF7K1N3tnt4i44MCFAapBxQK0HnCV9ZGU7gJQbQ53igiRhqtBh48ckti1dMLt-P_vrUO-Du_94MaGIrnPidbuCquFR3w8CFIEchWloQ/s1600-h/462+Julia+and+Ngoc.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261975610206073554" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-UZ-E3R4bdcyqyjGhjvNRGCqCCemrC3O_XXWdEF7K1N3tnt4i44MCFAapBxQK0HnCV9ZGU7gJQbQ53igiRhqtBh48ckti1dMLt-P_vrUO-Du_94MaGIrnPidbuCquFR3w8CFIEchWloQ/s320/462+Julia+and+Ngoc.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRBUk-DZ9qDZtPWuqk8AIOjCV4Uyk8I4-0PW6Dryf1g6kP-dRu0OyZ0IYhrvngKrdSNllo4G-J_vPH-SoswKdd0ko0O_Z4mrLqdUs34R7lnHLJA5eEDCZO8l9W81PkXJsSGBiOSFKrXo/s1600-h/461a+Water+Fall.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263292622769240578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqRBUk-DZ9qDZtPWuqk8AIOjCV4Uyk8I4-0PW6Dryf1g6kP-dRu0OyZ0IYhrvngKrdSNllo4G-J_vPH-SoswKdd0ko0O_Z4mrLqdUs34R7lnHLJA5eEDCZO8l9W81PkXJsSGBiOSFKrXo/s320/461a+Water+Fall.jpg" border="0" /></a>two waterfalls.<br /><br />Rock and students in front of the falls (Courtesy of Josh)<br /><div><br /><br /><br />Julia <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoT9yWt3rR2ZVYuAn4y0t6LdYlF4zqw0b-QuNVJ79BFgVbRpUkelK6IJZx3yXGADUr_uR3Sg9qpNvc5WKKbrEdEDBUkpVKXYZqv1StHvZJP-XN6JKaUno5etiOYa-G-k2y5DjdEpNoTk/s1600-h/463+Ladies+Working.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261880719835828738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 254px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheoT9yWt3rR2ZVYuAn4y0t6LdYlF4zqw0b-QuNVJ79BFgVbRpUkelK6IJZx3yXGADUr_uR3Sg9qpNvc5WKKbrEdEDBUkpVKXYZqv1StHvZJP-XN6JKaUno5etiOYa-G-k2y5DjdEpNoTk/s320/463+Ladies+Working.JPG" border="0" /></a>and Ngoc (above) didn't go swimming, but provided the valuable survice of watching our gear, as the sellers had followed us, and were patiently working on their products waiting for us to get out of the water. These were Red H'mong people.<br /></div><div>Michael stirred up a hornets next when he asked one of the ladies if she could make him a pair of pants.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xund_OSUJUV3vovmHVHllZsbdtcRowTrsJBe9CPoRNeJxkz3OGWZRVF_8w5PveVHqTR_aQpdhKR2MEbULioHCN5GWANmZEj3yZiE_xZPjDuBWUMuyTeTVM9acc7yUBg1qPrprezLlfc/s1600-h/464+Michael+and+Hornets%27+Nest.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261880239494800450" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 238px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xund_OSUJUV3vovmHVHllZsbdtcRowTrsJBe9CPoRNeJxkz3OGWZRVF_8w5PveVHqTR_aQpdhKR2MEbULioHCN5GWANmZEj3yZiE_xZPjDuBWUMuyTeTVM9acc7yUBg1qPrprezLlfc/s320/464+Michael+and+Hornets%27+Nest.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />This young guy looked pretty bored with the whole process.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2hxKtuzoOgy4MpHOKQ6XZFddIz9lyiQ_ty5Wqh4tIZ6BpyJaGk1PM4-t8pUxTrJ02b340Q6-whr_JZe9qJJnqGqqPN45xFOoXGGa_irtYeygP0lor-h4zl0rWdguQsUu05KM1fQY558/s1600-h/465+Young+guy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261879782006795986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 238px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG2hxKtuzoOgy4MpHOKQ6XZFddIz9lyiQ_ty5Wqh4tIZ6BpyJaGk1PM4-t8pUxTrJ02b340Q6-whr_JZe9qJJnqGqqPN45xFOoXGGa_irtYeygP0lor-h4zl0rWdguQsUu05KM1fQY558/s320/465+Young+guy.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><div><div><br /><div>They were a friendly bunch of people, but most of the students were pretty well shopped out by this time, and tired of being<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAzdkw1hVXNMX78EpHAAU0ZIF2cYqFXkfuhJikfXHsZFgo7aWS8gwPVQoEeXg1E5n4IpFSIA8rE7DsKipcPa0VFCQ6zGa9MjTco-iw_yk1tmujTlcejBnCtNgGQfuT4nJ5I0f3stfdUU/s1600-h/466+Shy+Woman.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261879373052434994" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAzdkw1hVXNMX78EpHAAU0ZIF2cYqFXkfuhJikfXHsZFgo7aWS8gwPVQoEeXg1E5n4IpFSIA8rE7DsKipcPa0VFCQ6zGa9MjTco-iw_yk1tmujTlcejBnCtNgGQfuT4nJ5I0f3stfdUU/s320/466+Shy+Woman.JPG" border="0" /></a> hounded.<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVGrZcGTUmHsGDUn-8R3A_eaKNFT42sNrhigsyJGOqPxkIXoMUzVEyM-W2FceT9yLBYXRDacNCOQgoWZF78Sp5iszArxPCPZCtQIRddW9r_l11fsunMeTwK61NuB_MOvcj44SD6jM9os/s1600-h/467+Long+and+friend.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261878647236034962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVGrZcGTUmHsGDUn-8R3A_eaKNFT42sNrhigsyJGOqPxkIXoMUzVEyM-W2FceT9yLBYXRDacNCOQgoWZF78Sp5iszArxPCPZCtQIRddW9r_l11fsunMeTwK61NuB_MOvcj44SD6jM9os/s320/467+Long+and+friend.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />Refreshed, we headed back down to the Russian jeeps for the trip back to Sapa.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_d27xNNyZKiTkJBET8XkqoFEiY_g7MioGg0bsEvavQ8QCLF_zjh7CmO84P74crQvLB7FmBVhtfiCk0UT1XgIRXlauDIN2Or0aS06CUOgirbnR6P0RlB4mC6RCr77fw-vvRWIFkM5wJ8/s1600-h/468+Treking+back+down+to+jeeps.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261878202510002962" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF_d27xNNyZKiTkJBET8XkqoFEiY_g7MioGg0bsEvavQ8QCLF_zjh7CmO84P74crQvLB7FmBVhtfiCk0UT1XgIRXlauDIN2Or0aS06CUOgirbnR6P0RlB4mC6RCr77fw-vvRWIFkM5wJ8/s320/468+Treking+back+down+to+jeeps.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br />That evening the hotel fixed us a delicious buffet on the roof deck. Everyone enjoyed it, but the Sapa cloud was still there so we couldn't see anything beyond the railing.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-46506577055822240832008-10-25T16:57:00.000-07:002008-10-27T09:22:06.242-07:00Sapa, 10/24 & 10/25<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3B7LGdUFl9pM4xTVHs7nTq0veOJb7Uxu1cnkSzHBlNI-PQArf1YJeMqrwcDPeVSmHdDvxZSIqHp3o7C2yfaZ-Olg67sUEpqQRgAY_d6dNo4OwGv6U_sOovRGMHt1sIgP_LAZCQYmsVk/s1600-h/409+French+Bridge.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261866320339705250" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh3B7LGdUFl9pM4xTVHs7nTq0veOJb7Uxu1cnkSzHBlNI-PQArf1YJeMqrwcDPeVSmHdDvxZSIqHp3o7C2yfaZ-Olg67sUEpqQRgAY_d6dNo4OwGv6U_sOovRGMHt1sIgP_LAZCQYmsVk/s320/409+French+Bridge.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>We departed Dien Bien Phu at 7:30, and made it to Lai Chau for lunch. Lau Chau has significance to Dien Bien Phu, as there was a force in Lai Chau when the French started to reinforce Dien Bien Phu in November of 1953. When the French intercepted radio transmissions indicating that the Viet Minh were increasing their activity in the area around Lai Chau, they decided to abandon Lai Chau in favor of reinforcing DBP. They were a little late though, as the Viet Minh ambushed the column numerous times, and only 185 out of 2100 men made it to Dien Bien Phu after covering the 40 miles in about two weeks. We also learned some current significance of Lai Chau. A few kilometers north of the town we crossed the French bridge shown above. Long said it was built in 1945, and was one of the few bridges in the north that were not damaged during either war. It looked much older than that, probably because of lack of maintenance. The bridge crosses the Nam Nu River (picture below), which downstream flows into the Black River. The Black River is the location of the new hydroelectric dam Long told us about, which will be twice as big as Hoa Binh. Construction has apparently started. When the dam is filled, this whole valley, including the town of Lai Chau, will be submerged to a depth greater than the height of the present bridge. A new bridge will be built higher above the river, and all the inhabitants of Lai Chau are being moved to higher ground some 35 miles closer to Sapa.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvS1gRg9nIWT6zdruWrv-6XssWw8Gwg7nR9eHeqangDf_0aghumh7qAy6L8nvebpi8JUPZM3vb8-_opvghf8NRkxIthOjmKHZBxFp7VBVq88XwX8WSAnJSbqmzqcAo4qaJgwCp8bSSUPw/s1600-h/410+Nam+Nu+River.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261760144529574818" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvS1gRg9nIWT6zdruWrv-6XssWw8Gwg7nR9eHeqangDf_0aghumh7qAy6L8nvebpi8JUPZM3vb8-_opvghf8NRkxIthOjmKHZBxFp7VBVq88XwX8WSAnJSbqmzqcAo4qaJgwCp8bSSUPw/s320/410+Nam+Nu+River.JPG" border="0" /></a>It was after dark by the time we arrived in Sapa, after more adventures on the roads. More construction, and it had rained the night before so there was lots of mud in places. On the paved sections, the pavement is slightly wider than one lane, so our bus and a motorbike could pass head on, but two larger vehicles both had to move over onto the unpaved shoulders. Add to that the upgrades, down grades, and twists & turns, and you can see why average speeds are only about 25 mph. </div><br /><div>Unless you got up early on Thursday morning, you missed the view of the<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Br5eCbrFVQG5FiEuIyaMO4iHeVIKzMmGnqEBztBHSQRuHAYkSP1H3U4UXJzJNoCyGWGcDY2B7rUVvG84PXv_WlBRzy4RvaRdcbnPCnM3JJm1kP7_vV1x-0LY5BqU06g5INWj6k7vvm8/s1600-h/411+View+from+Hotel.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261260537331536162" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Br5eCbrFVQG5FiEuIyaMO4iHeVIKzMmGnqEBztBHSQRuHAYkSP1H3U4UXJzJNoCyGWGcDY2B7rUVvG84PXv_WlBRzy4RvaRdcbnPCnM3JJm1kP7_vV1x-0LY5BqU06g5INWj6k7vvm8/s320/411+View+from+Hotel.JPG" border="0" /></a> valley from the hotel, as Sapa was in the clouds the rest of the time we were there. The picture to the right was taken from the deck outside my room. The other direction is even more spectacular, and you can see Fansipan (3143m), the tallest mountain in Vietnam, on a clear day. The clouds were even lower over there, so I opted for the southern view.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8C1KoaDPAMJwwatJVzEZDS-8QpncVrD9osU_5Tr5EYfX5CjGMQvZv-ei6wfO60Y8zXKJd_h4GhpoAVUCVV-sPSTidF3Lblh4693D9W32bToc_UVhEEXLZKcAQftkuxoO3L4TcgcKL2Bg/s1600-h/412+Hotel+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261260196009230354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8C1KoaDPAMJwwatJVzEZDS-8QpncVrD9osU_5Tr5EYfX5CjGMQvZv-ei6wfO60Y8zXKJd_h4GhpoAVUCVV-sPSTidF3Lblh4693D9W32bToc_UVhEEXLZKcAQftkuxoO3L4TcgcKL2Bg/s320/412+Hotel+1.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>The hotel itself is sort of quaint. It looks like it might belong in Switzerland, but at the same time is a hodge-podge of added on wings and twisting, uneven corridors. The food was excellent, and the rooms acceptable.<br /><br />The picture to the left shows the entry portal, the dining room on the second level, and part of the wing where most of the students stayed.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSCzXiVotv6ONs6kGw5egOhUbImaro0rLC5qDjzGX0keiqZICHT0DmcJ6wvFrK2sXVpVvUwvNhsp3Kqdur3mkHMomSA2I4PYcezUf1lWGRDfM5Tg5zYjofwSF6vHLpqZmYq9hVGLG8qI/s1600-h/413+Hotel+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261258639231255874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 278px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSCzXiVotv6ONs6kGw5egOhUbImaro0rLC5qDjzGX0keiqZICHT0DmcJ6wvFrK2sXVpVvUwvNhsp3Kqdur3mkHMomSA2I4PYcezUf1lWGRDfM5Tg5zYjofwSF6vHLpqZmYq9hVGLG8qI/s320/413+Hotel+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The other wing juts out perpendicularly towards the valley. The railing at the top is where I took the picture of the valley and the entry portal.<br /><br />Six students opted for a two day hike up Fansipan with a guide and H'mong porters to help with the food and equipment. They set off at about 9:30 in a steady drizzle. The rest of us were to leave at 1:30 to visit some local villages, but at that time it was still raining, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghka1_Emd5_aG-94fLN7h6BCcy314aplRNaIOXmLZS07teVM2wLhA7U5Sgnf0f7wAYXNxoubAonLzpCAB1EuMQJJhLtCMyH2hWE_Pt1Iy84C0Qy8grol_3WagBi6U1YMnCArxITiMzOK4/s1600-h/414+Hotel+3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261257994775491074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghka1_Emd5_aG-94fLN7h6BCcy314aplRNaIOXmLZS07teVM2wLhA7U5Sgnf0f7wAYXNxoubAonLzpCAB1EuMQJJhLtCMyH2hWE_Pt1Iy84C0Qy8grol_3WagBi6U1YMnCArxITiMzOK4/s320/414+Hotel+3.JPG" border="0" /></a>as you can see in this picture of Long, Tom, and Michael if you look carefully. We had scheduled a free day for the people saying back for exploring the town and the market, so we decided that we would make Thursday the free day, and try to do two treks on Friday.<br /><br /><div>Friday morning dawned overcast, foggy, and drizzly, but the rain stopped just about at 9:00 when we set out for a local Red Dao (pronounced Zau) village named To Phin. On the way we passed a burned out Catholic church that had been<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRn3LDDABh-ZgK7TWQGx5SzDIs9cE5Ens5WcM_sKcJYRr6sN7vE8NVW9p1MPV5K4raKoMFBmyGmWZwR0XT7WdLBZa3qRik9oavB40-LOyOxYIfJlynryfehXLsBmMzo-OlmF0X9iuw9Ck/s1600-h/415+Arriving+at+Village.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261257587182604290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRn3LDDABh-ZgK7TWQGx5SzDIs9cE5Ens5WcM_sKcJYRr6sN7vE8NVW9p1MPV5K4raKoMFBmyGmWZwR0XT7WdLBZa3qRik9oavB40-LOyOxYIfJlynryfehXLsBmMzo-OlmF0X9iuw9Ck/s320/415+Arriving+at+Village.JPG" border="0" /></a> destroyed by the Chinese during the 1979 border war with Vietnam.<br /><br />Long and I knew what to expect, but the students were surprised when they stepped off the bus and were mobbed by the local women asking them all sorts of questions in almost perfect English. At least two women attached themselves to each of us.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk87hDUEJTqBOvtUqcz6jwDH7iYO7ymm4ZKA4rc8kHLp2bt9tQjCDcVnIoMiqwpOkfv7lmIty5Y7XsP2Z93O2QO_1kwqpKOOie5tnIy62ftP0GtRFdZhv9rg8rJcUbdbOe5yZMh15oecE/s1600-h/416+Mother+and+Child.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261257103160377170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk87hDUEJTqBOvtUqcz6jwDH7iYO7ymm4ZKA4rc8kHLp2bt9tQjCDcVnIoMiqwpOkfv7lmIty5Y7XsP2Z93O2QO_1kwqpKOOie5tnIy62ftP0GtRFdZhv9rg8rJcUbdbOe5yZMh15oecE/s320/416+Mother+and+Child.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div>As in Dien Bien Phu, even the little ones get into the act. This little girl is only two months old.<br /><br />The women escort you all through their village, and one showed us through<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RqYUgYSQmLsbeV0p7RdU707RfTagaKjAcYvZEkL2kQZEap4dewoQT6tCgxR0o4N7lVNsl9AKS3X4JpOY1YBIo5w4HkY0zpLWAzpA1mN-tSgD2TULwT_b-9hGwmHdnsmka6fIhEelZRA/s1600-h/417+Tagging+Along.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261256569522126354" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7RqYUgYSQmLsbeV0p7RdU707RfTagaKjAcYvZEkL2kQZEap4dewoQT6tCgxR0o4N7lVNsl9AKS3X4JpOY1YBIo5w4HkY0zpLWAzpA1mN-tSgD2TULwT_b-9hGwmHdnsmka6fIhEelZRA/s320/417+Tagging+Along.JPG" border="0" /></a> her house. Lots of interesting sites along the walk, including baby pot belly pigs and<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AP2CHpY84dGJcvg7mV2n8sGwUG5WlV_RZz8Brtoh4SENKvTaiNTBndt3G5wYr5aeDh1GIryP7V85n6SjaMlF3xShV5uWJYdUZN1XAnYPQtvvvqQobbUn44Su4Fq6rUOd5IutYGjoqfo/s1600-h/418+Pot+Belly+Pig.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261255908581117266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AP2CHpY84dGJcvg7mV2n8sGwUG5WlV_RZz8Brtoh4SENKvTaiNTBndt3G5wYr5aeDh1GIryP7V85n6SjaMlF3xShV5uWJYdUZN1XAnYPQtvvvqQobbUn44Su4Fq6rUOd5IutYGjoqfo/s320/418+Pot+Belly+Pig.JPG" border="0" /></a>scenes like the one below, that with the mist remind me of Shangri-La.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6H69nYUtPlFuApoxljCa28aKbikOa5wPsUOkCQ430-Il5VjkeF25JkBwp52Nstv6bhSPPVdUEXjg48Wv5S-F-H08imBEjhjaEaf7LKEDczzUB9QcHzBOxcXIZEjbzzLImZpY2hPzYU0/s1600-h/419+Shangri-La.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261255332421136562" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ6H69nYUtPlFuApoxljCa28aKbikOa5wPsUOkCQ430-Il5VjkeF25JkBwp52Nstv6bhSPPVdUEXjg48Wv5S-F-H08imBEjhjaEaf7LKEDczzUB9QcHzBOxcXIZEjbzzLImZpY2hPzYU0/s320/419+Shangri-La.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjmdM2F4GQvsYLG0DDplJB0vaRUItLKmoEHTzhe2lqasLK_cVgffK-EJpae_3rWs4R7LHzIZ5YTKGFvTCJLtlmOcu2oolMA8hI3u_eEYjv7k9h3tvXFOHyQgsjZY2OVJX3FsQTForhQw/s1600-h/420+Jared+and+Tom.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261254748484034146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjmdM2F4GQvsYLG0DDplJB0vaRUItLKmoEHTzhe2lqasLK_cVgffK-EJpae_3rWs4R7LHzIZ5YTKGFvTCJLtlmOcu2oolMA8hI3u_eEYjv7k9h3tvXFOHyQgsjZY2OVJX3FsQTForhQw/s320/420+Jared+and+Tom.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><div><div>Once we got back near the buses the ladies put on the hard sell. It reminds me of the tag teams that try to sell you time shares. Jared and Tom seem a bit overwhelmed, while Carley appears to have everything under control<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMTr2y8zjo7OC0Br_Q3AvPSjqfwS7t09_6hZJQsJdma1HLEt8eSq5w8BocgOFqA-cZCnfy9FLhiuqb7bUZ93E7U8pY55TLCbBfK4s7Um28MD6SR_7kmXtn-jJXoSKd8acPDZsq3N8C6E/s1600-h/421+Carley.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261254356936837826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMTr2y8zjo7OC0Br_Q3AvPSjqfwS7t09_6hZJQsJdma1HLEt8eSq5w8BocgOFqA-cZCnfy9FLhiuqb7bUZ93E7U8pY55TLCbBfK4s7Um28MD6SR_7kmXtn-jJXoSKd8acPDZsq3N8C6E/s320/421+Carley.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Even Long got into the act.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK35_fMetHGkdy79XUdAEiuUGGDog0iYeo5gFs3dK2BARLEOAznvR9_yNLtpbHE7Im5icB2JG-jqBVsFAh8j087WYPrAFc2WMEs76ZiIjbsLYuhyK8C_fA55K13e1lNRIxhd3K9kJGP3Q/s1600-h/422+Long.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261253684902420786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 228px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK35_fMetHGkdy79XUdAEiuUGGDog0iYeo5gFs3dK2BARLEOAznvR9_yNLtpbHE7Im5icB2JG-jqBVsFAh8j087WYPrAFc2WMEs76ZiIjbsLYuhyK8C_fA55K13e1lNRIxhd3K9kJGP3Q/s320/422+Long.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaJAGldbIISTnnM8gjaEAb7AhsG2gsAM2C0uZ0uhoraxJ-mfx-P8Uxd5BF_Fq4xQ3erfHwpHpnm_Um-mhor7LqgpIGV9LdC-BuuTcovOWBaiEOz2F_A2e2lWzKSuw8n6rWVf8fvygBlc/s1600-h/424+Rice+Paddies.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261253341855311282" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIaJAGldbIISTnnM8gjaEAb7AhsG2gsAM2C0uZ0uhoraxJ-mfx-P8Uxd5BF_Fq4xQ3erfHwpHpnm_Um-mhor7LqgpIGV9LdC-BuuTcovOWBaiEOz2F_A2e2lWzKSuw8n6rWVf8fvygBlc/s320/424+Rice+Paddies.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>If you actually buy something, you are in double trouble, as several more ladies will come up to you and say "You buy from me also?"<br /><br /><div>After a lunch break, we headed back out for a trek down into the valley. As we descended, we got out of the Sapa cloud, so even though it was hazy, it was a big improvement. In the hill country they have to terrace the rice paddies, as you can see in this picture, and others to follow.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR-GRtrOmUqEQzi_qK8n7ITQZJnCpuzUPkM5obdeMEEtFUFpGx6G289tfsdr1b10ct240JjVRBgM_Mx66Xq3tNjxlToyZN1IxlAWH8GIPsYGyHwf9L2gRxIErcVSlL8igntfeay5N_rM/s1600-h/423+Trekking+in+Rain.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261252581280489378" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizR-GRtrOmUqEQzi_qK8n7ITQZJnCpuzUPkM5obdeMEEtFUFpGx6G289tfsdr1b10ct240JjVRBgM_Mx66Xq3tNjxlToyZN1IxlAWH8GIPsYGyHwf9L2gRxIErcVSlL8igntfeay5N_rM/s320/423+Trekking+in+Rain.JPG" border="0" /></a>It was raining when we first started out, but tailed off as we walked. </div><br /><div>Below you see another good example of the terraced rice paddies. </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77JjvGkiikImXFRdq0smQf0mhdmnvthVyzSaEgLmZfOjpFM5o-QcxCLmry9yMFcdSf0sMjo9uRq7Cm2WhkmTHdIdDHVsmwMX8PdNOzITxfPSGqyeYas628KRCAuEnhd6JtWDQwV80QBA/s1600-h/425+Rice+Paddies.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261252338880891554" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77JjvGkiikImXFRdq0smQf0mhdmnvthVyzSaEgLmZfOjpFM5o-QcxCLmry9yMFcdSf0sMjo9uRq7Cm2WhkmTHdIdDHVsmwMX8PdNOzITxfPSGqyeYas628KRCAuEnhd6JtWDQwV80QBA/s320/425+Rice+Paddies.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77JjvGkiikImXFRdq0smQf0mhdmnvthVyzSaEgLmZfOjpFM5o-QcxCLmry9yMFcdSf0sMjo9uRq7Cm2WhkmTHdIdDHVsmwMX8PdNOzITxfPSGqyeYas628KRCAuEnhd6JtWDQwV80QBA/s1600-h/425+Rice+Paddies.JPG"></a></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2_HNuXy_bPExNGtalKlHW0wSWBMxHuWboTnRp8t-Ma1btam0Oqt_M_AcB1o6e21pFXHSYDPvbtCLf5uTK8rbn24JtZTB81N5T7NUeHT3Iaex29Jomz4zkdeWgzjqoUED1l_S1ehSXt0/s1600-h/426+Boy+%26+Dog.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261251909327038018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 233px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2_HNuXy_bPExNGtalKlHW0wSWBMxHuWboTnRp8t-Ma1btam0Oqt_M_AcB1o6e21pFXHSYDPvbtCLf5uTK8rbn24JtZTB81N5T7NUeHT3Iaex29Jomz4zkdeWgzjqoUED1l_S1ehSXt0/s320/426+Boy+%26+Dog.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />A ways down the road we stopped<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuT3YKGGXjZj4QCAeSS-AjF368yWOyttNBD2OZLZZjyL5g6_VeeOBjGcfbad7h6oZdMXSeJ0bAnsfMKxLzuldi4Kp__TWi_ZuELf9FdnBrsVMU8yCmE4rY-ZSm1jVGu24xPqdiXisKENc/s1600-h/427+Boy+%26+Dog+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261251538638050338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 223px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuT3YKGGXjZj4QCAeSS-AjF368yWOyttNBD2OZLZZjyL5g6_VeeOBjGcfbad7h6oZdMXSeJ0bAnsfMKxLzuldi4Kp__TWi_ZuELf9FdnBrsVMU8yCmE4rY-ZSm1jVGu24xPqdiXisKENc/s320/427+Boy+%26+Dog+2.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div>at a house where a young boy was playing with a dog.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW0blXP7lLFRHm1jiyHbMGmDJqftVK1yaLchKE2SgsVT4GajHmpTSeuO3yXJD53BMloz0dxvMa5lRH26hdSXdWUtzIPfgt4uWOnfVp6dvx0QclUKoODXWdSp7v5DVHMgeGBJI6twY6pU/s1600-h/428+Selling+Brigade.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261250580816267810" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW0blXP7lLFRHm1jiyHbMGmDJqftVK1yaLchKE2SgsVT4GajHmpTSeuO3yXJD53BMloz0dxvMa5lRH26hdSXdWUtzIPfgt4uWOnfVp6dvx0QclUKoODXWdSp7v5DVHMgeGBJI6twY6pU/s320/428+Selling+Brigade.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The rain didn't stop the selling brigade. They use their unbrellas to protect them from the rain, and also to shade themselves when it is sunny.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTa84Ilc2qvUo4E2yn1DdJ7x3HDnHn0mnQEKgAiAGP_1ITvLTwZpOzOSEcEf91LzciRkVb44dugN5n1mKfADC88Vul2LyZl_5OTMkUElLpMJpQ1e1sJLB_1r6EAUeAZX3z9kQEcXMn2-Q/s1600-h/429+Irrigation.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261250054747413170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTa84Ilc2qvUo4E2yn1DdJ7x3HDnHn0mnQEKgAiAGP_1ITvLTwZpOzOSEcEf91LzciRkVb44dugN5n1mKfADC88Vul2LyZl_5OTMkUElLpMJpQ1e1sJLB_1r6EAUeAZX3z9kQEcXMn2-Q/s320/429+Irrigation.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br />The picture to the right shows how they get the water from one terraced paddy to the next. The soil has a high clay content, so they can form the dikes easily. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9xz98jPkgBntpJSROvQMNamfPY7oI3x9TiF8aOm37ZlGR7hjAt0sWbbJVjIm5Pw4EUr4sSd49MbVynIni4SrCn5AY6kpFByXeFoqi57s5cQPb91mb4AESwJxnRKWbzT9laoHuKsMCIE/s1600-h/430+School.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261249474636237618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9xz98jPkgBntpJSROvQMNamfPY7oI3x9TiF8aOm37ZlGR7hjAt0sWbbJVjIm5Pw4EUr4sSd49MbVynIni4SrCn5AY6kpFByXeFoqi57s5cQPb91mb4AESwJxnRKWbzT9laoHuKsMCIE/s320/430+School.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>We walked by a new school building, with students hanging out, and Uncle Ho encouraging them to learn as much as they can.<br /><br /><div>Even the preschoolers get into the selling act. The youngster at the right convinced me to buy a woven arm bracelet.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlS5sZFakCNghkJ3tyVbPCSuyDjetFUf8hM9-_GEw8naHLthIxM-HYNPEhfn6fZqu3KfMciK50PQ6htbxCSH27_yR1NRCjWGVgAlCy9CPdU_PPOJEP7JEqQwuo0rPzSN1kYqrgYO6Gj8/s1600-h/431+Starting+Young.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261249074551255778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 286px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlS5sZFakCNghkJ3tyVbPCSuyDjetFUf8hM9-_GEw8naHLthIxM-HYNPEhfn6fZqu3KfMciK50PQ6htbxCSH27_yR1NRCjWGVgAlCy9CPdU_PPOJEP7JEqQwuo0rPzSN1kYqrgYO6Gj8/s320/431+Starting+Young.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />After the rice harvest, they let all manner of stock graze to get the last bits of goodness.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxfYcHkN4-tKbzisfNpilpSmXzzEPPqtuW-vsP1XT8dlyZusAFMjZPkQ6DlIvfPuMJcKlrzGTQ6FEVQjm5da0QupBXoZkqICrdroVWUm4fXO1aXTbc7n_EQYbjSA_QEqlOBBMW_gAKxs/s1600-h/432+Water+Buffalo+Grazing.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261248809545839746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizxfYcHkN4-tKbzisfNpilpSmXzzEPPqtuW-vsP1XT8dlyZusAFMjZPkQ6DlIvfPuMJcKlrzGTQ6FEVQjm5da0QupBXoZkqICrdroVWUm4fXO1aXTbc7n_EQYbjSA_QEqlOBBMW_gAKxs/s320/432+Water+Buffalo+Grazing.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPTlgaFgFfLaBcCidxXmDX_1L_tzNkJ1l8q43sdvZO7y1O7CPphME14jMj_yDJlN3nFcLbBJ6aoijlQnF7y12lY7NucuKGKhyphenhyphen4t07JhvOQM37VhylsS1XmnRadL4aeGVtGpFXv-Gyqiw/s1600-h/433+Carley+still+buying.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261248125393117474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilPTlgaFgFfLaBcCidxXmDX_1L_tzNkJ1l8q43sdvZO7y1O7CPphME14jMj_yDJlN3nFcLbBJ6aoijlQnF7y12lY7NucuKGKhyphenhyphen4t07JhvOQM37VhylsS1XmnRadL4aeGVtGpFXv-Gyqiw/s320/433+Carley+still+buying.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Towards the end of our hike, Carley is still negotiating, Tom is playing with a baby, and Jared is getting as far away as he can. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKAFhIuhtpF1HRTyvzuLAEDWY8rVdjzWvHY1Epr6itaHm4fFGSuzhvRgNGoCOAzRyiKjBysHNqBB2RcewD6iVfaTJ_RJKHhJ3POeZTVp6c3O4gxCUr9dtAk811EOE1LixTGy-rIzrjCY/s1600-h/434+Bridge.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261247726991811586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKAFhIuhtpF1HRTyvzuLAEDWY8rVdjzWvHY1Epr6itaHm4fFGSuzhvRgNGoCOAzRyiKjBysHNqBB2RcewD6iVfaTJ_RJKHhJ3POeZTVp6c3O4gxCUr9dtAk811EOE1LixTGy-rIzrjCY/s320/434+Bridge.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div>We had to climb up a little to reach the bus, and as you can see of this view back down, the ladies disappear as soon as the clients move on.<br /><br />At 5:30 the interpic Fansipan hikers returned. All were tired, but proud of their achievements. The last six pictures are of Cat, Jill & Cat, Kate, Katherine, Julia, and Josh as they entered the hotel lobby. Josh has promised to give me <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavE7IxEK70ock-u1UeojkYzsoToFMfwezL2fZ83nAh4OSmmP4Jj6-vzI7b09_8XO-H6u07oLeTE1zd1GkcJ4xzvLVe5o4INLSaUjfNjGFOChUYXNIcygOH-vS0HZxKlpKHTT4LU_Hp_A/s1600-h/435+Jill.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261247282089972978" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavE7IxEK70ock-u1UeojkYzsoToFMfwezL2fZ83nAh4OSmmP4Jj6-vzI7b09_8XO-H6u07oLeTE1zd1GkcJ4xzvLVe5o4INLSaUjfNjGFOChUYXNIcygOH-vS0HZxKlpKHTT4LU_Hp_A/s320/435+Jill.JPG" border="0" /></a>pictures I can add of their ascent.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4u-U_FcctnZ6ywBlVUrZehu9ej-GZ2oxP7cXbXW4pSJYS4RKe_2XdDAmagARLZ8pMmk9i3F_VwWrFoJrxbGcUelqGnO5SwtqUUZYPtTXu33252AeP72tUx7ea73_gMV7HPaCyf-faG4E/s1600-h/436+Cat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261246993243392802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4u-U_FcctnZ6ywBlVUrZehu9ej-GZ2oxP7cXbXW4pSJYS4RKe_2XdDAmagARLZ8pMmk9i3F_VwWrFoJrxbGcUelqGnO5SwtqUUZYPtTXu33252AeP72tUx7ea73_gMV7HPaCyf-faG4E/s320/436+Cat.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndox4MWT3Ku20B3y60UZjStzBcQF3LeVlb61DCxj-CqW5tdOIiYR7zW1vpLXtTBxMwTDLJcq1hbKYpXnaylPzHuIwHrjph54Wk9kySp7dUDNdVH9pEh2RrvfDPNwFmE5knlS9a3J6_bU/s1600-h/437+Katherine.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261246579128869762" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjndox4MWT3Ku20B3y60UZjStzBcQF3LeVlb61DCxj-CqW5tdOIiYR7zW1vpLXtTBxMwTDLJcq1hbKYpXnaylPzHuIwHrjph54Wk9kySp7dUDNdVH9pEh2RrvfDPNwFmE5knlS9a3J6_bU/s320/437+Katherine.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4cZf18wYlO5IhUr6G1nqXacK7ZpnSG3JAPr6Ym6K_kTewdBCBYpXRmYZRlkMtLiw7YT2zE-OlDhK9-C7TMn_KioEdtMOtq2c4GUoNywYDoPep7HzadLNOiRjAPKGDu58wloIOHTyQD0/s1600-h/438+Kate.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261246257402525570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4cZf18wYlO5IhUr6G1nqXacK7ZpnSG3JAPr6Ym6K_kTewdBCBYpXRmYZRlkMtLiw7YT2zE-OlDhK9-C7TMn_KioEdtMOtq2c4GUoNywYDoPep7HzadLNOiRjAPKGDu58wloIOHTyQD0/s320/438+Kate.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64I9-9tGGauSPZVwZVHHxdEz4WTuzO2kq4Lp1o0stD7gPb9sT6JeJSl7OE8zoD9iuA9BbVxzn8q1qNYb79i3-YGF7uWYl7ArOj5Nsm1LcP1XPou2r_EGfVTCgRDOeAvtVJXG2ZMykdk4/s1600-h/440+Julia.JPG"></a> </p><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64I9-9tGGauSPZVwZVHHxdEz4WTuzO2kq4Lp1o0stD7gPb9sT6JeJSl7OE8zoD9iuA9BbVxzn8q1qNYb79i3-YGF7uWYl7ArOj5Nsm1LcP1XPou2r_EGfVTCgRDOeAvtVJXG2ZMykdk4/s1600-h/440+Julia.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261245514134844674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 175px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64I9-9tGGauSPZVwZVHHxdEz4WTuzO2kq4Lp1o0stD7gPb9sT6JeJSl7OE8zoD9iuA9BbVxzn8q1qNYb79i3-YGF7uWYl7ArOj5Nsm1LcP1XPou2r_EGfVTCgRDOeAvtVJXG2ZMykdk4/s320/440+Julia.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPz9q_Zbj0cWwxm-jj2o4zc1V4b8_dn90gH0kkXezaMhAWfjL6wRkjnRJp6Ww3w9sVn3rAMc-d-AH4_cRDJy6cz_c7JNClf4Ry4Zw7LOwbbhat_usd84nWsFT4jhdGj3mTcx8r6lyuDo/s1600-h/439+Josh.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261245945215361474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPz9q_Zbj0cWwxm-jj2o4zc1V4b8_dn90gH0kkXezaMhAWfjL6wRkjnRJp6Ww3w9sVn3rAMc-d-AH4_cRDJy6cz_c7JNClf4Ry4Zw7LOwbbhat_usd84nWsFT4jhdGj3mTcx8r6lyuDo/s320/439+Josh.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64I9-9tGGauSPZVwZVHHxdEz4WTuzO2kq4Lp1o0stD7gPb9sT6JeJSl7OE8zoD9iuA9BbVxzn8q1qNYb79i3-YGF7uWYl7ArOj5Nsm1LcP1XPou2r_EGfVTCgRDOeAvtVJXG2ZMykdk4/s1600-h/440+Julia.JPG"></a> </p> <p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64I9-9tGGauSPZVwZVHHxdEz4WTuzO2kq4Lp1o0stD7gPb9sT6JeJSl7OE8zoD9iuA9BbVxzn8q1qNYb79i3-YGF7uWYl7ArOj5Nsm1LcP1XPou2r_EGfVTCgRDOeAvtVJXG2ZMykdk4/s1600-h/440+Julia.JPG"></a> </p><br /></div><br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64I9-9tGGauSPZVwZVHHxdEz4WTuzO2kq4Lp1o0stD7gPb9sT6JeJSl7OE8zoD9iuA9BbVxzn8q1qNYb79i3-YGF7uWYl7ArOj5Nsm1LcP1XPou2r_EGfVTCgRDOeAvtVJXG2ZMykdk4/s1600-h/440+Julia.JPG"></a> </p><br /><div><br /> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-66191937221772753032008-10-23T23:34:00.000-07:002008-10-25T03:30:27.683-07:00Dien Bien Phu, 10/20 & 10/21<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuEW4q7QLSOU73ixyYdjcX-7I5ExldgfZreto6krmhrZ5RQREyIDNQpBNMjLWgcMy4KCV_nn_FEK8JsZ84mwheib6IVCu55l8aHHBuA23tqdZUmhFHrX-v7_hsKJqDiHcms_JnxX9o9g/s1600-h/377+Old+Slide.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260881434030282306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 250px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBuEW4q7QLSOU73ixyYdjcX-7I5ExldgfZreto6krmhrZ5RQREyIDNQpBNMjLWgcMy4KCV_nn_FEK8JsZ84mwheib6IVCu55l8aHHBuA23tqdZUmhFHrX-v7_hsKJqDiHcms_JnxX9o9g/s320/377+Old+Slide.JPG" border="0" /></a> The country we traveled through was beautiful, but our bus ride from Mai Chau to Dien Bien Phu took 13 hours, with an hour out for lunch. The distance wasn't that far (slightly less than 200 miles), but the traveling was slow due to construction and reroutes from old landslides. We felt lucky, as the group last year couldn't do this trip because landslides had closed the road, and there are no alternatives.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2R60qS_r3_1pli7fUSsywduQLxzpWBwCPeCay02F2eyR4SeHBPgAonDuXBecSPoub8teS4dH_HV-bsPyLLiWQuHLpR9fqEvEt1z_smnV1am2cqaC34NKLf1xP-zE5IyAThbNpTAFz_U/s1600-h/378+Clearing+Debris.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260881008469694418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 248px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2R60qS_r3_1pli7fUSsywduQLxzpWBwCPeCay02F2eyR4SeHBPgAonDuXBecSPoub8teS4dH_HV-bsPyLLiWQuHLpR9fqEvEt1z_smnV1am2cqaC34NKLf1xP-zE5IyAThbNpTAFz_U/s320/378+Clearing+Debris.JPG" border="0" /></a> The first three pictures show why it was slow going. The picture above is an old slide area, that is now part of a road construction project. Apparently the work had triggered a mini-slide, so they were working to clear the debris. Everyone got out of our buses to look at what was going on, along with all the motorbike riders waiting. This spot held us up for about 15 minutes. Since I'm an engineer, I couldn't resist taking a close up of the shovel at work.<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApLB0o25hGIQIiGM-YnY9K2-vMihhN3lT9tCrltL-oV-0xR2D5ci3UlN7iuK66LkbfFjVHeva_VcsVburNMUZbR1syLJPrhyCCIYk97ncmOdOg9bi4w23_P0OEioNl7ZE3wO9c7842As/s1600-h/379+Shovel.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260880719065109954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApLB0o25hGIQIiGM-YnY9K2-vMihhN3lT9tCrltL-oV-0xR2D5ci3UlN7iuK66LkbfFjVHeva_VcsVburNMUZbR1syLJPrhyCCIYk97ncmOdOg9bi4w23_P0OEioNl7ZE3wO9c7842As/s320/379+Shovel.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br />Closer to Dien Bien Phu, in another construction bypass, the lead bus got hung up on a rock in a large puddle in the road (shown below). The bus drivers, with help from a bystander, used pry bars to dislodge the rock, and we were on our way. Ou<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLAj71WOnsXeJ5YaVx4jT2OBtiI2W1ZKEhQBd7frAqQM-fPB8XCOptupVnobFoiyJ665Z1g5fwpPcast8iE8L3TJNEN65YAl6C_xAHHSGtHo-2UgCYX7P6T3m2HhhNRQKPevGCAfZczw/s1600-h/380+Bus+Stuck.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260880243960027058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLAj71WOnsXeJ5YaVx4jT2OBtiI2W1ZKEhQBd7frAqQM-fPB8XCOptupVnobFoiyJ665Z1g5fwpPcast8iE8L3TJNEN65YAl6C_xAHHSGtHo-2UgCYX7P6T3m2HhhNRQKPevGCAfZczw/s320/380+Bus+Stuck.JPG" border="0" /></a>r drivers have done an excellent job of getting us safely where we need to be.<br /><div><br />It was after dark by the time we arrived at the Him Lam Hotel in Dien Bien Phu, but when the students woke up in the morning they could see what a nice place it was. The picture below shows the buildings where most of them stayed. Our hotel was located on the site of one of the French garrison strong points, Beatrice.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQ0tGZOyb0wLhhK6NN7US9FRNhLTtm3KQVIG39GDASjE4_GC5SK21lXbdZ9gmjiA4b_D8AaOdA9UyuLVYrroXCFXWsA-reYatdPHf6jvZJGnBH8m1UqcyJtH4DXv6qq46w9TonW7rub8/s1600-h/381+Him+Lam+Hotel.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260879714957487906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQ0tGZOyb0wLhhK6NN7US9FRNhLTtm3KQVIG39GDASjE4_GC5SK21lXbdZ9gmjiA4b_D8AaOdA9UyuLVYrroXCFXWsA-reYatdPHf6jvZJGnBH8m1UqcyJtH4DXv6qq46w9TonW7rub8/s320/381+Him+Lam+Hotel.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Why did we travel all that way? For one it showed us a mountain section of Vietnam that is very different from anything else we have seen. The other reason is that it is the site of the famous battle in 1954 which effectively ended the French colonial period in Vietnam. The French eastablished a base in Dien Bien Phu late in 1953, in the hopes of luring the Viet Minh into a classic battle in which they could use their artillery and air power to destroy a good part of the Viet Minh army. The French leaders miscalculated the ingenuity, recourcefulness, and perserverance of their opponents, so things didn't go quite according to plan. The Viet Minh soon had the French surrounded, and managed to put their artillery in protected bunkers where the French didn't think it was possible. Because of this, the Viet Minh soon made the airstrip unusable, so the only manner of resupply for the French was by air. As the Vietminh picked away at the French strong points, even resupply by air became difficult, and much of the supplies and ammunition fell into enemy hands. They used the supplies, and fired the ammunition back at the French. With the onset of the rainy season, air support became sporadic, and dangerous, as the Viet Minh were using anti-aircraft guns given to them by the Russians and Chinese, another thing the French hadn't counted on. After a 57 day seige the French for<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUyRRcwOL_TSPB8dB-HUC7WG2WZl4cfq62AQn4THlEAYYSF5rr_9GDlYbmuGCfHy_YFX-ey2a9SYgTzeyCVq-Pej04phnlsdpAhwWKBj5xYlWH_Ot2p5-IHbtIC_MaFWqKpJGqufbG2M/s1600-h/382+Michael+%26+Machine+Gun.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260877910337440370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUyRRcwOL_TSPB8dB-HUC7WG2WZl4cfq62AQn4THlEAYYSF5rr_9GDlYbmuGCfHy_YFX-ey2a9SYgTzeyCVq-Pej04phnlsdpAhwWKBj5xYlWH_Ot2p5-IHbtIC_MaFWqKpJGqufbG2M/s320/382+Michael+%26+Machine+Gun.JPG" border="0" /></a>ces were exhausted, and basically ran out of supplies and ammunition. On May 7th the French surrendered, and over 10,000 French troops where taken prisoner.<br /><br /><div>Our first stop was the museum, which had an excellent vidoe presentation coordinated with a terrain model that used lights to show the progression of the battle.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9PAHrjgm5XGr_HH_jgzzKP4jlYFATdcHS1hgfMHe0Eeav-oH1IEYup7yjD5-wSBYGZqGgWLXt56qfX7_Es6UBZ4EdH1Vo5gBeoZFUmYfQd0lbhUYnljwo1ovmj02cQZbcWfZr5j4qrY/s1600-h/383+Cat+and+Soldier.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260877491330616274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9PAHrjgm5XGr_HH_jgzzKP4jlYFATdcHS1hgfMHe0Eeav-oH1IEYup7yjD5-wSBYGZqGgWLXt56qfX7_Es6UBZ4EdH1Vo5gBeoZFUmYfQd0lbhUYnljwo1ovmj02cQZbcWfZr5j4qrY/s320/383+Cat+and+Soldier.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The museum also had interesting exhibits about the battle. Some of the students made the dioramas interactive. Above Michael is protecting French planes from the improvised anti-aircraft gun, and to the left Cat is meeting a hero of the people. The story goes that he threw himself under the wheel of a howitzer his comrades were pulling up the mountain to prevent it from slipping back down, and gave his life to the cause. Others say it was just an accident that th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdDH9RH1KCrzie2dPM345-Bq6SNeeaV5wZMpNmf3wQAJ23BGRS68gMVEheWsF5SM12z8z__j1WLJsOe5ctr219E6XbGqgNjFnDk18Zke1BNcxcmrA6B3G68ynKHgjg06QkP22k97OXfI/s1600-h/384+Explaining+A1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260716421736186050" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdDH9RH1KCrzie2dPM345-Bq6SNeeaV5wZMpNmf3wQAJ23BGRS68gMVEheWsF5SM12z8z__j1WLJsOe5ctr219E6XbGqgNjFnDk18Zke1BNcxcmrA6B3G68ynKHgjg06QkP22k97OXfI/s320/384+Explaining+A1.JPG" border="0" /></a>e Viet Minh made good propaganda use of.<br /><br />Our next stop was A1 hill, which was part of the Eliane strong point defending the heart of the French garrison. Apparently the French commander named the seven strongpoints after his mistresses. Our local guide is giving us a brief description of the significance. Places like this require you to hire a local government guide, and it has been my experience that they do as little as possible to<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_zaJVSAx0bVE7LPS5tQU4w4SxN0Gk1azwwu2JVGV0EPYbvBNkZv674lIBtfG8S8DQMxs1gOdMlRUJe0HXnoDYRd00NanI-S1moPvhd2_WTksJ0cVIskCf-3WL88oW2ctegaUXk4-Dck/s1600-h/385+French+trenches.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260715545958027586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_zaJVSAx0bVE7LPS5tQU4w4SxN0Gk1azwwu2JVGV0EPYbvBNkZv674lIBtfG8S8DQMxs1gOdMlRUJe0HXnoDYRd00NanI-S1moPvhd2_WTksJ0cVIskCf-3WL88oW2ctegaUXk4-Dck/s320/385+French+trenches.JPG" border="0" /></a> enlighen you about what you are seeing. I tried to fill in as I could.<br /><div><br /><div>A1 was a key element of the battle, as it was the last strongpoint to be captured by the Viet Minh before they mady their final assault on the headquarters. Some of the trenches and fortifications have been rebuilt. Everything w<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IYSb2t4apNUBBXjdqhbKnBm2GwlOKW58JbdpEhyphenhyphenbX34Dok7AYrNBghcmUI1bcIVqDY6hfFtM8EjVRIoaw1Wd-bPMiHjUJm0utNUxCHQqMJNnRHNukOIVnDNDrzMZunWi2tW5l3l63fk/s1600-h/386+Tom+on+top+of+A1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260707554075217650" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_IYSb2t4apNUBBXjdqhbKnBm2GwlOKW58JbdpEhyphenhyphenbX34Dok7AYrNBghcmUI1bcIVqDY6hfFtM8EjVRIoaw1Wd-bPMiHjUJm0utNUxCHQqMJNnRHNukOIVnDNDrzMZunWi2tW5l3l63fk/s320/386+Tom+on+top+of+A1.JPG" border="0" /></a>as pretty much destroyed during the seige.<br /><div><br /><div>To the right is a Viet Minh vet explains how he and his comrades tunneled under the strongpoint and set off explosives that created the huge crater in the background. They had aimed for the top, but ran out of time so settled for the approach side. The blast still wiped out almost a whole battalion of legionnaires. He went on to say that soon after the blast his unit stormed up the hill to his rear to capture the headquarters of the strongpoint, which he is standing on, before continuing towards the garrison headquarters bunker.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFB-LQHbHIjdQhbKhIlgp7eZZH_6aRhpkwmFTeCW_t0-i7CCKx2N9zsfp4vdWX2b4eTXZT8vmAkPgQARP4JMKIBSdxFVxXRi-03M6eir4gOZ4yGLwkwuDzZirN8GThrvoCQ7UDmnaxYkU/s1600-h/387+Communications+Section.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260707109357689058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFB-LQHbHIjdQhbKhIlgp7eZZH_6aRhpkwmFTeCW_t0-i7CCKx2N9zsfp4vdWX2b4eTXZT8vmAkPgQARP4JMKIBSdxFVxXRi-03M6eir4gOZ4yGLwkwuDzZirN8GThrvoCQ7UDmnaxYkU/s320/387+Communications+Section.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Today the command bunker on the top of A1 has been rebuilt, and staffed. However, these dudes do not look very real, nor to they look very French.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQi_lu4ZNszJ7CfJHx9vQ-P9RNk1lj4S2YTcg0nPaV5YY1d_ljlaK1xAZbyJO2MnKpPGwIJMez74pIrC_K8VtEwvteuDHs10EpiJQYX7_S7VtBygtSxi3DcmxgSzavFsAhwHJ8c2_ksw/s1600-h/388+Josh+%26+tank.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260672246187951890" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 246px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuQi_lu4ZNszJ7CfJHx9vQ-P9RNk1lj4S2YTcg0nPaV5YY1d_ljlaK1xAZbyJO2MnKpPGwIJMez74pIrC_K8VtEwvteuDHs10EpiJQYX7_S7VtBygtSxi3DcmxgSzavFsAhwHJ8c2_ksw/s320/388+Josh+%26+tank.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Josh took 0ver one of the tanks the French left behind.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0vWPTc0rxjYrQGuIG9K3h9e2msDWZhi5YdOB7qlAMBx5vTCRCBzMenxrKwqccDh0mFF0HjjDPuthdy_DST2P7s9gBFM4O9PRk9ZUwG5IQIQKhbs618taxA1C40fPvbIg23l3EsvMPcQ/s1600-h/389+DeCastrie%27s+Bunker.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260671892963384466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0vWPTc0rxjYrQGuIG9K3h9e2msDWZhi5YdOB7qlAMBx5vTCRCBzMenxrKwqccDh0mFF0HjjDPuthdy_DST2P7s9gBFM4O9PRk9ZUwG5IQIQKhbs618taxA1C40fPvbIg23l3EsvMPcQ/s320/389+DeCastrie%27s+Bunker.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Next we visited the command bunker of Colonel DeCastrie, the garrison commander. Not a lot to see there other than the empty rooms in the bunker. It was here that the Viet Minh ended their advance, captured DeCastrie and his staff, and all the remaining French troops capitulated.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MULL0bjU7W2y8IsaoLyDpTbcOdOdI6O7ZMku0neTf-4nzxpX12qMdcI5yXEl61UckkKKd0tUkRbSUzL3_iQxO7Q8c63Mz9fSBlWTeM9PE0qyCRy8WXJXypqOm_u9yq_knxtnfFztGeQ/s1600-h/390+War+Memorial+Statue.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260671384003293874" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5MULL0bjU7W2y8IsaoLyDpTbcOdOdI6O7ZMku0neTf-4nzxpX12qMdcI5yXEl61UckkKKd0tUkRbSUzL3_iQxO7Q8c63Mz9fSBlWTeM9PE0qyCRy8WXJXypqOm_u9yq_knxtnfFztGeQ/s320/390+War+Memorial+Statue.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On a hill overlooking the town, actually on the site of strongpoint Dominique, the government has erected a huge bronze statue commemorating the victory. You can see how big it is by comparing its size with Michael, Cat, and Carley at its base.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9P2V7xasFgeAnor8QhN-SIP6VtMbb8YTBXGdxEokK_JQbSlzQoqXLMtHJvHFuifl2Sa4_IAD0kjc9wJntT2Yt0LG9myQAgEeZEXOEmbqk1TeTAaSbjeyR_RDGa9IWhlzD5NcA9O8mH7Y/s1600-h/391+Statue.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260670976096601666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9P2V7xasFgeAnor8QhN-SIP6VtMbb8YTBXGdxEokK_JQbSlzQoqXLMtHJvHFuifl2Sa4_IAD0kjc9wJntT2Yt0LG9myQAgEeZEXOEmbqk1TeTAaSbjeyR_RDGa9IWhlzD5NcA9O8mH7Y/s320/391+Statue.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>It is a beatiful statue, but apparently there was a corruption scandal about the quality of the bronze used to make it, and also with the construction quality of the foundation. Corruption in the government is something that has to be dealt with if Vietnam is to continue to advance economically and p<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmkY-TaTKD3ggJtcct3Hx1vZJOZA5tpTclqFOU9MEBwjjaRnAaMWu5R4R39z-OW255t7X4DAsBHapkqqPRSQ6_bfM2gWi3EyzTayoj5UcERMJyFGBFfj573n7Dx9dQUizIsXZGKee30c/s1600-h/392+Muong+Thanh+bridge.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260670572113126370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmkY-TaTKD3ggJtcct3Hx1vZJOZA5tpTclqFOU9MEBwjjaRnAaMWu5R4R39z-OW255t7X4DAsBHapkqqPRSQ6_bfM2gWi3EyzTayoj5UcERMJyFGBFfj573n7Dx9dQUizIsXZGKee30c/s320/392+Muong+Thanh+bridge.JPG" border="0" /></a>olitically.<br /><div><br />Next we traveled to the Muong Thanh Bridge. Here we met the same Viet Minh veteran with some of his comrades. He explained how they continued across the bridge after capturing A1, and quickly subdued DeCastrie's command bunker on the other side, th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1DUmr0xQCg6ZVzAQVeFqOvxpyeJqbvQg4amIXTCpqa-w3kAFUKN-D4rOh5FzWucrp8ri3Ax4KGGTWnQMI0qXGuMuyTaIjqjJAcxjqw1h0veOEupyJvUc5k7iG634LYvYEbt9CxSZ2uA/s1600-h/393+Is+This+a+Road.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260670028820353202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-1DUmr0xQCg6ZVzAQVeFqOvxpyeJqbvQg4amIXTCpqa-w3kAFUKN-D4rOh5FzWucrp8ri3Ax4KGGTWnQMI0qXGuMuyTaIjqjJAcxjqw1h0veOEupyJvUc5k7iG634LYvYEbt9CxSZ2uA/s320/393+Is+This+a+Road.JPG" border="0" /></a>us ending the battle.<br /><div><br /><br /><div> After lunch we headed for General Giap's bunker, about 20 km east of Dien Bien Phu. He was the Viet Minh commander in this campaign, and was also the commanding general of the Northern forces during the American conflict. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzzhgRMmJiVi_0qeRvCVrIP3_a6qlCQray9hC4D_cQ1m7uQY-ghgiJdh8LEKstvkB_yP8TL4WSwsw2OkoPj_sXE5MUr-crxVoRQftIlx_SfKWDfvv2m8ZuWQkM6-IU_M6aG7P9G9M17Y/s1600-h/394+Yes+it+is.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260669393250568002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzzhgRMmJiVi_0qeRvCVrIP3_a6qlCQray9hC4D_cQ1m7uQY-ghgiJdh8LEKstvkB_yP8TL4WSwsw2OkoPj_sXE5MUr-crxVoRQftIlx_SfKWDfvv2m8ZuWQkM6-IU_M6aG7P9G9M17Y/s320/394+Yes+it+is.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>We encountered another case of "is this really a road." The answer is yes, and with everyone off the bus but the driver, it made it through. No wonder the French couldn't find where Giap was hiding. A few kilometers further on we came to a dead end at a lake. Apparently our erstwhile local guide had thought we could rent a boat here to go across the lake to the bunkers. However, no boat was in sight, so we had to go back through the bad spot in the road to go another way.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGSZb2XlibHWSo5R_cYR3WIULriXaw8PvdpE3fM3qPIVa6oprxsVUBBuzssL8FDx6MNfgn4-Ulnf8rLvN9a2DzhVVqTO0TeCogdEdevW9QgDD9KkVyj8hbDtTwkLGhN2qeLucqBvHnWA/s1600-h/395+Russian+Transporter.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260666449461003490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGSZb2XlibHWSo5R_cYR3WIULriXaw8PvdpE3fM3qPIVa6oprxsVUBBuzssL8FDx6MNfgn4-Ulnf8rLvN9a2DzhVVqTO0TeCogdEdevW9QgDD9KkVyj8hbDtTwkLGhN2qeLucqBvHnWA/s320/395+Russian+Transporter.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A few kilometers further on we encountered another hold up. An old Russian tractor gave up the ghost right next to another truck, whose driver was not present. In the meantime, a dump truck was attempting to get around the tractor, coming at us. The man working on the tractor is replacing the spark plug, but it looks to me like he has bigger problems than that. There is a big puddle of oil on the ground right under the crankcase. The driver of the other truck finally showed up and moved his vehicle forward. After three dump trucks went around the tractor we were on our way.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92W9ktpeCjjbycU5WCHswPAAJKN3bflAv6uYmfhrsbykVjihrTUNR4XE2Dq1Aytdi3cnrfrhmkigl2Xj1DNEQZtK92i-9kabFYt7Dy9VcfbvBvl04MEMq_jQsW_0-ZmsZzn6seyeHm7Y/s1600-h/396+Walking+to+Giaps+Bunker.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260666005562059522" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92W9ktpeCjjbycU5WCHswPAAJKN3bflAv6uYmfhrsbykVjihrTUNR4XE2Dq1Aytdi3cnrfrhmkigl2Xj1DNEQZtK92i-9kabFYt7Dy9VcfbvBvl04MEMq_jQsW_0-ZmsZzn6seyeHm7Y/s320/396+Walking+to+Giaps+Bunker.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We finally got around to the other side, and had to walk in 0.6 km to the bunker site. After passing a sentry post we arrived at the communications bunker. They worked in the huts most of the time, and only went into the bunker when they heard an airplane approaching. They needn't have worried, as the French never figured out their location.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcH0boIVc_FpSzWoifl7SJIXmFaO_pzFpp4UEd7fyfpVcP5YBc9c55PSClmMBZPqC7dI4vugfzuqjVL4-SbURMPJLcB_G6wiSfR35m-Rm8gbPLHBAJ2_73MKir871TzAWX7JZE_S9TOFI/s1600-h/397+Communications+Bunker.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260665417537229506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcH0boIVc_FpSzWoifl7SJIXmFaO_pzFpp4UEd7fyfpVcP5YBc9c55PSClmMBZPqC7dI4vugfzuqjVL4-SbURMPJLcB_G6wiSfR35m-Rm8gbPLHBAJ2_73MKir871TzAWX7JZE_S9TOFI/s320/397+Communications+Bunker.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcY2rWHx0oJLr46eibeeOrOMGRN5hgjK0jnH-KhvRbbYZqNSFsuASxLmv3fr-2mzi9NmuZZTLe_NYdDhbLfvOquRR4EQpA3FEI3GS0tGQRSW-Yje7XGI98wuCU2tt52JPKmpcfoGDsGQ/s1600-h/398+Josh+being+sold.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260664516974849426" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHcY2rWHx0oJLr46eibeeOrOMGRN5hgjK0jnH-KhvRbbYZqNSFsuASxLmv3fr-2mzi9NmuZZTLe_NYdDhbLfvOquRR4EQpA3FEI3GS0tGQRSW-Yje7XGI98wuCU2tt52JPKmpcfoGDsGQ/s320/398+Josh+being+sold.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Throughout the visit the students learned more about the persistence of the minority people, in this case Black Thais, in selling things to tourists. They have learned to speak excellent English to pursue their trade. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCK7peM5TsXGmlRMQySkTN-IpuCK2_CzyUHUgbOE33c99tAbK1NgFIIAw6katgKdthFGAqH7K14Uvv4yue3uE01cuvnTEAFh_z2fYJ1e2qzzKBjnh_gJm-mN3xeMn0gDu7ZbrwIBGqUuU/s1600-h/399+Marker+at+Giap%27s+Bunker.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260663882230522322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCK7peM5TsXGmlRMQySkTN-IpuCK2_CzyUHUgbOE33c99tAbK1NgFIIAw6katgKdthFGAqH7K14Uvv4yue3uE01cuvnTEAFh_z2fYJ1e2qzzKBjnh_gJm-mN3xeMn0gDu7ZbrwIBGqUuU/s320/399+Marker+at+Giap%27s+Bunker.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We finally made it through the sellers to reach General Giap's headquarters. His bunker was like other tunnel complexes we have seen, except taller and wider.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI37Sita5Zp0ji4oGJiCtzP_enS1TTlZeFTnWgUvoJxPiES4oqo_nR4QQ6GOUjK1PP6gH4FBoX07GtYRKYuO5zUfgq-0oM8wOi26D15HPUvT86DW8AVEZQ_efq1ehrLPFE0vpP4wIzi50/s1600-h/400+Inside+Bunker.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260662956323840082" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI37Sita5Zp0ji4oGJiCtzP_enS1TTlZeFTnWgUvoJxPiES4oqo_nR4QQ6GOUjK1PP6gH4FBoX07GtYRKYuO5zUfgq-0oM8wOi26D15HPUvT86DW8AVEZQ_efq1ehrLPFE0vpP4wIzi50/s320/400+Inside+Bunker.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBmq44xH2bzhxBhUUeSqbtUlRqotQNbrsYlTiuBN7diZzHlN4OpQvx4faC4-mzvVf0H6u-vcVR2b62zUEcGAbRexaZFFV8LqeOlNCdecQAuRiQGPR_qa_740Hht2myd7CSCmQCoqDQ7g/s1600-h/401+Uncle+Andrew+and+General+Michael.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260662453857913970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBmq44xH2bzhxBhUUeSqbtUlRqotQNbrsYlTiuBN7diZzHlN4OpQvx4faC4-mzvVf0H6u-vcVR2b62zUEcGAbRexaZFFV8LqeOlNCdecQAuRiQGPR_qa_740Hht2myd7CSCmQCoqDQ7g/s320/401+Uncle+Andrew+and+General+Michael.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Outside the bunker, Uncle Andrew was seen discussing the upcoming campaign with General Michael.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurmb2STdZ-XP_5WfDfIZVKp6lvpfPaxLJWnwwLA8zpd05iMxJaPgF02FUYhwag-huZYy8wi-4zYmjy77ZtZuAOy8j72C6bNXasw_qUYVhbMENl5_MrXBpF1CgS4VRxs1OvEQ-7jkeytg/s1600-h/402+Black+Thai+woman.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260662040524684818" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 256px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurmb2STdZ-XP_5WfDfIZVKp6lvpfPaxLJWnwwLA8zpd05iMxJaPgF02FUYhwag-huZYy8wi-4zYmjy77ZtZuAOy8j72C6bNXasw_qUYVhbMENl5_MrXBpF1CgS4VRxs1OvEQ-7jkeytg/s320/402+Black+Thai+woman.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On the hike out we saw a Black Thai woman cultivating a new garden with her baby on her back. This is the norm. Infants go with their mothers to work, or sell.<br /><div><br />On our way back to Dien Bien Phu our local guide did his most useful thing of the day. A farmer was herding his water buffalo down the road<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwhPTqu9GSQkl0adbgQxA2JdUDcFdpgQB2JapboOGTmshbpxFnYMA_R0siE5hGz3L6RRbJRdKE3nwWqyuOKEKFKARe60B819tcalHTIQ3uEDTPPUxWvHV2pkCm3ZbXEQ8yANa5cqsdDM/s1600-h/403+Josh+and+Buffalo.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260661665319617074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUwhPTqu9GSQkl0adbgQxA2JdUDcFdpgQB2JapboOGTmshbpxFnYMA_R0siE5hGz3L6RRbJRdKE3nwWqyuOKEKFKARe60B819tcalHTIQ3uEDTPPUxWvHV2pkCm3ZbXEQ8yANa5cqsdDM/s320/403+Josh+and+Buffalo.JPG" border="0" /></a>, and the guide asked him if some of the students could ride one. For a small fee he said sure. The results were entertaining. Josh is exclaiming how hard the buffalo's back bone is, after jumping on chest first. Cat got into water buffalo surfing.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVdVl6jJOxU2fsqQiNbXciq7QHwoEB2wlgt1YITdj429EwLT0_p8TzIMLCGroQMts-Fn24MraBgFORmvSB1I_cgkChyphenhyphenciV6gkpUcADeV5-OHa-0xmTSlkDsti7dFBLJrgfSwhEH_NvpE/s1600-h/404+Cat+and+water+buffalo.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260660902876633170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVdVl6jJOxU2fsqQiNbXciq7QHwoEB2wlgt1YITdj429EwLT0_p8TzIMLCGroQMts-Fn24MraBgFORmvSB1I_cgkChyphenhyphenciV6gkpUcADeV5-OHa-0xmTSlkDsti7dFBLJrgfSwhEH_NvpE/s320/404+Cat+and+water+buffalo.JPG" border="0" /></a>Several others used the more conventional method of sitting on the back.<br /><br />Closer to Dien Bien Phu Long pointed out our hotel in the distance. When I got back I shot back towards the spot we sighted it. General Giap's bunker is over the far ridge at th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmsldl90nHzDqwKCvLNdpdTkL8nc4F6AjUAdGLp9CMiMGfkyODUBhKdfCyrX8nHvLZoSBKw92nOZ_uyZ3qEGCVeyhH888Hwi20y_JMXz6NWtk1T-zsSk3plvD0zgG1u7xZpzVyhwy_pM/s1600-h/405+View+of+mountains.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260660396787974674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbmsldl90nHzDqwKCvLNdpdTkL8nc4F6AjUAdGLp9CMiMGfkyODUBhKdfCyrX8nHvLZoSBKw92nOZ_uyZ3qEGCVeyhH888Hwi20y_JMXz6NWtk1T-zsSk3plvD0zgG1u7xZpzVyhwy_pM/s320/405+View+of+mountains.JPG" border="0" /></a>e right of the shot.<br /><div><br />This picture also shows the ring of mountains around Dien Bien Phu. The French had no control over them, so the Viet Minh hauled their howtizers to loctions on the front face of the hills, a feat the French thought impossible. The Viet Minh were able to fire directly down on the French, rather than using the usual parabolic trajec<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT5u9k-U7HURH3QkXKZSrNXj3xlwAutwyyaoqnJQaEHNZuaDnfG-jfzqKgFyTkrOCh-IjqDTgUXsg9WmpWJvw-c8JHoY1-oiCFULLCzatcO-CoQ2ajhB46i1FX2W1j_fzFB92863ncyo/s1600-h/406+Black+Thai+entertainers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260608462333925458" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 263px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT5u9k-U7HURH3QkXKZSrNXj3xlwAutwyyaoqnJQaEHNZuaDnfG-jfzqKgFyTkrOCh-IjqDTgUXsg9WmpWJvw-c8JHoY1-oiCFULLCzatcO-CoQ2ajhB46i1FX2W1j_fzFB92863ncyo/s320/406+Black+Thai+entertainers.JPG" border="0" /></a>tory. The result was devastatingly accurate fire. <br /><br /><div><div>After dinner at the hotel there was an ethnic entertainment and dance show put on by the Black Thai.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6svHxWdiE9wfzS7cBMYX2EHhiYLaPScm1i2bwdyqZJu-sBAaev2B82UcBxx5gpxu_Q9U9hTzAidEdKe9_LcaRDXrCtn3wijRZ2Q-4zYW9pv0HdSk2RizW18PfFpfNjFW9FRi3zOf4lo/s1600-h/407+Our+contribution.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260607512750973074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6svHxWdiE9wfzS7cBMYX2EHhiYLaPScm1i2bwdyqZJu-sBAaev2B82UcBxx5gpxu_Q9U9hTzAidEdKe9_LcaRDXrCtn3wijRZ2Q-4zYW9pv0HdSk2RizW18PfFpfNjFW9FRi3zOf4lo/s320/407+Our+contribution.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We also got to participate.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzDPAiCe0odWvTIO0KwgUPP8zpJISK_2gxM4R0xkPorgwAyM61kmjSI9qZpEvaRZ_cFIRbcEENECImNYuQA8JCTvXxDJNpEGn6Jj7gq-ajjhOr_Zo7YoGCYsZwEpe_bXGd_fjEr7OmMY/s1600-h/408+Bottle+Dance.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260606728049208402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzDPAiCe0odWvTIO0KwgUPP8zpJISK_2gxM4R0xkPorgwAyM61kmjSI9qZpEvaRZ_cFIRbcEENECImNYuQA8JCTvXxDJNpEGn6Jj7gq-ajjhOr_Zo7YoGCYsZwEpe_bXGd_fjEr7OmMY/s320/408+Bottle+Dance.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>In the dance at the right, the women are balancing half-full rice wine bottles on their head. Narry a drop was spilled.<br /><div><br />Wednesday morning we got another early start for the long trek to Sapa.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-39114873415815403112008-10-23T00:56:00.000-07:002008-10-23T07:59:30.597-07:00Hoa Binh and Mai Chau, 10/19<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaR5gpb16UCNlpeGrpPBLgpMs6ir4DELRMae4RHGOWsgMfh1Yd7NUqZ5Jjn2fpqqOrjPYY87KSv8yPR0YweQkzLZyYUM_N7Z8IGcnezt79Y0dZwXtIpGg95-kL7it93H-PYAV9z1dDZ8/s1600-h/349+Waiting.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260300453598499042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 265px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeaR5gpb16UCNlpeGrpPBLgpMs6ir4DELRMae4RHGOWsgMfh1Yd7NUqZ5Jjn2fpqqOrjPYY87KSv8yPR0YweQkzLZyYUM_N7Z8IGcnezt79Y0dZwXtIpGg95-kL7it93H-PYAV9z1dDZ8/s320/349+Waiting.JPG" border="0" /></a> 8 am on Sunday, 19 October we departed the Guest House for our eight day northwest study tour. The first stop was Hoa Binh power station, the largest hydroelectric plant in Southeast Asia. We had to wait a few minutes for our guide. It gave us time to look at the two symbols. the front one a representation of a tower for power lines, and the far one Uncle Ho himself.<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260300133058522034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLG4i-MyNf1EBKf0mbRWMbYaM68PCgEFpCybPIJddoB75azICmfXL6okyfE39RXPhZ7bb6kHbDMJMmfgQzcp6Npk8Iuwf61hQuBC2UTcfsk9SibdVv6RQlimNsuiW7JS2a_xLMaBELaTo/s320/350+Two+Symbols.JPG" border="0" />The plant was started in 1979 and finished in 1994. It produces 1,800 MW of electricity, which is about 25% more than Boulder Dam in Nevada/Arizona.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAdvSn-sNx-0gyl-kfvcv3HW7fruIKVOMk9Ag__9GdeIcBQy9Vi46o_QSqSUafDAVBTFTOAqeVHgfJXKdGidlMt0niyXTM75xtp38PN8T07sMouS-cPSCi5YecRUOzEj5XevlyUL02Jk/s1600-h/351+Powerhouse.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260299803028515410" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipAdvSn-sNx-0gyl-kfvcv3HW7fruIKVOMk9Ag__9GdeIcBQy9Vi46o_QSqSUafDAVBTFTOAqeVHgfJXKdGidlMt0niyXTM75xtp38PN8T07sMouS-cPSCi5YecRUOzEj5XevlyUL02Jk/s320/351+Powerhouse.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjEVXheKp_ulqT2q9juTUcmbDwu6lZi3_1qO_Bqe-vz4asgz180y92G6HhMoDYOPwMwzpXZnLPWaORmh68_Ayp0Mo7fMMBhY5lNjfGFa57rl3ld12IbFEpkGd5Rx2NJEL6mu3q-TjwDY/s1600-h/352+Mural.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260299381500057090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmjEVXheKp_ulqT2q9juTUcmbDwu6lZi3_1qO_Bqe-vz4asgz180y92G6HhMoDYOPwMwzpXZnLPWaORmh68_Ayp0Mo7fMMBhY5lNjfGFa57rl3ld12IbFEpkGd5Rx2NJEL6mu3q-TjwDY/s320/352+Mural.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The Vietnamese are proud of the help they received from the Russians in designing and building the power plant, as is shown by the mural below the control room.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeL-GRbXDNcFNrnvf-dplGpIIc_R4qDC-5bNM2bMebrMe1bAeuTfBivIPDulRglj4E4XRQe4_ylbJLhGojWoxX-HOdjWjm3IzOEfjO851m4z0LzzDYiNNvZItZjaclkz6VWpu9_YM8a4/s1600-h/353+Discussing+Hydropower.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260303698872706242" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 285px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJeL-GRbXDNcFNrnvf-dplGpIIc_R4qDC-5bNM2bMebrMe1bAeuTfBivIPDulRglj4E4XRQe4_ylbJLhGojWoxX-HOdjWjm3IzOEfjO851m4z0LzzDYiNNvZItZjaclkz6VWpu9_YM8a4/s320/353+Discussing+Hydropower.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>For most of the students it was the first time they had been in a hydroelectric plant, so it was interesting learning some of the basics.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZa9Vi21qYh3PKUbTf1lj2TGcBVXuUCyXiYu6Lb5xRNfxjeO3KwRWgHGuBDBVaPBKpWHQ6sCWl3oM2P3AKAmk_U8sU5lJF0Q7izNjrOsReDZ4ElIG9Tp33awVICsIoRNm7T4CNl_Op68/s1600-h/354+Meeting+Uncle+Ho.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260297720001121586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZa9Vi21qYh3PKUbTf1lj2TGcBVXuUCyXiYu6Lb5xRNfxjeO3KwRWgHGuBDBVaPBKpWHQ6sCWl3oM2P3AKAmk_U8sU5lJF0Q7izNjrOsReDZ4ElIG9Tp33awVICsIoRNm7T4CNl_Op68/s320/354+Meeting+Uncle+Ho.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />We drove over the dam, and said hello to Uncle Ho. Here Tom shakes hands, and below Molly and Carley show how it is done.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pSAJdENN0Qp5jiZgiZv-O8fqGjjcrN9bR6VigYedlIq5FHbHmnjDKwVBZwQo5Jeihqht4U9CKXBWAVJ9DQAuPt2KGjqFBee0FIKh8WHg4ITUSCwhwJKrJfmfZNqbVZ9du_tQfSl8F5c/s1600-h/355+How+it+was+done.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260297444535944866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 249px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7pSAJdENN0Qp5jiZgiZv-O8fqGjjcrN9bR6VigYedlIq5FHbHmnjDKwVBZwQo5Jeihqht4U9CKXBWAVJ9DQAuPt2KGjqFBee0FIKh8WHg4ITUSCwhwJKrJfmfZNqbVZ9du_tQfSl8F5c/s320/355+How+it+was+done.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5TbnWziD9ZatjmPWu-7l8sVLEftgcn39m1oVV_sGRlCq3uAy7_4GjX9K4En6gzbmkx3k-74JOS-qIFL4bw1P2O-TlC3HCTvyYkAmu1oh2Yk1aLjPFf7AdAMEBhBeWQeBcyEZTfL2fSY/s1600-h/356+At+foot+of+Ho.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260297150267481634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5TbnWziD9ZatjmPWu-7l8sVLEftgcn39m1oVV_sGRlCq3uAy7_4GjX9K4En6gzbmkx3k-74JOS-qIFL4bw1P2O-TlC3HCTvyYkAmu1oh2Yk1aLjPFf7AdAMEBhBeWQeBcyEZTfL2fSY/s320/356+At+foot+of+Ho.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br />You can see how big the statue is with Jill and Molly standing by one foot. This is the second largest statue of Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam. The largest is in his home town.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5jYNxx5Qdk8_TcaKV0QKGzfPKgaHe_ZCZmKaS_thx4XD3TliccmuvmRayV1Qb_rZbeAv6mTjuPx81_4GaGFeU0K_VvjIos9JXSsOz7pL48suU6Rr5dpx0eG_AUctIlBB0ZH-TAs0ruI/s1600-h/357+Bidding+Adeau+to+Ho.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260296796074416498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 246px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5jYNxx5Qdk8_TcaKV0QKGzfPKgaHe_ZCZmKaS_thx4XD3TliccmuvmRayV1Qb_rZbeAv6mTjuPx81_4GaGFeU0K_VvjIos9JXSsOz7pL48suU6Rr5dpx0eG_AUctIlBB0ZH-TAs0ruI/s320/357+Bidding+Adeau+to+Ho.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>He bid us a fond farewell and asked us to come back again.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9_hEhMUx2H83gUHixzcGLPVK4a0YupWJ-4nyY9x-Yia-9OOK87fte5L6SImuLruubyN2uf-8-D9jH5xtdJ_lOIZ11-UMkdpblipBmQPGqKWLB3OTWiaAGwJQ3ShsQ-cBDM2ar8lne8w/s1600-h/358+Stilt+house.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260296579676621858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9_hEhMUx2H83gUHixzcGLPVK4a0YupWJ-4nyY9x-Yia-9OOK87fte5L6SImuLruubyN2uf-8-D9jH5xtdJ_lOIZ11-UMkdpblipBmQPGqKWLB3OTWiaAGwJQ3ShsQ-cBDM2ar8lne8w/s320/358+Stilt+house.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />After lunch in Hoa Binh we made it to Mai Chau about 3:00. This is an area inhabited by the White Thai ethnic group. Because of its remote location in a mountain valley, it was spared the deprivation of either war. After checking into our home-stay, shown above, we had about three hours to explore the area. The stilt houses are typical of the minority hill tribes. The stilts originally protected them from an assortment of wild animals, including tigers. Unlike the permanent stairs of today, they would pull up their ladder each night. The stilts still give protection a<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4VgdYt1Y-JxxPCYKSe36el-9PYDQeJbO3Rfo2cZ2eNqVPsvlxpL-MwndV30Kd_5VlIQwLQj-V24jScHWt9TN1F0qBK2Z4K0KcE0XhcYeffYmzZDO2dvHivFooBe0Qqm8XCMN5-UOckU/s1600-h/359+walking+about+town.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260296082520175986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4VgdYt1Y-JxxPCYKSe36el-9PYDQeJbO3Rfo2cZ2eNqVPsvlxpL-MwndV30Kd_5VlIQwLQj-V24jScHWt9TN1F0qBK2Z4K0KcE0XhcYeffYmzZDO2dvHivFooBe0Qqm8XCMN5-UOckU/s320/359+walking+about+town.JPG" border="0" /></a>gainst things such as snakes, but the area underneath is also used to enclose livestock, or in the case of Mai Chau, to have shops selling wooven products. Some houses still have the thatched roofs made from palm fronds, while others are switching to clay tiles.<br /><br />In his wanders, Andrew met a new friend, Cliff Oxley, a young water buffalo.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKEQewqp3Won4nk5vwnSWJGKBsevkTTWn6fFmfAIpbiFx7R84pyHcgUXiHueMiNs7Nb1cFSHuiqoM6_uSZ1ZB6nwETyAfGQOecP7cSUoEppGdFtA4sgxYK7fVdI7aVDUJ4GbwKkGSyA0/s1600-h/360+Cliff+Oxley.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260295573800202482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeKEQewqp3Won4nk5vwnSWJGKBsevkTTWn6fFmfAIpbiFx7R84pyHcgUXiHueMiNs7Nb1cFSHuiqoM6_uSZ1ZB6nwETyAfGQOecP7cSUoEppGdFtA4sgxYK7fVdI7aVDUJ4GbwKkGSyA0/s320/360+Cliff+Oxley.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The students also ran across some frisky puppies. Here one of them is trying to defeather a chicken. The chicken was amazingly tolerant, even when two went after it at once. The owner of the<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqzzXd2TWRAbYQVP4I04R0ATLOj7gmAlTMn8L6XLHmpu1sZxmjki3q7vxOs6qVBrDt17aW5vAuHgfBXdCCpbB-Qhe9iSmDwSwBV5Xz5wtzP1ZVDZ55SJQ_pFFzCWdWe7bEqU7q1M_-s0/s1600-h/361+Dog+and+Chicken.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260295069479438706" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoqzzXd2TWRAbYQVP4I04R0ATLOj7gmAlTMn8L6XLHmpu1sZxmjki3q7vxOs6qVBrDt17aW5vAuHgfBXdCCpbB-Qhe9iSmDwSwBV5Xz5wtzP1ZVDZ55SJQ_pFFzCWdWe7bEqU7q1M_-s0/s320/361+Dog+and+Chicken.JPG" border="0" /></a> puppies said we could have a puppy for 200,000 VND (~$12), so some of the students wanted to adopt.<br /><div><br />Friendly animals were the norm of the day,<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYHVADMV-v7CC-fehlKairIJfaYFp7cNXSL83BOpvtSeVaIkc1WTPXIh4Gb3_QbKFiFBOBKiiO1uhFnh7Nvl_WSuRc0EzX7Y_oCOrtOnhoT4yZod2RpRXjzgjufxb6V48je4INuwI0_E/s1600-h/362+Cow.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260294792736508402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAYHVADMV-v7CC-fehlKairIJfaYFp7cNXSL83BOpvtSeVaIkc1WTPXIh4Gb3_QbKFiFBOBKiiO1uhFnh7Nvl_WSuRc0EzX7Y_oCOrtOnhoT4yZod2RpRXjzgjufxb6V48je4INuwI0_E/s320/362+Cow.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />as were negotiations over woven and embroidered items.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5AOparrwVsEyQgxwALChnd0CVw4HOk1t0EV3VBQYskrjRn3hg14r2omWIL4wuoKDASYSlj-CL2kftwn8lhus7S7pJq2IrGq2BI7Ku25tlIXIWQA28RvqUyzXWqqrJqFm9BSZJY8J4mc/s1600-h/363+Woman+with+Child.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260294184790079378" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5AOparrwVsEyQgxwALChnd0CVw4HOk1t0EV3VBQYskrjRn3hg14r2omWIL4wuoKDASYSlj-CL2kftwn8lhus7S7pJq2IrGq2BI7Ku25tlIXIWQA28RvqUyzXWqqrJqFm9BSZJY8J4mc/s320/363+Woman+with+Child.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQi1ReGn61eTOPpJcT4GUMZ1i3PYjmvQEW4IEe1U0exhTPR7uCp0WDTctYHtA7FKfPtTl2GkwAUg3b9zgxtnvSvPCkHRHwW4PVJpzCyoytsxp-LcW8-ED5QW1ifsANhIejl64RT7Gzv0/s1600-h/364+Selling+Weaving.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260293679166107890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQi1ReGn61eTOPpJcT4GUMZ1i3PYjmvQEW4IEe1U0exhTPR7uCp0WDTctYHtA7FKfPtTl2GkwAUg3b9zgxtnvSvPCkHRHwW4PVJpzCyoytsxp-LcW8-ED5QW1ifsANhIejl64RT7Gzv0/s320/364+Selling+Weaving.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The lady in the two pictures above had a loom set up under her house and was producing the items she sold right there. You can get a hand woven scarf or runner for a<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUJLRs7hmECY4VT9deC6c1T_VE6JXFsZxIWCVrIvaHF-c6lwFtBvN6ZuyxI4tJdhpmCK8hm84W18cwmifKEqL3GiKZoSkuOzH2qTiKouCDY-eXwnSAd6wO1_XqYcLLIYOlfJRXpqqaKs/s1600-h/365+Cliff%27s+Cousin.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260265260107469538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGUJLRs7hmECY4VT9deC6c1T_VE6JXFsZxIWCVrIvaHF-c6lwFtBvN6ZuyxI4tJdhpmCK8hm84W18cwmifKEqL3GiKZoSkuOzH2qTiKouCDY-eXwnSAd6wO1_XqYcLLIYOlfJRXpqqaKs/s320/365+Cliff%27s+Cousin.JPG" border="0" /></a> fraction of the price you would pay in the states.<br /><div><div><br />While the students were figuring out what they wanted to buy, the family water buffalo ambled home and flopped down in the front yard puddle. When water buffalo are not being used in the fields, they are often let loose to roam during the day. They know where food awaits them in the evening. I have yet to run across one that was aggressive.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglexDe3vtgxCbn5Z3KJr03QWCqD00wg6NyUL6V6zBjb2TfFErNv293EkWmHuc1VDmTYn27rUXZrop3UbGBpTeXoFDTKquf_0Nl9iQQB12qYFtohLcOHmfxeHwQtZPG1FRdGKajcQJAGIE/s1600-h/367+dancers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260264434944625826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglexDe3vtgxCbn5Z3KJr03QWCqD00wg6NyUL6V6zBjb2TfFErNv293EkWmHuc1VDmTYn27rUXZrop3UbGBpTeXoFDTKquf_0Nl9iQQB12qYFtohLcOHmfxeHwQtZPG1FRdGKajcQJAGIE/s320/367+dancers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>After a delicious dinner at the home-stay, we had a dance performance of traditional minority dances. The dances celebrate the harvest, the coming of spring, butterflies, and all sorts of other positive things.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUXVzfpkM2l0IhvAzWJh9bO7Axjz3bzSh7g3MlPETPLdOCU_F6tzcPjyJ_1KHAoKAiwpcrjYOm5XWLE2UeE7WiCqfKBpD4zuHoEHGv7B-nCSW4ipJ3KVMufjqqv6-SNSgb6k5zKP15wY/s1600-h/368+dancers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260263173470696786" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFUXVzfpkM2l0IhvAzWJh9bO7Axjz3bzSh7g3MlPETPLdOCU_F6tzcPjyJ_1KHAoKAiwpcrjYOm5XWLE2UeE7WiCqfKBpD4zuHoEHGv7B-nCSW4ipJ3KVMufjqqv6-SNSgb6k5zKP15wY/s320/368+dancers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />The students got to participate also.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcAH6IFJ-xgsj8Z_pRqyp6mRsG2GtSDwL40X-dIwiBRGeOHLkGDkofP3trS056Zi5LuqZ-I59LK-P3S6qxSzkbYFi6ZDUyYqiQrVHjAV7CVoLbxhYrvVel9JMlDxMTsEQnW3QxYlcz0Y/s1600-h/369+Bamboo+Dance.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260262441387927570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 239px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcAH6IFJ-xgsj8Z_pRqyp6mRsG2GtSDwL40X-dIwiBRGeOHLkGDkofP3trS056Zi5LuqZ-I59LK-P3S6qxSzkbYFi6ZDUyYqiQrVHjAV7CVoLbxhYrvVel9JMlDxMTsEQnW3QxYlcz0Y/s320/369+Bamboo+Dance.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvdcRF-_1kkLXiy3FP2tYJrIK_67fr-dyzW8R0sG75v6AQiA5YG3EZk1hqUIKA_1LNGYwVdTw5j0M3FT_rPsLktY5x3247VtupDoFEE93gcXMH72qECTzvZaVMOhux-u-2-nC3y-dp_8/s1600-h/370+Bamboo+Dance.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260262017833902866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNvdcRF-_1kkLXiy3FP2tYJrIK_67fr-dyzW8R0sG75v6AQiA5YG3EZk1hqUIKA_1LNGYwVdTw5j0M3FT_rPsLktY5x3247VtupDoFEE93gcXMH72qECTzvZaVMOhux-u-2-nC3y-dp_8/s320/370+Bamboo+Dance.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3YuNuILx60DE4uryj8ocYFV4tZ57DoTGH9zOXr9FvU4KD5YcMgjfmAV3BJaKpIL7PesOaIphg1llSmNXRkV1BRACqLc9XoQMRpIKoKWNSYXzYqM1yhVkkJsTnk70uiRU5Yzi7sg00LM/s1600-h/372+Drums.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260259202800053618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY3YuNuILx60DE4uryj8ocYFV4tZ57DoTGH9zOXr9FvU4KD5YcMgjfmAV3BJaKpIL7PesOaIphg1llSmNXRkV1BRACqLc9XoQMRpIKoKWNSYXzYqM1yhVkkJsTnk70uiRU5Yzi7sg00LM/s320/372+Drums.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />Later in the evening the room where the dances were held was changed into a bedroom for about two thirds of the students. Mats were put on the floor, and mosquito netting was hung from cables supported above head level.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxx-XbgP5JPlW7wgTlC0hShxBMQXQGw7VfVPP4D_jDe9r1slzng5tbeP4emiA85SMFwslhUQOCI9TsLVG7e5DOv-O88SZnGz3-yweRSFRcZgaVd1UDR9mSGxAJ77gWcRBlitgjXiZkWc/s1600-h/373+Early+in+Morning.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260258665495185458" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxx-XbgP5JPlW7wgTlC0hShxBMQXQGw7VfVPP4D_jDe9r1slzng5tbeP4emiA85SMFwslhUQOCI9TsLVG7e5DOv-O88SZnGz3-yweRSFRcZgaVd1UDR9mSGxAJ77gWcRBlitgjXiZkWc/s320/373+Early+in+Morning.JPG" border="0" /></a>When we arrived it was hazy, even though they weren't burning the remnants of the last rice crop. In the morning it was both foggy and hazy, so we didn't see the full grandeur of the mountains. However, the fog in the morning did add a sort of surreal tone to the scene. This is looking out the front of our home-stay.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_lDOxa6R-UOGBRNRatmFeyvst03Ru_UkPOqCtIL06AoGTcGRHjR7eqM3jbbnMIB6VPIx96oeyiklX7IzYYBPibss8EK9i0FKVX1gcAEQ5KMM6ro9ZwHFs4brW1fJ5MWHQpzRqNYVDtc/s1600-h/374+Woman+and+Buffalo.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260257884635503986" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_lDOxa6R-UOGBRNRatmFeyvst03Ru_UkPOqCtIL06AoGTcGRHjR7eqM3jbbnMIB6VPIx96oeyiklX7IzYYBPibss8EK9i0FKVX1gcAEQ5KMM6ro9ZwHFs4brW1fJ5MWHQpzRqNYVDtc/s320/374+Woman+and+Buffalo.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>To the right a woman herds her cow along the road to the next hamlet. The cow would slow down and wait for the woman, then sprint on ahead for a ways. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEMzUa8dVSKu6bwELznl3QXH3TOzLtCp53-GfC-FBtO8B6xgsZQcLNyBbCYSAXdd1dHhkkD2_rZvpExXtLDkfaySCTqDtVkBkE0iU2rsRexwMw4izIKrydZUUnnE5edNhmD4hgG5SeQU/s1600-h/375+Going+to+School.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260256901386740322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiEMzUa8dVSKu6bwELznl3QXH3TOzLtCp53-GfC-FBtO8B6xgsZQcLNyBbCYSAXdd1dHhkkD2_rZvpExXtLDkfaySCTqDtVkBkE0iU2rsRexwMw4izIKrydZUUnnE5edNhmD4hgG5SeQU/s320/375+Going+to+School.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />School children were also biking to school.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo72syg7yAzXcyvrBVNGC5PCgb2tjvb-C9vRC3Rko8s4Za3cZ8jMG8bmj8RvEeObMmVNjFeK-uW3TDNJpj44QtDIv_KnDuyrIfS_1FlADTk6E56jSzQx81SX1YvpRH_yP6FwiQ2XmjlE/s1600-h/376+Water+Buffalo.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260256447347112882" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieo72syg7yAzXcyvrBVNGC5PCgb2tjvb-C9vRC3Rko8s4Za3cZ8jMG8bmj8RvEeObMmVNjFeK-uW3TDNJpj44QtDIv_KnDuyrIfS_1FlADTk6E56jSzQx81SX1YvpRH_yP6FwiQ2XmjlE/s320/376+Water+Buffalo.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />On our way out of town, this man was walking his water buffalo in a rice paddy.<br /><br />The next leg of our trip was a day-long bus ride to Dien Bien Phu.<br /><div><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-853162648375178892008-10-18T12:38:00.000-07:002008-10-18T16:27:08.047-07:00Museum of Ethnicity and Women's Museum, 10/17<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvK73idqUwIOCzMx97wIlFwP-iO92r_UuzFPEZ25XIHOXWPzcSrmYbIdSw0QcIfLJmNzIFKShY9d36MeVs5lovLNhH0DOrDMksO6VJDrnote5LTSucUV4U4vhch9wjfaaXBnTzIVx9B8/s1600-h/322+Entering+Museum.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258628843542399618" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvK73idqUwIOCzMx97wIlFwP-iO92r_UuzFPEZ25XIHOXWPzcSrmYbIdSw0QcIfLJmNzIFKShY9d36MeVs5lovLNhH0DOrDMksO6VJDrnote5LTSucUV4U4vhch9wjfaaXBnTzIVx9B8/s320/322+Entering+Museum.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4q1GFmnzgnFISSCoZ6roPwKA_7gY0XDaymdZ3J6DAtckvHgXIbZr_zHSk7DjSnkUFdKAVOYeeZ29XCVggs0Ter_3mFLtKtTp0auii8gwTyaE7MGyFkE4tG2yBjalG-etLZHc4vrrv4I/s1600-h/323+Kids+Leaving.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258628611200391266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4q1GFmnzgnFISSCoZ6roPwKA_7gY0XDaymdZ3J6DAtckvHgXIbZr_zHSk7DjSnkUFdKAVOYeeZ29XCVggs0Ter_3mFLtKtTp0auii8gwTyaE7MGyFkE4tG2yBjalG-etLZHc4vrrv4I/s320/323+Kids+Leaving.JPG" border="0" /></a> Even before we got to the main building of the Museum of Ethnicity, we were assailed by groups of elementary school students heading for the outdoors displays, all eager to practice their English. "Hello" "What is your name?" "Where are you from?" "How old are you?"<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRagh3KrY1TJPwq-vkuvoSKhPC_PuQ0nrdDrUq3N6mC1NEK8BNJFfulrciJz8PAMbSpjyIZerCiL8IyqWVw7FfOwhdvAmspfRvaMRXk56vBgKOghgF19dHs-EKUOe_NnfFV385qaJrOmE/s1600-h/324+Baskets.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258628077381021858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRagh3KrY1TJPwq-vkuvoSKhPC_PuQ0nrdDrUq3N6mC1NEK8BNJFfulrciJz8PAMbSpjyIZerCiL8IyqWVw7FfOwhdvAmspfRvaMRXk56vBgKOghgF19dHs-EKUOe_NnfFV385qaJrOmE/s320/324+Baskets.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Once we got into the museum, there were excellent displays on all of the 50+ ethnic groups in Vietnam.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOB4BdpPFTXeDyH2NORGUHBAVJm-9xCAVMaXRLAR2mh0FhFWFzUCadAlRk9zYPody5RS-i9A5BxdzANI4y1hfc6pR4PMVWlbKb38FH5PRva_bI3blB-TRZe8AKh7DUVBYVqEFBNRDRoHQ/s1600-h/325+Pottery.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258627461224064578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOB4BdpPFTXeDyH2NORGUHBAVJm-9xCAVMaXRLAR2mh0FhFWFzUCadAlRk9zYPody5RS-i9A5BxdzANI4y1hfc6pR4PMVWlbKb38FH5PRva_bI3blB-TRZe8AKh7DUVBYVqEFBNRDRoHQ/s320/325+Pottery.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqhpd-EG7UPczr2fuOT51yJviv6B9_XD55fs_eAAF8dBCDsx0rEFjxxSrlgASB-U85cnu4xkNgwF_NyCxBXhxCMcheEp9mHNSraIGS6Gh2lbn-bl2rpaNUgVd7w8XSwdUVoTQ4sXqtXc/s1600-h/326+Clothes.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258627085942749122" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGqhpd-EG7UPczr2fuOT51yJviv6B9_XD55fs_eAAF8dBCDsx0rEFjxxSrlgASB-U85cnu4xkNgwF_NyCxBXhxCMcheEp9mHNSraIGS6Gh2lbn-bl2rpaNUgVd7w8XSwdUVoTQ4sXqtXc/s320/326+Clothes.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguf92kO2nOndvyBh0IaJ93IKLY4uXHg7YmaXSTIJ5Ynt1gpxaBcKh8QW7mXLhner8ZQkwH7q6xOANahuYPDBrigF669U_mM8f83T-wYkUJhrhkNke81xYUHKOs0nxXL2iaQYXneE58SB8/s1600-h/327+Pictures.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258626790855882898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguf92kO2nOndvyBh0IaJ93IKLY4uXHg7YmaXSTIJ5Ynt1gpxaBcKh8QW7mXLhner8ZQkwH7q6xOANahuYPDBrigF669U_mM8f83T-wYkUJhrhkNke81xYUHKOs0nxXL2iaQYXneE58SB8/s320/327+Pictures.JPG" border="0" /></a> Including clothing and art work.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yFiyo-ZSGtwpLhkGl5rW4fYHLnpLHg04kFRWzWe6_2pMUSwgS42jONnvAq7Kq23qRkbbfBiWNOe07czuQAR8Du5r-A5pdMSzqNSn4PDcF0J67cUwUs_-vunzW8YKaksBDA9DowmXHWs/s1600-h/328+Walkway.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258626364911730274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5yFiyo-ZSGtwpLhkGl5rW4fYHLnpLHg04kFRWzWe6_2pMUSwgS42jONnvAq7Kq23qRkbbfBiWNOe07czuQAR8Du5r-A5pdMSzqNSn4PDcF0J67cUwUs_-vunzW8YKaksBDA9DowmXHWs/s320/328+Walkway.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />But of the most interest to our band were the outdoor displays that were overrun with the school groups.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0Zlj-XOzR_AZWRwvwz4cYrPqpy-EF70m3vu1Si4jWr6I8KzUafd2z-AHWC1bzxObVrAghWViDZjzTpqFVvfr0_ghtQQzqCp7Wptu2Ciwgh7oE7AVp_DPkJh2m562rNB9vadCrJr1BTY/s1600-h/329+Kids+in+Stream.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258626064209081538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 226px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 330px" height="412" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0Zlj-XOzR_AZWRwvwz4cYrPqpy-EF70m3vu1Si4jWr6I8KzUafd2z-AHWC1bzxObVrAghWViDZjzTpqFVvfr0_ghtQQzqCp7Wptu2Ciwgh7oE7AVp_DPkJh2m562rNB9vadCrJr1BTY/s320/329+Kids+in+Stream.JPG" width="226" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Some of them decided to wade in the muddy stream going through the exhibits.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQEbD5kr-7bljPyavCx4VN9Q_xbR4rvZVJWyrFvfQ-OilvyvwO-8OkkzXwDm-YHgRpFRTknGZYczbtbaiXHQUZXrL-1N333ecRndoeUOtbZRdxQm8myk_Aj3BoSD7ENmqStXDtGp8uCU/s1600-h/330+Andrew+with+tickler.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258625724312733058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQEbD5kr-7bljPyavCx4VN9Q_xbR4rvZVJWyrFvfQ-OilvyvwO-8OkkzXwDm-YHgRpFRTknGZYczbtbaiXHQUZXrL-1N333ecRndoeUOtbZRdxQm8myk_Aj3BoSD7ENmqStXDtGp8uCU/s320/330+Andrew+with+tickler.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Here is Andrew applying the Hanoi "tickler" to a young girl.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-kVYgfSAvVBP9pu0Kn6rl6fva9BmpnXo-wpjcmcEg1tZ5bygqnynJaFcl_XyxEuwQdpmQ2lpzwnLAhxjp3_i-69WS7w8XRufgFpmJBeuB7XAVZIaBoNLwgwYdnSwAo2QBWU2fHwmv0I/s1600-h/331+Kids.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258625449076868834" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI-kVYgfSAvVBP9pu0Kn6rl6fva9BmpnXo-wpjcmcEg1tZ5bygqnynJaFcl_XyxEuwQdpmQ2lpzwnLAhxjp3_i-69WS7w8XRufgFpmJBeuB7XAVZIaBoNLwgwYdnSwAo2QBWU2fHwmv0I/s320/331+Kids.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Who is having more fun?<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmHgbHqjs-fMUq0wBvp62_P15AZDgT_ZQp48xm-RlP6LR9VkybGjE8cVicwkdYc1wX0UHt3jsETdMwTZec7lk8OKH7xTGry5MFvgSLMZhvSCYmUuVO_30FEibAjdiXmtkEw1h22LOpLY/s1600-h/332+Communal+House.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258625120348459634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmHgbHqjs-fMUq0wBvp62_P15AZDgT_ZQp48xm-RlP6LR9VkybGjE8cVicwkdYc1wX0UHt3jsETdMwTZec7lk8OKH7xTGry5MFvgSLMZhvSCYmUuVO_30FEibAjdiXmtkEw1h22LOpLY/s320/332+Communal+House.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQGpSvHGYiHl7-7mOKDt9D7mQigGf3P0N8WVMtcWfOaNhlP3u6Oq9644KmdOZVY_P9EzX3VXDnlcIYZK_ShLsdYLvp08rwNYbV1FRraPKL9e4goVhhplZaZxVUI27l3A6hQnX9DgCcKU/s1600-h/333+Chief+Andrew.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258624728128177282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQGpSvHGYiHl7-7mOKDt9D7mQigGf3P0N8WVMtcWfOaNhlP3u6Oq9644KmdOZVY_P9EzX3VXDnlcIYZK_ShLsdYLvp08rwNYbV1FRraPKL9e4goVhhplZaZxVUI27l3A6hQnX9DgCcKU/s320/333+Chief+Andrew.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The communal house was a hit with <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLIuL1dfNbc-iVTZr2VDKHVc5tnds-bLV7UYoehhEYBhTAujpq8GO-3XJa9wYuVSn8yvRuteaiiqwM4Trc4zNmI06WYEMmESREWId7IhcBRTkCdUX2CDO_WJCpBQEG4w3bOS4xMrvo50/s1600-h/334+Chief+Andrew.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258624469761198274" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNLIuL1dfNbc-iVTZr2VDKHVc5tnds-bLV7UYoehhEYBhTAujpq8GO-3XJa9wYuVSn8yvRuteaiiqwM4Trc4zNmI06WYEMmESREWId7IhcBRTkCdUX2CDO_WJCpBQEG4w3bOS4xMrvo50/s320/334+Chief+Andrew.JPG" border="0" /></a>everyone. It was a good place for Chief Andrew to recruit a hearty band of warriors. Then he took them to the long house, where he led them in the victory dance. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzXTXtKBFUcx3y8c5G1IzaffSNkpmDL6YonWoF4-zMdeAmjs46r0EikBkNcDkljlAyRCNB4FrGcdtkKr93tID7RqYJzIG9X4x63srN4pNo5umR9woGak-fGQJWFum5Ui3YATNDB_dUL0/s1600-h/335+Chief+Andrew.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258624136076989474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWzXTXtKBFUcx3y8c5G1IzaffSNkpmDL6YonWoF4-zMdeAmjs46r0EikBkNcDkljlAyRCNB4FrGcdtkKr93tID7RqYJzIG9X4x63srN4pNo5umR9woGak-fGQJWFum5Ui3YATNDB_dUL0/s320/335+Chief+Andrew.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYrbo6je7y41CQHdpCYN-F9sGi3KnSVeCW3cISKXIxS3ks1ICSgs4NnHiw5iw3AHHYmvsjCdHnW_EXf7uajBLByPAxL7RG1ZyxDXgg_4Z7muJTNarUmf4qdNLxPcRxuZVP_LCf__y-AU/s1600-h/336+Diana+with+teachers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258623813429447698" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYrbo6je7y41CQHdpCYN-F9sGi3KnSVeCW3cISKXIxS3ks1ICSgs4NnHiw5iw3AHHYmvsjCdHnW_EXf7uajBLByPAxL7RG1ZyxDXgg_4Z7muJTNarUmf4qdNLxPcRxuZVP_LCf__y-AU/s320/336+Diana+with+teachers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Here Diana is talking with some of the teachers, who let the kids run, but then got them under control in short order when they wanted to.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVQA11f0blGe6T62isafrZpNTWNOt9wVfpSAHMS68DVRDAYHlRYAAgzIpEmccLjsZxY5NuL9WkyDU8PBkwVeK6qecHXsRPREIjfSd_QnxBmKc82dvXD7VluvjJELsJuBKzIw1Oi9s4k0/s1600-h/337+Kids+taking+notes.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258623562911762098" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVQA11f0blGe6T62isafrZpNTWNOt9wVfpSAHMS68DVRDAYHlRYAAgzIpEmccLjsZxY5NuL9WkyDU8PBkwVeK6qecHXsRPREIjfSd_QnxBmKc82dvXD7VluvjJELsJuBKzIw1Oi9s4k0/s320/337+Kids+taking+notes.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />There were serious times also. Here students are taking notes on one of the exhibits.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vaTghDvFa3o7y3ZADrv2TJlmxx6h5NR1Z_6iWxkRGLPPqky_2QAkSSS44HF9g-gmiSXG0MbMww-J_FW_3rRLwdvNLkwYjb_jPFTyO_1vDhl10l7GsuCiGY1TBOvKc1_dFd0URigzydI/s1600-h/338+Molly+and+Carley.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258623110367120546" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8vaTghDvFa3o7y3ZADrv2TJlmxx6h5NR1Z_6iWxkRGLPPqky_2QAkSSS44HF9g-gmiSXG0MbMww-J_FW_3rRLwdvNLkwYjb_jPFTyO_1vDhl10l7GsuCiGY1TBOvKc1_dFd0URigzydI/s320/338+Molly+and+Carley.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Some asked individual questions.<br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div>And this young fellow was still taking notes after all the others had left the exhibit<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBFW0XIn9yq1d-csOvU9JKvNdt5yA9aNK-etd5jftQbWguBnX2YZTxjQAQpKcxpmCIb1LJQnmQEkCR1ayApBcIZNESJ_XPNGsdVLpQd-g0zM1U_ynAJE9fjNCoIrHubUJu0FWomBhOwo/s1600-h/339+Studius+One.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258622815058877282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBFW0XIn9yq1d-csOvU9JKvNdt5yA9aNK-etd5jftQbWguBnX2YZTxjQAQpKcxpmCIb1LJQnmQEkCR1ayApBcIZNESJ_XPNGsdVLpQd-g0zM1U_ynAJE9fjNCoIrHubUJu0FWomBhOwo/s320/339+Studius+One.JPG" border="0" /></a>.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ6s_0xbitd-y-cJK7p2vckyFNkgrHNe55GmRM0F01ElJA-h9u_p0rgBw1PkD5MdP8Nip_b1hKruUHmTEyZ-1uCfg0gFmxNH8d7Xlhhex-85IxPN8KRn-sbaAC8XFVis7tFCucFOeoPk/s1600-h/340+Chief+Andrew.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258622441496210466" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnZ6s_0xbitd-y-cJK7p2vckyFNkgrHNe55GmRM0F01ElJA-h9u_p0rgBw1PkD5MdP8Nip_b1hKruUHmTEyZ-1uCfg0gFmxNH8d7Xlhhex-85IxPN8KRn-sbaAC8XFVis7tFCucFOeoPk/s320/340+Chief+Andrew.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div> And Chief Andrew was still exhorting his hearty tribe.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWEnlpirZS4eMUJu4Xj9iAavoSgY5Z6nVLJQeYyfW8i5RXdhYSD1mE6PpRSR_6sa8zQuUDmXZScOAltwbf3USwesEBirD0ket9CIV_7WhJAqSV4elPJvvj7T5KDNLfcmYJIXqBmOfiQo/s1600-h/341+Communal+House.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258621965097746882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUWEnlpirZS4eMUJu4Xj9iAavoSgY5Z6nVLJQeYyfW8i5RXdhYSD1mE6PpRSR_6sa8zQuUDmXZScOAltwbf3USwesEBirD0ket9CIV_7WhJAqSV4elPJvvj7T5KDNLfcmYJIXqBmOfiQo/s320/341+Communal+House.JPG" border="0" /></a>The communal house looked lonely after everyone left.<br /><div> </div><div>The outdoor displays showed the homes and living conditions for several of the ethnic minority tribes. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqSMyJECTjRgmdy3pGBtbIreiO7maocWZ7NbzvXQEKdxODi25T-QAtxruCg9hDWaZmyNZmd7INe2KA-HGSFo2a0o-ZgFNNvAv4q9xcz60853SdgtEhD4E2UQifz-2F6SNs9aLytBHNn8/s1600-h/342+Women.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258585204267588434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqSMyJECTjRgmdy3pGBtbIreiO7maocWZ7NbzvXQEKdxODi25T-QAtxruCg9hDWaZmyNZmd7INe2KA-HGSFo2a0o-ZgFNNvAv4q9xcz60853SdgtEhD4E2UQifz-2F6SNs9aLytBHNn8/s320/342+Women.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06voUmgnfE7CYbzBkYwFustkNdPy4icq4KzUkZg2u51QIzy82wErvEv1k56hFCu0Fui5lcE7kwTOzLHlhjdWQXwIfr-XfukBVWCLWcj7c7F35EFH2XNox_9W0OiMbZUKMGG4St6g6f94/s1600-h/343+Attack+by+kids.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258584793219476594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06voUmgnfE7CYbzBkYwFustkNdPy4icq4KzUkZg2u51QIzy82wErvEv1k56hFCu0Fui5lcE7kwTOzLHlhjdWQXwIfr-XfukBVWCLWcj7c7F35EFH2XNox_9W0OiMbZUKMGG4St6g6f94/s320/343+Attack+by+kids.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Even when you sat down to take a break the students were there.<br /><br />After all that leading, Andrew needed some refueling at the Hoa Sua restaurant on site.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUxaar6DibZ43hH-m-YD0AE79Q_MltFPW1m6Z6TB0cn1_Be-QOe2g1nSVZ4OaMB7aJb1fi0j5G-dz_X30hcp8nUO6eWGwVW5d7c8gg0CuHiBIlu5mJ_aprklmObfnXvnXuhYGUiYPRWw/s1600-h/344+Andrew+with+Sandwich.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258583598277440834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUxaar6DibZ43hH-m-YD0AE79Q_MltFPW1m6Z6TB0cn1_Be-QOe2g1nSVZ4OaMB7aJb1fi0j5G-dz_X30hcp8nUO6eWGwVW5d7c8gg0CuHiBIlu5mJ_aprklmObfnXvnXuhYGUiYPRWw/s320/344+Andrew+with+Sandwich.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauJK6MJ6x0wXMDCyGms94A43GCZhjadB94pAAPw8Ur4DEYiceglVHkPhlJ0K34PBLh8OGjKNJp4w9AFEVrzGW2emDXlKalKH-tE31U6kFAchqR3sPoiEoQWlUjIGzsJgC0K86Avh_obU/s1600-h/345+I+want+one+too.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258583035365028338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauJK6MJ6x0wXMDCyGms94A43GCZhjadB94pAAPw8Ur4DEYiceglVHkPhlJ0K34PBLh8OGjKNJp4w9AFEVrzGW2emDXlKalKH-tE31U6kFAchqR3sPoiEoQWlUjIGzsJgC0K86Avh_obU/s320/345+I+want+one+too.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Michael says he wants one of those delicious sandwiches also, for take away.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFx-YfyC1VDTJoyTNj1XkWdnKQ8SaHd91mfsgm425Y36D5iZsxOIk-0Xww5sxUwiJDrvRWt8A7btuoE1aXKqOw2lKnQV1OVWx5uV_Y2s0-9Uza2E1y6Lu3TIIAOTAVP2KxVMZIYVqfC98/s1600-h/346+Women%27s+Museum.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258582257073181538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFx-YfyC1VDTJoyTNj1XkWdnKQ8SaHd91mfsgm425Y36D5iZsxOIk-0Xww5sxUwiJDrvRWt8A7btuoE1aXKqOw2lKnQV1OVWx5uV_Y2s0-9Uza2E1y6Lu3TIIAOTAVP2KxVMZIYVqfC98/s320/346+Women%27s+Museum.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><div>When we got to the Women's Museum, we discovered that the main building was closed for renovations. When asked about a reopening date, we were told "maybe in two years." I suspect they want to use the site for something else, as it is in the prime real estate area.<br /><br /><div> There were still some good exhibits. Here Jill and Diana discover that one of the weapons on the wall is called a "Falchian."<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPKOIyJB3YeBD_Qbwu001SAdEPta7NSgwUNze21VI26pxuueAn83qvWwFR2i0H8Aj2L_YZzF9aKcwlbeE0HqR-H-VIuIBDWJZjlZBqVvFlnIh1d42qD-ajcsViVM__eJwCbopu9c2Zns/s1600-h/347+Jill+pointing+to+Falchian.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258581859195297666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxPKOIyJB3YeBD_Qbwu001SAdEPta7NSgwUNze21VI26pxuueAn83qvWwFR2i0H8Aj2L_YZzF9aKcwlbeE0HqR-H-VIuIBDWJZjlZBqVvFlnIh1d42qD-ajcsViVM__eJwCbopu9c2Zns/s320/347+Jill+pointing+to+Falchian.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueEu3V59cxmidgORHmQOD4iRfQDL684SHtjIWz4YkWN4Q4huUqtZuywqeOv8oa902qhuQ3p4BulkctrfBkSfEeIS7Jh3rsAEP5Ry4_0_GR7_MDpXXdB5iHBpmx4A0khWbXvEplC20Y1Q/s1600-h/348+Exhibit+on+Street+Vendors.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258581569002004482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjueEu3V59cxmidgORHmQOD4iRfQDL684SHtjIWz4YkWN4Q4huUqtZuywqeOv8oa902qhuQ3p4BulkctrfBkSfEeIS7Jh3rsAEP5Ry4_0_GR7_MDpXXdB5iHBpmx4A0khWbXvEplC20Y1Q/s320/348+Exhibit+on+Street+Vendors.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Upstairs there was a good exhibit on street vendors. Hanoi recently banned them from many parts of the city, so it has created hardships. Now the vendors have to hide from the police, and if caught they are fined, or have their goods confiscated. They make precious little money anyway. Many are poor farmers from the outlying areas who are trying to supplement their income. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-29945303511738242062008-10-12T11:39:00.000-07:002008-10-13T05:56:09.080-07:00Hanoi Museums, 10/10 & 10/11Friday morning, 10/10 we were slated to go to the Air Force Museum, but when we got there we discoverd they had changed their opening days recently, without publicizing it. Now the museum is closed on Fridays, and open on Saturdays. So we switched gears and went to the Fine Arts Museum, which had originally been scheduled for Saturday.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDH24K8gIEHahVWX7jFAoR-ig52prAtVbKrtIwU1RLl19aiO38oeiNqMxSvB30VNKw2KprjR0x8IagbY0cXAiOYo9iHiBBFX3-w_99RaB4SOdSUJWc5kwSD7-eeDKKKQXFaSLoH5cNcc/s1600-h/288+Ancient.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256360900958812514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDH24K8gIEHahVWX7jFAoR-ig52prAtVbKrtIwU1RLl19aiO38oeiNqMxSvB30VNKw2KprjR0x8IagbY0cXAiOYo9iHiBBFX3-w_99RaB4SOdSUJWc5kwSD7-eeDKKKQXFaSLoH5cNcc/s320/288+Ancient.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHRWBU4jILJo3fSaQj1BTWmudxuIuANoeByIVirS8aIJ_legfm_ISFe_VdcbvqJGX4xI-p46fmO-vwvc7SLETjQV_8rSfnMxSgzszbthaYGr4tEixtCagrWbk1NH9jTBnq6v3-L8tI6o/s1600-h/289+Ancient.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256360577640435666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHRWBU4jILJo3fSaQj1BTWmudxuIuANoeByIVirS8aIJ_legfm_ISFe_VdcbvqJGX4xI-p46fmO-vwvc7SLETjQV_8rSfnMxSgzszbthaYGr4tEixtCagrWbk1NH9jTBnq6v3-L8tI6o/s320/289+Ancient.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The Fine Arts Museum has an excellent collection of pieces, dating from ancient times, all the way up to the present.</div><div> </div><div>Tom looks like he may be trying to assume the position of the Buddha below.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCj5AynJ-y7QMSMcsH_3EEiwbhc7dpSK8WBBM5s8e40Nbe7Am0z9pgulC6vUgOGYsucL-5L8wnznbM6UEvzxI74wTZbRIUIo0cQqDEHMqbq-znEPsb9rBxPtpwNUE86BuEkfVJOEGmmSU/s1600-h/290+Fairly+Recent.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256358613435720994" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCj5AynJ-y7QMSMcsH_3EEiwbhc7dpSK8WBBM5s8e40Nbe7Am0z9pgulC6vUgOGYsucL-5L8wnznbM6UEvzxI74wTZbRIUIo0cQqDEHMqbq-znEPsb9rBxPtpwNUE86BuEkfVJOEGmmSU/s320/290+Fairly+Recent.JPG" border="0" /></a> One traditional type of Vietnamese art is woodcut, sometimes with laquer overlay. The piece below took the artist from 1960 to 1997 to finish, although I doubt that he worked on it every day.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nHAJQt54bl4PzdyGE7jcSb17Jxm0Su9dRDljlstCy7CEHqdv0yyy0xPlxI2gvhN2tzTn4AMGugs18UYGo5TNqsvYvfHyljhv0Ei4YCov9ShJmVR1pFpzJLo7klGjuIXCzCWJo_Xvbps/s1600-h/291+1960-1997.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256357936335524530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nHAJQt54bl4PzdyGE7jcSb17Jxm0Su9dRDljlstCy7CEHqdv0yyy0xPlxI2gvhN2tzTn4AMGugs18UYGo5TNqsvYvfHyljhv0Ei4YCov9ShJmVR1pFpzJLo7klGjuIXCzCWJo_Xvbps/s320/291+1960-1997.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDL5C5c6hzi9jTAeVwOjkI1Jp6wSgVCNCtWK2QE6evapcJcriREKINycd7TRDa4HIRK3RyPdZmlTzdO-39pxdAAQZjhS0R4FuJZtDJk089pYktmaLPTfJvNGJAEV-y1ntd7vthZGEzYfU/s1600-h/292+Woodcut+%26+Fighters.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256357383510949474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDL5C5c6hzi9jTAeVwOjkI1Jp6wSgVCNCtWK2QE6evapcJcriREKINycd7TRDa4HIRK3RyPdZmlTzdO-39pxdAAQZjhS0R4FuJZtDJk089pYktmaLPTfJvNGJAEV-y1ntd7vthZGEzYfU/s320/292+Woodcut+%26+Fighters.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A good portion of the works, and virtually all painting from before 1945 to after 1975, was concerned with the struggle for indepencence. Julia and Pam are looking at the same woodcut as above, but behind Julia is a laquer painting of soldiers on patrol.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPZSUSI7coqfN9fhmRhQicIZ7hFBbbLOpMsfQtBUjE-M9Fwl2dhzZlchQmTcMl9f9wVlsgA3UNqW0XUbrFqt8EbS3MzOSNB7RB9tuZQ4S-EW3cLsYImrq_g56auFDrvCiyIpH_fA1Ugw/s1600-h/293+War.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256356828916017138" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPZSUSI7coqfN9fhmRhQicIZ7hFBbbLOpMsfQtBUjE-M9Fwl2dhzZlchQmTcMl9f9wVlsgA3UNqW0XUbrFqt8EbS3MzOSNB7RB9tuZQ4S-EW3cLsYImrq_g56auFDrvCiyIpH_fA1Ugw/s320/293+War.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div> Diana is looking at a water color of uniformed soldiers addressing what appear to be local force guerillas, many of them women. If you look closely, you can see two howitzers amongst the women.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bolnJL5fkEgqrZfHGuH4JU58Ys0krExsH5kj6dTvc87QIWjQPcXEdGjLtLSnTJQd-u0dtDdi9RLUUTbWL-7Wxs-G-jFedQT1TyXJWlOzF_ku6XhLqcmM06h7fxN8GyzN1luVZWmprno/s1600-h/294+Tanks.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256356573100781458" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1bolnJL5fkEgqrZfHGuH4JU58Ys0krExsH5kj6dTvc87QIWjQPcXEdGjLtLSnTJQd-u0dtDdi9RLUUTbWL-7Wxs-G-jFedQT1TyXJWlOzF_ku6XhLqcmM06h7fxN8GyzN1luVZWmprno/s320/294+Tanks.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />To the right is a depiction of tanks on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, along with workers, many of them women, maintaining the trail.<br /><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGN3Ws1r7RnVESFeN9BVXR6VLcJFD-t_uA_l6dpv7olLPTWdYBgWT9GiNsQD7xjm9P_FQYZ3jiimcYj9FB3_EecAKqsCiJ5M7VAS7qjpX6ygxjAa8agezFqwAVC_EfeS082J-o-Qmr13k/s1600-h/295+Attack.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256356069808763442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGN3Ws1r7RnVESFeN9BVXR6VLcJFD-t_uA_l6dpv7olLPTWdYBgWT9GiNsQD7xjm9P_FQYZ3jiimcYj9FB3_EecAKqsCiJ5M7VAS7qjpX6ygxjAa8agezFqwAVC_EfeS082J-o-Qmr13k/s320/295+Attack.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />A number of pictures depicted the destruction of war. Here you see tanks fording a stream under attack, and a crippled plane heading for the ground. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrhLVCkRW2CaqqeStsNGD3dylIUOTYRNBwYlY4wex23VLcymSRF5VfHxruSlWSU2y1vd5axLBfk9M9yLzQaRl_ioebD8oGNObSoNf1d3zdMSzggHA34Ta4kgJj2CNikg6hNvzduIzOPY/s1600-h/296+Industrial.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256355824774115906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrhLVCkRW2CaqqeStsNGD3dylIUOTYRNBwYlY4wex23VLcymSRF5VfHxruSlWSU2y1vd5axLBfk9M9yLzQaRl_ioebD8oGNObSoNf1d3zdMSzggHA34Ta4kgJj2CNikg6hNvzduIzOPY/s320/296+Industrial.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br />Art work was used to depict the trials of war for people not in the field, and also for propaganda. To the right you see a picture showing the heroic work done by seamen to keep the troops supplied.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWSQWqK30tvc_UZQsMe6z1lPdqIZEl21sXJgfg_oWPH3XSv57YxWPVX6RbmDFBdmNSfaYXiuwU76qVoz3vDIQx1dYKo7Dw7DM7syHVoYE57dIU8j10Ng8hNnYe7_MMofhT6mMvqmhiog/s1600-h/297+Wreckage.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256355231518965410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWSQWqK30tvc_UZQsMe6z1lPdqIZEl21sXJgfg_oWPH3XSv57YxWPVX6RbmDFBdmNSfaYXiuwU76qVoz3vDIQx1dYKo7Dw7DM7syHVoYE57dIU8j10Ng8hNnYe7_MMofhT6mMvqmhiog/s320/297+Wreckage.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>And here you see villagers hauling a piece of a downed B52 out of a pond. Note that the wreckage is mislabeled as U.S. Army. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJftMaDhdHlAyQRko5k0fTqrqt9XdBMEpXivPLQ0YaTiBxZA9mavfTBBe0kBn-u2vA8LYOoDXSwBR1bjE7sn3zHHL20Nu4o75JbgBjwNQCCDy2wAVHmJG0aFOuv6aB-cyYoyZNfV-YQU/s1600-h/298+Uncle+Ho+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256354856375018610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJftMaDhdHlAyQRko5k0fTqrqt9XdBMEpXivPLQ0YaTiBxZA9mavfTBBe0kBn-u2vA8LYOoDXSwBR1bjE7sn3zHHL20Nu4o75JbgBjwNQCCDy2wAVHmJG0aFOuv6aB-cyYoyZNfV-YQU/s320/298+Uncle+Ho+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Uncle Ho also appears prominently in the art work. The picture to the right shows Ho and an assistant watching troops and supply carriers on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and below you see him in an idealic wooded scene, with birds singing in the trees. Note that he has a cigarette in his fingers, which is often seen in photos of him.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ft6c5H7vV6J0FSwdE0cQuzEzm4kVeiAbABoy37SPaxqGEzRBPxW_TRwiTWJPJE1EWHUjT37dQMXJGCHn8vmKKR-ZkPrxXuamg8fwxePfyp-LvarSJgLi3mXSgStKQhyphenhyphenzPYV7ssNbXTc/s1600-h/299+Uncle+Ho+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256353687301005794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ft6c5H7vV6J0FSwdE0cQuzEzm4kVeiAbABoy37SPaxqGEzRBPxW_TRwiTWJPJE1EWHUjT37dQMXJGCHn8vmKKR-ZkPrxXuamg8fwxePfyp-LvarSJgLi3mXSgStKQhyphenhyphenzPYV7ssNbXTc/s320/299+Uncle+Ho+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> The North Vietnamese also kept track of the political situation in the U.S. Here an anti-war demonstration is depicted. I assume the train is meant to convey the thought of sending our young men off to war.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8s5VJjXvWTDWpL3QRd2DdBw2_vfZHL7BCWzezFPgbSSGHQdwHZN1mdhNidkBVJVqcu6JXAC_8Fw-IFd6dYlA5JdLfwYHTliGpSKtVAf66cyJ_a5nxxJH9U1PoJ83ov8Tzf_IImz_6bo/s1600-h/300+US+War+Protest.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256353408039188914" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8s5VJjXvWTDWpL3QRd2DdBw2_vfZHL7BCWzezFPgbSSGHQdwHZN1mdhNidkBVJVqcu6JXAC_8Fw-IFd6dYlA5JdLfwYHTliGpSKtVAf66cyJ_a5nxxJH9U1PoJ83ov8Tzf_IImz_6bo/s320/300+US+War+Protest.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The anti-war movement definitely had a morale boosting effect for the people and the troops of North Vietnam and the Vietcong.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHi43kqYXK3Li0Kb0uWx-_f1573rhf13zLjtsoE1j36FchFGOeOByyZtQKCkgii0GbU-lWUJ4duDyWeVmgLTuGgYZsqBTvY46giq0dOkkmhQiN2LNpdw9IEotPTQaZQTI-XSkIjDdkw9o/s1600-h/301+Goodies.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256353063150384130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHi43kqYXK3Li0Kb0uWx-_f1573rhf13zLjtsoE1j36FchFGOeOByyZtQKCkgii0GbU-lWUJ4duDyWeVmgLTuGgYZsqBTvY46giq0dOkkmhQiN2LNpdw9IEotPTQaZQTI-XSkIjDdkw9o/s320/301+Goodies.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After the museum Long took us to the bake shop of a friend, Ms. Huong. She is the lady in the yellow blouse in these pictures. The purpose was to show us the operation of a very successful entrepreneur. Ms. Huong has a six story building in which she produces and sells her goods, and is buying the building next door so she can expand.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeVcuVse3G2FmAhLZNJ5rvi2M1ileLpqRdIpucb5ADExYLepgbfsVFGvV_jRQHfoVcawpb9wCEkGvYuKhEOepNLrwbKFcesII5MxZNCK9z4PTn4oFyeG-_BL3KY1YWQ-4EB80L5-J4xg/s1600-h/302+Fresh+Ice+Cream.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256352547244247394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHeVcuVse3G2FmAhLZNJ5rvi2M1ileLpqRdIpucb5ADExYLepgbfsVFGvV_jRQHfoVcawpb9wCEkGvYuKhEOepNLrwbKFcesII5MxZNCK9z4PTn4oFyeG-_BL3KY1YWQ-4EB80L5-J4xg/s320/302+Fresh+Ice+Cream.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><br /><div><br />She rolled out the samples for us, including the plates of cakes and biscuits above, and fresh rum raison ice cream coming out of the machine.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGk7LijlAnHtv93NgSCNXuioHR7oeIQd1k0tPGHa9hwrhxwLgb2ff2muFLatSO1MQ-oWOEpOUwPrU8penELzg0d4RJhCMRv3wJpw-8rdkCD-aW8R5BduoLWM7C4yD3aW3SJGpfSWn_0M/s1600-h/303+Scooping+Cones.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256352272052695634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGk7LijlAnHtv93NgSCNXuioHR7oeIQd1k0tPGHa9hwrhxwLgb2ff2muFLatSO1MQ-oWOEpOUwPrU8penELzg0d4RJhCMRv3wJpw-8rdkCD-aW8R5BduoLWM7C4yD3aW3SJGpfSWn_0M/s320/303+Scooping+Cones.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div> Each of us got an ice cream cone. The rum flavoring was real rum, as shown.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzGtv4B4THSXZOJoQlZTux8978mHASB1Op9XsTJ8SD5GtuoxR6JtXHNua23JQvr1IRfP4uV7P-MP_4LaCjBqffyIFuu8yjenT5ROhRG6oZ4QVrBV2Cy9mj3LpivsrlumbSTU1bBIsGaU/s1600-h/304+Chocolate+Decoration.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256351959207702450" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzGtv4B4THSXZOJoQlZTux8978mHASB1Op9XsTJ8SD5GtuoxR6JtXHNua23JQvr1IRfP4uV7P-MP_4LaCjBqffyIFuu8yjenT5ROhRG6oZ4QVrBV2Cy9mj3LpivsrlumbSTU1bBIsGaU/s320/304+Chocolate+Decoration.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Then she took us through each section of the shop, giving us samples of the chocolate decorations, and explaining the decorating of the cakes.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTXiNxyGac3ijNtFCHzD2syMMmF1AHzM2h34T7Gn7tuCtSRgY4i3TUjX48xyFMNbg2y6crh_FFPmSP4EGqTu2IdpNpUuJQVFfmAKic0pfnC4aEA6auZjppdp7SPeLpfcAlu0di99TZQw/s1600-h/305+Cake+Decorating.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256351659878260226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTXiNxyGac3ijNtFCHzD2syMMmF1AHzM2h34T7Gn7tuCtSRgY4i3TUjX48xyFMNbg2y6crh_FFPmSP4EGqTu2IdpNpUuJQVFfmAKic0pfnC4aEA6auZjppdp7SPeLpfcAlu0di99TZQw/s320/305+Cake+Decorating.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div>She got a little back from us, as we bought a cake similar to those shown for Diana's birthday celebration the next day.<br /><br />Saturday morning we accomplished what we couldn't on Friday, plus two other stops. The language partners were also with us on Saturday.<br /><br />The Air Force museum was indeed open on Saturday.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNsBXaLhj-pq1M6yIqJg4ulCZUClqQ19lPixuDgEzPZd06GNj8eCnrvwA3WWnrWwsZd1UGOPfdYk-8RVoyujibVYY1St5sHzoLSgpklsxyijQ6xfVnyISjqnNLI4Drvy_EMAUTDcp1SE/s1600-h/306+MIG+17.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256351273277092322" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNsBXaLhj-pq1M6yIqJg4ulCZUClqQ19lPixuDgEzPZd06GNj8eCnrvwA3WWnrWwsZd1UGOPfdYk-8RVoyujibVYY1St5sHzoLSgpklsxyijQ6xfVnyISjqnNLI4Drvy_EMAUTDcp1SE/s320/306+MIG+17.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The first outside exhibits were MIG fighters flown by the North Vietnamese to defend against the U. S. bombing. This is a MIG 17 provided by the Russians. There was also a MIG 19 produced by China and given to North Vietnam.<br /><br />Inside the museum there were a number of exhibits describing the exploits of the air defense forces, as well as the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LpK0Cct2IR0c8ZS-aEF1vbqj8MUGbRM40ckenNp9sN1X_ZKMFr3eb_iwGpGBhrQKS-puHBtwOuULvwMIQ8zbCwxdXw5d5iFZhHto_5ETeMU3z5ZUUeQCNc_eDzuQKzboL3BYcx7JhIk/s1600-h/307+Foyer.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256350997873976114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LpK0Cct2IR0c8ZS-aEF1vbqj8MUGbRM40ckenNp9sN1X_ZKMFr3eb_iwGpGBhrQKS-puHBtwOuULvwMIQ8zbCwxdXw5d5iFZhHto_5ETeMU3z5ZUUeQCNc_eDzuQKzboL3BYcx7JhIk/s320/307+Foyer.JPG" border="0" /></a>air force. </div><div><div><div> There was also a Russian space capsule that took the only Vietnamese astronaut into orbit in 1980.<br /><br />However, the most interesting exhibits were the aircraft on display outside.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CuBc1UfXBrnxNuM6LImNA8StQ7Owb6m7dv3H2QpBs5F1qO8iwOplnbwtZJHUpbGuRhwsaQ3Hat-4hj9qHHZvZfg4-xX2Qd_4pmfQ2JzPwuUY7K6h0yawEUPTOhbgbEE0WChEz4Sj6jg/s1600-h/308+MIG+21.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256350306641449314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CuBc1UfXBrnxNuM6LImNA8StQ7Owb6m7dv3H2QpBs5F1qO8iwOplnbwtZJHUpbGuRhwsaQ3Hat-4hj9qHHZvZfg4-xX2Qd_4pmfQ2JzPwuUY7K6h0yawEUPTOhbgbEE0WChEz4Sj6jg/s320/308+MIG+21.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Here our guide explains the MIG 21, also provided by Russia. The guide did not speak any English, so Long had to act as translater.<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-x-_fClEq8iIWPJQEKdvGEyi9MjSO_YqqvQej1yqJVoIr37FuXywoCETP3HtHui2LfwFqhFpxOwHB9dhlXrHMOx8DwpeUK7NSdyrhxre2bETyuShvTkBWAxtDrSQUtbL0B7l0hpjFfc/s1600-h/309+Uncle+Ho%27s+Chopper+2006.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256349862926888466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk-x-_fClEq8iIWPJQEKdvGEyi9MjSO_YqqvQej1yqJVoIr37FuXywoCETP3HtHui2LfwFqhFpxOwHB9dhlXrHMOx8DwpeUK7NSdyrhxre2bETyuShvTkBWAxtDrSQUtbL0B7l0hpjFfc/s320/309+Uncle+Ho%27s+Chopper+2006.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div> A short way down the line was Ho Chi Minh's presidential helicopter. This picture is actually from 2006, as this year they have most of the paint sanded off, awaiting a refurbishing coat of color.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0EJnsTcJO2oV6Xd-kKIHlm0nlek9UEoVzRCfR5KA6RzljGJruoGhCWeyyKnNGToDSRQ-KkHusIKDwWE92-2J4a18eI1yQwWs7jMVBdNDviyJbcCc_MQqTH3coK-kEFRrBhV_Io1bkbE/s1600-h/310+Uncle+Ho%27s+chopper+now.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256349520175510834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0EJnsTcJO2oV6Xd-kKIHlm0nlek9UEoVzRCfR5KA6RzljGJruoGhCWeyyKnNGToDSRQ-KkHusIKDwWE92-2J4a18eI1yQwWs7jMVBdNDviyJbcCc_MQqTH3coK-kEFRrBhV_Io1bkbE/s320/310+Uncle+Ho%27s+chopper+now.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />This is what it looks like now.<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJXofSA21cKtsC6WslPlLQQqbg5xZ-rBPESV12lRvDonShcNn8gUvL0PvescAKmFEqGAqGz_k3w9NNcPLjOZpabk_0e-DVSVpBhSha4eeDmj41y1yFFvl3vFMf1fpVLplgAqhFSYHU7k/s1600-h/311+Soviet+Chopper.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256349148367692626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJXofSA21cKtsC6WslPlLQQqbg5xZ-rBPESV12lRvDonShcNn8gUvL0PvescAKmFEqGAqGz_k3w9NNcPLjOZpabk_0e-DVSVpBhSha4eeDmj41y1yFFvl3vFMf1fpVLplgAqhFSYHU7k/s320/311+Soviet+Chopper.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsB17-y7fQDyTKxv-ajkLvqd3ditOukilBV8oyn3ozHjEPwoZyDkgO6npxzRNdpOxVkFqVsufTrIFzk7-aWjRxqofQO5kT48MrD44dI7fN0qDeHzfd6F-VhlFwKLUx8VP3kRkOU_014Y/s1600-h/312+Going+inside.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256348748219225586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPsB17-y7fQDyTKxv-ajkLvqd3ditOukilBV8oyn3ozHjEPwoZyDkgO6npxzRNdpOxVkFqVsufTrIFzk7-aWjRxqofQO5kT48MrD44dI7fN0qDeHzfd6F-VhlFwKLUx8VP3kRkOU_014Y/s320/312+Going+inside.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> Out back there was a huge Russian helicopter, which I understand they flew into the museum site several years ago. All the electronics have been removed, so it isn't going anywhere now. That's probably why they let us go inside.<br /><br />Inside, the cargo compartment is higher and wider than a Chinook by about two feet, but had just about the sa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAhN-Qv0cVAm7j-AtPy6LMGTpGIDoqQkufiRmoP4WnWu-gyusC_IKj_eHd3DRMLSJwMTr17u15C_Nra8RMbpMDWA5x7uRIO0_LCO7W1QSJiM4H3DTI-tUX5VZ5CTzcS0b73tDvC0N-h8/s1600-h/313+Cargo+Bay.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256348354940735778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitAhN-Qv0cVAm7j-AtPy6LMGTpGIDoqQkufiRmoP4WnWu-gyusC_IKj_eHd3DRMLSJwMTr17u15C_Nra8RMbpMDWA5x7uRIO0_LCO7W1QSJiM4H3DTI-tUX5VZ5CTzcS0b73tDvC0N-h8/s320/313+Cargo+Bay.JPG" border="0" /></a>me usable length as a Chinook. One of the reasons it looks so big from the outside is the long tail boom that extends out of the picture below, where the antitorque rotor is located. The Chinook doesn't require that, as it has two counter-rotating main rotors.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideNVC7UiC7h4lR9JGtfgwX6rG_PgfX2VhFlDrEqAiQ87PU8QlJAOj9gVEwvD-23a5BP8LUo8qvABwtBNWtznaikI5_SLhI0NWB5bQleikJvuSqHDzpOIelddprpF_s47sb95FOcHFpvw/s1600-h/314+Outside.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256347954517943346" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideNVC7UiC7h4lR9JGtfgwX6rG_PgfX2VhFlDrEqAiQ87PU8QlJAOj9gVEwvD-23a5BP8LUo8qvABwtBNWtznaikI5_SLhI0NWB5bQleikJvuSqHDzpOIelddprpF_s47sb95FOcHFpvw/s320/314+Outside.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br />The plane below is a small American built fighter that was used by us for training. We gave some of them to the South Vietnamese Air Force. When the North Vietnamese forces took Danang in 1975 without a fight, they captured all the planes at the airport.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP6Zz1xjoU_3xSRbEDvfg5frJPozpaX4bZV5vQm0vPK8JRqnPuaK_9D9iJ0P6OwZVOlLhsPHqRyRLpsfrfqF5ZpO4EZvuQDYURaGUbcDDzqFR41PuedxySjpNImV2pm_KBWxvwMyikQo/s1600-h/315+Jet+that+bombed+HCMC.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256347757679011490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMP6Zz1xjoU_3xSRbEDvfg5frJPozpaX4bZV5vQm0vPK8JRqnPuaK_9D9iJ0P6OwZVOlLhsPHqRyRLpsfrfqF5ZpO4EZvuQDYURaGUbcDDzqFR41PuedxySjpNImV2pm_KBWxvwMyikQo/s320/315+Jet+that+bombed+HCMC.JPG" border="0" /></a>This plane, and four others like it, were flown south to bomb the Presidentail Palace. It was mostly a token gesture, as they have very little armament and payload. It did get the message across that the Northerners were coming.<br /><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn-CPJtb9bHmN7jhyphenhyphenOr6njoZh-gYFShEPneiNie1bgK49eBpcMKG9SWLCcRjqT6LaYr5woIj4ZS9Tyqo336GSKLHmi24jqw_PzT2nOD0sil-eTDBAl66CkQ0uDZIhLoq_47bHvhcV10E/s1600-h/316+Temple+of+Literature.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256347296662670098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCn-CPJtb9bHmN7jhyphenhyphenOr6njoZh-gYFShEPneiNie1bgK49eBpcMKG9SWLCcRjqT6LaYr5woIj4ZS9Tyqo336GSKLHmi24jqw_PzT2nOD0sil-eTDBAl66CkQ0uDZIhLoq_47bHvhcV10E/s320/316+Temple+of+Literature.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />After seeing everything at the Air Force Museum we headed toward the center of Hanoi, and the Temple of Literature. Here Long is explaining what the students will see inside. The sign on the entrance gate says to dismount your horses before entering. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4bmfScupv7LvX9yOirajG3VotOAmsfonwB5vJidR9c6H8cIvn1wk10FH5LCJigt0hKjoYN3QRkMKpBcKuSzZcutl6Ihc1-HM_ApShxGNUdSpil_NWqSpPlCcYldq7dAh1hoxqJWRKzM/s1600-h/317+tablet+%26+turtle.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256347041426279762" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4bmfScupv7LvX9yOirajG3VotOAmsfonwB5vJidR9c6H8cIvn1wk10FH5LCJigt0hKjoYN3QRkMKpBcKuSzZcutl6Ihc1-HM_ApShxGNUdSpil_NWqSpPlCcYldq7dAh1hoxqJWRKzM/s320/317+tablet+%26+turtle.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div> The Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius, was founded in 1070 to honor scholars and men of literary accomplishment. In 1076, Vietnam's first university to educate the sons of Mandarins was established here. In 1484 they started erecting stone tablets with the names of those passing the triennial exams for the doctorate. The tablets are mounted on marble turtles, and it is considered good luck to rub the turtle's head. Kate, Jill, and Pam should be all set for their next exams after returning to school in January. The practice continued until 1778. During that time there were 116 exams, and 82 of the tablets still remain at the Temple of Literature. In 1802 the National University was transferred to the Imperial Palace in Hue. Today there is again a Vietnamese National University in Hanoi, but it is down in the area where our students are living, not at the T<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8jOdenBxw3c3ttPfuu7_EnzavkNYz6eEj2i7wQExWaeDWtH20j23CLz3bKGh0mzKV9gQxCbgSCoMSGMe0sYF9adii6Fuw4gjV8kcmALIoxK_bqKgTh9Yp-zxtEZ2OHdxs_k_MPugmd4/s1600-h/318+Temple+of+Emperor.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256343135793451586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl8jOdenBxw3c3ttPfuu7_EnzavkNYz6eEj2i7wQExWaeDWtH20j23CLz3bKGh0mzKV9gQxCbgSCoMSGMe0sYF9adii6Fuw4gjV8kcmALIoxK_bqKgTh9Yp-zxtEZ2OHdxs_k_MPugmd4/s320/318+Temple+of+Emperor.JPG" border="0" /></a>emple of Literature.<br /><div><br />The stone tablets are in the third courtyard from the entrance. There are three walkways through the courtyards. The center one is for the Royal family, while the two on the sides are for the academic and military mandarins.<br /><div><br />The fourth courtyard houses the Emperor's temple, with the emperor in the middle, and mandarins on either side.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgVi1zl3lr3lV7DzKxBu8AImLizN9fmjSHi1uJJvosdh9klNFNRad3k47eynru-N56fxenSvC0znO54WZO1eKWUBXI5KwUPgB6BbkoCsQVw1tbjwUg6aFvq2ZXz4HzOY1vSjV2uwTnuk/s1600-h/319+Mandarins.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256340812055531186" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgVi1zl3lr3lV7DzKxBu8AImLizN9fmjSHi1uJJvosdh9klNFNRad3k47eynru-N56fxenSvC0znO54WZO1eKWUBXI5KwUPgB6BbkoCsQVw1tbjwUg6aFvq2ZXz4HzOY1vSjV2uwTnuk/s320/319+Mandarins.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJGw9gr827kKUHSEMEWYVg11kcm801zuQT7I0tui32c2qhyphenhyphenCGBa4N5pER5iWtfY6N6Nobb0qZ4jwnuozsFj0E34ogSJNtQpa_EPXD52upd9upnnBM6p0WfIaE_5bqrNmyVPt4-gO7beo/s1600-h/320+Recreation+of+University.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256346639247768130" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLJGw9gr827kKUHSEMEWYVg11kcm801zuQT7I0tui32c2qhyphenhyphenCGBa4N5pER5iWtfY6N6Nobb0qZ4jwnuozsFj0E34ogSJNtQpa_EPXD52upd9upnnBM6p0WfIaE_5bqrNmyVPt4-gO7beo/s320/320+Recreation+of+University.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>Two courtyards farther in is a reconstruction of the University buildings, the main hall of which is shown to<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvVwMKwlG_Me9HS_8HKrP5i_8PR34QptXQxZfRlbXj3GNalZAKPPr5igcz6UiiNqMoiU5MDYNY2t6zLP9BnB-PqOzJJ7PhlxI-j_6yRqnAVt-H0Xt7SBXy9JXYFqkoHo43osnoPzj8CI/s1600-h/321+Drum.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256339857338304418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvVwMKwlG_Me9HS_8HKrP5i_8PR34QptXQxZfRlbXj3GNalZAKPPr5igcz6UiiNqMoiU5MDYNY2t6zLP9BnB-PqOzJJ7PhlxI-j_6yRqnAVt-H0Xt7SBXy9JXYFqkoHo43osnoPzj8CI/s320/321+Drum.JPG" border="0" /></a> the right.<br /><br /><div> On either side of the main building is a large drum (shown) and a large bell, which is a characteristic of temples and Royal buildings.<br /><br />We went to a group lunch with the language partners after the Temple of Literature. On the way to lunch we stopped briefly on the causway between West Lake (Ho Tay Lake) and Truc Bach Lake to view the monument indicating where John McCain was captured. He landed in Truc Bac Lake after parachuting out of his crippled plane. The picture that has been widely circulated is of the local people pulling him out of the lake rather forcebly, despite his wounds. The word is that he was lucky the police showed up quickly, as the locals might have taken things into their own hands. The monument is rather non-descript, so I won't include a picture of it. The monument wouldn't have been put up if McCain had not gained notariety in the U.S. </div><div> </div><div>West Lake is rather large (13 km shoreline), and was formed when the Red River overflowed it's banks many centuries ago. Truc Bac is much smaller. These days there are dikes to keep the Red River in check, but as we know from New Orleans, there isn't a dike around that won't be overtopped at some point. Since real estate is so expensive in Hanoi, people have settled on some of the land on the river side of the dikes. They are going to get wet when a substantial flood comes. West Lake is the upscale place to live in Hanoi. The Sheraton Hotel is nearby, which is where President Bush stayed during the APEC Conference in 2006. The conference occurred while we were here.<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-61318673369006450822008-10-09T03:30:00.000-07:002008-10-10T02:11:18.358-07:00Silk Village & Thay Pagoda, 10/4<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzWP0ESuUp8adD200arsgBXRyqaDKDc3ASETdhxdhHTqXh94G1PAXJu8JtO7TVK9YvPCkRbzOkLz-4EGi8ct5tCONHQLo8G-p8vq_onCCPbguLddZ4nX-5VoTyigRCItYfFtzs2GmmUs/s1600-h/266+Van+Phuc+Pagoda.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255308256671545714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzWP0ESuUp8adD200arsgBXRyqaDKDc3ASETdhxdhHTqXh94G1PAXJu8JtO7TVK9YvPCkRbzOkLz-4EGi8ct5tCONHQLo8G-p8vq_onCCPbguLddZ4nX-5VoTyigRCItYfFtzs2GmmUs/s320/266+Van+Phuc+Pagoda.JPG" border="0" /></a> On Saturday of our first week in Hanoi, we headed for two sites just outside the city. Our first stop was Van Phuc, the silk village. There are a number of these "handicraft villages" around Hanoi. Virtually the whole town is dedicated to a particular cottage industry. In addition to the silk village, there are ceramic, paper products, wood carving, and furniture making villages, plus others. Much of the silk found in Hanoi shops comes from Van Phuc.<br /><br />At the entrance to Van Phuc, there is a small pagoda, with a pond of lotus flowers in front.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyRt1QHesZzkSv-e0xSRqWdPVLFTt4nCjOAsVNRwVZgS56VVxEjCV84pmQgrReeYEQaqdMNd-xCDZiB5Jaltuk8Tp-MA592tK8fl0uFBu_KhuOIUXH_XBmS0DagxDJcjlvbS06t9hA44/s1600-h/267+Silk+Worm+cacoons.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255307868968077730" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGyRt1QHesZzkSv-e0xSRqWdPVLFTt4nCjOAsVNRwVZgS56VVxEjCV84pmQgrReeYEQaqdMNd-xCDZiB5Jaltuk8Tp-MA592tK8fl0uFBu_KhuOIUXH_XBmS0DagxDJcjlvbS06t9hA44/s320/267+Silk+Worm+cacoons.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The only way to make real silk is still from the cacoons of silk worms. They feed the worms on mulberry leaves, then convince them to spin their cacoons on wooven frames.<br /><br /><br />The cacoons are spun into thread.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhW41ktogwhcjiAMpVAO7NC752nCJ2eoAulktADuwdbN7bZPo-BJL6h67fRkmkeMdW6mOHoQZ56mDIBQUrJvbUxGKpNJiUWiwCaYDIg3KU4YrKLeLk8SNYGaKohE8yXyDyf296JYtGG4/s1600-h/268+silk+thread.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255307407280100194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirhW41ktogwhcjiAMpVAO7NC752nCJ2eoAulktADuwdbN7bZPo-BJL6h67fRkmkeMdW6mOHoQZ56mDIBQUrJvbUxGKpNJiUWiwCaYDIg3KU4YrKLeLk8SNYGaKohE8yXyDyf296JYtGG4/s320/268+silk+thread.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Then the thread is turned into silk cloth on semi-automated looms. Usually the looms are humming away when we visit, but this morning there was a power outage that sent all the workers home.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnMaecF7S8OkB2p6am004kwPrlMRcRp4QxfNjycuhNfM4MiWgNeEvbfmwVFVLB0jt2lvgL-2vIMyN13PXSsi-kAlbVoYUGkFEAGLwq6NdmNgos6gMFHjuYt7RqRLfjJBHHckhvyMBj0U/s1600-h/269+loom.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255307193052400946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVnMaecF7S8OkB2p6am004kwPrlMRcRp4QxfNjycuhNfM4MiWgNeEvbfmwVFVLB0jt2lvgL-2vIMyN13PXSsi-kAlbVoYUGkFEAGLwq6NdmNgos6gMFHjuYt7RqRLfjJBHHckhvyMBj0U/s320/269+loom.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We still got a tour of the factory, and an explanation of how the weaving takes place. Most of the looms are close to a hundred years old, but they still keep them in running order. The wooden scrolls shown in the right part of the picture below are fed into the loom, and govern what the pattern will be for the fabric being woven. The operator has to push the bobbin back and forth that holds the weaving thread.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXCkZ22LSifz4CmTgJJ2xW_2Vt-PH13wGAq4LwjEmCQ30omdrZdc5si5tOo_1fZ1Jhv_B_b5k1qj5PG2oo7lgKhBDsoyQsRfXzO1i4s37s1JzoGRqDGc9Tu8pNIG8puocc8z3nS5NSIc/s1600-h/270+loom.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255306826722004290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXXCkZ22LSifz4CmTgJJ2xW_2Vt-PH13wGAq4LwjEmCQ30omdrZdc5si5tOo_1fZ1Jhv_B_b5k1qj5PG2oo7lgKhBDsoyQsRfXzO1i4s37s1JzoGRqDGc9Tu8pNIG8puocc8z3nS5NSIc/s320/270+loom.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Perhaps the reason they are prone to power outages is the state of the electrical supply system. I took this picture in Van Phuc, but the system is <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnV82UDJ7kKRmmw9x0LORSY5l-Qey-isu8B1kcr-gt7X7JVrbqTsDdMORrd2PNOhsexX_CiLXu7Szov0Oi2xRfQ-mkCo3sMmu0YQh5ZO1hOKMJV3eBZmaeK5jAQ4ZWiVrWBFmqDt3ea4/s1600-h/271+electric+lines.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255306431983216258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqnV82UDJ7kKRmmw9x0LORSY5l-Qey-isu8B1kcr-gt7X7JVrbqTsDdMORrd2PNOhsexX_CiLXu7Szov0Oi2xRfQ-mkCo3sMmu0YQh5ZO1hOKMJV3eBZmaeK5jAQ4ZWiVrWBFmqDt3ea4/s320/271+electric+lines.JPG" border="0" /></a>the same everywhere.<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br />Many shops set up gas generators for temporary power, so it was business as usual. Since most shops do not take credit cards anyway, the power outage did not slow down transactions.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDUwXfyOW91w-x2Z6OjkXpCtj4PiQ66ukzYDbBlXj0AY12b6kOYinyuHED0UH8gHeu1JBVD1N0wkS9uX9WYFytFwDy_4M-NaRiZxlyHcBuXhFagHMt_CKMaQn2qou_V_hPMOsBQpXNp0/s1600-h/272+Shopping+for+ties.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255306059132812930" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZDUwXfyOW91w-x2Z6OjkXpCtj4PiQ66ukzYDbBlXj0AY12b6kOYinyuHED0UH8gHeu1JBVD1N0wkS9uX9WYFytFwDy_4M-NaRiZxlyHcBuXhFagHMt_CKMaQn2qou_V_hPMOsBQpXNp0/s320/272+Shopping+for+ties.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Here are Jared and Andrew trying to pick out a good power tie for back home.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTp38JAWc6nl9p0f4rmICkFqGGE9gS56lrvmq-DLglkrzjB850GPOkcfZJH2fgKC3EJ6j09pakFKaxfbDh1syRNQNAAX0rXw9QDnov0yVY99PV3BurSzPjWW5iCaq9m76cQ6TtU0bm7I/s1600-h/273+more+shopping+for+ties.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255305801839597298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTp38JAWc6nl9p0f4rmICkFqGGE9gS56lrvmq-DLglkrzjB850GPOkcfZJH2fgKC3EJ6j09pakFKaxfbDh1syRNQNAAX0rXw9QDnov0yVY99PV3BurSzPjWW5iCaq9m76cQ6TtU0bm7I/s320/273+more+shopping+for+ties.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Diana is telling Tom that this tie is definitely him.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7mHitP_XexQmUNaHtYbzXGAuSM9MqLpzEmTf9UOrMbDwIP2cEi6i2IvC5IIk-JdSy8l5cZRTnlMWdOBgeGmPaTIEHN9jGGgIdFeezdYOdGOu3wPy9_7nXRFEre_d7ckaq6RGnDKpiuI/s1600-h/275+Josh+with+buddies.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255305392520030402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7mHitP_XexQmUNaHtYbzXGAuSM9MqLpzEmTf9UOrMbDwIP2cEi6i2IvC5IIk-JdSy8l5cZRTnlMWdOBgeGmPaTIEHN9jGGgIdFeezdYOdGOu3wPy9_7nXRFEre_d7ckaq6RGnDKpiuI/s320/275+Josh+with+buddies.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />Josh in the meantime is getting to know the language partners.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMruuUKoxyFtsU7sO3RORtsZ0j97KLr9AcTdwrmSLFjeVliTdm2eLPy6VnON81G6buIjqhnsM2yjuLSiqgbnTkhLG-PqXRWzNRdpaYQcsttipZECogaiF9510Rk7FqMC6zXLlE56NukcI/s1600-h/276+Shopping+is+hard+work.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255305129598940802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMruuUKoxyFtsU7sO3RORtsZ0j97KLr9AcTdwrmSLFjeVliTdm2eLPy6VnON81G6buIjqhnsM2yjuLSiqgbnTkhLG-PqXRWzNRdpaYQcsttipZECogaiF9510Rk7FqMC6zXLlE56NukcI/s320/276+Shopping+is+hard+work.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>And Jared has figured out that shopping is hard work.<br /><br />By the time we left the silk villages, everyone knew the language partners better.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGB8zC5uo8kUGds7xl-8a6dDQNd8_1QOLVYxAEH8QJRJB5COQFWUe1r6aI8jqKnxB_4eZdCFAHnkqWGg0LfRdOywFDWUaQ-f15hq2FXys7-gux3vY53BdZFcVUOWiwjonCQcWTYZx7dM/s1600-h/277+buddies.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255304671115363602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQGB8zC5uo8kUGds7xl-8a6dDQNd8_1QOLVYxAEH8QJRJB5COQFWUe1r6aI8jqKnxB_4eZdCFAHnkqWGg0LfRdOywFDWUaQ-f15hq2FXys7-gux3vY53BdZFcVUOWiwjonCQcWTYZx7dM/s320/277+buddies.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedPL57nbhyAunAKVxfBRlQds2S6OZmX44jZMgymbMj_RIFFSiKq7TtFjV1kgfBzEioq0uU7zxVkllXmZXawJ2xDh5Q86_5sEPAyxbwgei0mya1PhNr9JDN7663bOZwrLq0cV0xS7SRNM/s1600-h/278+Michael+and+buddy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255304446901656210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhedPL57nbhyAunAKVxfBRlQds2S6OZmX44jZMgymbMj_RIFFSiKq7TtFjV1kgfBzEioq0uU7zxVkllXmZXawJ2xDh5Q86_5sEPAyxbwgei0mya1PhNr9JDN7663bOZwrLq0cV0xS7SRNM/s320/278+Michael+and+buddy.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We stopped for lunch at a roadside restaurant, where they defined the word fresh. Several chickens were rounded up out back, and promptly killed, plucked, and cooked. This is a fairly common practice in areas where they don't want to keep everything refrigerated. When the chickens came out, most of the parts were still there, including the feet and heads. The Vietnamese consider the feet a delicacy, so we deferred to the language partners.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14EeUyaYS1FGew2Cib4PtneLZmSZ_lzCYLZJnmenYkz6-KOtKg3agV5XeRuxmaAl5iXXgtBKiNwyNke5_Rfa-n3RIbjBkBTi9Z5rU6OFzobNYqotMq7PC7SzDbx7mMdU8_9llwyCKm60/s1600-h/279+Buddha.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255304150439291410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg14EeUyaYS1FGew2Cib4PtneLZmSZ_lzCYLZJnmenYkz6-KOtKg3agV5XeRuxmaAl5iXXgtBKiNwyNke5_Rfa-n3RIbjBkBTi9Z5rU6OFzobNYqotMq7PC7SzDbx7mMdU8_9llwyCKm60/s320/279+Buddha.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Our afternoon stop was at the Thay Pagoda. The Pagoda is several hundred years old, but the buildings are less than a hundred. Even though the temple is made out of ironwood, the humid weather in Vietnam takes a toll over time.<br /></div><div>The Thay Pagoda has numerous detailed Buddha statues. At one side of the entrance there is a friendly Buddha (shown), and on the other side a warrior Buddha.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0fMW-iPLIrSWFcC7LLgZavlLssxBdQwEXNWg6kWYOYfYMrWaCDDl2k_237Lrs048Bgc3LusLybQuZtX_cPggc7-66qXRIm1cPsED-bvoImAYHPnqfZlv2ta3illZRjEa5-m0RkRtF9o/s1600-h/280+Gilded+Mural.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255105503485791058" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0fMW-iPLIrSWFcC7LLgZavlLssxBdQwEXNWg6kWYOYfYMrWaCDDl2k_237Lrs048Bgc3LusLybQuZtX_cPggc7-66qXRIm1cPsED-bvoImAYHPnqfZlv2ta3illZRjEa5-m0RkRtF9o/s320/280+Gilded+Mural.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>The guilded mural depicts the life and incarnations of Buddha. <br /><br />The multi-armed Buddha, which is female, represents a guardian or protectoress.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHH4iXPNQ_wrJRDuDtx_euIMyb_EeQ4ZcJR7VUGMr9GSnADkbiQ2fMSfoDbvgfiIqY5SAIk27dcZdAkaNXvdZQSwpPhUhMa4QIuE_H2WcwhBKBhBO3cNtHVNunS33IFlXfZDw9ha2GtA/s1600-h/281+Multiple+arm+Buddha.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255104970734374658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigHH4iXPNQ_wrJRDuDtx_euIMyb_EeQ4ZcJR7VUGMr9GSnADkbiQ2fMSfoDbvgfiIqY5SAIk27dcZdAkaNXvdZQSwpPhUhMa4QIuE_H2WcwhBKBhBO3cNtHVNunS33IFlXfZDw9ha2GtA/s320/281+Multiple+arm+Buddha.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSS905kerqKl0d7OskZ0_4l0nf3qtbrq5l0co4nwZ8SCABfeY9EeplKxfDzy-O-rP1CRvYOmHuF6eZx_XRqw6IJJDVKAZ9zgWtmXbJ90x57H-q7oKl_iEbn3ITkdJEn2s4aRm5Smi1Ww/s1600-h/282+Water+Puppet+stage.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255103216171814962" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSS905kerqKl0d7OskZ0_4l0nf3qtbrq5l0co4nwZ8SCABfeY9EeplKxfDzy-O-rP1CRvYOmHuF6eZx_XRqw6IJJDVKAZ9zgWtmXbJ90x57H-q7oKl_iEbn3ITkdJEn2s4aRm5Smi1Ww/s320/282+Water+Puppet+stage.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><div>Thay Pagoda is located on a lake, and is nestled into karst (limestone) outcroppings that can be seen from far away. The building in the lake is a puppet theater stage that they use only three days a year during the festival of th<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vGCBsZ3BWXMDYO8mKi_jNs5_m0sl_F1Vk-MXlVPo4qFiv35PzZHioMQLABNE9M2YhDik9var2fJ8EhRHGqsdSpS2WvmXTf9czbL3X48InTih50XlEv4h-nblpU2C_hTLPM4zsT-hOh0/s1600-h/283+Old+lady+spreading+rice+straw.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255102831514901906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vGCBsZ3BWXMDYO8mKi_jNs5_m0sl_F1Vk-MXlVPo4qFiv35PzZHioMQLABNE9M2YhDik9var2fJ8EhRHGqsdSpS2WvmXTf9czbL3X48InTih50XlEv4h-nblpU2C_hTLPM4zsT-hOh0/s320/283+Old+lady+spreading+rice+straw.JPG" border="0" /></a>e third lunar month. Water puppetry supposedly started in this area.<br /><div><br /><div> Another view of the stage, with an elderly women spreading rice straw to dry.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfz20u_6jDp4sBsmHnXNyWBtJYL0yxlUE8ePBLYmcwlW75d1P2wh2tUMS3ncFtk3z4pllv927V0IpVi_QUv45m8mqfkjU41VRES99xhl9nVhNd93-44I_XFhDEUcPLkh2XZ9JqBjeCSg/s1600-h/284+Katherine+%26+Pam+at+summit.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255102393380634498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcfz20u_6jDp4sBsmHnXNyWBtJYL0yxlUE8ePBLYmcwlW75d1P2wh2tUMS3ncFtk3z4pllv927V0IpVi_QUv45m8mqfkjU41VRES99xhl9nVhNd93-44I_XFhDEUcPLkh2XZ9JqBjeCSg/s320/284+Katherine+%26+Pam+at+summit.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />A fairly short climb gets you to the top of the karst formation, and another series of small pagodas. The view from here is spectacular, but as you can see it was quite hazy during our visit. The air pollution in and around Hanoi is an increasing problem. I can tell the difference from two years ago. Too many motorbikes with no emissions controls.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfKBChSk_RBHF3frZaqE1sbGSVVwxFCGXrAw52CZiwkACtZsMoa_EVrzp3VzDBB-V51g2Xi_hVHRRVQZayXfYum-7BJOHBXi3KrkoznvGR4auJ0YolfFUot9Kf_obUYoJ1kMSfT1gHBg/s1600-h/285+Lady+Buddha.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255101375539657874" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijfKBChSk_RBHF3frZaqE1sbGSVVwxFCGXrAw52CZiwkACtZsMoa_EVrzp3VzDBB-V51g2Xi_hVHRRVQZayXfYum-7BJOHBXi3KrkoznvGR4auJ0YolfFUot9Kf_obUYoJ1kMSfT1gHBg/s320/285+Lady+Buddha.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Near the summit was this female Buddha, representing wisdom and active compassion.<br /><br />On her way back to the bus Jill picked up another young buddie.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G96PB_CpU2tzygKsRow1ftzl6aQM8n4NEQqeMH9jhNdIqqct3kqcc-RSWUfYsSvO75x9AZIbcfuiNi6RgoGn1XcY_8qBYkPpOE_mgppwi-MR3LqQD4DlquFez4fFqRa1FzUDs4y1iqQ/s1600-h/286+Jills+youn+buddy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255100711257164146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1G96PB_CpU2tzygKsRow1ftzl6aQM8n4NEQqeMH9jhNdIqqct3kqcc-RSWUfYsSvO75x9AZIbcfuiNi6RgoGn1XcY_8qBYkPpOE_mgppwi-MR3LqQD4DlquFez4fFqRa1FzUDs4y1iqQ/s320/286+Jills+youn+buddy.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Everyone was ready to take him home with us.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwQJg3p_Doo4Ycvb2RZY7ens82NmM5F6X6QQoxJVNYlVyiHKiDpEKWmQUAtTS_rjQj1Ss9LjGCjM4X2S6p7luN6MF32_ZPGAXp8zdYNFQiAPmdn8hkK_kgXwKW7gv5nHR9ljAZf21xWQ/s1600-h/287+Everyone+wanted+to+bring+him.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255100473583148786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixwQJg3p_Doo4Ycvb2RZY7ens82NmM5F6X6QQoxJVNYlVyiHKiDpEKWmQUAtTS_rjQj1Ss9LjGCjM4X2S6p7luN6MF32_ZPGAXp8zdYNFQiAPmdn8hkK_kgXwKW7gv5nHR9ljAZf21xWQ/s320/287+Everyone+wanted+to+bring+him.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div>After another busy week, everyone was ready to enjoy their Sunday off.<br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-55020427966949749122008-10-08T01:22:00.000-07:002008-10-08T17:29:26.867-07:00Hanoi Hilton, Military Museum, 10/3/08<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWO1R3PVxTg9ZFa8u-XpgIzNcC7Egf3UGSoYosl3YpLuPT3al2WcIcDiuI_K9l_8cjazvzCZOaD4Y7U0pC3O8QjL_zbY2sl3UGA7Y1P72b61FKw3yT6pNrxGtxYPcXhKSocj1Lp98rQdY/s1600-h/246+Bus+Approaching+Guest+House.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254709167981478178" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWO1R3PVxTg9ZFa8u-XpgIzNcC7Egf3UGSoYosl3YpLuPT3al2WcIcDiuI_K9l_8cjazvzCZOaD4Y7U0pC3O8QjL_zbY2sl3UGA7Y1P72b61FKw3yT6pNrxGtxYPcXhKSocj1Lp98rQdY/s320/246+Bus+Approaching+Guest+House.JPG" border="0" /></a> I went to the Guest House with our Hanoi coordinator, Long, so we beat the bus. Actually, I think the bus driver had a hard time finding the street. It was again a 33 passenger bus, so lots of the luggage didn't fit underneath.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr497S9MDThkjLBpKRaVevxe3x5VSTeO1ZviR367KElczUQb0WkxzuWQaPKrRxO_6itOCImYxP_EgFmfZFxk-HEya2yiCruBjOlplKolzv7saXtYz9-yb2Bo_Gu3VxD42oqN7hk_fjUU0/s1600-h/247+Unloading+Baggage.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254708775914820802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr497S9MDThkjLBpKRaVevxe3x5VSTeO1ZviR367KElczUQb0WkxzuWQaPKrRxO_6itOCImYxP_EgFmfZFxk-HEya2yiCruBjOlplKolzv7saXtYz9-yb2Bo_Gu3VxD42oqN7hk_fjUU0/s320/247+Unloading+Baggage.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><div>However, everyone survived, claimed their luggage, and settled into their rooms. We had planned a walking tour for the afternoon, but it rained so we postponed it until the next day. We did go to the water puppet show in the evening. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPRotwx2dvFSA8cQ0cDWh85izBiUuRuJVHbbEBLcNFkadVC_lefBy1UAMEoSiEJsWtgeE7HFWuZB_dO0VbDLuavqsbwrKs7oTDZMEkB7hWUPdxBHuijmT_NcSyMCyNp305Nl4TZN3Fv8/s1600-h/248+Puppet+Theater+Orchestra.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254708324944345586" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNPRotwx2dvFSA8cQ0cDWh85izBiUuRuJVHbbEBLcNFkadVC_lefBy1UAMEoSiEJsWtgeE7HFWuZB_dO0VbDLuavqsbwrKs7oTDZMEkB7hWUPdxBHuijmT_NcSyMCyNp305Nl4TZN3Fv8/s320/248+Puppet+Theater+Orchestra.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The orchestra is shown at the left. The young lady in the foreground is playing a one string instrument with a handle that you pull back and forth to change the pitch of the string. It is amazing the sounds that come from it. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfsz_L9UN4xF4TE5G6EcfyIQEWHLnVNehZXYf50k5CxZiftPDKnPHONmEu644R-xpDwqHSh0rOs4aXZggvOLobap6NJubn7qfBg00Pb6b-OXA5AkQEcsBzX-HF9UzV4ZrugXLSEDHSHo/s1600-h/249+Puppet+Theater.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254708021020462626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAfsz_L9UN4xF4TE5G6EcfyIQEWHLnVNehZXYf50k5CxZiftPDKnPHONmEu644R-xpDwqHSh0rOs4aXZggvOLobap6NJubn7qfBg00Pb6b-OXA5AkQEcsBzX-HF9UzV4ZrugXLSEDHSHo/s320/249+Puppet+Theater.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><br />Water puppetry is a unique Vietnamese art form. The puppeteers are in the water behind the screen. They have long poles and cables to control and animate the puppets. Some of the puppets spew water, as is happening in the picture shown, some spew fire, and others engage in intricate simulated games and combat.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sj0pc92sZJ_hO5qrYBt2BX7lewPvLo6pNE046XZbQmkYipcCyK7RHXrYofNXn9prgXennk-MNYns1tnNjJ-470OfB1BkkjwTdRVVYUuxYePEsq5GchT6Q-v9ai0xgl3vWKgnTgpZTpA/s1600-h/250+After+Dinner+with+Buddies.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254707541336733970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-sj0pc92sZJ_hO5qrYBt2BX7lewPvLo6pNE046XZbQmkYipcCyK7RHXrYofNXn9prgXennk-MNYns1tnNjJ-470OfB1BkkjwTdRVVYUuxYePEsq5GchT6Q-v9ai0xgl3vWKgnTgpZTpA/s320/250+After+Dinner+with+Buddies.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>After the puppet show, we met the Vietnamese language partners (buddies) and went out to dinner with them at a restaurant near Hoan Kiem Lake, the traditional center of Hanoi. It's name means "Lake of the Restored Sword." A goldon tortoise is supposed to have surfaced here and taken a golden sword from an emperor who had used it to vanquish the Chinese. Giant turtles actually have been found in the lake. The story was one of the skits in the water puppet show.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDZ7CcZXDe8sxxdEMGXsgmK_EpyxWAfof2xHQMNVUBiBPIUECCYpQtYc8CKYwasMagbuJ3VatpaH9X6qnFRfZT0cSwhCs1_M2Thm6PcQNGhPO_RWhaSUwzGjMjYWh3YiOOqPRdOSPnjY/s1600-h/251+Ngoc+%26+Buddies.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254706932990353602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwDZ7CcZXDe8sxxdEMGXsgmK_EpyxWAfof2xHQMNVUBiBPIUECCYpQtYc8CKYwasMagbuJ3VatpaH9X6qnFRfZT0cSwhCs1_M2Thm6PcQNGhPO_RWhaSUwzGjMjYWh3YiOOqPRdOSPnjY/s320/251+Ngoc+%26+Buddies.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The pictures above and to the right show some of our students with the language partners. The language partners are mostly English majors, so they want to practice their English. Hopefull our students will also get to practice their Vietnamese. The young lady in the yellow shirt is Ngoc, our Hanoi assistant.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuscRmXNIVbqVzErdgaJM0e4v6d-MhygWnq2fP_MupWF6sgsGVdTHMzj2lLhRbSYlq1jX759r7M4S7RygpJnJ7HO3xisZfBUW8bNNfvxPDfTFJX6ZSOSgD8ZlbAJJEyofC4-wEqUaNr1c/s1600-h/252+Guys+Night+Out.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254706223387420450" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuscRmXNIVbqVzErdgaJM0e4v6d-MhygWnq2fP_MupWF6sgsGVdTHMzj2lLhRbSYlq1jX759r7M4S7RygpJnJ7HO3xisZfBUW8bNNfvxPDfTFJX6ZSOSgD8ZlbAJJEyofC4-wEqUaNr1c/s320/252+Guys+Night+Out.JPG" border="0" /></a> Before Phat, our Saigon assistant, flew home, we took him on a guys night out. I'm taking the picture, and Andrew had to pass, as he had Uncle Ho's revenge that evening. We tried to convince Phat that it was his bachelor's party, although he has no plans to get<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQP5LI9S6QfkIBcVWADXEo7eB9U5u1wK-qKW44mp116Qa7kK-9gosnGQxH0rOUwQlBcvS8LMsBMyDmjZVg5YjESQixWIjYhettKTDqnpCLejBuO0NJd5MIz_hYAmxLkexO2Mn2nGDVN_c/s1600-h/252a+Front+Entrance.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254705815973406098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQP5LI9S6QfkIBcVWADXEo7eB9U5u1wK-qKW44mp116Qa7kK-9gosnGQxH0rOUwQlBcvS8LMsBMyDmjZVg5YjESQixWIjYhettKTDqnpCLejBuO0NJd5MIz_hYAmxLkexO2Mn2nGDVN_c/s320/252a+Front+Entrance.JPG" border="0" /></a> married.<br /><br /><div><br />The students started language classes on Wednesday, met their internship supervisors on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon, and took a field trip to two museums on Friday. </div><br /><div>Our first stop was Maison Centrale, or as it is referred to in the U.S., the "Hanoi Hilton." It was originally a French prison built during the colonial period, and 90% of the displays are about the atrocities Vietnamese political prisoners suffered under the French.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehPw7teh2CVVdxiXaHbvbZDw4Ztyl5x-GuhaTINPSUdvjQs9Qf8iq7hY7_4I3acXBR8kvMDFde4D0WNyegRmtwGkP5RrcQ9eJifkwrTSZtGxhttzWxzbCI9jxVaVqHn8g5To4hxGZR7M/s1600-h/253+Hoa+Lo+Prison.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254705172194413746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehPw7teh2CVVdxiXaHbvbZDw4Ztyl5x-GuhaTINPSUdvjQs9Qf8iq7hY7_4I3acXBR8kvMDFde4D0WNyegRmtwGkP5RrcQ9eJifkwrTSZtGxhttzWxzbCI9jxVaVqHn8g5To4hxGZR7M/s320/253+Hoa+Lo+Prison.JPG" border="0" /></a>The displays start right inside the front foyer, and continue through some of the old cell blocks and courtyards. About two-thirds of the prison was torn down in 1993 to make way for the Hanoi Towers complex, which can be seen behind the wall in some of the pictures. The remainder of the prison was set aside as a museum at that time.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ncfKlkmvYijKd565pEnm7MAeo9pYmpmuQDNb28Lhb0W-PEPoUndvyF0i1a9SBc_U3AOkX3hvtc5mSxVZdiQVt9CfwVn4CE8B2JqPWBINvO0pzGUg8d9dQtFxR07rQ60_R4HCMLT2yOU/s1600-h/254+Mural.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254704168455776034" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_ncfKlkmvYijKd565pEnm7MAeo9pYmpmuQDNb28Lhb0W-PEPoUndvyF0i1a9SBc_U3AOkX3hvtc5mSxVZdiQVt9CfwVn4CE8B2JqPWBINvO0pzGUg8d9dQtFxR07rQ60_R4HCMLT2yOU/s320/254+Mural.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><div><div><br /><div>These two murals depict the mistreatment of Vietnamese "patriots" by the French, but <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrFGpTWOJvN5LJ8ms2ZSKH4XXkGoPgialFlklDgnyS9NRCzHI3KJqu1BGEVQKKk7Fg_Zi2H3i7_1GGaLm7Ih7jLq7h779uzvrSGUZvesLOO7zWNfnN7JuGTmN-UPmQhkpgMwHP8RlOeo/s1600-h/255+Mural.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254703658399333954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="253" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMrFGpTWOJvN5LJ8ms2ZSKH4XXkGoPgialFlklDgnyS9NRCzHI3KJqu1BGEVQKKk7Fg_Zi2H3i7_1GGaLm7Ih7jLq7h779uzvrSGUZvesLOO7zWNfnN7JuGTmN-UPmQhkpgMwHP8RlOeo/s320/255+Mural.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a>whoever made them didn't have a good idea of French facial features, as all the characters have a distinct Asian look.<br /><br />The section of sewer shown below was used by 16 "political prisoners" to escape from the death sentence yard in December of 1951, during the French Indochina War.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBRPwDH9rLRRDGt0NN1Y97HzJEXucpoyP1gRdBbHOpkiDhMFRbdFg6FZt4DqpYwRYe1n5X3wQKfdyR8RiOxeBGbUU2e3BsaqWPwX8tobL_YGwSGV4Yh7dnCjZmrnAqBjRzKkVJ_uDMTY/s1600-h/256+Sewer.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254703306079205634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBRPwDH9rLRRDGt0NN1Y97HzJEXucpoyP1gRdBbHOpkiDhMFRbdFg6FZt4DqpYwRYe1n5X3wQKfdyR8RiOxeBGbUU2e3BsaqWPwX8tobL_YGwSGV4Yh7dnCjZmrnAqBjRzKkVJ_uDMTY/s320/256+Sewer.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The guillotine was used by the French to execute prisoners at Hoa Lo, and was continued to be used by the Diem regime up until 1960.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD7S2PZvbIRWQ5x1Rnkc8rprYc24Wat3vKbTkSvyNtqC5DvIP-QnMdP0ewDrnuVm5Ixqy83WOT5DSubr7HTv_vPN608H5Ie-WLV8D9HAMWKTg1Pv7rrcARlz9rQYOwJP4KcyVc0K8H5Y/s1600-h/257+Guillotine.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254702965272607122" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidD7S2PZvbIRWQ5x1Rnkc8rprYc24Wat3vKbTkSvyNtqC5DvIP-QnMdP0ewDrnuVm5Ixqy83WOT5DSubr7HTv_vPN608H5Ie-WLV8D9HAMWKTg1Pv7rrcARlz9rQYOwJP4KcyVc0K8H5Y/s320/257+Guillotine.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br />This monument was erected to honor "patriotic and revolutionary combatants" who were enterred at Hoa Lo. The mural continues for several panels to the left. Part of the Hanoi Towers can be seen in the background.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEp2olFkc9yVcC0-mlTSnLAQuJ1wek9JTQuJiMxHW-IUW3myuiocOHF_2hqEMXpUKhSEl3RU5Ssv0IfeEwPOlQne-bieEQzOGLhDkMMD4Tywtt-eQlZHeVD4rLIEipLhCkLnGs9TBGeLA/s1600-h/258+Wall.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254702419169409586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEp2olFkc9yVcC0-mlTSnLAQuJ1wek9JTQuJiMxHW-IUW3myuiocOHF_2hqEMXpUKhSEl3RU5Ssv0IfeEwPOlQne-bieEQzOGLhDkMMD4Tywtt-eQlZHeVD4rLIEipLhCkLnGs9TBGeLA/s320/258+Wall.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />There were only two rooms, right at the end of the designated path through the museum, with information about the American pilots held here between 1964 and 1973.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTP_cV3Sjs8pUcA_h4G8-xNSk6eX5kUpl0K7Sbehv4lHR_FQ9xhGfquTXuV-SuERarSefCA-ad-aibKx5Itkli8yyVChN1Tr_dj4LdH2RGGLMWROWiauMZYXldZ049pDtDrKiLg1E6sUE/s1600-h/259+John+McCain.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254701812349251314" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTP_cV3Sjs8pUcA_h4G8-xNSk6eX5kUpl0K7Sbehv4lHR_FQ9xhGfquTXuV-SuERarSefCA-ad-aibKx5Itkli8yyVChN1Tr_dj4LdH2RGGLMWROWiauMZYXldZ049pDtDrKiLg1E6sUE/s320/259+John+McCain.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Prominent among the displays are John McCain's flight gear, and a picture of him visiting the prison in April of 2000. The picture is repeated in two different locations of the museum. The label on the glass case had been updated to reflect that McCain is now a candidate for the presidency, which shows how closely the Vietnamese follow, and the importance they place on the American political scene.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0NqiC1P1NdQT557MZrKTuGbyziLN9w3YlHkDC_AIcRZq9J71Y5k428f4StS-k4moi8rnXJPeR0MUIoV-GzbrsffhhlRuwkddGk-91lbSmnPkQIcNVBBc_OiOZ8hMIkGqBrLjPD4wnuE/s1600-h/260+John+McCain.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254700428446868242" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0NqiC1P1NdQT557MZrKTuGbyziLN9w3YlHkDC_AIcRZq9J71Y5k428f4StS-k4moi8rnXJPeR0MUIoV-GzbrsffhhlRuwkddGk-91lbSmnPkQIcNVBBc_OiOZ8hMIkGqBrLjPD4wnuE/s320/260+John+McCain.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />The language partners will ask our students questions about the election that show they clearly have been following the campaigns of both candidates.<br /><br />The plaque shown below was at the entrance to the American display.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6hlLOTfOWupNWIpQeiAGOKho_akqqQEFV3uhJ52mUdZz2Z5Q0V1nc2l9a7oZOmy6hyphenhyphenr2XlVd5SbRHQI6Gn3PPZJTmGRoGAsxs6_7OgEoM09ktt9p8vpi9uYUjeWLJj7rBFkpqQP5FQQ/s1600-h/261+Sign.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254698934410732802" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik6hlLOTfOWupNWIpQeiAGOKho_akqqQEFV3uhJ52mUdZz2Z5Q0V1nc2l9a7oZOmy6hyphenhyphenr2XlVd5SbRHQI6Gn3PPZJTmGRoGAsxs6_7OgEoM09ktt9p8vpi9uYUjeWLJj7rBFkpqQP5FQQ/s320/261+Sign.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The pictures and descriptions here are 180 degrees away from how we have seen the Americans depicted in other museums. The whole emphasis is on the "country club" type atmosphere available to the pilots; including playing basketball in the courtyard, reading letters and getting packages from home, receiving medical treatment, and growing vegetables in the courtyard to supplement their diet. We all know it wasn't exactly that way. One of the reasons John McCain still doesn't have complete use of his arm is because it was never properly set while he was a POW.<br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilj0Dl1tmTp5MVVhzmtvgx_Mu905jC2kney_puq-cBkUN0RbEXbXURNYpIcevgtkisbilPAUKxXVvX40DQPgL0X1aheeuagwV3Uw4DwgwZXkhjXjF1IAuO1khM_m3j_vAg3TYeRGhUQA/s1600-h/262+Watch+tower.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254698488478736434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilj0Dl1tmTp5MVVhzmtvgx_Mu905jC2kney_puq-cBkUN0RbEXbXURNYpIcevgtkisbilPAUKxXVvX40DQPgL0X1aheeuagwV3Uw4DwgwZXkhjXjF1IAuO1khM_m3j_vAg3TYeRGhUQA/s320/262+Watch+tower.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Our second stop of the morning was the Military Museum, which is housed in buildings adjacent to one of the old watchtowers for the Hanoi Citadel. Very little of the Citadel remains, but there are a few gates and sections of the wall in the Old Quarter.<br /><br />The museum contains a mix of artifacts and displays depicting the military of Vietnam all the way back to the Imperial period. Below Josh is wondering why the bust of General Giap has di<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCr4iUDReS7TlYBImewZSm8_GPizV709C-_pH1xCgF9cZFqlrmThcmeSNkCCj70MG-6AfGVk_jzZ-S9A_kysmY2T6C3gF1PcoE5WcH5M-ZKf-Ca7_wiFmvxAUAMH64MlWm8J3iFOmvmk/s1600-h/263+Military+Museum.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254697506678243506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCr4iUDReS7TlYBImewZSm8_GPizV709C-_pH1xCgF9cZFqlrmThcmeSNkCCj70MG-6AfGVk_jzZ-S9A_kysmY2T6C3gF1PcoE5WcH5M-ZKf-Ca7_wiFmvxAUAMH64MlWm8J3iFOmvmk/s320/263+Military+Museum.JPG" border="0" /></a>stinctly western features. It's probably because it was done by a Russian artist.<br /><br />One of the most intersting things in the museum is a sculpture m<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHlFm7bgAZM1p8tLyzqbwzYTW6LLFC7pVjnO16rTHixxSQawLPLq-N8P1xZFlt6JSTW8Lco5ra2CnHhDvMXR1K_1SMI_Js7Y5H0Ti5AUuvYJCPm0RIWCnPX5l21pApjswt7fKA4-0x1U/s1600-h/264+Sculpture.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254697155204843314" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 260px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 354px" height="374" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHlFm7bgAZM1p8tLyzqbwzYTW6LLFC7pVjnO16rTHixxSQawLPLq-N8P1xZFlt6JSTW8Lco5ra2CnHhDvMXR1K_1SMI_Js7Y5H0Ti5AUuvYJCPm0RIWCnPX5l21pApjswt7fKA4-0x1U/s320/264+Sculpture.JPG" width="304" border="0" /></a>ade from parts of airplanes shot down in both the French and American conflicts. The plaque to Josh's left says that the Communist forces shot down 435 aircraft during the French Indochina War (1945-54), a number that I can believe. Some of those planes were actually American planes that we had lent to the French. But then it goes on to say that during the American conflict (1961-75) a whopping 37,249 planes were shot down or destroyed(33,068 in the s<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeo5-W9gWQQG6iPloKa2RN_Vs7xUlNlLn0brJHIWiBXP8oHxVDXR3RvxvN7yK2wVn_TWxMhf-kHcMj9fUETf0kSWFs3dbT82_wwYcwSq6VItxCGuMApr-eKTF3FWe29kBV90S3lbNzzY/s1600-h/265+Tank.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254696711811591346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeo5-W9gWQQG6iPloKa2RN_Vs7xUlNlLn0brJHIWiBXP8oHxVDXR3RvxvN7yK2wVn_TWxMhf-kHcMj9fUETf0kSWFs3dbT82_wwYcwSq6VItxCGuMApr-eKTF3FWe29kBV90S3lbNzzY/s320/265+Tank.JPG" border="0" /></a>outh, and 4,181 in the north. I don't know the exact number, but I would bet that we don't have that many planes and helicopters in our air force, navy, and army combined. </div><div><br />One of the last displays was a tank that is claimed to be one of the actual tanks that crashed through the gates of the Presidential Palace in 1975. It has the right numbers on it, and contrary to most of the displays we have seen, hasn't been repainted and touched up, so it must be authentic.<br /><br /></div><div><div><div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-17884134493112744682008-10-02T16:07:00.000-07:002008-10-03T17:17:47.944-07:00Quang Tri and DMZ, 9/28-9/29After leaving Hue, our next stop was the Quang Tri War Memorial. It commemorates the largest battle of the American conflict that was fought between North and South forces. It was part of what is called the Eastertide Campaign, undertaken during the spring and summer of 1972 after all American ground troops had been sent home. The aim of the North was to finish off the south by a three pronged offensive; one across the DMZ, one through Kontum designed to split South Vietnam in the central region, and one aimed at Saigon through An Loc. Initially the North Vietnamese forces had considerable success. They overran Quang Tri city and were threatening Hue to the south. President Thieu replaced the commander of the South Vietnamese forces in the area, and with the help of U.S. air support, they slowly fought their way back up to the DMZ. The Northern forces did maintian control of parts of An Loc and Quang Tri provinces near the border, which allowed them to make vast improvements in the Ho CHi Minh Trail before the final campaign of 1975.<br /><br />The city of Quang Tri was heavily damaged, and the Citadel was just about obliterated.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8I5cPYvPb8Hdq9lTXQLqRNJmwaEuRdNNznEpQ8CEXDWxazo9Ia89mF7O9gBJUu7AA8dFRTjpXVMKvWqNpFd9DaNcXuw7jG9tckkeuwxf8DCvMI9CEiGg5n257I-sVAEAFdpZSsavd4c/s1600-h/215+Quang+Tri+Memorial+Grounds.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252712585949586754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo8I5cPYvPb8Hdq9lTXQLqRNJmwaEuRdNNznEpQ8CEXDWxazo9Ia89mF7O9gBJUu7AA8dFRTjpXVMKvWqNpFd9DaNcXuw7jG9tckkeuwxf8DCvMI9CEiGg5n257I-sVAEAFdpZSsavd4c/s320/215+Quang+Tri+Memorial+Grounds.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XNH5IQolSu-vRPnRwuh6KGt89yddlNRNaPiLZGkM1zsAbhXAzJxI5tX1rb1f_zxFdzASunlugowytKmhk2nC6J4LV03xVJ-qtx0kCkOtmPZ_P5rI2TNRvuCk7DHhq7ozwdJf7w0NXus/s1600-h/214+Viet+Lighting+Incense.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252712907324206354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 314px" height="335" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XNH5IQolSu-vRPnRwuh6KGt89yddlNRNaPiLZGkM1zsAbhXAzJxI5tX1rb1f_zxFdzASunlugowytKmhk2nC6J4LV03xVJ-qtx0kCkOtmPZ_P5rI2TNRvuCk7DHhq7ozwdJf7w0NXus/s320/214+Viet+Lighting+Incense.JPG" width="240" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Memorial is in what remains of the Citadel, and is dedicated to the more than 20,000 soldiers from both sides who were killed here, many of them not even 20 years old. It was raining when we arived, which is entirely appropriate for the site. The picture above shows the grounds that have been turned into a park, and at the left Viet works at lighting incense sticks for e<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26t5JvFaobZ-UuJwjJ5D5I4jdovxf8nrIQxGX70P1fURXcor6tGTgIgbmmUCxXZ_a_-DYIaOJVrPH_Fzhn0NA4ZaXQcoFIUzQ_6y0Lrw_IrZdZUmmgK4ZP2iqJ72i0EWLylWIku7P7BM/s1600-h/216+Presenting+Incense.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252712235195487858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg26t5JvFaobZ-UuJwjJ5D5I4jdovxf8nrIQxGX70P1fURXcor6tGTgIgbmmUCxXZ_a_-DYIaOJVrPH_Fzhn0NA4ZaXQcoFIUzQ_6y0Lrw_IrZdZUmmgK4ZP2iqJ72i0EWLylWIku7P7BM/s320/216+Presenting+Incense.JPG" border="0" /></a>ach of us.<br />We then put the incense in the urn, with appropriate personal thoughts.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_uvxacGDMGMbwo-KRv013r-v2TPRTYJSzJduXdeVfNHQcfluH5g0DxMa55MRtnpC-3dCIphEVOs41N07cgEojnDVpRHfU-aQkw37bAsyHy36UzXe5kP331nhiPFxtiAGSt-sMHtC7aQ/s1600-h/217+Museum.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252711914462048338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_uvxacGDMGMbwo-KRv013r-v2TPRTYJSzJduXdeVfNHQcfluH5g0DxMa55MRtnpC-3dCIphEVOs41N07cgEojnDVpRHfU-aQkw37bAsyHy36UzXe5kP331nhiPFxtiAGSt-sMHtC7aQ/s320/217+Museum.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The museum contained many pictures of what Quang Tre and the Citadel looked like before and after the battle.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEk7vL8MyeNjkpvXAfWk-qDLJco9JfqWTHl8br5w-L12sDkQN2FjMGV9ZQGJFNKgmlPNzqwnEm-ek7EDjp-uwC-Ahvg6dWP4FtgI9e-3G9OwlGyvt9HHauatYmp5KT1YuzEESYezqnypA/s1600-h/218+Picture.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252711521947695938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEk7vL8MyeNjkpvXAfWk-qDLJco9JfqWTHl8br5w-L12sDkQN2FjMGV9ZQGJFNKgmlPNzqwnEm-ek7EDjp-uwC-Ahvg6dWP4FtgI9e-3G9OwlGyvt9HHauatYmp5KT1YuzEESYezqnypA/s320/218+Picture.JPG" border="0" /></a> The picture to the left shows North Vietnamese forces defending the Citadel, with the caption that injured soldiers refused to be evacuated and fought on. I'm not sure how much choice they had. It took over 90 days to retake Quang Tri, in some of the fiercest fighting of the whole conflict. All three of the attacks failed in the end, with the North taking 50% casualties, and losing 50% of its tanks and artillery. It took them three years to regain their strengt<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCvPf2BlrXYNBktSpwcX5NqCJiE71jdPvRt6IPR2QAvGG5SgtEOlm4tAjEHzO6xllsnHrgSla22WLJ2MTgp6xBGXTri1UPdeWVOiifJb4l_TwyadDb9ndlJ1GkMl9OQbafSYY839BfoU/s1600-h/219+Sculpture.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252711298868012130" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXCvPf2BlrXYNBktSpwcX5NqCJiE71jdPvRt6IPR2QAvGG5SgtEOlm4tAjEHzO6xllsnHrgSla22WLJ2MTgp6xBGXTri1UPdeWVOiifJb4l_TwyadDb9ndlJ1GkMl9OQbafSYY839BfoU/s320/219+Sculpture.JPG" border="0" /></a>h before the final offensive in 1975.<br /><br /><br /><div><div>Our next stop was the Truong Son National Cemetary, which is located in the Demilaterized Zone (DMZ). This cemetary contains the remains of about 10,000 people who died either building or transporting supplies on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The sculpture to the right is a depiction of those workers.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzB26Efz24XPelxwTneMYup9IpFrXog_lhL6sEDAjRA568pgQZlSqHBsj7s59umCwsq7S6OvuUKE1zBErqPoboe8UxNOxNJJGdtsBzYEt6nrKMvApBz9d6KaNc6jVMwHqZZZ8HjRZevbo/s1600-h/220+Monument+at+Truong+Son.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252711044799124530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzB26Efz24XPelxwTneMYup9IpFrXog_lhL6sEDAjRA568pgQZlSqHBsj7s59umCwsq7S6OvuUKE1zBErqPoboe8UxNOxNJJGdtsBzYEt6nrKMvApBz9d6KaNc6jVMwHqZZZ8HjRZevbo/s320/220+Monument+at+Truong+Son.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />A large monument marks the entry to the cemetary.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_9Nzr_8V9m1rQAGtteW9CthTLY5FIHw209DrJQL0ICLbqMdiG87W6-LwDUOHzzJoN0wXBoSBXNd-27bsMJNRaim2BUuNnsiZhrMWazEXqPT8ONcu00UfEBi7ruqBKKqgLPcZKfrnDHU/s1600-h/221+Graves.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252710641993550002" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_9Nzr_8V9m1rQAGtteW9CthTLY5FIHw209DrJQL0ICLbqMdiG87W6-LwDUOHzzJoN0wXBoSBXNd-27bsMJNRaim2BUuNnsiZhrMWazEXqPT8ONcu00UfEBi7ruqBKKqgLPcZKfrnDHU/s320/221+Graves.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The remains are in above ground graves, with a headstone giving the name of the deceased, birth and death dates, and his<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoo1Sj0aUdtKsRPTWD_w9bQXmtIInZDVkrRBAgyEgoNQEylDw2SGk0XC0EfOYohNN7LresUILq-ljUlsk7zT0kpsOH6nA0g2rcNoY5T-lQoE-CxkJZOcVrVZPv2rW-kffoWoYjdyUqAg/s1600-h/222+Cemetary.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252710190596200514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUoo1Sj0aUdtKsRPTWD_w9bQXmtIInZDVkrRBAgyEgoNQEylDw2SGk0XC0EfOYohNN7LresUILq-ljUlsk7zT0kpsOH6nA0g2rcNoY5T-lQoE-CxkJZOcVrVZPv2rW-kffoWoYjdyUqAg/s320/222+Cemetary.JPG" border="0" /></a> or her home town.<br /><div><div>The sections of the cemetary are organized by Provence.<br /><br />A bit farther north we got to the actual demarcation line between North and South Vietnam during the American Conflict. The 17th parallel is the nominal l<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSQYXGeINLrcR7t41yBNaWHsPzhkVCDQB67HYnD049Zr2_ZyXQ9YCYAcBU_k64wiU_Pm97FWhz-zj41IquvURyFiqMqxotQ6EfGZNvNg0zoZcs7LBBW9Xq9zWr36yHLDGC8PqXmu3U24/s1600-h/223+DMZ+monument.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252709652095650514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSQYXGeINLrcR7t41yBNaWHsPzhkVCDQB67HYnD049Zr2_ZyXQ9YCYAcBU_k64wiU_Pm97FWhz-zj41IquvURyFiqMqxotQ6EfGZNvNg0zoZcs7LBBW9Xq9zWr36yHLDGC8PqXmu3U24/s320/223+DMZ+monument.JPG" border="0" /></a>ine, but it actually follows the Ben Hai River which parallels and crisscrosses the 17th.<br /><br />The monument shown was erected after reunification, and it depicts a mother and daughter staring across the divide, hoping to be reunited with family who are stuck on the other side. The Communist government is big on symbolic displays such as this.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvhawkFhYNQNFJygYv3nyZRgxscQoYNEKrdzkQTmZM3FGzA3MXZUlZFbBzl3rO5o9VBov_0_W7pGfmTojmAsfJB7fOCRhASro3LJaGxMm6GV4Bc0_XZJ4WdFsedfv7tnvLj8R1BqULfo/s1600-h/224+Hien+Luong+Bridge.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252709112171897778" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPvhawkFhYNQNFJygYv3nyZRgxscQoYNEKrdzkQTmZM3FGzA3MXZUlZFbBzl3rO5o9VBov_0_W7pGfmTojmAsfJB7fOCRhASro3LJaGxMm6GV4Bc0_XZJ4WdFsedfv7tnvLj8R1BqULfo/s320/224+Hien+Luong+Bridge.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> Directly across from the monument is the old bridge that was used during the conflict. Then it was closed to all except official parties. A new vehicle bridge has been placed just upstream. We are walking towards the north.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKpirxZ1Ow1Z6NlwLmm5byK8RSS0dHH5NEECXIoTKfzU2ZzrWAJXKmYM9VwmlNwodaoPPJmEcGGhpuBrU42ViWhRHLz3sdFm4CFnWTiLBZ44wMfpcf0kG_5ZHdfGdK8M26tJxzcbn8FU/s1600-h/225+Loudspeakers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252708842488563122" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpKpirxZ1Ow1Z6NlwLmm5byK8RSS0dHH5NEECXIoTKfzU2ZzrWAJXKmYM9VwmlNwodaoPPJmEcGGhpuBrU42ViWhRHLz3sdFm4CFnWTiLBZ44wMfpcf0kG_5ZHdfGdK8M26tJxzcbn8FU/s320/225+Loudspeakers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />The bank of loudspeakers is on the northern shore pointed to the south. It was used during the conflict to exhort the southerners to throw down their arms and join the "just" cause of the north. Even after reunification, loudspeakers were used in all the major cities and towns of the south to help "educate" the people about the Communist philosophy and goals. Even when I first came back, you would periodically hear broadcasts in the streets. I think they have pretty much given up on it, as I haven't heard any this time.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKH_siL8sH3zriyRf99j9K7iXiKxpSpSBSvQlhkqDxM1QFO8SRY30TK4Dmq87ruqxBxPIhEAvtO-b8SY_7nYAzU5N05HVuHxYegmt99KkIe3ldJWTiHyRi6Tm78RoFVtNqklA54qQijtc/s1600-h/226+DMZ+map.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252708489233206882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKH_siL8sH3zriyRf99j9K7iXiKxpSpSBSvQlhkqDxM1QFO8SRY30TK4Dmq87ruqxBxPIhEAvtO-b8SY_7nYAzU5N05HVuHxYegmt99KkIe3ldJWTiHyRi6Tm78RoFVtNqklA54qQijtc/s320/226+DMZ+map.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> As with most sites like this there was a museum. The actual DMZ extended 20 km on either side of the river, as shown by the white strip on the map.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F-QLaMkroK0WsVGadc5BtE0ztH40HCqT6Xl_7-pDR1rJ7T0FF5HfMY_5_bQbXz2GGj9RhVRZ4svgXgPaBy1BC_BxpRpX_Sfr0h2PLznYFuZt77keiSfTP_nBGzYhsoqV6BOiu9jq_1s/s1600-h/227+HCM.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252708160233439826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6F-QLaMkroK0WsVGadc5BtE0ztH40HCqT6Xl_7-pDR1rJ7T0FF5HfMY_5_bQbXz2GGj9RhVRZ4svgXgPaBy1BC_BxpRpX_Sfr0h2PLznYFuZt77keiSfTP_nBGzYhsoqV6BOiu9jq_1s/s320/227+HCM.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This statue of Uncle Ho was also in the museum, as was the bronze statue of female freedom fighters. Women played a significant role in the Viet Cong and NVA efforts, not only as fighters, but also as builders, maintainers, and transporters on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Most women in the South not aligned with the VC, stuck pretty much to traditional roles.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwlNrMH8ds5eJ0vLL_yVJ6Vftpqvcr-T9XLHOvHBgiQszni6l97nXB4fKrF55m70LGdj5AodFb6RgbxwHl6EWu9I3SgbqBrCdNkyJw3UmWXmSh1HydO5RZZ5brcWnsL5KA5tIVGlsUyo/s1600-h/228+Women+Fighters.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252707781632968082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwlNrMH8ds5eJ0vLL_yVJ6Vftpqvcr-T9XLHOvHBgiQszni6l97nXB4fKrF55m70LGdj5AodFb6RgbxwHl6EWu9I3SgbqBrCdNkyJw3UmWXmSh1HydO5RZZ5brcWnsL5KA5tIVGlsUyo/s320/228+Women+Fighters.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This must be the second tallest flagstaff in Vietnam (the one at the Citadel in Hue is the tallest), just north of the Ben Hai River.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqWZSTbwz6AtAOlwTzyL6nrcevmhdWcTvw5eUYGhzLpgrHwWVcjJwon9PI9mhIeRYOMtvfrWC_IIMceYcYd8OnuqUwgVkF46L-GLyRMqhQgq_3YZ0dLJ3OAWfEB-U5prX3QS5cWQMCkY/s1600-h/229+Flag.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252707404201571842" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAqWZSTbwz6AtAOlwTzyL6nrcevmhdWcTvw5eUYGhzLpgrHwWVcjJwon9PI9mhIeRYOMtvfrWC_IIMceYcYd8OnuqUwgVkF46L-GLyRMqhQgq_3YZ0dLJ3OAWfEB-U5prX3QS5cWQMCkY/s320/229+Flag.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br />A few kilometers farther north we arrived at the Vinh Moc tunnels.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARSZVNDwHK3QxyL2YZq8UFIl5yJu2_H9VWUNoZb-CvZBE4RrbRzwiN_C87kCgB2ekMjsoncfRxDKtttNWBkMdz6moveTHnp82pBifmKsDUvMOOlT9v9rrT9U_UnwpUYOanacDhqSU2T8/s1600-h/230+Vinh+Moc+Tunnels.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252706912584124050" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARSZVNDwHK3QxyL2YZq8UFIl5yJu2_H9VWUNoZb-CvZBE4RrbRzwiN_C87kCgB2ekMjsoncfRxDKtttNWBkMdz6moveTHnp82pBifmKsDUvMOOlT9v9rrT9U_UnwpUYOanacDhqSU2T8/s320/230+Vinh+Moc+Tunnels.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br />Before leaving the museum, "Rambo" Zikopoulos tried out an anti-aircraft gun. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9nemEQj3x7wGYLsCujyGV_kmMDjrz66CA2TNqsOWBb94BLP2dUShF72T4uU-1-Rcr3s2yIa1CouXK5_PDwJ0cbpsdiF6XzAUWNVNH_Ps9oieGNbS6q0vTiq7dg4gBKkf664CaL0CpmQ/s1600-h/231+Rambo+Zikopoulos.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252706309763493682" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9nemEQj3x7wGYLsCujyGV_kmMDjrz66CA2TNqsOWBb94BLP2dUShF72T4uU-1-Rcr3s2yIa1CouXK5_PDwJ0cbpsdiF6XzAUWNVNH_Ps9oieGNbS6q0vTiq7dg4gBKkf664CaL0CpmQ/s320/231+Rambo+Zikopoulos.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>The North Vietnamese would bring supplies by sea to Vinh Moc, then transport them across just north of the DMZ to either infiltrate them through the DMZ, or take them farther west to link up with the Ho Chi Minh trail. Therefore, Vinh Moc was heavily bombed by U.S. Naval planes and guns, and also Air Force B-52s. The people of Vinh Moc responded by taking their whole town underground. They had hospitals, maternity wards (the signs called them "baby factor<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVScUHD6O2Cusf-1q9AmBF20JgnA9_-ssTIZnMUNJTcEO7ArWswCE9WDaiR9kxMQZGebMWyS6jnfwZqLA_55FpmVs-T6xb9j8OgPXHYlCWLUAkHybmabVVN3YrWFXxfZWVE2SbHMIOGk/s1600-h/232+Down+into+the+tunnels.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252705494419681554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheVScUHD6O2Cusf-1q9AmBF20JgnA9_-ssTIZnMUNJTcEO7ArWswCE9WDaiR9kxMQZGebMWyS6jnfwZqLA_55FpmVs-T6xb9j8OgPXHYlCWLUAkHybmabVVN3YrWFXxfZWVE2SbHMIOGk/s320/232+Down+into+the+tunnels.JPG" border="0" /></a>ies), kitchens, sleeping quarters, storage rooms, and every other essential service for town functioning. They didn't stay below all the time,but they slept there, and whenever there was a warning of a raid, they would hurry back in.<br /><br />Since they were north of the demarcation line, they didn't have to worry about ground troops finding the entrances, so they didn't have to use carefully camouflaged spider holes. They did camouflage them against air observation.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1omt7I5iePDm0jLhlawG6ZLfF4USVS-pFVBoUR5_eu4bEq3aFC3kONML9ZeIJwPiHFIsSuf0A6oT8ApibXS9PHIXAFCW-MfVhEQlAsLrjTXDdrWYgp8dhTBMDNXaolm4HmF_xpNuieKg/s1600-h/233++Tunnel.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252705119630229714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1omt7I5iePDm0jLhlawG6ZLfF4USVS-pFVBoUR5_eu4bEq3aFC3kONML9ZeIJwPiHFIsSuf0A6oT8ApibXS9PHIXAFCW-MfVhEQlAsLrjTXDdrWYgp8dhTBMDNXaolm4HmF_xpNuieKg/s320/233++Tunnel.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><div><div><br />In some places, especially near the entrances, the tunnels were shored up with wood. Farther in they were earth, as in Cu Chi, but much more spacious, as Josh and Cat demonstrate.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsZ7Fbc_dhftW7MkShhU_uBkicWVvICLRe1M0jC07gNrjk-KdD0wGmuGaX_8suon-KVL7Jxb47ZGJ7Q0B3vu6SMYj05t57QfJfFetX_xSqTVJ2xwnykJrClV_rmYtQzQr3R7aHdx0oC4/s1600-h/234+Bigger+than+Cu+Chi.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252704749794097282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVsZ7Fbc_dhftW7MkShhU_uBkicWVvICLRe1M0jC07gNrjk-KdD0wGmuGaX_8suon-KVL7Jxb47ZGJ7Q0B3vu6SMYj05t57QfJfFetX_xSqTVJ2xwnykJrClV_rmYtQzQr3R7aHdx0oC4/s320/234+Bigger+than+Cu+Chi.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Josh is headed down to a lower level, while Cat is about to re-emerge at ground level.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5suntXaHfus55Sfi1aZL4LdFA5hfVQrhwTyYvUS3asZ-F7Hkq-UQ_Pl49-NEy6h_lxNpUEqFTrARetRt2eBGWG26YJZNcwjWch7fakAtDCWm0heF4xYqUSbYhIz9yChN5HrOUwPVqME/s1600-h/235+Back+Up.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252704270235413298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5suntXaHfus55Sfi1aZL4LdFA5hfVQrhwTyYvUS3asZ-F7Hkq-UQ_Pl49-NEy6h_lxNpUEqFTrARetRt2eBGWG26YJZNcwjWch7fakAtDCWm0heF4xYqUSbYhIz9yChN5HrOUwPVqME/s320/235+Back+Up.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />After the tunnels we spent a couple of hours at the Vinh Moc beach. Everyone enjoyed the relaxation, but not as many went in the water, as the waves were very rough as a result of an offshore storm.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfhSc_b-M8kofxo-PiTOxdswP2sLcan4N5wnCaq0AWEsaNuERiedfTn15Tt1gkGYC62Y9WXLDcKq3n8jt_r8IzMmH_Bg38WD83Da_M8FkSx5lK_2pb8IY3US3yDSnjbkl6Ayil8FMx7w/s1600-h/236+Vinh+Moc+Beach.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252703943155904306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfhSc_b-M8kofxo-PiTOxdswP2sLcan4N5wnCaq0AWEsaNuERiedfTn15Tt1gkGYC62Y9WXLDcKq3n8jt_r8IzMmH_Bg38WD83Da_M8FkSx5lK_2pb8IY3US3yDSnjbkl6Ayil8FMx7w/s320/236+Vinh+Moc+Beach.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriuMZAdRRCij6Z9-MVHIMYQPaAvOQLpNgnyGInfvPDHFAE9Bus6jZmhq92o9mLVmjnuIc9uRaf1caWwxro7ROcPmP65f7IWO0uiXo9Z7V9p4dYMtF_S_X3CZzpaHSQCbF6wt7ltOlobs/s1600-h/237+Platform.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252703448811697586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriuMZAdRRCij6Z9-MVHIMYQPaAvOQLpNgnyGInfvPDHFAE9Bus6jZmhq92o9mLVmjnuIc9uRaf1caWwxro7ROcPmP65f7IWO0uiXo9Z7V9p4dYMtF_S_X3CZzpaHSQCbF6wt7ltOlobs/s320/237+Platform.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The beach "policeman," shown here by the platform we rented, warned us not to go too far out.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsDlIMdqPP3hM82IPV8fkTOlnWDpR7AyqrmJPNbJ-gpLuvS2tb4bJ9KRDbyNErgs_nU4jS8nhFcQ1QfLQnnqlk86meNdgFNlaPf4I4PnmFfAWLJo8-2VVKxgrYrFap2mh9KHTAUM8WVE/s1600-h/238+Group+on+HCM+Trail.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252702847297485794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsDlIMdqPP3hM82IPV8fkTOlnWDpR7AyqrmJPNbJ-gpLuvS2tb4bJ9KRDbyNErgs_nU4jS8nhFcQ1QfLQnnqlk86meNdgFNlaPf4I4PnmFfAWLJo8-2VVKxgrYrFap2mh9KHTAUM8WVE/s320/238+Group+on+HCM+Trail.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We spent the night in Dong Ha, then in the morning headed back to the DMZ. Here the group is shown on a segment of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Between 1972 when the last U.S. troops withdrew, and 1975 when they made their final push, the North Vietnamese made vast improvements in the Ho <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtfZc_IkYru6_CKIq5auEZzK5ad4XfGTBXf90U5SZgJs-q2-OeMDE2Qe7sWejeQ6yiW9LHBBnPjmYEzFtgnWBylhJMz3K2jCBqgHHrQ2SXBzFDSnx4mYE3NQ-96iI53plQO7KkZLonjM/s1600-h/239+Montegnards.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252701423075792930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtfZc_IkYru6_CKIq5auEZzK5ad4XfGTBXf90U5SZgJs-q2-OeMDE2Qe7sWejeQ6yiW9LHBBnPjmYEzFtgnWBylhJMz3K2jCBqgHHrQ2SXBzFDSnx4mYE3NQ-96iI53plQO7KkZLonjM/s320/239+Montegnards.JPG" border="0" /></a>Chi Minh Trail, including paving large segments of it, and building bridges, so they could move tanks, trucks, troops, and supplies much more easily.<br /><div><br /><div> The young Montagnard boys tagged along with us as we walked across the bridge. Montagnard is a general name used by the French to refer to any of the ethnic minority groups in Vietnam. As you will see in later posts, there are many different tribes, whose traditional dress varies, but is generally very colorful. It was raining when we visited the bridge, and as you can see in some of these pictures, I had a water droplet on my lens.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9JoOG4kIjCGFja1vIOibm2VvE-Q_EsW74NEkEJu9GJIIELhJ6TT0q9dwbVjyhZixnhjbt6B2zMux0UTGpOiThzp96m-pG19GNcphzj7JiwWVyerKq6Ek5I1q92WgXXuj4_DnEvsxK2Y/s1600-h/240+Bridge.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252700751148815442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit9JoOG4kIjCGFja1vIOibm2VvE-Q_EsW74NEkEJu9GJIIELhJ6TT0q9dwbVjyhZixnhjbt6B2zMux0UTGpOiThzp96m-pG19GNcphzj7JiwWVyerKq6Ek5I1q92WgXXuj4_DnEvsxK2Y/s320/240+Bridge.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This is the bridge we walked across to get to where the group shot was taken. It was designed by a Cuban engineer, with Russians assisting in the construction. It is a good example of just how far the North Viethamese had come prior to the final campaign of 1975.<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFBby2bCfKE8FPfJ08zLJVE83MuzcufMyb0qyKfro2EVSEiTor7l88vFeKYwnY6Nc5p9gRAQl5-VTGscxu1EAh6fmA-suAEz-RjW7ivQE01lfJx-uXo8twnsOOyzaWODjGIAWDQwBnLY/s1600-h/241+Chinook.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252700319411893250" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAFBby2bCfKE8FPfJ08zLJVE83MuzcufMyb0qyKfro2EVSEiTor7l88vFeKYwnY6Nc5p9gRAQl5-VTGscxu1EAh6fmA-suAEz-RjW7ivQE01lfJx-uXo8twnsOOyzaWODjGIAWDQwBnLY/s320/241+Chinook.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Our last stop in the DMZ was the site of the Khe Sanh fire base. One of the displays here is a captured Chinook, so the students could see the actual size of the bird I flew.<br /><div>Khe Sahn is the site of the famous 75 day seige that so obsessed President Johnson that he stated "I don't want no Din Bin Foo," referring to the French defeat in 1954, that he demanded a written guarantee from the Pentagon that we would not lose the base. For a while the base was cut off from all but air resupply, but it was never in danger of falling, primarily because of massive U.S. air power. The U.S. lost about 300 troops during the seige, while the NVA losses were estimated at between 10,000 and 15,000, mainly due to artillery shelling and over 100,000 tons of bombs that were dropped around the base. </div><div> </div><div>All the suffering didn't have any lasting effects. The NVA forces disengaged and melted back into the jungle about the time that the First Air Cav cleared the road leading to Khe Sanh. Shortly afterwards the Marines abandonded Khe Sahn, destroying everything they could before they left.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFq4RDh-iajMDXbX_4T0JB3ldB8aHx_zUmpcqQA63SuTEPdoKBYz-_nN9lKq5HwgNPtJNHUER8YijmvmzDITUZWf0g3OrJhKEoR22igB1OL5wmmhb3n45mdAIMpfehMbqEE_TJinQccaA/s1600-h/242+Airstrip+at+Khe+Sahn.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252699705050620514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFq4RDh-iajMDXbX_4T0JB3ldB8aHx_zUmpcqQA63SuTEPdoKBYz-_nN9lKq5HwgNPtJNHUER8YijmvmzDITUZWf0g3OrJhKEoR22igB1OL5wmmhb3n45mdAIMpfehMbqEE_TJinQccaA/s320/242+Airstrip+at+Khe+Sahn.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The site of the runway at Khe Sahn is shown to the left. About the only thing the Marines didn't take with them was the perforated steel plank (PSP) covering the runway, as they didn't have room in their trucks for it. As you can see, none of it remains today. It didn't take the Vietnamese long to remove it for other building projects. </div><div> </div><div>The seige of Khe Sahn occurred concurrently with the Tet Offensive of 1968. There is still controversy over which might have been a diversionary attack for the other, or whether there was any interaction.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsFQ5uH3sDiVu_MyDNeCF-EnYY6smR1IGUpldycZwRAdI7X_quEInQFJhIh3Zumpkmjyuydywz3-QrtFOP3ozKesfL9VSgVFKcVmxYC1SuJsNQkoPfNJcHRoAXJITekD9CP-A8pqGD8o/s1600-h/243+Toan+%26+Quang.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252698777537942946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMsFQ5uH3sDiVu_MyDNeCF-EnYY6smR1IGUpldycZwRAdI7X_quEInQFJhIh3Zumpkmjyuydywz3-QrtFOP3ozKesfL9VSgVFKcVmxYC1SuJsNQkoPfNJcHRoAXJITekD9CP-A8pqGD8o/s320/243+Toan+%26+Quang.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Later in the afternoon we made our way to the Dong Ha railroad station to catch the overnight train to Hanoi. Here our able assistant driver Toan (left), and driver Quang say their goodbyes. They helped get our bags on the train, as it only stops in Dong Ha for five minutes or so. </div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzx1Lylbyn_MbZJ4PkkeA3srf7bm2Xh7X6aGNUvlJGXJ8xsDqeBPXGePjy9CuPMfPmfVecuRE10xizSqStb_tIkojAD8pKCMx_mriZ2Z8ZjkOrCw8wXGnEJkJ_Y23cbCFT_0rCrzo0-gg/s1600-h/244+Waiting+for+train.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252698226118319474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzx1Lylbyn_MbZJ4PkkeA3srf7bm2Xh7X6aGNUvlJGXJ8xsDqeBPXGePjy9CuPMfPmfVecuRE10xizSqStb_tIkojAD8pKCMx_mriZ2Z8ZjkOrCw8wXGnEJkJ_Y23cbCFT_0rCrzo0-gg/s320/244+Waiting+for+train.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br />The students had all of their luggage, so getting it on in a short period of time was no small feat.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXQm4dzY3QBYGxlL6UFTmTCGcnYOnyJZxjc7s91aYePxMLNDVBHOVHB2Kk0aTK_yPdB7kAR71aT86v9i_iPbN8MdNyMqVQ56VPvzNNIdFX_Fnk940EAeBVMDRGWOGipjNBBl1ocMX3Ls/s1600-h/245+Compartment+on+Train.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252697883428157906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXQm4dzY3QBYGxlL6UFTmTCGcnYOnyJZxjc7s91aYePxMLNDVBHOVHB2Kk0aTK_yPdB7kAR71aT86v9i_iPbN8MdNyMqVQ56VPvzNNIdFX_Fnk940EAeBVMDRGWOGipjNBBl1ocMX3Ls/s320/245+Compartment+on+Train.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>The students partied into the night, but we had sleepers, so most got a decent amount of sleep before arriving in Hanoi at 5:45 am.<br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-74764916171793414682008-10-02T01:37:00.000-07:002008-10-02T02:49:14.590-07:00Hue, 9/27<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-_6hcaSOd4rsRrK2JvIKgCqTu5fnMFOPSLTTcFKFDBprpot8nfAEoIUqFLgQngoBBQgTjC7q1p6C-kpMWHMUoH8Oq_sonPRLv0pOeD2XiabqyFPmj5B50wVr2ylqcH4YfS3Jitf9a_I/s1600-h/201+Boarding+Boat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252479494861866210" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT-_6hcaSOd4rsRrK2JvIKgCqTu5fnMFOPSLTTcFKFDBprpot8nfAEoIUqFLgQngoBBQgTjC7q1p6C-kpMWHMUoH8Oq_sonPRLv0pOeD2XiabqyFPmj5B50wVr2ylqcH4YfS3Jitf9a_I/s320/201+Boarding+Boat.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div> Our second morning in Hue we walked to the shore of the Perfume River and boarded a Dragon Boat for the trip up-river to the Thien Mu Pagoda, founded in 1601. </div><div> </div><div>River boats are a family affair. Below the mother watches the helm.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzrUuR0K2lar9LyyVlym78ob_xon4GJ38itMeFfwCOVjC0J6QNEX3LfDTqsTSnvNqnFfDeP1u5Lc9uknWtjDMtx4lw3QjuYWgpkH918y-ec5z-HGxmC77zfSA1iYAKpIw_6aXw7XHRCs/s1600-h/202+Mother.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252478888030422770" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvzrUuR0K2lar9LyyVlym78ob_xon4GJ38itMeFfwCOVjC0J6QNEX3LfDTqsTSnvNqnFfDeP1u5Lc9uknWtjDMtx4lw3QjuYWgpkH918y-ec5z-HGxmC77zfSA1iYAKpIw_6aXw7XHRCs/s320/202+Mother.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudzL11_ZrC6vVBNo9V8YmseNU-NiWa9sI6WsMTct33pn7U5hvVcBctxc3-t3Wl0xR2cpgLhFv7TpgZHXH4PxlN6BeMG4qudf0HOb0Gu2eKJOt6bCC3Pr7lFR-tHB-O4yrybe1Tf-CIaE/s1600-h/203+Daughter.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252477897900925218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjudzL11_ZrC6vVBNo9V8YmseNU-NiWa9sI6WsMTct33pn7U5hvVcBctxc3-t3Wl0xR2cpgLhFv7TpgZHXH4PxlN6BeMG4qudf0HOb0Gu2eKJOt6bCC3Pr7lFR-tHB-O4yrybe1Tf-CIaE/s320/203+Daughter.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />While the daughter charms the tourists (us).<br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgELYBttiI5tYjivYzxyU08ZOD2ZrasXxhMl3OeSmplLDJHSCUoBAog4yYCFAVkFIznU5afABcWofESi524wdt9OQ0R_cHF0xEBehUT8ZkMnsjIJ2UPJs_ir3hwXdnN8kEpXDdWdZ79Qo/s1600-h/204+Father.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252477659832730626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgELYBttiI5tYjivYzxyU08ZOD2ZrasXxhMl3OeSmplLDJHSCUoBAog4yYCFAVkFIznU5afABcWofESi524wdt9OQ0R_cHF0xEBehUT8ZkMnsjIJ2UPJs_ir3hwXdnN8kEpXDdWdZ79Qo/s320/204+Father.JPG" border="0" /></a>The father was at the helm for <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSnAsqejIy4fsq4DLSZTznv7BBCjq-25x8CsKO9sgWt4lGAsmb4l4zxC61dC7bZtMIbiFMxkiahXhxR0SZbDdTWDPcFThxbxlA_nXa3yaW-U30ZhLcqjxvGL1-pNSIjGn92JP5Gkscu0/s1600-h/205+Dog.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252477138446284274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSnAsqejIy4fsq4DLSZTznv7BBCjq-25x8CsKO9sgWt4lGAsmb4l4zxC61dC7bZtMIbiFMxkiahXhxR0SZbDdTWDPcFThxbxlA_nXa3yaW-U30ZhLcqjxvGL1-pNSIjGn92JP5Gkscu0/s320/205+Dog.JPG" border="0" /></a>most of the trip, while mother tried to sell us stuff, and even the family dog got into the act. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVORIQ1yqlCgmY1_nA2dJ7MOPZI60T_fnWSHKmySKSTb-K1IoT6VQmh0xlWcq15p8j20xxi-c8CEuILbh4fYhf7MrTk01lcr7_JWj-YeVbE9iYy3LnzCdqLWpU7KTg4OW2BVLmBSFQCxY/s1600-h/206+Thien+Mu+Pagoda.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252476882482818578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVORIQ1yqlCgmY1_nA2dJ7MOPZI60T_fnWSHKmySKSTb-K1IoT6VQmh0xlWcq15p8j20xxi-c8CEuILbh4fYhf7MrTk01lcr7_JWj-YeVbE9iYy3LnzCdqLWpU7KTg4OW2BVLmBSFQCxY/s320/206+Thien+Mu+Pagoda.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>It took us about 45 minutes to get to the pagoda. Shown at right is the seven story tower, built in 1845. Each of the seven stories is dedicated to a Buddha who appeared in human form. It has now become the symbol of Hue.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLMvc122ayPa-oPDGlIRhncsBTp6l1p76Kfdw2k6ulOl_y3-EEJrfMzkv5VNQp3H-YSHoDXb9UNbiZkmcIjFUAotDXNdw5Zf2eG_Cqxrvcm1DUjtuXXhqWxzV685mlQ8eOIBQiQYprG8/s1600-h/208+Students+and+Turtle.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252476429534277554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLMvc122ayPa-oPDGlIRhncsBTp6l1p76Kfdw2k6ulOl_y3-EEJrfMzkv5VNQp3H-YSHoDXb9UNbiZkmcIjFUAotDXNdw5Zf2eG_Cqxrvcm1DUjtuXXhqWxzV685mlQ8eOIBQiQYprG8/s320/208+Students+and+Turtle.JPG" border="0" /></a>Inside the pagoda there is a pavilion with a tablet dating from 1715 mounted on the back of a large marble turtle. The tablet represents knowledge, and the turtle longevity. It is considered good luck to touch the turtle.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyrhPS1sJZf8NnmG5CgYsc4t1pwV8glvElj8HoxsXW0SDNYe67Fe45IFbgDv_Al2VFF05u8xHsd2ZnBsRGS1N5DG52h61EQ5NjI_nWV08UWYikQbzJA2A0-YfrSwy9kC7u9Zwq7cDGt8/s1600-h/207+Turtle+and+Tablet.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252481015651765842" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyrhPS1sJZf8NnmG5CgYsc4t1pwV8glvElj8HoxsXW0SDNYe67Fe45IFbgDv_Al2VFF05u8xHsd2ZnBsRGS1N5DG52h61EQ5NjI_nWV08UWYikQbzJA2A0-YfrSwy9kC7u9Zwq7cDGt8/s320/207+Turtle+and+Tablet.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Inside the main shrine is a beautiful alter.<br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rEyGK4tMy93Y1d479X5Iu-nRPgbT8CEieZxJN0L_jVaymA9YTyp-YepTullQPqZTM-bOGAQFHYZ3vP9Lon0qBJ-D95fMfIz0TmZfHkhPfeqJdhw9fSpX9WsgTWross5ZzZ414SzbkBQ/s1600-h/209+Main+Altar.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252475554193055890" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4rEyGK4tMy93Y1d479X5Iu-nRPgbT8CEieZxJN0L_jVaymA9YTyp-YepTullQPqZTM-bOGAQFHYZ3vP9Lon0qBJ-D95fMfIz0TmZfHkhPfeqJdhw9fSpX9WsgTWross5ZzZ414SzbkBQ/s320/209+Main+Altar.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0tgptnTOSJOlcvagq-3VT9-juKA5yr_Qb6L9JJJNd79P07z_kJmqN83EGwk89hJ3eba0tPjSSRBaF7bIfSd_dpWYblucBzNXQeAocBhSwcL27I3wYbIkjLZolV8fp7YvTFX1XIdZx2k/s1600-h/210+Young+Monks.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252475186869920738" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0tgptnTOSJOlcvagq-3VT9-juKA5yr_Qb6L9JJJNd79P07z_kJmqN83EGwk89hJ3eba0tPjSSRBaF7bIfSd_dpWYblucBzNXQeAocBhSwcL27I3wYbIkjLZolV8fp7YvTFX1XIdZx2k/s320/210+Young+Monks.JPG" border="0" /></a>Apprentice monks start at an early age, but are not forced to stay. They get their education while working at the pagoda. When they turn 18 they are given the choice of staying and becoming a monk for life, or leaving as a free person.<br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbBl4kDm-0raxlZeeuYkc_1T3_cJHyb9bHak9dDYT9PQpEL-B0BzILZM37PnFD359LU5XqdgPDgCOXuoGvmAhwErGQ1hcvuz94JVGwXBg-kGobJjvXTIrXyFl5emyUIeyrB4mjm8MBaE/s1600-h/211+Car.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252474911732840338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCbBl4kDm-0raxlZeeuYkc_1T3_cJHyb9bHak9dDYT9PQpEL-B0BzILZM37PnFD359LU5XqdgPDgCOXuoGvmAhwErGQ1hcvuz94JVGwXBg-kGobJjvXTIrXyFl5emyUIeyrB4mjm8MBaE/s320/211+Car.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This pagoda has special significance, as it was the home of the venerable monk Thich Quan Duc. In 1963 the Buddhists in Hue demonstrated against the repression of the Diem regime. As a result, Diem cracked down even harder. This led Duc to travel to Saigon in the car shown above, stop in an intersection, have his associates pour gasoline over him while he sat in the lotus position, then calmly lighting himself. Most of you have seen the picture of him burning, with the car in the background with the hood raised. They raised the hood to simulate car trouble to give them time to prepare for the self-immolation before the police intervened. Madam Nhu, Diem's wife, referred to the self-immolation as a "barbecue party." Her actions were one more thing that led to the overthrow and assassination of the Diem brothers later in the year. She possibly escaped the same fate herself by being overseas at the time.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrDOS9I-HBFGSTyCnwvRYwy5dUNDFPV84K2a9Ysh93x3GKT7o9V6yDdJj_n6GHu3YSR_9cAzN3KT4Um2Zi5aMXGxYLki3Wz_8_C2mfdvRysPBnFpqqZG4HOCzNu1rD-wTU0Zd5ba1PNs/s1600-h/212+Buriel+Vault.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252474663158552898" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIrDOS9I-HBFGSTyCnwvRYwy5dUNDFPV84K2a9Ysh93x3GKT7o9V6yDdJj_n6GHu3YSR_9cAzN3KT4Um2Zi5aMXGxYLki3Wz_8_C2mfdvRysPBnFpqqZG4HOCzNu1rD-wTU0Zd5ba1PNs/s320/212+Buriel+Vault.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> The monument shown here is the burial vault for the ashes of monks who have died while members of the pagoda. They don't have to worry about grave robbers here, as the monks don't have many worldly possessions.<br /><br />Everyone relaxed durin<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXf_LoMde5ZJ-dCNLFQs0GDR8O7GRozuDD48hBZt-qKIACFsK7rFxc8LzLEhrjz1ssLa6YKwqGYcR_JeoisXdgfFNkY2fuO6IBCugA8PlYqMM_AbII7iQ8PNSJlr2H0BzlXsn4R4icMQ/s1600-h/213+Trip+Back.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252474012712024098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQXf_LoMde5ZJ-dCNLFQs0GDR8O7GRozuDD48hBZt-qKIACFsK7rFxc8LzLEhrjz1ssLa6YKwqGYcR_JeoisXdgfFNkY2fuO6IBCugA8PlYqMM_AbII7iQ8PNSJlr2H0BzlXsn4R4icMQ/s320/213+Trip+Back.JPG" border="0" /></a>g the trip back down the river.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-89971087475319252092008-10-01T22:39:00.000-07:002008-10-02T01:34:53.930-07:00China Beach, Hai Van Pass, and Hue, 9/25-26<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8v4ydOBIWlCN3ZBMFe77GS2J_jjCqzJtDZJ98BBeVrYk-iS1tIbc1YlUQmomF4k7ou3UOWaVN26f18TZtLSN7iQIZ97TPU8OM6-EEdLK9OYk54P8MUO8Bu1snKO8DkWsbMNrtQYX8mXs/s1600-h/178+China+Beach.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252444131530875410" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8v4ydOBIWlCN3ZBMFe77GS2J_jjCqzJtDZJ98BBeVrYk-iS1tIbc1YlUQmomF4k7ou3UOWaVN26f18TZtLSN7iQIZ97TPU8OM6-EEdLK9OYk54P8MUO8Bu1snKO8DkWsbMNrtQYX8mXs/s320/178+China+Beach.JPG" border="0" /></a> Only a short distance north Hoi An is China Beach in Danang. It was a large U.S. in-country R&R center during the conflict. It remained unspoiled for many years after the reunification, but is now being discovered by international high rise hotels and resorts. The public beach we were on will cease to be public soon.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6co1foILnASQUN7X6Yfyn8DA21EYa-VQDKwRdHDT5magENKxJyE0ghzud-wNi7zOK9Vyop8qUoRbTSywB_SXP8N3HXn7MVRjDgMisw_Cytge9j-E_cG6ctSxN6RIjuMijYdVRm0uxQg/s1600-h/179+Group.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252443919206409938" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6co1foILnASQUN7X6Yfyn8DA21EYa-VQDKwRdHDT5magENKxJyE0ghzud-wNi7zOK9Vyop8qUoRbTSywB_SXP8N3HXn7MVRjDgMisw_Cytge9j-E_cG6ctSxN6RIjuMijYdVRm0uxQg/s320/179+Group.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div>The water is warm and the beach beautiful, so we all enjoyed our stay.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRbBvE6m8x1uquuZNvdAXYRtPDCv3o924ybz40sKZ-aEpAHrDLhS6i145vA-ker72g4nSaFvY84Z7fP3bDStllM65sFptazY_r-kJ5UhhsqJErMcHm33rJCxA3TkDeRdDgoqCQFM9iOQ/s1600-h/180+Guys.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252443643806012466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRbBvE6m8x1uquuZNvdAXYRtPDCv3o924ybz40sKZ-aEpAHrDLhS6i145vA-ker72g4nSaFvY84Z7fP3bDStllM65sFptazY_r-kJ5UhhsqJErMcHm33rJCxA3TkDeRdDgoqCQFM9iOQ/s320/180+Guys.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br />Between Danang and Hue is the Hai Van pass, which transects a mountain range that <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDB-CscN5zKhyphenhyphentwUMM4Nakz2sDc5A1IOtY3-yU0BCiYTjlIrCMbkgeGmeH3KK9_80tqBWxsdvmunCJKz437S4Oz8tiZTzTJGrkteLE692bOvKCQx58CYSMaIe1aVQ43k42jxgq5bzJapM/s1600-h/181+Hawkers,+Hai+Van+Pass.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252443301497881138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDB-CscN5zKhyphenhyphentwUMM4Nakz2sDc5A1IOtY3-yU0BCiYTjlIrCMbkgeGmeH3KK9_80tqBWxsdvmunCJKz437S4Oz8tiZTzTJGrkteLE692bOvKCQx58CYSMaIe1aVQ43k42jxgq5bzJapM/s320/181+Hawkers,+Hai+Van+Pass.JPG" border="0" /></a>crosses Vietnam on an east-west axis. It was a strategic position, as reflected by the French bunkers shown below. The U.S. also defended the pass, but it didn't do much good, as the North Vietnamese went around it via the Ho Chi Minh trail to the west. <br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvF-r8SwPTHazGk6us3AQCshyphenhyphenHoGiuWLHBGKexG9CVA0gQSFn4P_t_BOdew_ADM0XKEf3u96sfKCYBhoS7k_7N-MEIZeqyLe0OTjy-HddHK51c6TbkJnYJBG91tbV64wH9QTlO9_5gAc/s1600-h/182+Bunkers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252442879202662850" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCvF-r8SwPTHazGk6us3AQCshyphenhyphenHoGiuWLHBGKexG9CVA0gQSFn4P_t_BOdew_ADM0XKEf3u96sfKCYBhoS7k_7N-MEIZeqyLe0OTjy-HddHK51c6TbkJnYJBG91tbV64wH9QTlO9_5gAc/s320/182+Bunkers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The hawkers at the summit are the most aggressive I have seen anywhere. They attack you, even before you leave the bus. Viet and I didn't warn the students ahead of time, so they could get the full effect. Most snapped a few quick pictures and jumped back on the bus.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8OHZXWYBcRy1x7d53a7pq1s4jbVN4qi27uTYGSmYrCT2BTNj55LUXX15o86gmo9YeDxFgxbh_qflroJWr7KTQPszyCtanGsQvarjSc4aCq0xA5oGXt3DWesEAyQSVyXv9563-zdw5DM/s1600-h/183+View.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252442651966397330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8OHZXWYBcRy1x7d53a7pq1s4jbVN4qi27uTYGSmYrCT2BTNj55LUXX15o86gmo9YeDxFgxbh_qflroJWr7KTQPszyCtanGsQvarjSc4aCq0xA5oGXt3DWesEAyQSVyXv9563-zdw5DM/s320/183+View.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The hawkers must sell things, as they are there every day, but their aggressive behaviour turns most off.<br /><div><br />The view from the summit is spectacular, so it is worth dealing with them for a short period of time.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANjMvkjHmu5PC0zX2XyxOvk8UExUEmjYxMbx_8SX_YCwN_IvJOWJdi8LJyr1j3Tpx2HXS34BdRo-1cMRF9YMpjAx1uDyhLZT3LPRjVuS6NY_WjXfZv_qDJyyfJ29JwfroA3RJO8ujp00/s1600-h/184+Mr+An.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252442105644741986" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhANjMvkjHmu5PC0zX2XyxOvk8UExUEmjYxMbx_8SX_YCwN_IvJOWJdi8LJyr1j3Tpx2HXS34BdRo-1cMRF9YMpjAx1uDyhLZT3LPRjVuS6NY_WjXfZv_qDJyyfJ29JwfroA3RJO8ujp00/s320/184+Mr+An.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br />After we settled into our hotel in Hue, we went to Princess Ngoc Son's ancestral home, where the husband of her granddaughter, Mr. An, told us about the Imperial Court of Hue, and also feng shui. I didn't realize the requirements for feng shui were so rigid. The Imperial Palace site was chosen so it could be on a north-south axis, with two islands in the Perfume river forming the east and west guardian lion and dragon. Water has to be present, and another guardian to the south, which in this case is a lone<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdMKKzf63ttj4IfPiGJAaXeFUW6wawqpbGHbveh4HKL-U2lMv7VXA1nYirxiQPGcSiLket2o_JIZxS5OJPXZUHxhLoKKM_LXIRNDUHi7XT26ltrp1y1brcmxKVn51x3Um_64hhDXTQzU/s1600-h/185+Ancestoral+Altar.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252441661302408658" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdMKKzf63ttj4IfPiGJAaXeFUW6wawqpbGHbveh4HKL-U2lMv7VXA1nYirxiQPGcSiLket2o_JIZxS5OJPXZUHxhLoKKM_LXIRNDUHi7XT26ltrp1y1brcmxKVn51x3Um_64hhDXTQzU/s320/185+Ancestoral+Altar.JPG" border="0" /></a> mountain in the distance.<br />You can see the same configuration in Mr. An's garden, and in the various temples and monasteries we have visited. </div><div> </div><div>Inside the ancestral home, Mr. An showed us various family heirlooms, including a Ming bowl from the 15th century. To his rear is the family altar, with the picture of his wife's grandfather. He was a high mandarin in the Imperial Court. Afterwards Mr. An's family served us a delicious meal in the garden.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuG-Et-Wsgbj-XtJ_eCqMXX4xuVEu4_tw43ieQybmEqnV3gSKf74WWlzJ9vwfgS4DiRvR3Jbyn-dGewxU1Ejhyphenhyphen4y4OsrE6wbnShWq1SSJXwptfsv36HWEkWcYjQIHpro78d2CSfawGp4k/s1600-h/186+Hue+Citadel.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252441186230473538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuG-Et-Wsgbj-XtJ_eCqMXX4xuVEu4_tw43ieQybmEqnV3gSKf74WWlzJ9vwfgS4DiRvR3Jbyn-dGewxU1Ejhyphenhyphen4y4OsrE6wbnShWq1SSJXwptfsv36HWEkWcYjQIHpro78d2CSfawGp4k/s320/186+Hue+Citadel.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The next morning we crossed the Perfume River to visit the Hue Citadel. The old city is surrounded by 10km of 2m-thick walls. The flag tower is the tallest in Vietnam, and it was from this staff that the flag of the National Liberation Flag flew for 26 days during the Tet off<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUirxaVC67fX0qdg2sOFQnJ1csftOmp7_mg4UAYVb2iQ9g8B9kl5jmeDpstdX2e55Du5la4SidqwN8bwHILRYD_zGMgmhz0rLq3t05C2mLkuv7X20KDjH7omVTI34ESOBhUQTN9IVLEQI/s1600-h/187+Outer+Moat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252440268817667778" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUirxaVC67fX0qdg2sOFQnJ1csftOmp7_mg4UAYVb2iQ9g8B9kl5jmeDpstdX2e55Du5la4SidqwN8bwHILRYD_zGMgmhz0rLq3t05C2mLkuv7X20KDjH7omVTI34ESOBhUQTN9IVLEQI/s320/187+Outer+Moat.JPG" border="0" /></a>ensive of 1968. Bitter house to house fighting by Marine and Army units was required to retake the city, as depicted (not very well) in the movie <em>Full Metal Jacket</em>.<br /><br />The previous picture showed the outer moat, and this picture shows the inner moat around the Imperial Palace.</div><div><div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8HUwdmAUALzO5fRWFKwrwJaTyjWO0yX8oc0HrsT5xEWXvX4c4NhelGo9NxYV0BOF5Bb1flS8E2mYlWwo_2tBJl-DAjx0ZPMIbrsXXFOiJNvhMxU4U9GhTfV1TEPSDqmAwqRnUGa56xE/s1600-h/188+Thai+Hoa+Palace.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252439245954743298" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV8HUwdmAUALzO5fRWFKwrwJaTyjWO0yX8oc0HrsT5xEWXvX4c4NhelGo9NxYV0BOF5Bb1flS8E2mYlWwo_2tBJl-DAjx0ZPMIbrsXXFOiJNvhMxU4U9GhTfV1TEPSDqmAwqRnUGa56xE/s320/188+Thai+Hoa+Palace.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The Imperial Palace is a citadel within the Citadel. It housed the emperor's residence and the main government buildings. Over the entrance to the Imperial Palace is the Thai Hoa Palace, from where the emperor could view parades in the courtyard below. We are sitting on the balcony of the palace while Viet explains more about the mandarin system, which was copied from the Chinese, and the ways of the Imperial Court. </div><div> </div><div>The first time I visited the Citadel, our guide told us an interesting story about how the Viet Cong were able to take the fort so quickly and easily. Viet Cong entered during the day posing as tourists, then hid in the Imperial Palace when it closed on the eve of Tet. Just before the attacks were due to commence they overpowered the few guards present, and opened the gates for other Communist troops to enter. They had the flag displayed on the mast before anyone outside was even aware the attack was underway. They attacked on the eve of Tet because they knew most would be partying. Sounds sort of like George Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas Eve to surprise the British!<br /></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WKtdeNJoI8zChws3Rj0bLGKOI6-3A-l68Iz908h_mtyy-oIqthhX5auHqaWszzoFBSHiEvyybKGHvWyIUI7y2owro4yV78CYQKkDna2CrGp8LMeeFO3tGLxwt-vySSVQGwzWTky2RAw/s1600-h/189+Inner+Moat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252438902333719330" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4WKtdeNJoI8zChws3Rj0bLGKOI6-3A-l68Iz908h_mtyy-oIqthhX5auHqaWszzoFBSHiEvyybKGHvWyIUI7y2owro4yV78CYQKkDna2CrGp8LMeeFO3tGLxwt-vySSVQGwzWTky2RAw/s320/189+Inner+Moat.JPG" border="0" /></a> The picture to the right shows a third moat, which surrounds the family buildings and the Forbidden City which was where the Emperor lived with his concubines.<br /><br />Below Josh is about to be eaten by one of the dragon sentries, which are replacements, as we saw a stockpile of them ready to be painted and placed as part of the restoration.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0wmEZVqjnhJTvn4KAnvSntwatjPRoDayXugHtmAcDpOM3KWblC0IV6jtXSkC41cpkC8t84sFfa8izhyPTNEW1ay8yQSyDQyveUd4H6xliyNipEsOloNmWizNWtlUisvbw3IDE2uUppk/s1600-h/190+Josh+being+eaten.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252438164594874162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit0wmEZVqjnhJTvn4KAnvSntwatjPRoDayXugHtmAcDpOM3KWblC0IV6jtXSkC41cpkC8t84sFfa8izhyPTNEW1ay8yQSyDQyveUd4H6xliyNipEsOloNmWizNWtlUisvbw3IDE2uUppk/s320/190+Josh+being+eaten.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We watched a performance of traditional songs and dances in the Royal Theater.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7okg9_DrApKdg9a57BKyaeFWi5VBEw_dMPL64bs-eoUjo-ha-9c9Ipsn9IMfvlbH25wNy20qe_nqOHL4-UfBzNTaWa367a8_-vU6ymgD76IYvTfvKK3FMnyjRuPLmlKiU8OQaraSgm0/s1600-h/191+Dragon+Dance.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252437803380337906" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC7okg9_DrApKdg9a57BKyaeFWi5VBEw_dMPL64bs-eoUjo-ha-9c9Ipsn9IMfvlbH25wNy20qe_nqOHL4-UfBzNTaWa367a8_-vU6ymgD76IYvTfvKK3FMnyjRuPLmlKiU8OQaraSgm0/s320/191+Dragon+Dance.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div> A male and female dragon danced around the stage, then the mother gave birth to the baby dragon, shown here with the father.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfSYVGCsutfK-LWwsChdbfTRjIzt6zCzcYOqlpXhmfIu908FNsB0-hV_rbqH7GBLsLOGBBPuq_lL61Oy2IieqQlyAQocZT7Y78D_2FwCnNghMs5T1zh3CUMbd3sJcITH4MCp8u764vCE/s1600-h/192+Lantern+Dance.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252437542791450146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfSYVGCsutfK-LWwsChdbfTRjIzt6zCzcYOqlpXhmfIu908FNsB0-hV_rbqH7GBLsLOGBBPuq_lL61Oy2IieqQlyAQocZT7Y78D_2FwCnNghMs5T1zh3CUMbd3sJcITH4MCp8u764vCE/s320/192+Lantern+Dance.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Another performance was a lantern dance.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgk5ZMPGtvQYn1ys0z52ccr50WjTR4WtLEz_nw9oWixojRpIuFs4zag6XgdTtIn738LUWorOLlQ6Igba8ENbNRxBeLrv7Rh7MsJD3VurFyQChuKIR9iUqAeJK-5qn1Mzy4n9pB3WY_RNY/s1600-h/193+Ice+Cream.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252436331407883634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgk5ZMPGtvQYn1ys0z52ccr50WjTR4WtLEz_nw9oWixojRpIuFs4zag6XgdTtIn738LUWorOLlQ6Igba8ENbNRxBeLrv7Rh7MsJD3VurFyQChuKIR9iUqAeJK-5qn1Mzy4n9pB3WY_RNY/s320/193+Ice+Cream.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><div><br /><div> It was another sweltering day in Hue, so ice cream tasted pretty good after the cultural show. Viet says it is the hottest he has ever seen it in Hue. Lucky us. How did Robin Williams put it?<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmnLQTbbIa-Rcal0cKwT64mxW4aZD3JQUZb1AnOjUL-5xWLecZAAcqMJcrp9WPJ9r9IoUhpUmYJ-7fe9Z5ZuiOIFVoSivfeW9yOPbv71HJrubd6dQEAjxvBCivQdNtgJKkxcb-SZeO_M/s1600-h/194+Tet+Offensive+Damage.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252435279214792114" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHmnLQTbbIa-Rcal0cKwT64mxW4aZD3JQUZb1AnOjUL-5xWLecZAAcqMJcrp9WPJ9r9IoUhpUmYJ-7fe9Z5ZuiOIFVoSivfeW9yOPbv71HJrubd6dQEAjxvBCivQdNtgJKkxcb-SZeO_M/s320/194+Tet+Offensive+Damage.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Much of the Imperial Palace, and nearly all of the Forbidden City were destroyed during the French Indochina War, and then further damaged during the Tet offensive. This gate still shows the bullet marks. Restoration efforts continue.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAUU3ayw4K21NPl0JDaqmNNH0TXy7drFx6mkaI7WNig7VIl2znT8ysxzrXmJ23HgWEPvukoITBSuaxlVMdnSdvxBOBEcqUVC_bUeRPqT1eRjtWAuhX-IFZ5zfyuneVRBxuX_Ab5-akrI/s1600-h/195+Urns.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252433658212044514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtAUU3ayw4K21NPl0JDaqmNNH0TXy7drFx6mkaI7WNig7VIl2znT8ysxzrXmJ23HgWEPvukoITBSuaxlVMdnSdvxBOBEcqUVC_bUeRPqT1eRjtWAuhX-IFZ5zfyuneVRBxuX_Ab5-akrI/s320/195+Urns.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />One area of the Imperial Palace that has been meticulously restored is the To Mieu Temple, which contains shrines to all the emperors of the Nguyen dynasty. Outside the temple are nine large brass urns, with the largest in the center honoring the father of the Nguyen dynasty, Gia Long. There are nine urns, but 13 recognized emperors. Since nine is a fortuitous number for Buddhists, they put nine to represent all of them. In addition to the thirteen, there were two emperors who are not recognized, because they were pretenders installed by the French, and a third, the last emperor Bau Dai, because he abdicated.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKlVGoIAPJWBwjVgvqi3rF5znpuVf5O-mbIBEJYuDX-DH5h2tprImbtNoZIoQhvsHtCkxdJ6lOBB8XVqnFq2sxlHf-dpkqd7u63h4CNGKGmY92747VYcgB145mZKWgj-5kwXl1zFfNhs/s1600-h/196+Lunch.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252432143155973714" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKlVGoIAPJWBwjVgvqi3rF5znpuVf5O-mbIBEJYuDX-DH5h2tprImbtNoZIoQhvsHtCkxdJ6lOBB8XVqnFq2sxlHf-dpkqd7u63h4CNGKGmY92747VYcgB145mZKWgj-5kwXl1zFfNhs/s320/196+Lunch.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> After leaving the Citadel, we had lunch nearby in a crazy restaurant where the tourists have written all over the walls, and the owner gives each patron an autographed home-made bottle opener made with a flat stick and a small hex bolt. He demonstrates it with a karate chop, and catches the opener before it falls.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AjiFQuYP1ciu7BmkuhaPpNeCFYKPUp1A9Rb18LqBTDQpSphdj_aNpc-b3pWetYVVamNGie8bxiNlNTF4FfdkykBMYFwlJ3PKbA7dwhywoMt2znIwz_975Y2Qer19L54o-RKQozJGUx4/s1600-h/197+Sign.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252431779385164338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2AjiFQuYP1ciu7BmkuhaPpNeCFYKPUp1A9Rb18LqBTDQpSphdj_aNpc-b3pWetYVVamNGie8bxiNlNTF4FfdkykBMYFwlJ3PKbA7dwhywoMt2znIwz_975Y2Qer19L54o-RKQozJGUx4/s320/197+Sign.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />He showed us pictures from all over the world that people have sent him showing them using the opener. He is not shy in promoting his business, as the sign out front indicates. I checked the Lonely Planet Guide and couldn't find mention of his establishment, so I'm not sure about the other claims either.<br /><br />Our last stop on this hot day was the tomb of one of the emperors, Tu Duc. He is not particularly liked, one because of the cost of his tomb and the forced labor used to construct it, but probably mostly because he was the one who delivered Vietnam to the control of the French.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1DLPaTNvrog1ed1eWEDVik2P7Mn0Rn69cB4moGv19vAAk1J6D8PA9RRACVV-ClmwvHQZcTw1DtoYAY9IeZyPfwuGRbv1lSDnVKhBZZVUCpood4_XqWUnHz9laTnh_tispaRKp3ZucFo/s1600-h/198+Tu+Duc+tomb.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252431490204361506" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1DLPaTNvrog1ed1eWEDVik2P7Mn0Rn69cB4moGv19vAAk1J6D8PA9RRACVV-ClmwvHQZcTw1DtoYAY9IeZyPfwuGRbv1lSDnVKhBZZVUCpood4_XqWUnHz9laTnh_tispaRKp3ZucFo/s320/198+Tu+Duc+tomb.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The grounds are very serene and beautiful, including a man-made lake with an island in the middle. Tu Duc liked to canoe on the lake, and hunt stocked game on the island.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuBpIDchAKHLjBS2eorSicqDuYRqkFtyRaZA-aXXa1JQnymANLOwvWD4LRnNH1Vl8u8mcZLfpO_-IRIu936Z62y8JBCT5hs5IW-9zxlFvMp_qaxNRFC3soI4Mxyhyphenhyphen5aZn0GuROi3ALSE/s1600-h/199+By+lake.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252430996373420690" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYuBpIDchAKHLjBS2eorSicqDuYRqkFtyRaZA-aXXa1JQnymANLOwvWD4LRnNH1Vl8u8mcZLfpO_-IRIu936Z62y8JBCT5hs5IW-9zxlFvMp_qaxNRFC3soI4Mxyhyphenhyphen5aZn0GuROi3ALSE/s320/199+By+lake.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br />The students persevered through the heat.<br /><div><br />The tomb itself is not much to see, and they are not even sure his remains are actually here. The tombs contained treas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G6XomNZEQvV8mgw4PJLi9eTYPKTaem5fj9EHXgKas-kJwu35EVWNmXo2GVxtgVlOlRlif-42bcPsB2xGePzfC0oO90CILymXGqLMfvbPag8OAjkTsoY_nFQKWLl5ez_6f6aNU6kXk-g/s1600-h/200a+Tomb.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252430306645555970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1G6XomNZEQvV8mgw4PJLi9eTYPKTaem5fj9EHXgKas-kJwu35EVWNmXo2GVxtgVlOlRlif-42bcPsB2xGePzfC0oO90CILymXGqLMfvbPag8OAjkTsoY_nFQKWLl5ez_6f6aNU6kXk-g/s320/200a+Tomb.jpg" border="0" /></a>ures owned by the emperor, so the government always planted the rumor that the remains were stored somewhere else to discourage tomb raiders. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kv5L0Ct1BdVm40qKKFHn2AKEQH5-0VDZ4QWQIgcjafQVPGdFexOy9yJGb42bOW_wX8dWpqfQOP-HAwqNDEv7c6eDBI56Wq3iBa495u-g2pR_MhtYAYeWmYJtoW5SilwBqDwUNT_zGfY/s1600-h/200+Mandarins.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252428097112823602" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_kv5L0Ct1BdVm40qKKFHn2AKEQH5-0VDZ4QWQIgcjafQVPGdFexOy9yJGb42bOW_wX8dWpqfQOP-HAwqNDEv7c6eDBI56Wq3iBa495u-g2pR_MhtYAYeWmYJtoW5SilwBqDwUNT_zGfY/s320/200+Mandarins.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>The seven mandarins guarding the tomb were much more interesting to look at.<br /><br /><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-70031712802537448222008-10-01T21:39:00.000-07:002008-10-01T22:38:53.914-07:00Hoi An and My Son, 9/24<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQZRIh_zMuEM_fAuYcTFcen8SzU2f4pgchKxseHMeT70cxSSCrCYys3qCswyAk_N62Z8RJxJhJdfMMSCOdeQ_jCGBkX1s7hAcOPZR_SPB1xl43UmM-Sw8QefCw7cVVlQtf6bMDC31c8U/s1600-h/166+Fishing+Boats.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252417687230481714" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNQZRIh_zMuEM_fAuYcTFcen8SzU2f4pgchKxseHMeT70cxSSCrCYys3qCswyAk_N62Z8RJxJhJdfMMSCOdeQ_jCGBkX1s7hAcOPZR_SPB1xl43UmM-Sw8QefCw7cVVlQtf6bMDC31c8U/s320/166+Fishing+Boats.JPG" border="0" /></a> Hoi An was a light hearted stop after My Lai. This was also the first place we stayed for more than one night on the study tour, so the students got a bit of a chance to relax, and enjoy the pool.<br /><br />Hoi An used to be a thriving seaport, but the mouth of the river silted in so the larger boats and ships shifted to Danang as a port. Hoi An still has a lot of smaller boat traffic, as can be seen by the fishing boats delivering their catch to the central market, which is directly behind the waterfront.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhjmO9oIrCvp5O5bfXS5UPCWyASR7Z2PWE7bDUbq-6gBIWJZs1giEA8uE3c-WEP6PcSJ39HOiQk5wF4H5gBthFPGpbqKtrcfC6Fxfy88BE8W5Ff5eCAt2Y7-j5T0TvyiKZOj3gu8S2eE/s1600-h/167+Ready+to+cook.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252417104970917970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhjmO9oIrCvp5O5bfXS5UPCWyASR7Z2PWE7bDUbq-6gBIWJZs1giEA8uE3c-WEP6PcSJ39HOiQk5wF4H5gBthFPGpbqKtrcfC6Fxfy88BE8W5Ff5eCAt2Y7-j5T0TvyiKZOj3gu8S2eE/s320/167+Ready+to+cook.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />At lunchtime of our full day in Hoi An we had a cooking class. To the left you can see the eager sou chefs ready to go, and below or Mentor, Ms. Vy. She owns the Morning Glory restaurant where we had the class, and three other restaurants in Hoi An. She is a great example of the new class of entrepreneurs of Vietnam who started with nothing, and who ar<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUHNs4jYqNLny_ctGlZAwpV_399MSqbFTjMJAB55FwqYrxE5yNfNuXNAeRKlarbS9wV7MOwTMjKODF0agRRqI3-gRs5Bq8Cuor5Z5wWZqL3mMuutkQc6M2eYEc3SC-GQUjVZr56_oEZw/s1600-h/168+Ms+Vy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252416636447325090" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUHNs4jYqNLny_ctGlZAwpV_399MSqbFTjMJAB55FwqYrxE5yNfNuXNAeRKlarbS9wV7MOwTMjKODF0agRRqI3-gRs5Bq8Cuor5Z5wWZqL3mMuutkQc6M2eYEc3SC-GQUjVZr56_oEZw/s320/168+Ms+Vy.JPG" border="0" /></a>e now very successful.<br /><br /><div>The first thing we did was slice up an egg plant without slicing all the way through so it could be fried as a patty. The eggplants in Vietnam are different than in the U.S. They are white, and more the shape of a tomato.<br /></div><div>Next we made spring rolls, and ate them as promptly as they were finished.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHA6RoJmUxOSddgxBnNM4kNPf3o4bnsJ1Oe1a_H98srF2yRQIr_mOz-xOHI12kfFOtcvBluy9NIN-e0iYRzdZRd3QqB597gvWC45jzqKDHJAH3VmDGxohGCh9IumT9mA2CRiojJUrJR10/s1600-h/169+Spring+Rolls.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252416340857893746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHA6RoJmUxOSddgxBnNM4kNPf3o4bnsJ1Oe1a_H98srF2yRQIr_mOz-xOHI12kfFOtcvBluy9NIN-e0iYRzdZRd3QqB597gvWC45jzqKDHJAH3VmDGxohGCh9IumT9mA2CRiojJUrJR10/s320/169+Spring+Rolls.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br />Then it was on to barbecued chicken. Sarah is showing her clean hands after mixing the chicken and sauce! The eggplant had to soak, and the chicken was put aside to marinate.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8D92C1dpCrOF2IqetoBjRzHuDWFZtLuKn3_R4RLUPvQQ6btLXF41TIkQU5HEVOp1qzgVIlHX9wgc8Ll18PrMaAg2AG7KjuLHYi4pOKEMeXlTT8bv8V0UGF1Ffq2bhsFjrivm1HeEVwQ/s1600-h/170+Barbeque+Chicken.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252415778088896578" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8D92C1dpCrOF2IqetoBjRzHuDWFZtLuKn3_R4RLUPvQQ6btLXF41TIkQU5HEVOp1qzgVIlHX9wgc8Ll18PrMaAg2AG7KjuLHYi4pOKEMeXlTT8bv8V0UGF1Ffq2bhsFjrivm1HeEVwQ/s320/170+Barbeque+Chicken.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />Next it was on to rice flower pancakes, being demonstrated below by two master chefs.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUe97GnGj90Zf5repAc5Yb7_G-_2aa_glddROL9bok-OAeApOAVdfnO6bwkW4csuRc8jqrVnEBUruwSo33KDPev2-O4XC5sMCG4V5zHSFZI0wuyFKG_umStxHNm5jN3-c7GUVRP4wkHSc/s1600-h/171+Rice+Flour+Pancakes.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252415341931430562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUe97GnGj90Zf5repAc5Yb7_G-_2aa_glddROL9bok-OAeApOAVdfnO6bwkW4csuRc8jqrVnEBUruwSo33KDPev2-O4XC5sMCG4V5zHSFZI0wuyFKG_umStxHNm5jN3-c7GUVRP4wkHSc/s320/171+Rice+Flour+Pancakes.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After they were cooked, we added greens, rolled them in rice paper, and ate.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoFr9_utZpmIkrsVSGFXiK0fGJbh_EtPx5J4iOP2nhNR2Lm65c58z8hPrNqu97R8Vg__hrsnoPFDlUkcj5N6T5dYYK46vTVbpJASnW4UVNrvp0cDmcjKWBWdyT9PEcWyGBVPcVIHE60M/s1600-h/172+Rice+Fluor+Pancakes.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252415015754002930" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXoFr9_utZpmIkrsVSGFXiK0fGJbh_EtPx5J4iOP2nhNR2Lm65c58z8hPrNqu97R8Vg__hrsnoPFDlUkcj5N6T5dYYK46vTVbpJASnW4UVNrvp0cDmcjKWBWdyT9PEcWyGBVPcVIHE60M/s320/172+Rice+Fluor+Pancakes.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Our final dish was a papaya salad, as seen on the plate below, along with the cooked chicken. Looks pretty good for amateurs, and it was in fact delicious.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtH8KPTyH37YPjn_nkJP204OrHXUcblsQZBau2k4gw_Li3joYKHGekRTEdL-5dhdz9Vs0lwxxwydYxFIgUE36rYW3NjzuRk6uLOwqvSWjD_naQhqKl0chx_1KVK-cyF7x9sB0xc8kpXU/s1600-h/173+Finished+Products.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252414760260773538" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtH8KPTyH37YPjn_nkJP204OrHXUcblsQZBau2k4gw_Li3joYKHGekRTEdL-5dhdz9Vs0lwxxwydYxFIgUE36rYW3NjzuRk6uLOwqvSWjD_naQhqKl0chx_1KVK-cyF7x9sB0xc8kpXU/s320/173+Finished+Products.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br />They also served us other dishes that the restaurant had prepared. By the time the stuffed squid came, we were all indeed stuffed.<br /><br />In the afternoon we travelled about 45 minutes to visit My Son, another Cham ruin, that is considered to be their holiest of holy places.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2_00le5e5pP_XuvY6wWI9OA7iqcdtScqM5mLQCunm8WmvsqBUVOrIrMqL6lF03CqsuKn47glVbU2spAdBQ8Vd8JEojmhB_zMd2qhBnbcomlKX4QMW4aephxZsgl42Vg85V5RkDLm3Qw/s1600-h/174+Viet+explaining.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252414222419024402" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq2_00le5e5pP_XuvY6wWI9OA7iqcdtScqM5mLQCunm8WmvsqBUVOrIrMqL6lF03CqsuKn47glVbU2spAdBQ8Vd8JEojmhB_zMd2qhBnbcomlKX4QMW4aephxZsgl42Vg85V5RkDLm3Qw/s320/174+Viet+explaining.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> Viet explained more to us about the Champa people and their role in the development of central Vietnam.<br /><br />The actual site is a jeep or van ride away from the museum. Some of the students got their first ride in an authentic American military jeep. I have no idea where the site got them, but they are the real thing, right down to the data plates.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSFyLraVc0lTAkeTb-TiPKBZ9rHTJXwT4catYyiDA2S0u3LstGD2Gn912V9m-sP1gy4NiVnBrCDljtIiAFRSb6QjbxS7ulmUWch8ReM__KpMxEIMPh0CDzaPUlcjMNYOhOfeaP6D1WDA/s1600-h/175+Cham+Ruins+at+My+Son.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252413724331685250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSFyLraVc0lTAkeTb-TiPKBZ9rHTJXwT4catYyiDA2S0u3LstGD2Gn912V9m-sP1gy4NiVnBrCDljtIiAFRSb6QjbxS7ulmUWch8ReM__KpMxEIMPh0CDzaPUlcjMNYOhOfeaP6D1WDA/s320/175+Cham+Ruins+at+My+Son.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />These ruins are older (started in 4th century), and in worse shape than the others we visited. That's partly the age, and partly because the VC used the site as a headquarters during the American conflict. It was heavily bombed by us. The government is in the process of restoring as much as they can, but it is a struggle, as the jungle tries to reclaim them as fast as the work is done.<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj6wXb1q0_j8yNB8iQN5tJvWXUJ4xXjUtuIe62f5i0yA6jrRispenE3kFklVpUz4T-B8oYWx3LEw-fcyf3kT4YaH4scL_VKkwxIml5W9XmJa76WZ8ld7eLetFe09andfBZgyDW_MOUug/s1600-h/176+In+Doorway.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252413001813210338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcj6wXb1q0_j8yNB8iQN5tJvWXUJ4xXjUtuIe62f5i0yA6jrRispenE3kFklVpUz4T-B8oYWx3LEw-fcyf3kT4YaH4scL_VKkwxIml5W9XmJa76WZ8ld7eLetFe09andfBZgyDW_MOUug/s320/176+In+Doorway.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />You may have noticed that the Cham temples and towers are entirely made of brick. The interesting thing is that they used no mortar. Experts still haven't figured how they did it. Some think they used a past that hardened and became part of the brick. Others think they used uncured brick, then fired them in place. It's a mystery equal to how the Egyptians built the pyramids.<br /><div><br />Here Carley and Pam pose in the door of one of the buildings. No one actually lived here, they just came to worship.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcDz32epYpKdX-njFfn1sZZVXJT1AX_fa6lmhNGf4oPw_jYLCRpG6qlUFPVqAUCeUjYhxmhMZ2x-UHiQJZMB05gzeeIWiPz6WGjlNumJ0FvqOHHGvGrj0yq7jL8ZycALdli9Q-kVFGbQ/s1600-h/177+Bull.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252412575354969906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAcDz32epYpKdX-njFfn1sZZVXJT1AX_fa6lmhNGf4oPw_jYLCRpG6qlUFPVqAUCeUjYhxmhMZ2x-UHiQJZMB05gzeeIWiPz6WGjlNumJ0FvqOHHGvGrj0yq7jL8ZycALdli9Q-kVFGbQ/s320/177+Bull.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Towards the end of our walk, in sweltering heat by the way, we encountered this stone statue of a bull. The Hindus also worship Buddha, and the bull is believed to be one of Buddha's incarnations.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-90461285713441715432008-09-27T03:45:00.000-07:002008-10-01T21:38:16.992-07:00Nha Trang & My Lai, 9/22-23<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoj5bfmehM04K7KDge-3txffIhzXpyFC6C00cW9K6KN3sPCO9WFZ3Q7nzM2sXKs1Hf2Fd2L8uwRl-vGvq5UD4oTxvqLzzSI0qhG2cx8yGesG8tn6Ffndhdv4_eRc2y0LhupMF7HQxCLy4/s1600-h/150+Nha+Trang+Beach.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251761297354981634" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoj5bfmehM04K7KDge-3txffIhzXpyFC6C00cW9K6KN3sPCO9WFZ3Q7nzM2sXKs1Hf2Fd2L8uwRl-vGvq5UD4oTxvqLzzSI0qhG2cx8yGesG8tn6Ffndhdv4_eRc2y0LhupMF7HQxCLy4/s320/150+Nha+Trang+Beach.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The morning was free in Nha Trang, so some students went to the beach, while others slept in. After a quick lunch at a Pho 24 restaurant (Vietnamese equivalent of a fast food noodle shop) we visited the Po Nagar Cham towers on the outskirts of Nha Trang. They were built between the 7th and 12th centuries.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuekK9zGsemTLbo6J_w5M5fQzNl-2AI1WIHwcjagni7nOnHhfpVi4ALmfEnA7vOE9A-47QguRF6XI0HLvezgysiB8rAd3QYOE_znmWe_j-nheb3yN4-sgphHOd6WPom2kqXILOooalXoc/s1600-h/151+Po+Nagar+Cham+Towers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251760721983392786" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuekK9zGsemTLbo6J_w5M5fQzNl-2AI1WIHwcjagni7nOnHhfpVi4ALmfEnA7vOE9A-47QguRF6XI0HLvezgysiB8rAd3QYOE_znmWe_j-nheb3yN4-sgphHOd6WPom2kqXILOooalXoc/s320/151+Po+Nagar+Cham+Towers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The Champa people were an ancient civilization that controlled the central portion of what is now Vietnam until they were conquered by the Viets from the north in the 17th century. They absorbed Hinduism from Indian traders who came calling.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfBsuDzvMGTDspYvK0IC5Fjjb_Q_KJTh4yM5g_F9BMx4wawsqLez_Sm1h5uCD42TW1L98mr9ZcjI3SQEN3AYOHYsdiNVpOkG20lJWW0m-tm7-Wd72OZFLb2cOBF0EMsiu6WEPPwp2HTA/s1600-h/152+Viet+Explaining+Chams.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251759004116067618" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfBsuDzvMGTDspYvK0IC5Fjjb_Q_KJTh4yM5g_F9BMx4wawsqLez_Sm1h5uCD42TW1L98mr9ZcjI3SQEN3AYOHYsdiNVpOkG20lJWW0m-tm7-Wd72OZFLb2cOBF0EMsiu6WEPPwp2HTA/s320/152+Viet+Explaining+Chams.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div>Today there are two concentrations of Champas (or Cham) left. The ones in the Central region still practice Hinduism, while the group in the Delta are Muslim.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGccFUbLxibgnXeTnjHrRzLvaXTZJbW3OjqhO6fO92wQDl4kiDai5WdsgTiIxUKjQWe4Ex5JjrpFcbudgROjSg4y321dZ7x1gCKVrQjkG2LiWoCgpxcbvlLTA7pqSa7UAfFpUQdprAKDg/s1600-h/153+Nha+Trang.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251758456607492498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGccFUbLxibgnXeTnjHrRzLvaXTZJbW3OjqhO6fO92wQDl4kiDai5WdsgTiIxUKjQWe4Ex5JjrpFcbudgROjSg4y321dZ7x1gCKVrQjkG2LiWoCgpxcbvlLTA7pqSa7UAfFpUQdprAKDg/s320/153+Nha+Trang.JPG" border="0" /></a> To the right is a view from the tower site of the mouth of the Cai River, and Nha Trang in the background. Fishermen believe the rock in the middle of the river is good luck to them. Most Vietnamese are quite superstitious.<br /><br />Below is Andrew explaining a Cham statue to Viet, with the main tower in the background.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5vpiXj-ULy7kxQesP3qpRGbGrGQALbcFsif3SZ4_gZduCiUJ6OO5O_JHbb9lFLbW_NjG_Vxf56wulG-78KhwCaxJOjGpMbIuavIK6jFkHO_x0Ux7iyVJNq9lH1iLR6qTiHBvj8APLfE/s1600-h/154+Andrew+explaining+Cham+statue.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251757737674412514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5vpiXj-ULy7kxQesP3qpRGbGrGQALbcFsif3SZ4_gZduCiUJ6OO5O_JHbb9lFLbW_NjG_Vxf56wulG-78KhwCaxJOjGpMbIuavIK6jFkHO_x0Ux7iyVJNq9lH1iLR6qTiHBvj8APLfE/s320/154+Andrew+explaining+Cham+statue.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On the way to Quy Nhon we took a rest stop at this beautiful beach, which is nearly deserted. There are still miles and miles of beach like this in Vietnam that haven't been discovered.<br /><div><img alt="Add Image" src="http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.photo.gif" border="0" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhczT-1LRkxkEe3m-VbaSCzZaSBrcjdpbyXxSnAbulq8SFodXRLJFWLyl9TRmyOgD77cE8XNJHvsQOWSWFsfB2-AISHykZwfm1INtU2SwetJkc_jVKFRrWqCfICdDdnNr0R9_7I7NklE/s1600-h/155+Beach+at+Sa+Huynh.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251757356174009106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZhczT-1LRkxkEe3m-VbaSCzZaSBrcjdpbyXxSnAbulq8SFodXRLJFWLyl9TRmyOgD77cE8XNJHvsQOWSWFsfB2-AISHykZwfm1INtU2SwetJkc_jVKFRrWqCfICdDdnNr0R9_7I7NklE/s320/155+Beach+at+Sa+Huynh.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dgazEvmb0-hhJpbCS_XJeCHYX0yOQGr9ACcEr0Vn3R2Wg3rgqsOOqyFaV4XwJheb13Y3cvqLYNcQ4O1_wU8JGjJC-m7zmq0JphnhRNEjfSsC-c4Qu5RvQWybIYOioj0kYVG9zIVW-fw/s1600-h/156+Same.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251756929823694146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dgazEvmb0-hhJpbCS_XJeCHYX0yOQGr9ACcEr0Vn3R2Wg3rgqsOOqyFaV4XwJheb13Y3cvqLYNcQ4O1_wU8JGjJC-m7zmq0JphnhRNEjfSsC-c4Qu5RvQWybIYOioj0kYVG9zIVW-fw/s320/156+Same.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />We spent a quiet evening in Quy Nhon, as there isn't much to do there. The next day we traveled to Hoi An, with a stop at My Lai, site of the massacre that gained so much attention back then. It is a moving memorial, again told from the Vietnamese government perspective, but they certainly have a right to be self-righteous in this instance. The students gained a lot by seeing it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3U279W_Ne0RCZCWmopYYuP2J3UmIO6c-DplFETleBHKpWv4GjNvwbjKJX1OL2rC58nmDz4o3zkEhwymhELmzfue5xVX40h_JmtzHXTe9zRhhPj25Pml1Ky9MRHSOFnHAtI9Y4pXIvZm8/s1600-h/157+My+Lai+Memorial.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251756554318090914" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3U279W_Ne0RCZCWmopYYuP2J3UmIO6c-DplFETleBHKpWv4GjNvwbjKJX1OL2rC58nmDz4o3zkEhwymhELmzfue5xVX40h_JmtzHXTe9zRhhPj25Pml1Ky9MRHSOFnHAtI9Y4pXIvZm8/s320/157+My+Lai+Memorial.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> To the right our guide talks about the massacre, which took place in March of 1968, and the listing of the 504 names of those killed. The U.S. government originally claimed 67 VC were killed, without even mentioning civilians. When the cover up was exposed, the U.S. finally said there were between three and four hundred killed. I think the 504 is probably closest to the truth, and they were all women, children, and old people.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInU-9Xp0X5p-VpDk5BabUu_-Vu6r61Fv38TNL2bvV1oWtuki0ro31BWUgaQxlQr_TH0p07qaltlrFn3hV4oOY0X0RuCa6KRoZ7nf-pdiP0NJqLWHN0IRKbyk_jWFkV1KSvYuBjb5hPws/s1600-h/158+Diarama.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251756229678609842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgInU-9Xp0X5p-VpDk5BabUu_-Vu6r61Fv38TNL2bvV1oWtuki0ro31BWUgaQxlQr_TH0p07qaltlrFn3hV4oOY0X0RuCa6KRoZ7nf-pdiP0NJqLWHN0IRKbyk_jWFkV1KSvYuBjb5hPws/s320/158+Diarama.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On that day the U.S. forces did not encounter any resistant, were not fired upon, and saw no males of fighting age, even though the area was known to be a VC stronghold. Lt. Calley's unit had only been in country about a month, and had not seen any actual combat, although it had taken several casualties as a result of booby traps and mines. The only casualty during the assault was a U.S. soldier who shot himself in the foot so he wouldn't have to participate in the killing. Why discipline completely broke down, and the massacre resulted, is still a mystery. At least we know it was an aberration, although other instances of unnecessary killing occurred in Vietnam, as they still do in Iraq. </div><div> </div><div>A U.S. helicopter pilot was a hero that day, as he saw what was going on, landed, and evacuated some villagers. He essentially put an end to the killing. His report was disregarded. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9qycjegVhyphenhyphenRPhRkLSB5Zzb3pT2Q8XgGtGaJ7IMayGkJ03dKILmwO3fT_cfp1Nw7mP5lUnki070tw57oLaEakvDna1_BO4p1454MdUy2-d_-2DVnBP1DHT03lukXkv-JQzy-EqtgxQfc/s1600-h/159+Displays.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251755725217037282" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo9qycjegVhyphenhyphenRPhRkLSB5Zzb3pT2Q8XgGtGaJ7IMayGkJ03dKILmwO3fT_cfp1Nw7mP5lUnki070tw57oLaEakvDna1_BO4p1454MdUy2-d_-2DVnBP1DHT03lukXkv-JQzy-EqtgxQfc/s320/159+Displays.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><div><br />The museum contained the diorama shown above, as well as many pictures of the area, including ones taken during and right after the massacre.<br /><div><br />The plaque that Pam and Kate are looking at describes the actions of the helicopter pilot.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi471sH_S5yE3eph-ru8-iI24mFlmhi2d1RXbOxFfNcOI__Ry2rQoJPk2lPPIdor-9jgD87-28uOg1PS5dCZxQxE1GqvvtLvEFgDyP539uuAui-SpaAcpvWRsoOeBXle4uVqKABYOfpzAQ/s1600-h/160+Plaque.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251755078697010418" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi471sH_S5yE3eph-ru8-iI24mFlmhi2d1RXbOxFfNcOI__Ry2rQoJPk2lPPIdor-9jgD87-28uOg1PS5dCZxQxE1GqvvtLvEFgDyP539uuAui-SpaAcpvWRsoOeBXle4uVqKABYOfpzAQ/s320/160+Plaque.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /></div><div>The village was destroyed by the Americans during the assault, but the memorial is built on the location that Lt. Calley's platoon attacked. It's actually a misnomer to call it the My Lai massacre, as My Lai was only one of the hamlets withing the village of Son My, and it wasn't the hamlet that Lt. Calley attacked.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRl6uuO3PHzwxbLAWfNsG7iXOMKXoNgS8DLpwa0kXFBfQlauxmCNOGf53aGiHhlsMO6XescD7b_G1t6iml1pd4xTgGJpNxwgFTcximyDwSqfzQsS6w2shSbH5Qo5oaNiAgiwqClLtK_Rg/s1600-h/161+Memorial+Statue.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251753744848450610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRl6uuO3PHzwxbLAWfNsG7iXOMKXoNgS8DLpwa0kXFBfQlauxmCNOGf53aGiHhlsMO6XescD7b_G1t6iml1pd4xTgGJpNxwgFTcximyDwSqfzQsS6w2shSbH5Qo5oaNiAgiwqClLtK_Rg/s320/161+Memorial+Statue.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Outside there is the memorial statue to the victims, and what is claimed to be the ditch that so many bodies were found in, as well as a few survivors shielded by the dead above them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkzQPJlZLoBKxRl9DNXVNWjzJankJzxrbXkbVr5qn-wdD6rZDueT2pimfp6PRlexuf-CwNxnHSJ_5i9pV18-IRltxJH30LeMJZW9AN2g74qkfmMc5RkQy0qNgsVW_5nfhdwSdE-fadR4/s1600-h/162+Ditch.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251753309822439922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDkzQPJlZLoBKxRl9DNXVNWjzJankJzxrbXkbVr5qn-wdD6rZDueT2pimfp6PRlexuf-CwNxnHSJ_5i9pV18-IRltxJH30LeMJZW9AN2g74qkfmMc5RkQy0qNgsVW_5nfhdwSdE-fadR4/s320/162+Ditch.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Below Katherine is walking by a tree that still shows damage from the attack.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Dy81vcaxa_1nkxPHZgge4wxGXsJ4EGwZoG86SbR8qB_c_dVOEkPpfh5vw8Hom7Ks8KLw_qnAF1Oky2HY4tjFSjK7HuZqbbjBvRWfFl8vgwWnhSF04SLjJwaFZVtakFYpnr25eJe-N2Y/s1600-h/163+Tree.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251752066648793042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Dy81vcaxa_1nkxPHZgge4wxGXsJ4EGwZoG86SbR8qB_c_dVOEkPpfh5vw8Hom7Ks8KLw_qnAF1Oky2HY4tjFSjK7HuZqbbjBvRWfFl8vgwWnhSF04SLjJwaFZVtakFYpnr25eJe-N2Y/s320/163+Tree.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Mock ups of some of the houses have been reconstructed, supposedly on the original foundation sites.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrcsB8yhu8eo4-rV2P9CeURiLxsLVwBjuQN09Q5I2iG-FX4_Pf1MsTf5tF-m4vBetBDgincyNkHLeqbQxwobb7mSJmFo-ZYXTwhA64q8Or4L1HcB8OfEUO3Ye5w286HTNcsWayZNfIiU/s1600-h/164+House.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251751547762420994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrcsB8yhu8eo4-rV2P9CeURiLxsLVwBjuQN09Q5I2iG-FX4_Pf1MsTf5tF-m4vBetBDgincyNkHLeqbQxwobb7mSJmFo-ZYXTwhA64q8Or4L1HcB8OfEUO3Ye5w286HTNcsWayZNfIiU/s320/164+House.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1KizmY6co5nyPSDDzs0PWKLzoRhT9h3YQz72hFdw3al_c5IhA-A_Q4K6cEUNyJVQkgIFTywY3KJSmkYqjWDP3D7XXaQMOoEelKP-h4gzfjLXFCyF00pxRfMvr0ScV2vLW_fKoj8UGmg/s1600-h/165+Walkway.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5251696688662402066" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp1KizmY6co5nyPSDDzs0PWKLzoRhT9h3YQz72hFdw3al_c5IhA-A_Q4K6cEUNyJVQkgIFTywY3KJSmkYqjWDP3D7XXaQMOoEelKP-h4gzfjLXFCyF00pxRfMvr0ScV2vLW_fKoj8UGmg/s320/165+Walkway.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The walkway around the site is concrete, with imprints of running bare feet, and the soles of American jungle boots.</div><div> </div><div>Eventually the massacre was exposed, first by a combat photographer who had been discharged from the Army, then corroborated by others. Several officers were court marshaled, but Lt. Calley was the only one who was convicted. He was sentenced to life in prison, although he never made it to Fort Leavenworth. He was in house arrest at Fort Benning during his appeal, and was eventually paroled by President Nixon in 1973, under the excuse that he had been made a scape goat for the massacre.<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-64835500070545997222008-09-25T18:33:00.000-07:002008-09-26T08:49:18.817-07:00Dalat, 9/20-9/21<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPMruotBwSSMx2zzZSgx6FatU7WWQdaXzZ7m9JGcPCs-g4Mp1M_7-X0Mj9xyzA7VmGtdgRNslVhKB_EGWQTGYafbZlRJ4DdiCEiyO1MBuni6G2dkVO63URNa0JyUJ38vWmwU98eY_I6o/s1600-h/124+Departing+HCMC.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250325765673483826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPMruotBwSSMx2zzZSgx6FatU7WWQdaXzZ7m9JGcPCs-g4Mp1M_7-X0Mj9xyzA7VmGtdgRNslVhKB_EGWQTGYafbZlRJ4DdiCEiyO1MBuni6G2dkVO63URNa0JyUJ38vWmwU98eY_I6o/s320/124+Departing+HCMC.JPG" border="0" /></a> Early on Saturday, September 20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">th</span>, we said our goodbyes to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">HCMC</span>, and headed north. The first stop was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Dalat</span>, which is a resort town developed by the French during the colonial period. It has a distinct alps <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">flavor</span> about it, and at 1475 m, the temperature is much cooler than Saigon. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Dalat</span> was virtually untouched during both conflicts, except by the soldiers and officials who came there for some R&R.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXXjh_A3_ePLwgYeJA8w1RmH2yahRLtWzakGcaVxxkB-L40GCpsae5oZy3HXlWejDWk4sFTunnCoWynpuGoooXJ_sCJCNaQmwRZrxulGZji45jeMhyphenhyphenX7yivj_BIxRaN0M64yPJyPQkk4/s1600-h/125+Dalat+Hotel.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250325088471420290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXXjh_A3_ePLwgYeJA8w1RmH2yahRLtWzakGcaVxxkB-L40GCpsae5oZy3HXlWejDWk4sFTunnCoWynpuGoooXJ_sCJCNaQmwRZrxulGZji45jeMhyphenhyphenX7yivj_BIxRaN0M64yPJyPQkk4/s320/125+Dalat+Hotel.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We stayed at the Tran <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Huong</span> Hotel, shown here with the students waiting outside for a walking tour. This narrow, tube type construction in Vietnam is common, as taxes are based on the street front footage, not the height or total floor area. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tuPINmPw1I7065yfI8NbgyB_dYFbD-MfZQeG9SO50Mq_fXR7rGBePPPjC3VgUTre88ERCdVs_A3f1sNFAxfd_k8aPorhe__-STZXzRhWELx3pQI7AMoP9GOI7KxwqXYkkHgFZ0bAKdA/s1600-h/126+Dalat+Market.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250289716783523826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7tuPINmPw1I7065yfI8NbgyB_dYFbD-MfZQeG9SO50Mq_fXR7rGBePPPjC3VgUTre88ERCdVs_A3f1sNFAxfd_k8aPorhe__-STZXzRhWELx3pQI7AMoP9GOI7KxwqXYkkHgFZ0bAKdA/s320/126+Dalat+Market.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br />Our walking tour took us first to the central market, which is much like others we have seen, but not as overwhelmingly big.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWn-SEoapY45wJ6GOr2uf5Y0YSv41WVELVJSfDLzUk9ZTqThlvogoPNQxRCWN8Qunb3bmx0UNnyOyGV4nb5dIhfrWFgSRDyyr6165qaYH_sCVnfnExQDtPytargF9bG9F_cOpFbLxXJTQ/s1600-h/127+Picture+Seller.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250288826607167906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWn-SEoapY45wJ6GOr2uf5Y0YSv41WVELVJSfDLzUk9ZTqThlvogoPNQxRCWN8Qunb3bmx0UNnyOyGV4nb5dIhfrWFgSRDyyr6165qaYH_sCVnfnExQDtPytargF9bG9F_cOpFbLxXJTQ/s320/127+Picture+Seller.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As always there were lots of hawkers. This young fellow is trying to sell Pam some water color prints. Note the coat he has on. It was probably 75 degrees out, but many of the locals had fairly heavy coats on.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuELbgiQY_4fb5Y9es9Fhn22JD9M2nroNKezr9tKdQ2xKTxCDW5oyWPp42tY0u3l52JZq1hX5mWzpCgrfMYkOt4dW_0d5y12FI3OrH_VS7UBUQOEhv6KKXsziG9SABLwABX3acz-gOYo/s1600-h/128+Outside+Market.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250287999861894866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuELbgiQY_4fb5Y9es9Fhn22JD9M2nroNKezr9tKdQ2xKTxCDW5oyWPp42tY0u3l52JZq1hX5mWzpCgrfMYkOt4dW_0d5y12FI3OrH_VS7UBUQOEhv6KKXsziG9SABLwABX3acz-gOYo/s320/128+Outside+Market.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />To the right is a group of shoppers outside the market, and below, Molly has made a new acquaintance.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06a1B0VzxnKPfM3qR8r03vuz2LeoY4yN17N-jVAii-RX7Q2MjCoz0c5QEGr_sWOOoXBgyx0-9j3Hplweo_SDDHqmrgEyxU19e42u9xJZPleZBTXUwhMIpBUf8IedXKMSVS3DyMKan9F0/s1600-h/129+Molly+%26+Friend.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250286754891440210" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06a1B0VzxnKPfM3qR8r03vuz2LeoY4yN17N-jVAii-RX7Q2MjCoz0c5QEGr_sWOOoXBgyx0-9j3Hplweo_SDDHqmrgEyxU19e42u9xJZPleZBTXUwhMIpBUf8IedXKMSVS3DyMKan9F0/s320/129+Molly+%26+Friend.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />You can get almost anything you want on the streets in Vietnam, literally from soup to nuts. The lady below is selling grilled skewers. They smelled really good as we walked by.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcAblpiUKwDcAgN8kQr2vEviCA-VTsrZfSfDby4sSgFpNJHOXRaV23wa1iOZzGNXyYMidEEyW8MP-xF3bFcS0v1Wxz77X5yQX_zSfUEVuEGZq5p0LzpL3oLpy0nMjx0XFK7g7JiPsXos/s1600-h/130+Skewer+Lady.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250285411342844114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwcAblpiUKwDcAgN8kQr2vEviCA-VTsrZfSfDby4sSgFpNJHOXRaV23wa1iOZzGNXyYMidEEyW8MP-xF3bFcS0v1Wxz77X5yQX_zSfUEVuEGZq5p0LzpL3oLpy0nMjx0XFK7g7JiPsXos/s320/130+Skewer+Lady.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We continued our walk to the lake, where <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Viet</span> explained the origins and history of the town.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFhqEk0rs711au8W-OQvpmY27RTPfiuE8pG6waI4i3wsyHLqCRCHa0zkn7uP8pxg4jipVkY_YzFTkEBK14rvQmbWXHV_xjCvdMCvXIi706cExFP19luEbVpLeFFuEJaqusUxJ4STNqjc/s1600-h/131+Viet+Explaining.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250284780821329010" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFhqEk0rs711au8W-OQvpmY27RTPfiuE8pG6waI4i3wsyHLqCRCHa0zkn7uP8pxg4jipVkY_YzFTkEBK14rvQmbWXHV_xjCvdMCvXIi706cExFP19luEbVpLeFFuEJaqusUxJ4STNqjc/s320/131+Viet+Explaining.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylGJVPr53naDlhEIAilQP8yX2J0V9bcpZE_Fu19alL-m1HcYQek2zGnAzN7zwYUN0VcMnIjCqVKyUZs7egZ29ZwWep6LskoYPvtdjQemKJqO2Or0so9BWKsJ6bEzB2zAn9YCSVtWYEQg/s1600-h/132+Walking+in+Rain.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250282410872162258" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylGJVPr53naDlhEIAilQP8yX2J0V9bcpZE_Fu19alL-m1HcYQek2zGnAzN7zwYUN0VcMnIjCqVKyUZs7egZ29ZwWep6LskoYPvtdjQemKJqO2Or0so9BWKsJ6bEzB2zAn9YCSVtWYEQg/s320/132+Walking+in+Rain.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The weather had looked fine when we left the hotel. so we didn't bring rain jackets with us. As <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Viet</span> was talking, ominous clouds rolled in, so we headed back, but didn't make it before the rain <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">started</span> falling. We took refuge in a bus stop enclosure for a few minutes until the rain let up, then traveled as fast as we could back to the hotel. We arrived a little damp, but more knowledgeable about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Dalat</span>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUuy2AKHbzcljIW0rq19ublpy2aDf1SiZrYh0t9Q2BcvqEA49q9vDK-rInw3zVijobjlFfNMr0Mr2COmZdh3x3pXOgPmYGAdDci9y3PgURTIN9VUYNcW4QHT0skOaQ2nS7nQgjqj3ZdU/s1600-h/133+Bus+Stop.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250280639932854162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUuy2AKHbzcljIW0rq19ublpy2aDf1SiZrYh0t9Q2BcvqEA49q9vDK-rInw3zVijobjlFfNMr0Mr2COmZdh3x3pXOgPmYGAdDci9y3PgURTIN9VUYNcW4QHT0skOaQ2nS7nQgjqj3ZdU/s320/133+Bus+Stop.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br />The next morning we visited <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Bau</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Dai's</span> summer palace. He was the last Emperor of Vietnam, but was a puppet of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Fren</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIeEbTy-mT8RD2RmtiJGHU2ZYnE4U0bmIH-AkJPtC46Y1hNzmtWtWtoWBKlLjN3y7fEFTh7B3T1BPfJDGxcspPmC3A2cZc30DPdJsHiHeBy4dVBaBrmndxnr7P8METqn8aeuehlGdiUU/s1600-h/134+Bau+Dai+Palace.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250279052238070306" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTIeEbTy-mT8RD2RmtiJGHU2ZYnE4U0bmIH-AkJPtC46Y1hNzmtWtWtoWBKlLjN3y7fEFTh7B3T1BPfJDGxcspPmC3A2cZc30DPdJsHiHeBy4dVBaBrmndxnr7P8METqn8aeuehlGdiUU/s320/134+Bau+Dai+Palace.JPG" border="0" /></a>ch, and a playboy. He abdicated his throne at the end of WWII, when Ho Chi <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Minh</span> declared independence. Most of the Emperors are revered by the Vietnamese people, but not <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Bau</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Dai</span>.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Viet</span> is explaining that most of the walls in the palace are yellow, because that is the royal color.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh52XCjnz3PVSy5N4ImmTMi0uZIEH9E-Kj02KX3Igs14RVQMzcxoFkqe7tGnexQ2rnQ8ESjxfrKmehRgCRqcH-EwA7OfeKDjLRA-4Cg8h3GT4_SHdxuaaDTaNq2w6LHe0vaxP0Rpau6kg/s1600-h/135+Julia+and+Michael.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250278610093569282" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh52XCjnz3PVSy5N4ImmTMi0uZIEH9E-Kj02KX3Igs14RVQMzcxoFkqe7tGnexQ2rnQ8ESjxfrKmehRgCRqcH-EwA7OfeKDjLRA-4Cg8h3GT4_SHdxuaaDTaNq2w6LHe0vaxP0Rpau6kg/s320/135+Julia+and+Michael.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>Here Michael and Julia pose be a cut glass map of Vietnam.</div><div> </div><div>Below is our whole group out on the veranda.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2zowj4iSaY-NwXZSaFclryez5kSegY8ePHKAwGU9X34tOiCWkPdRYIBfo7NqbsNiVRdtHcm6402XBgRcu_JcbWRh0zb6wfl8o1MRjrYpmboQOt0HX2DwuuanMvv-aUwn4INy4pdLEV8/s1600-h/136+Group.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250275698834283010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2zowj4iSaY-NwXZSaFclryez5kSegY8ePHKAwGU9X34tOiCWkPdRYIBfo7NqbsNiVRdtHcm6402XBgRcu_JcbWRh0zb6wfl8o1MRjrYpmboQOt0HX2DwuuanMvv-aUwn4INy4pdLEV8/s320/136+Group.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Next we headed for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Truc</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Lan</span> Buddhist <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">monastery</span>. It is almost new, and a very beautiful spot.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLgXuI4WtQ-iSldOTF7hckPIHMi28KQORH2mKLFqJ3KjoEbITm0XWh7Vumt1V4dB5INUnHxEUJ8eSbPVI-o1aHof5OX-DEc_WU5shv-5vITCmEWPTZ2yUf111sf9VnBAsDTv3Jn5KoSs/s1600-h/137+Buddhist+Monestary.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250274778594927698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQLgXuI4WtQ-iSldOTF7hckPIHMi28KQORH2mKLFqJ3KjoEbITm0XWh7Vumt1V4dB5INUnHxEUJ8eSbPVI-o1aHof5OX-DEc_WU5shv-5vITCmEWPTZ2yUf111sf9VnBAsDTv3Jn5KoSs/s320/137+Buddhist+Monestary.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5xup0SIWSkOap3ckQ8StqzyuNhsSGrvcBvQv1Wc8P4XpbuMkX44KKnLnK690ZmhUle_pc09ghg_d64vIcUwFKylb11_oGni6fjUHzahEimeF6pOmWoXIn7Q6hus89pQMDPrEwNKHf-s/s1600-h/138+Biddhist+Monestary.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250273494902382418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5xup0SIWSkOap3ckQ8StqzyuNhsSGrvcBvQv1Wc8P4XpbuMkX44KKnLnK690ZmhUle_pc09ghg_d64vIcUwFKylb11_oGni6fjUHzahEimeF6pOmWoXIn7Q6hus89pQMDPrEwNKHf-s/s320/138+Biddhist+Monestary.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The gardens and grounds were very peaceful, so we enjoyed just walking around. The following few pictures show some good shots of the students. Tom managed to sneak into three of them.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBIOrlo6DB3cmJxfgTUdDbZ99bEV1SbgShH6O9eLvzrrVlIv-sOaHlKc1Wl-uOdXQyfOwmU_d90mywbcmVdwanZKBbA1qaJgD4K0zrXBgCJ6Op5WmzmqWeavsc1oFuL_I2XFAb9fNscM/s1600-h/140+Tom+and+Diana.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250272255770392210" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBIOrlo6DB3cmJxfgTUdDbZ99bEV1SbgShH6O9eLvzrrVlIv-sOaHlKc1Wl-uOdXQyfOwmU_d90mywbcmVdwanZKBbA1qaJgD4K0zrXBgCJ6Op5WmzmqWeavsc1oFuL_I2XFAb9fNscM/s320/140+Tom+and+Diana.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyg0n5hBZd73n55OIaRqjNhml-FMt5fjJ1Pla9TzDfJ1EflTwybhuTTLyLX5Lkuph5hq_InLGSy9OVpVVbbYA88kN0-t07mM_tMUZcbnVp81HdbIPkx4pKtHhVyL93p0pfzPlePj_-i4/s1600-h/139+Andrew+and+Tom.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250272812884831202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyg0n5hBZd73n55OIaRqjNhml-FMt5fjJ1Pla9TzDfJ1EflTwybhuTTLyLX5Lkuph5hq_InLGSy9OVpVVbbYA88kN0-t07mM_tMUZcbnVp81HdbIPkx4pKtHhVyL93p0pfzPlePj_-i4/s320/139+Andrew+and+Tom.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkxGMuAc92zEst8cyk5SxsoiybjvZoXTY6m9ZI7A-2p0LlKwJB2JzKyt68CkEuXItBVQZHVwmwcVD0JB3-48fBTHqdA6PjG6IpStNB5h_XXTOWDZHpRjfcNuXdHfHMq3mg37nERl4SjE/s1600-h/141+Tom+with+Girls.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250271373102573474" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqkxGMuAc92zEst8cyk5SxsoiybjvZoXTY6m9ZI7A-2p0LlKwJB2JzKyt68CkEuXItBVQZHVwmwcVD0JB3-48fBTHqdA6PjG6IpStNB5h_XXTOWDZHpRjfcNuXdHfHMq3mg37nERl4SjE/s320/141+Tom+with+Girls.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvgqb7sunDw4OQsvujDkm9wo6dOUrKxq_z-IC2QcCek2v2ju8srFwKaCYJOd2GygFQkJtZnTcLfE2842GrxVxYUv5q1khkpCw6M-figEio_HGG2gqqfVwyOP2UquiR9gXZs5gOkFLMyE/s1600-h/142+Pam+%26+Carley.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250270637135375458" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBvgqb7sunDw4OQsvujDkm9wo6dOUrKxq_z-IC2QcCek2v2ju8srFwKaCYJOd2GygFQkJtZnTcLfE2842GrxVxYUv5q1khkpCw6M-figEio_HGG2gqqfVwyOP2UquiR9gXZs5gOkFLMyE/s320/142+Pam+%26+Carley.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-AAHBmtRdnRedj0mPpE7tkdseYYYh0vFcCRmoWdTOC0prZjfs6za4PCqkEfC9ZwJYm55iADDfejg2xI19sXTGCmBgNYAM1vD_ygIhOcC7j_yKfJY3AirFo-7fE9zgJEmtkPTLkffjXs/s1600-h/143+Viet+%26+Coffee.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250269415656282066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-AAHBmtRdnRedj0mPpE7tkdseYYYh0vFcCRmoWdTOC0prZjfs6za4PCqkEfC9ZwJYm55iADDfejg2xI19sXTGCmBgNYAM1vD_ygIhOcC7j_yKfJY3AirFo-7fE9zgJEmtkPTLkffjXs/s320/143+Viet+%26+Coffee.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div> Before going to lunch, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Viet</span> showed us coffee growing, and discussed the whole process. Vietnam is the second largest exporter of coffee.<br /><br />Below he is explaining about "<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">weasel</span>" coffee.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQj1IFqTO1DUW9xwlqZsreak1M7P1t1s6w7cDyZIDwWzo7ZSnnqkaAoCbxPt8wWZGx0P9fIKWTuRYnA3tE1XacPgYqxbmXov_l3v7UIHMf55Nw1STkHnlImRlqqWiOpS2IBXWyn9vn7Ug/s1600-h/144+Explainin+Weasil+Coffee.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250268742757583506" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQj1IFqTO1DUW9xwlqZsreak1M7P1t1s6w7cDyZIDwWzo7ZSnnqkaAoCbxPt8wWZGx0P9fIKWTuRYnA3tE1XacPgYqxbmXov_l3v7UIHMf55Nw1STkHnlImRlqqWiOpS2IBXWyn9vn7Ug/s320/144+Explainin+Weasil+Coffee.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We had lunch at the farmhouse of Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">Qui</span>. He is supplementing his farm income by hosting tour groups for meals.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPu2gPaFFgoX0fDnABs5qWV7JyrUVSMlXlYkhZKUhy3eJ_Xjj9eDyRunSJudeev2LuEoHMjKHbCsQGoqcvoYtjx33qW91lWqWitUtte5-hW6lMDfbkJhZoUq7Dgr7O1Cn-PoEY0nZV3Q8/s1600-h/145+Farmers+House.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250267629109632578" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPu2gPaFFgoX0fDnABs5qWV7JyrUVSMlXlYkhZKUhy3eJ_Xjj9eDyRunSJudeev2LuEoHMjKHbCsQGoqcvoYtjx33qW91lWqWitUtte5-hW6lMDfbkJhZoUq7Dgr7O1Cn-PoEY0nZV3Q8/s320/145+Farmers+House.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">Viet</span> is explaining about the alter in the house honoring the ancestors. Many Vietnamese believe that the spirits of their ancestors life on in the house, so they pray to them and leave them food on the altar. That is one of the reasons the relocation campaigns in both conflicts were <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">disastrous</span>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghho8j2HiBW1Ueu6qBBm85vQj76v-fXoRg7P73A2U7fle4ZG2-fSPGzdAsTTKgC3ERubfbxNGqSvggE6iAshUoCDwsRe4pI19OIcBDcKhXanu7KkqHajWvGVCXywb9tryNZGh-QsUF3ok/s1600-h/146+Lunch.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250266918190086946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghho8j2HiBW1Ueu6qBBm85vQj76v-fXoRg7P73A2U7fle4ZG2-fSPGzdAsTTKgC3ERubfbxNGqSvggE6iAshUoCDwsRe4pI19OIcBDcKhXanu7KkqHajWvGVCXywb9tryNZGh-QsUF3ok/s320/146+Lunch.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />To the right is one of the tables, with Mr. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Qui</span> in the background. The food was delicious.</div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMMrmy9kAQANS4HnOFwBkqWj9LMMWGDBuvS-Za6IZNdQ9EPF_4qwGQqynecL2CK2xSPET299INE6nKHK_t7LY-0_OEoCpwfKCrwXXzGuPNgHoDXiS2Pes2wgl1Pb87YCoWCADbuqCUFI/s1600-h/147+Farms.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250266124237881810" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMMrmy9kAQANS4HnOFwBkqWj9LMMWGDBuvS-Za6IZNdQ9EPF_4qwGQqynecL2CK2xSPET299INE6nKHK_t7LY-0_OEoCpwfKCrwXXzGuPNgHoDXiS2Pes2wgl1Pb87YCoWCADbuqCUFI/s320/147+Farms.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><div><br /><div><br /><br /><br />On the way out of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">Dalat</span> we passed more farms. Here covered beds back right up to new houses. Many of the fields are covered to keep insects and birds away from t<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGv37IfoDBu2xLpCDJyv8AC-uv7kS0TgcnbEtp-jEdKkyDI42eHgU7G8Vywttq9nOvNnMNTozdj5Uq7IxrMFFU8dbnrl0dDf2KvP5w3AyrOjpOwNzeeKXx4z6zw0kucnfbHC9MGvuBeE/s1600-h/148+Waterfall.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250265236439127490" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGv37IfoDBu2xLpCDJyv8AC-uv7kS0TgcnbEtp-jEdKkyDI42eHgU7G8Vywttq9nOvNnMNTozdj5Uq7IxrMFFU8dbnrl0dDf2KvP5w3AyrOjpOwNzeeKXx4z6zw0kucnfbHC9MGvuBeE/s320/148+Waterfall.JPG" border="0" /></a>he produce. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">Dalat</span> produces much of the fruits and vegetables consumed in Ho Chi <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">Minh</span> City.<br /><div><br /><br />On the way to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">Nha</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">Trang</span> we took a new road that winds through beautiful country, and some of the remaining mature forests. This area was too remote to have any <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">strategic</span> value in the conflicts.<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5E_6v5ay_phqmczkGY8GcGER0Pgv8oQ_tjMOWnkPBpJFBL1ZI0k74NeJQKlf4P-IjJbHogkP74g9PrG_JIs38VCnCkclFYW0Opg0C46DzRm4ikPCyzz9DzIw9DnGOyYysV8DK7aPifA/s1600-h/149+Road.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250264364469150402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG5E_6v5ay_phqmczkGY8GcGER0Pgv8oQ_tjMOWnkPBpJFBL1ZI0k74NeJQKlf4P-IjJbHogkP74g9PrG_JIs38VCnCkclFYW0Opg0C46DzRm4ikPCyzz9DzIw9DnGOyYysV8DK7aPifA/s320/149+Road.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />We stopped to take a picture of a water fall cascading down a bare rock slope.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-80631534007134611182008-09-23T19:22:00.000-07:002008-09-30T23:05:59.189-07:00Vinh Long, Mekong Delta, 9/14<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQZtamMUhHY-v2Ug5m_-DYtk8EC71o9r7UTsBViWjTuNlBBqqlWWx-KRKNLMT9S13PtV_DJIpFHjV0P16DQvi649zgFyfasY_6AvBvHEd1yUtu6YjnAhWhMyg8znLkvdfzMqOj-4Bwvk/s1600-h/113+Waving+Goodby.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249968087376789858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQZtamMUhHY-v2Ug5m_-DYtk8EC71o9r7UTsBViWjTuNlBBqqlWWx-KRKNLMT9S13PtV_DJIpFHjV0P16DQvi649zgFyfasY_6AvBvHEd1yUtu6YjnAhWhMyg8znLkvdfzMqOj-4Bwvk/s320/113+Waving+Goodby.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>After a delicious breakfast at the home stay, we <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">re-boarded</span> our rocking boat for a trip to another floating market. Mr. and Mrs. Muoi bid us farewell.<br /><br />On the way we passed several boats carrying rice husks to the brick kilns.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAY5cq4VIGkWsWYl8EvnML90mteG677WrqFM7D_1HVOyxvmE-EMwLzAgHlwYSE0PUxRxLtdOMpy6F0utkhdnNhzsMwgGcy4TwWZ57-uZfg0GHoEK6gvaA-JWITa5KTsnoURho9Bs2SFo/s1600-h/113+Boat+with+Rice+Husks.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249752916329346130" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAY5cq4VIGkWsWYl8EvnML90mteG677WrqFM7D_1HVOyxvmE-EMwLzAgHlwYSE0PUxRxLtdOMpy6F0utkhdnNhzsMwgGcy4TwWZ57-uZfg0GHoEK6gvaA-JWITa5KTsnoURho9Bs2SFo/s320/113+Boat+with+Rice+Husks.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3P4PwBQwyZUBw8HygR3fGEMpwecR6lKz0k5nvAAcy9Im4G4csd_UFs2GAP0Ns3N-YIwc4v56Wpbj2Mdc6U1bPegn9H2d6id7kRAvJOP8MnvvnKGKV4XMLNdMMM0kW-A6foy_QMEdvgSw/s1600-h/114+Bamboo+Store.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249752624357552466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3P4PwBQwyZUBw8HygR3fGEMpwecR6lKz0k5nvAAcy9Im4G4csd_UFs2GAP0Ns3N-YIwc4v56Wpbj2Mdc6U1bPegn9H2d6id7kRAvJOP8MnvvnKGKV4XMLNdMMM0kW-A6foy_QMEdvgSw/s320/114+Bamboo+Store.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We also went by a bamboo store. They still use bamboo for some scaffolding in construction projects. It is also use for all sorts of other frames and such around houses.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_0Jr6Bo1x7F3pn-5VO3KzQQkyQ9oemfTOKM8NAp61tN8xlsoea_xlqH1zD1_MRnbAfIOlJ8j1pUVknNgZxdydsjcW8VnD36Joc7r8bmRa2NXeQ4T9hNK0EuPbQ7j98mdx_L_XqNu_u4/s1600-h/115+Floating+Market.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249752340606676178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3_0Jr6Bo1x7F3pn-5VO3KzQQkyQ9oemfTOKM8NAp61tN8xlsoea_xlqH1zD1_MRnbAfIOlJ8j1pUVknNgZxdydsjcW8VnD36Joc7r8bmRa2NXeQ4T9hNK0EuPbQ7j98mdx_L_XqNu_u4/s320/115+Floating+Market.JPG" border="0" /></a> <div>This floating market is in Cai Be, near Vinh Long. It is a different type of market from the one we visited the day before. Here the people come and stay until all of their produce or whatever is sold. Some stay as long as a week. At the previous market the people were local, and usually went home by noon or early afternoon.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdm-j0d-VrcGCqI8ZklfZIrXLPbVSUqBVjXXpY6Rg7B_JfjnXGRpOUJilqLFd22t1Nl-AA9w67-4y3cuNPAa909gJE4tIGPd_CwHINsQ9OVm7kmb1C1M3TxWSkWNRScyNBBWeS6QUJHh8/s1600-h/116+Floating+Market.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249411697620311346" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdm-j0d-VrcGCqI8ZklfZIrXLPbVSUqBVjXXpY6Rg7B_JfjnXGRpOUJilqLFd22t1Nl-AA9w67-4y3cuNPAa909gJE4tIGPd_CwHINsQ9OVm7kmb1C1M3TxWSkWNRScyNBBWeS6QUJHh8/s320/116+Floating+Market.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>And of course there has to be a refreshment boat. Notice the mask the lady is wearing. You will see numerous people wearing them, mostly women, when driving motor bikes to prevent breathing in the dust and other pollutants. I'm not sure why this lady was wearing one, as the air is very clear in the Delta. Even in the cities I have never found it to be offensive. But there is a lot of dust on the roads. </div><br /><div>Another thing you will notice in both of the previous pictures is the propellers on a long shaft sticking up in the air. These are the Vietnamese equivalent of an outboard motor. The straight shaft is so they don't need a lower gear box to change the direction from vertical to horizontal. They are powered by Russian engines that make a thump-thump sound when they are running. Smaller boats often use the motor for directional control also, while larger boats usually have a rudder.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01-_JsMzpDTJ3voCVaWxmK-LDusXa2jukCx1hwcMN7aKygOwAqkjqEg1bO9_6HLpzmgfou_SCgCAYQOzkcY1z8CpVaGY0dGJOw2366sFn_diCCsUT-Ss8urG4Jvg3h7FGcuncZ_7Im2M/s1600-h/117+Houses+in+Vinh+Long.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249411412983063858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01-_JsMzpDTJ3voCVaWxmK-LDusXa2jukCx1hwcMN7aKygOwAqkjqEg1bO9_6HLpzmgfou_SCgCAYQOzkcY1z8CpVaGY0dGJOw2366sFn_diCCsUT-Ss8urG4Jvg3h7FGcuncZ_7Im2M/s320/117+Houses+in+Vinh+Long.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>Coming into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Vinh</span> Long we passed this row of houses. Note the TV antennas. Nearly every house in Vietnam has a TV, no matter how poor. The cities all have cable, but apparently they don't down in the Delta.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiga6VQ2L132paz04Z_J8iy2lOSMotxM8yYVRDhJUda8XAMOWaZBO7WV_OFF8slQehb2T5q_PYJZtW8DUAdtEKP3zYz5ZqbxQMMGZO_0ypqFFlmiVd5yvQ-lAwAqWyFtLrgqNJ3z_0y4es/s1600-h/118+Children+at+Church.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249410992697336066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiga6VQ2L132paz04Z_J8iy2lOSMotxM8yYVRDhJUda8XAMOWaZBO7WV_OFF8slQehb2T5q_PYJZtW8DUAdtEKP3zYz5ZqbxQMMGZO_0ypqFFlmiVd5yvQ-lAwAqWyFtLrgqNJ3z_0y4es/s320/118+Children+at+Church.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br />We got off our boat to visit some local "factories." On the way we passed this church with children out front having sack races.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNILgU50z-kwkJw-r5CFCeTBkgKhV8Ao2mC86DFs4KvZckWwF7Yroodfsf77pR7fMXg39vPNyDTA0qhTihB_WxW5S_wIrOD-8jKzGfhH18UmAHWq64K5imrBdeu3hXtu7_8BV2fMNWzzM/s1600-h/119+Rice+Paper+Factory.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249410734019919474" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNILgU50z-kwkJw-r5CFCeTBkgKhV8Ao2mC86DFs4KvZckWwF7Yroodfsf77pR7fMXg39vPNyDTA0qhTihB_WxW5S_wIrOD-8jKzGfhH18UmAHWq64K5imrBdeu3hXtu7_8BV2fMNWzzM/s320/119+Rice+Paper+Factory.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>The first factory we went to was for making rice paper. It was a true, small factory. Women here work eight hours a day over hot pans making about 2,000 rice paper cakes. For this they <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">receive</span> the equivalent of about $6, which is good wages for Vietnam. The base salary for teachers is about $100 per month. It was so hot inside that it actually felt cool when we went back outside.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0Gm-GNPrgofusQfce7zdKQNpHmCyLqR5F5tiraFIZZhcjM5JV_kq5wGgdfA6HYCIwUVKytHEFonDj95bdPhZ7xfvTvNefMRrxnR6Pc_E_-n3FBQ2pi14_cHc7rMF6L5pqvyqwGnPLcg/s1600-h/120+Students+at+RPF.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249410436622993490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0Gm-GNPrgofusQfce7zdKQNpHmCyLqR5F5tiraFIZZhcjM5JV_kq5wGgdfA6HYCIwUVKytHEFonDj95bdPhZ7xfvTvNefMRrxnR6Pc_E_-n3FBQ2pi14_cHc7rMF6L5pqvyqwGnPLcg/s320/120+Students+at+RPF.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />As you can see, the workers are used to having tourists <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">traipse</span> through their workplace. Evidently the owner gets some kickback from the tour companies.<br /><br />Next we went to another shop that made a different type of rice paper, large and thicker than the previous shop.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnwcFkLOklMm47WNf0DZeKt5sfILjDTsrMGvO93FS6qzgliC4XpeI3lBibz7tn6Syg9RScV3E2V5Y-kSpTjId4v8L7KnUio6Oi0Nse0ZPqmvWcehEaU4DS4ATZhWBhoe0WFpeP6Clrlo/s1600-h/121+Another+type+of+Rice+Paper.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249409989110827810" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnwcFkLOklMm47WNf0DZeKt5sfILjDTsrMGvO93FS6qzgliC4XpeI3lBibz7tn6Syg9RScV3E2V5Y-kSpTjId4v8L7KnUio6Oi0Nse0ZPqmvWcehEaU4DS4ATZhWBhoe0WFpeP6Clrlo/s320/121+Another+type+of+Rice+Paper.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjurmxoLyUuqVDLy0OL9HcKSgzTWG8QkLE75AjdV-u1O20C6DS2v71d7aMJrq2JB4K5Zp1kUgdyOQ7qeJuzfS5iSN-a36y55Vi8xTCYOTJslfy4a6OhJ5hrwVvbOuHj8y05wF_0zhNE1o/s1600-h/122+Watching+Process.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249409461890830258" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjurmxoLyUuqVDLy0OL9HcKSgzTWG8QkLE75AjdV-u1O20C6DS2v71d7aMJrq2JB4K5Zp1kUgdyOQ7qeJuzfS5iSN-a36y55Vi8xTCYOTJslfy4a6OhJ5hrwVvbOuHj8y05wF_0zhNE1o/s320/122+Watching+Process.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />To the left our local guide is explaining the process. I put "factories" in parenthesis before, as it is clear that most of these shops are set up to demonstrate the process to tourists. They only have one station for each type of work. We also visited candy and rice bar making shops.<br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5yMP8vXwfsohv-DDApAVXfGFuE-46AHmuHo1HlXmkRRW8iizRdqbmIZW2jDeoQvjdFtHgsdBz2FWd23fI5gj75k3yzAFBfTfV2vaGr5z4SA0LYVcPLo08Nf3e1cHJXSlLKkZ506nk-o/s1600-h/123+Shop.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249408430077430050" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB5yMP8vXwfsohv-DDApAVXfGFuE-46AHmuHo1HlXmkRRW8iizRdqbmIZW2jDeoQvjdFtHgsdBz2FWd23fI5gj75k3yzAFBfTfV2vaGr5z4SA0LYVcPLo08Nf3e1cHJXSlLKkZ506nk-o/s320/123+Shop.JPG" border="0" /></a>Each of these shops had an area where you could sample what they made, and buy it, or other assorted tourist <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">paraphernalia</span>. </div><br /><div>We visited an actual sea salt factory before taking our boat back to the bus for our return to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">HCMC</span>. The sea salt factory used rice husks for fuel, as did some of the stoves in the shops. It isn't clear how many husks might be left for Dr. Ni's logs. The logs do have the advantage that they are easier to transport than the bulk husks. </div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-71943421017560307272008-09-23T17:50:00.000-07:002008-09-25T07:28:01.739-07:00Vinh Long, Mekong Delta, 9/13<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jaQqeIuaDz1RIYIdUVxGeoR1Y7ir7bqF5IOgrsRZun5mFmqLQfniohqWL0zMNdHOL6RVu1SPa8YvvtPPJGEiy5E29lTvTUo4omBr2Lg9FiB0_QY0aJqvtcwWhwFmM6k4bihXt9sr4KE/s1600-h/092+Jill+with+Friend.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249398991378783490" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jaQqeIuaDz1RIYIdUVxGeoR1Y7ir7bqF5IOgrsRZun5mFmqLQfniohqWL0zMNdHOL6RVu1SPa8YvvtPPJGEiy5E29lTvTUo4omBr2Lg9FiB0_QY0aJqvtcwWhwFmM6k4bihXt9sr4KE/s320/092+Jill+with+Friend.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />After leaving our boat, we had to walk a ways to the bus. Jill picked up a friend on the way.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />We bused to Vinh Long where we boarded a different boat. On this one everyone had to stay seated, as it wasn't the most stable vessel. It got us to where we had to go, though.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJehbL14b3a5OreyhnOtpD6V0aFoOJebp_2NcMX0dvhPS2_iC8cqqM3qGnT0eQH9RYux8SfbdWbwh5U8qhPYqqdFGNs-jovLkwp91i2vjYV8rLmJ4PtKKsxl7VyUXLucZiBQ-2kDcSOK8/s1600-h/093+Brick+Kilns.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249398049843945954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJehbL14b3a5OreyhnOtpD6V0aFoOJebp_2NcMX0dvhPS2_iC8cqqM3qGnT0eQH9RYux8SfbdWbwh5U8qhPYqqdFGNs-jovLkwp91i2vjYV8rLmJ4PtKKsxl7VyUXLucZiBQ-2kDcSOK8/s320/093+Brick+Kilns.JPG" border="0" /></a> The first stop was at a brick factory. What was most interesting about it was that they use rice husks to fire the kilns, as you can see to the right. They make bricks part of the year, and ceramic pots and statues when the demand for them is high.<br /><br /><br /><br />We also passed some fish farms, and stopped at one. In the picture below you can see red snapper in the pen. They also produce catfish. Most of the production is exported to the U.S.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaB8otapiakPR8KbQg_GcyuGcHUHiaYs3w2W_hpbeWQXkHV5QtfK3ZrvW4a65MCnucQsIc7nJdD2_2f1hg_djK9RRICD-RDD6tfbgW4JTuwe6JnqrcOkox-v44KNp3UCSM3kwWZrA8Ro/s1600-h/094+Fish+Farm.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249766090188674354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaB8otapiakPR8KbQg_GcyuGcHUHiaYs3w2W_hpbeWQXkHV5QtfK3ZrvW4a65MCnucQsIc7nJdD2_2f1hg_djK9RRICD-RDD6tfbgW4JTuwe6JnqrcOkox-v44KNp3UCSM3kwWZrA8Ro/s320/094+Fish+Farm.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Fish farming has been a very lucrative enterprise in Vietnam. You feed the fish a couple of times a day, harvest them after a few months, and make a bundle. However too many people tried to take advantage, so the sale prices dropped to below profit levels because of overproduction. I read an article a couple of months ago that said they were dumping catfish because they couldn't afford to bring them to market size. The fish farms are also subject to storm damage. A typhoon two years ago wiped out a bid portion of the industry in the Delta.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xG5RGETd4r6Xdd4bPNY9fZi2ifgvJeA_m3JoF_UESw21ffZi41PjouJ5UZ24Z_pklFWtkv3h5ZZdKJCr7Z4yK7tHrVhNWHDljnbPwuI5ERI1lhKYB41lGmA2pIU7huziSuF-cWlUAzI/s1600-h/095+Elephant+Ear++Fish+Before.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249397535991906786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xG5RGETd4r6Xdd4bPNY9fZi2ifgvJeA_m3JoF_UESw21ffZi41PjouJ5UZ24Z_pklFWtkv3h5ZZdKJCr7Z4yK7tHrVhNWHDljnbPwuI5ERI1lhKYB41lGmA2pIU7huziSuF-cWlUAzI/s320/095+Elephant+Ear++Fish+Before.JPG" border="0" /></a> Our next stop was at the Ba Linh local home. It is run by an elderly gentleman who was once a VC, and his family. Very relaxing and an excellent lunch. It was the student's first introduction to Elephant Ear fish. To the left is what it looked like when it came to the table, and below is what it looked like afterwards.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrnerBbqw5EeH1IAA7KYV1LurdW6iIj04kxcgNKVcFMPmtXM1JS9sTcY5QfI2dkbv93_fE9n-AAoIyUVIZWJdg4c-SqrtNqeqndGFNC0S9LloRjH_KMxGXYhhLJbYEn8vVJfsgli85zk/s1600-h/096+Elephant+Ear+Fisy+After.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249397281417094146" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSrnerBbqw5EeH1IAA7KYV1LurdW6iIj04kxcgNKVcFMPmtXM1JS9sTcY5QfI2dkbv93_fE9n-AAoIyUVIZWJdg4c-SqrtNqeqndGFNC0S9LloRjH_KMxGXYhhLJbYEn8vVJfsgli85zk/s320/096+Elephant+Ear+Fisy+After.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Across the bridge there was an alligator farm, which looked like it was a tourist place. However, it was fun trying to "catch" the alligators. For a small amount you got a bamboo pole with a piece of meat tied onto the end of a fishing line. Below is Katie, ready to try her luck.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS17oyS3lgs49cfggsAphRUFYcsQ_Z6HinjeBqDXRlikM3LefPUJ5fHVu6lByUdMXxKh9-7uqc_OB3488_Ka4ScQXjTJ_pfPVJdyEKf7_EjiAPJ9Jay2UoWdcsC_m7uVYTq2rzCCZ-MXs/s1600-h/097+Katie+abou+to+croc+fish.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249396789109908946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS17oyS3lgs49cfggsAphRUFYcsQ_Z6HinjeBqDXRlikM3LefPUJ5fHVu6lByUdMXxKh9-7uqc_OB3488_Ka4ScQXjTJ_pfPVJdyEKf7_EjiAPJ9Jay2UoWdcsC_m7uVYTq2rzCCZ-MXs/s320/097+Katie+abou+to+croc+fish.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />It's easy to catch them, but not so easy to reel them in. I'm glad I'm not the bait.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNg6HOULrOj4HORQMz5CiG3YVeaGu8i_d6_RH4EsI67oO71PYIVpxPCjD7wWGxg0sWaxY8i03Xd_Pn3K-DsmfZIxwb3ghxRnL2YWx9JXKya5me9iBItRRajXsaDQKhtlGarRXaGygTog/s1600-h/098+Going+for+the+bait.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249396463375115410" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxNg6HOULrOj4HORQMz5CiG3YVeaGu8i_d6_RH4EsI67oO71PYIVpxPCjD7wWGxg0sWaxY8i03Xd_Pn3K-DsmfZIxwb3ghxRnL2YWx9JXKya5me9iBItRRajXsaDQKhtlGarRXaGygTog/s320/098+Going+for+the+bait.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_2JzrO-QXmC154tXmLD_DcEB-WQBdQ4rSs3_J7O8c0xUXcD7C6njEzu3jklXSa2ZxYlPx2ooGSBLD1GiLncReFPZRbrM1Z-oV-7Vpd8srzFqpBLIWGck3YOyLYiK2OtWUdcEGh4MD8Y/s1600-h/100+and+one+more.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249392648506488482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_2JzrO-QXmC154tXmLD_DcEB-WQBdQ4rSs3_J7O8c0xUXcD7C6njEzu3jklXSa2ZxYlPx2ooGSBLD1GiLncReFPZRbrM1Z-oV-7Vpd8srzFqpBLIWGck3YOyLYiK2OtWUdcEGh4MD8Y/s320/100+and+one+more.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Once they jump and get hold of it, forget about it. (Pictures in upper right and below courtesy of Josh Strenger; to the right courtesy of Ju<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-s-lvfshQcLjaHgofTlWdIumXx45oysYK8OKQ8OBg9HPqyM9Qa_ZT5hhnABHKP0wPDza18BgW-ux0UV7Xk1zMLSyyE2ohVQp6baRBamyt6kkLzYvXEPi_fL1NdrGqdxjuMD6Ou5jSLE/s1600-h/099+Caught+one.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249392837428246466" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 314px" height="274" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-s-lvfshQcLjaHgofTlWdIumXx45oysYK8OKQ8OBg9HPqyM9Qa_ZT5hhnABHKP0wPDza18BgW-ux0UV7Xk1zMLSyyE2ohVQp6baRBamyt6kkLzYvXEPi_fL1NdrGqdxjuMD6Ou5jSLE/s320/099+Caught+one.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a>lia Vu)<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>When we got back to the lunch house, it started pouring, as it is quite prone to doing here.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQnoAuR-sl1sI-sREH5ysIsFWgzcq9MknteyjYx2gv-x3fCnkTGU5iFiWKCsrcjy64FqxgYW7Hp8YscU9Cz-S1q2DNpdQcuMbULKAR0JKBFAuptwt_wV7sdasmWuiDl1HAkMkqFKmO6M/s1600-h/101+Getting+back+on+boat+in+rain.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249900028604724386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuQnoAuR-sl1sI-sREH5ysIsFWgzcq9MknteyjYx2gv-x3fCnkTGU5iFiWKCsrcjy64FqxgYW7Hp8YscU9Cz-S1q2DNpdQcuMbULKAR0JKBFAuptwt_wV7sdasmWuiDl1HAkMkqFKmO6M/s320/101+Getting+back+on+boat+in+rain.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Michael sacrificed himself to help everyone back on board in the rain.<br /><br />Next we went to one of the tourist meccas of the Delta, a banzai garden where you are served tea and fruit, then allowed to hold a python. Boats go in and out constantly, and the place is packed with western tourists. Some of the same groups we saw here, we ran into at some of the stops the next day.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UhQLoifkL_g_5v7DZg-qzTjlPJthPE6jT7U_Txor_uLhHDh2_0Y5LJd4hvpbi5Jh09M4ys6brpfKvyYcb18tb8qn5sWBdOroWLYLAm9YLba-X2IlGlJreTTjxOnDOa8LGbCqTrlwFJg/s1600-h/102+Tea+and+fruit.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249392094536480434" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9UhQLoifkL_g_5v7DZg-qzTjlPJthPE6jT7U_Txor_uLhHDh2_0Y5LJd4hvpbi5Jh09M4ys6brpfKvyYcb18tb8qn5sWBdOroWLYLAm9YLba-X2IlGlJreTTjxOnDOa8LGbCqTrlwFJg/s320/102+Tea+and+fruit.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The gardens were pretty, and you did get to hold an 80 lb python.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAplwulOtmPtUqsm3foAMgG6VU3yq0RAnvNjcNtA5EBJnq4EnWhq0ELP-2eM8O6VO0GOiqQymT7AKJKoonM0cqvbuOcmyxVb1EAQZz7yMePxEqe2ii_EU9je30n5QMxEBZArF5sRzS6Q/s1600-h/103+Python.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249391795745597858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhAplwulOtmPtUqsm3foAMgG6VU3yq0RAnvNjcNtA5EBJnq4EnWhq0ELP-2eM8O6VO0GOiqQymT7AKJKoonM0cqvbuOcmyxVb1EAQZz7yMePxEqe2ii_EU9je30n5QMxEBZArF5sRzS6Q/s320/103+Python.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCj03yS0yj-oTEEcnxwrxOUmz-VUxgzk7aUnkZse45lhcWy2pGax5E_7FEvW8tuHYBMfHFJTkWYh0xIS0bHnIxYppYbW9plbDglGzJH9xNZTUpnezcnLOZMphqUQh83VeJaY_Vfq9BQSw/s1600-h/104+Canoe.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249391302484057666" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCj03yS0yj-oTEEcnxwrxOUmz-VUxgzk7aUnkZse45lhcWy2pGax5E_7FEvW8tuHYBMfHFJTkWYh0xIS0bHnIxYppYbW9plbDglGzJH9xNZTUpnezcnLOZMphqUQh83VeJaY_Vfq9BQSw/s320/104+Canoe.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><br /><br />Next we took a 20 minute sampan ride to get back to our boat. Why is the lady rowing while Jared, Andrew, Michael, and Tom hang out?<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCiq1rhI8cM8K-hqPXH0QIZsnSOT0k-1m3FozO16QwsFoFabNpfZ_DhFPJybf7uDz9V6kTJ3D3MdXIuGO4RH7FQWgbQzpoY6Ay74gnv6meqCNtZs32cw26FeyT4BNeNwZmbv1ZJoJdeI/s1600-h/105+Home+Stay.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249390995100944594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCiq1rhI8cM8K-hqPXH0QIZsnSOT0k-1m3FozO16QwsFoFabNpfZ_DhFPJybf7uDz9V6kTJ3D3MdXIuGO4RH7FQWgbQzpoY6Ay74gnv6meqCNtZs32cw26FeyT4BNeNwZmbv1ZJoJdeI/s320/105+Home+Stay.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Our boat then took us to Mr. Muoi's house for our overnight home stay. It was a very relaxing evening, and the students enjoyed it very much.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjrtXXBW3W4NY0SLnbpY94bMyFAX829-g2sjpHUtycAqVIYiuXohgtZX5M3cTtZVQke8RDmJH9W0-1UTpZhLfdLbhtw1NKHt7z0uy-BZPWf_y5fjjbRCi2sUHjd7qvJpJWRil03P2K1Q/s1600-h/106+Men%27s+dorm.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249390538676405154" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfjrtXXBW3W4NY0SLnbpY94bMyFAX829-g2sjpHUtycAqVIYiuXohgtZX5M3cTtZVQke8RDmJH9W0-1UTpZhLfdLbhtw1NKHt7z0uy-BZPWf_y5fjjbRCi2sUHjd7qvJpJWRil03P2K1Q/s320/106+Men%27s+dorm.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>There were women's and men's bunk rooms. For many if the students it was the first time they slept under a mosquito net. The mosquitoes actually weren't bad, but the netting protected you while you slept.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAG08fQoShBLdcNAFV26Pb1pJVTZZ5NYiT8eawV-K0JuvdyhDUMEbgykuAc82wxp4MnVl-6iqr4zh7O_Ris3bvnF11CDYwTSp6cwFWUB4-eiQfljenFy2o0dCKhjulkYN1Lu0jyt3YCvQ/s1600-h/107+Diana+and+Phat+on+the+porch.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249390109861196322" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAG08fQoShBLdcNAFV26Pb1pJVTZZ5NYiT8eawV-K0JuvdyhDUMEbgykuAc82wxp4MnVl-6iqr4zh7O_Ris3bvnF11CDYwTSp6cwFWUB4-eiQfljenFy2o0dCKhjulkYN1Lu0jyt3YCvQ/s320/107+Diana+and+Phat+on+the+porch.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Here Diana and Phat are talking on the porch.<br /><div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa-eoTiuHj3Vp9dr1zISb2PJ41gopOh2WCJ0BMTuylrA4y2PKQQnef1fat7Yemob25XE2oQhf1FNqZnY1kAHxqwvjzvVb0YgsjK8JqV_C8iqDTnFdy_aU2l08NXt34NGs_UXjP4PEb58/s1600-h/108++Making+Spring+Rolls.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249389727417830098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEa-eoTiuHj3Vp9dr1zISb2PJ41gopOh2WCJ0BMTuylrA4y2PKQQnef1fat7Yemob25XE2oQhf1FNqZnY1kAHxqwvjzvVb0YgsjK8JqV_C8iqDTnFdy_aU2l08NXt34NGs_UXjP4PEb58/s320/108++Making+Spring+Rolls.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The students go to help make spring rolls before dinner. They were delicious.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYIbzexl37o_m_2uOzaK-BruoC-dV5MO6UwRmjeReDhv-5oqSGDWLIGplLqxbfv4IyRQ4cZ3KfJ6dztDO2dfXFy6JOZQ1vlY4GR_z3QOeyBGOaVocclVwxl92jpKXAQT_bFaDiC6IwV4/s1600-h/109+Card+Game.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249386935519009650" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwYIbzexl37o_m_2uOzaK-BruoC-dV5MO6UwRmjeReDhv-5oqSGDWLIGplLqxbfv4IyRQ4cZ3KfJ6dztDO2dfXFy6JOZQ1vlY4GR_z3QOeyBGOaVocclVwxl92jpKXAQT_bFaDiC6IwV4/s320/109+Card+Game.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div> A good deal of card playing went on.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXYxXecyiUgmb-i7utrHO9_XDIXE_A0fASevWQINY5It9WpLJGtB8tJjfDLgw33L-0kSqOKPzvNazuZW3HXK6FSSvBdWNmRlF7VEmgg2P0il9gfAfQfFokwnuDSt6_5vW5ma4AnvOv8k/s1600-h/110+Dinner+1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249386414249439586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwXYxXecyiUgmb-i7utrHO9_XDIXE_A0fASevWQINY5It9WpLJGtB8tJjfDLgw33L-0kSqOKPzvNazuZW3HXK6FSSvBdWNmRlF7VEmgg2P0il9gfAfQfFokwnuDSt6_5vW5ma4AnvOv8k/s320/110+Dinner+1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The food was delicious. Some students said it was the best they have had.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAnteVFnf9JdYTY3Sj8PFWg5T1iUZEjcYbw-euEVsJq0vR3mRGoxIb73pnH9iYu4av9KzLYnhyCWOJjXtsQ1twQ0v_UxRIHfDHS-pquM7VL15f-MErZkD7Q7Mjgv80Oa90-1206__J-A/s1600-h/111+Dinner+2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249386006878406626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAnteVFnf9JdYTY3Sj8PFWg5T1iUZEjcYbw-euEVsJq0vR3mRGoxIb73pnH9iYu4av9KzLYnhyCWOJjXtsQ1twQ0v_UxRIHfDHS-pquM7VL15f-MErZkD7Q7Mjgv80Oa90-1206__J-A/s320/111+Dinner+2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>There was after dinner entertainment provided by local musicians, augmented by our own talent.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9AaXcuoYuS3jOhVuMtch5FuQxuJsd2yZSJONNyNQgy0zLt2m2u2lGPIYlRQ8a8I9FCchrLDuUhMqZS0PjvReTEXv0sWDPTHn6oiabJNi85OKv4zZE9vlf-D1Fvif7yX5OsBKzdzAPMg/s1600-h/112+Evening%27s+Entertainment.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249384525888829442" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9AaXcuoYuS3jOhVuMtch5FuQxuJsd2yZSJONNyNQgy0zLt2m2u2lGPIYlRQ8a8I9FCchrLDuUhMqZS0PjvReTEXv0sWDPTHn6oiabJNi85OKv4zZE9vlf-D1Fvif7yX5OsBKzdzAPMg/s320/112+Evening%27s+Entertainment.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7251039541228747363.post-13804362474072514842008-09-22T16:37:00.000-07:002008-09-30T23:07:45.973-07:00Mekong Delta, Can Tho, 9/11 - 9/13(9/11) After an afternoon briefing and lecture on the changing class system in Vietnam, we departed for Can Tho, deep in the Mekong Delta. Our trip included a stop for dinner at the Vietnamese equivalent of a rest stop, and a ferry crossing of the west branch of the Mekong.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_tvWGsLnNNCtiOjBj5_IJD_oEOoghVJnjbNOUaRyQxNU0RN718DdUaAuwJXIm5k4bj6ZyqrYz6TtsAJ3B30yllrU5jdFLn9UZYKvrHM2zFblUqqFguFiDG_6-o00HUa4Iw413lZyiUw/s1600-h/081+Dr+Ni.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248998423041948482" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_tvWGsLnNNCtiOjBj5_IJD_oEOoghVJnjbNOUaRyQxNU0RN718DdUaAuwJXIm5k4bj6ZyqrYz6TtsAJ3B30yllrU5jdFLn9UZYKvrHM2zFblUqqFguFiDG_6-o00HUa4Iw413lZyiUw/s320/081+Dr+Ni.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On Friday morning, our first stop was at the Hoa An Research Center. Dr. Ni gave us a good briefing on the goals and projects of the center. Here is is showing us artificial logs for burning made out of rice husks. To the right you can see baskets of shredded water hyacinths, which they are composting and using for raising earth worms. They are also making enough methane from pig waste to power the center. When the pigs are big enough, they are sold to help support the center. The center works with local farmers to promote organic crop production. It remains to be seen if many of the ideas will be adopted by the agricultural industry of Vietnam, as the center is not government supported, and there are other uses for some of the raw materials. Water hyacinths are dried and used to make baskets, and rice husks are used as a fuel in other industries, as you will see later.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7COGhUyYVOtQ6BFLPQN6-eQ5vwEz2gPOY6xfVYCgBcxAk88jTQRQGNRJ01J4bd5KmoR070sWNCJZeu5Eag9HdlzuyAQSD14rskwrZ3BjSDmYj_txgHDZpITu4yQGcYYPTv6n-k80uvk/s1600-h/082+Reforestation.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248998205659800482" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 302px" height="353" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR7COGhUyYVOtQ6BFLPQN6-eQ5vwEz2gPOY6xfVYCgBcxAk88jTQRQGNRJ01J4bd5KmoR070sWNCJZeu5Eag9HdlzuyAQSD14rskwrZ3BjSDmYj_txgHDZpITu4yQGcYYPTv6n-k80uvk/s320/082+Reforestation.JPG" width="320" border="0" /></a> The picture to the left shows another good project undertaken by the center. Much of this area was defoliated and bombed during the American conflict. Here you see a stand of Eucalyptus used as an initial cover for damaged land. Later other trees and plants will be added to rejuvenate the biodiversity of the forest.<br /><br />We had lunch at the center, then bussed back to Can Tho (about an hour) for a walking tour of the city.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3t8KgVl4_eBg7Xt9iw91rs_qsk4tgn4sorCzKmAFrbrlut9UU_IsVKzATR7QNuEl__I5yky3PbcoNIZQy6WuIO5BSfyyn490LP1yMn5a7YUFoo0bdaAHROrPcF2mpA6RxddCOLFG6Sg/s1600-h/083+Buddah.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248997889834306466" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW3t8KgVl4_eBg7Xt9iw91rs_qsk4tgn4sorCzKmAFrbrlut9UU_IsVKzATR7QNuEl__I5yky3PbcoNIZQy6WuIO5BSfyyn490LP1yMn5a7YUFoo0bdaAHROrPcF2mpA6RxddCOLFG6Sg/s320/083+Buddah.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We visited two Buddhist temples on the way. The first was a Chinese temple, and had this interesting statue of Buddha in the entrance that is used as a donation receptacle. Notice the hole where his belly button should be.<br /><br />The second was a Khmer temple, which showed a marked Cambodian influence. Our guide took a group picture of us on the top steps. The tour e<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUsWvaJgXHizykb46-ZgDEdrwN_4BHHvabHu2jGB7tg9HDFJfBN47GWUm_Vk6LUzAnqduGANR92eBVRvQlQt3qSL660JDhh7Vq5EbI946hZbH-v4YCCq7flxYWsCA8Jd9bcDvKEPwIOQ/s1600-h/084+Khmer+Temple.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248997507474448130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQUsWvaJgXHizykb46-ZgDEdrwN_4BHHvabHu2jGB7tg9HDFJfBN47GWUm_Vk6LUzAnqduGANR92eBVRvQlQt3qSL660JDhh7Vq5EbI946hZbH-v4YCCq7flxYWsCA8Jd9bcDvKEPwIOQ/s320/084+Khmer+Temple.JPG" border="0" /></a>nded up at the downtown supermarket, which is the biggest I have seen in Vietnam, and very westernized. I thought it was a strange place to finish up, but the students thought it was great, and several did some shopping.<br /><br /><br />Early Saturday morning we boarded boats to visit the floating market in Cai Rang, the largest in the Delta.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMYkujLCvyhXsRLaEOXlBjVN5bOhyphenhypheniVByi-WbyaM15_Q4aYBObm9gIf0_zE9WRfvY09Y0Mb8mX-O7euE1AFAQbgZGGd0yFDYDWrvc6_pdiVNm8fcrmISPmy0LuBnmNXC6VAPkmILsAT8/s1600-h/085+River+Boat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248997116003197138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTMYkujLCvyhXsRLaEOXlBjVN5bOhyphenhypheniVByi-WbyaM15_Q4aYBObm9gIf0_zE9WRfvY09Y0Mb8mX-O7euE1AFAQbgZGGd0yFDYDWrvc6_pdiVNm8fcrmISPmy0LuBnmNXC6VAPkmILsAT8/s320/085+River+Boat.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>Below is a picture of our CET assistant in Ho Chi Minh City, Phat, taken in route to the market. He did an excellent job for us for the three weeks of our stay there, and will meet us in Hanoi for a few days to brief the new CET assistant up there, Ngoc.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLu7iMy-hv_BcHD3nx7Mi7h-Ph1FuJ6McZp3wNvwdeTjTR5Yq13_bUbazcq_NS9xJzL7GA7QwIgiNdfcYvqK3lJi6s6GNjvQnaF5hrHN060gkLWqlPGTa0NFRyP2p0pg7_tUqlRpzk8eo/s1600-h/086+Phat.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248996805861023666" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLu7iMy-hv_BcHD3nx7Mi7h-Ph1FuJ6McZp3wNvwdeTjTR5Yq13_bUbazcq_NS9xJzL7GA7QwIgiNdfcYvqK3lJi6s6GNjvQnaF5hrHN060gkLWqlPGTa0NFRyP2p0pg7_tUqlRpzk8eo/s320/086+Phat.JPG" border="0" /></a> Since so much of the transportation in the Delta is by boat on the canals and waterways, it makes prefect sense that they would have a floating market place. Once we got to the market, there were all sorts of vendors, including small boats acting as convenience stores for <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKmtMlIT6g6aunc_3-37t5o2KcY_eqMyPumyshVCcavFhrEXEjbGCTbTEIvBgNH8v6AcuUSIXAegufm-enD-QFGho3k3zBNNoVmkE1VuIWjRj_55t3ThsDxsbxqWHKrx4hTxL99WeNt4/s1600-h/087+Selling.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248996609808782962" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKmtMlIT6g6aunc_3-37t5o2KcY_eqMyPumyshVCcavFhrEXEjbGCTbTEIvBgNH8v6AcuUSIXAegufm-enD-QFGho3k3zBNNoVmkE1VuIWjRj_55t3ThsDxsbxqWHKrx4hTxL99WeNt4/s320/087+Selling.JPG" border="0" /></a>the market boats, or refreshment stands for the tourists. Children are often used to entice the tourists, but the adults pedal to the locals.<br /><br />Boats are often rafted together, and a sample of the goods available is hung on the staff to let others know. Many of the families live on the boats, thus you see kids and dogs running around, as well as the occasional rooster, and clothes drying on the back.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJ7goDm8m2f1d0e_oYKLXtTO4vlphBGs3etqVRNycfXQe9n2Tvi7hr-OIott1icI6HNzwkhCCFOh2xCntZjewgqvbQ5vGXTgDV-gWMfbXZvX4jYQKjALUS8NTDKNKfWpQWv70Q8pZWRI/s1600-h/088+Market+Boats.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248996210495034338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJ7goDm8m2f1d0e_oYKLXtTO4vlphBGs3etqVRNycfXQe9n2Tvi7hr-OIott1icI6HNzwkhCCFOh2xCntZjewgqvbQ5vGXTgDV-gWMfbXZvX4jYQKjALUS8NTDKNKfWpQWv70Q8pZWRI/s320/088+Market+Boats.JPG" border="0" /></a> The picture below gives you some idea of how big the market was. It went back probably 30 boat depths.<br /><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFDCIu2GE-q0BmCjXEZXDLsWU4pN5-i9PhRGRq-NUb2Vl81tU1L4APrwbhE5mnmX4tM7YQFvKD3b7Geihmpv_aJa_7f70i9sZhkvhWdN4-HBfygwnwYQFCCzaFg1CDmB-N2oPPkwa8hQ/s1600-h/089+Floating+Market.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248995953930243634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFDCIu2GE-q0BmCjXEZXDLsWU4pN5-i9PhRGRq-NUb2Vl81tU1L4APrwbhE5mnmX4tM7YQFvKD3b7Geihmpv_aJa_7f70i9sZhkvhWdN4-HBfygwnwYQFCCzaFg1CDmB-N2oPPkwa8hQ/s320/089+Floating+Market.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Some of the local vendors used much smaller boats.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQPI2JCs4CGTrZzcid_hrhQ2Ycyi1nTJZo2pfY0W8tZsv4OZKXp4moH2ahAqTWQf9abfo2EhIdeyrva3lIid6Sd3sC1stTjB8OoOj1RKewqP-_NGva_6w9aVn5dv-05mbvGxXGLbeoyE/s1600-h/090+Smaller+merchant.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248995538249701026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQPI2JCs4CGTrZzcid_hrhQ2Ycyi1nTJZo2pfY0W8tZsv4OZKXp4moH2ahAqTWQf9abfo2EhIdeyrva3lIid6Sd3sC1stTjB8OoOj1RKewqP-_NGva_6w9aVn5dv-05mbvGxXGLbeoyE/s320/090+Smaller+merchant.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The front of our boat was a good place to take pictures from, and a good place to get pictures taken of you!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_cQfOOuavOKEiuQlcBvy6iKLRtBcYhW2seJpSuDofpYnULP-WXxlNtkcHSLTQXpFcPAPZDdNsMhqhOStjKrM7m_UbDA2kBTSsEYx-k_CoTrhpXZ045mejpOV_G9DEkYpWbHjuZw1nFs/s1600-h/091+Photographers.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248995202906734610" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_cQfOOuavOKEiuQlcBvy6iKLRtBcYhW2seJpSuDofpYnULP-WXxlNtkcHSLTQXpFcPAPZDdNsMhqhOStjKrM7m_UbDA2kBTSsEYx-k_CoTrhpXZ045mejpOV_G9DEkYpWbHjuZw1nFs/s320/091+Photographers.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />After a thorough tour of the market, we returned to the north side of the river where we met our bus. It had already crossed on the ferry. </div><div></div><div>My next posting will discuss the rest of our Mekong Delta trip. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Tom Jewellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01657739787372573216noreply@blogger.com0