PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN VIETNAM - Hanoi, Vietnam Apr 2016

                        

PEACE AND PROSPERITY IN VIETNAM 

Hanoi, Vietnam April 2016

Enticing displays

As children of the 60's (well, okay, more accurately the 70's), the Vietnam War was a pivotal and polarizing event for our generation. Yet time has a way of healing all wounds--or so they say--and Vietnam has quickly become one of the "go to" vacation destinations these days. 

Beautiful 3-D cards

Mike eats local

Soon after we arrived, our volunteer organization YESD was able to line up a free city tour with one of its tour guides in training. It was a jam-packed day that included most of the tourist sites we were hoping to see including: the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum--and an unsolicited drive-by of the American Embassy which earned our Uber driver a few more dong.

Then there was the mandatory stop for lunch at one of the guide's favorite local places--undoubtedly with some form of "thank you" involved. Mike got his first taste of authentic Pho Vietnamese soup, a passion that continues to this day.

Keeping the city's flora well-groomed

We continued to do as much exploring as possible on our own since there was so much to see in this incredibly vibrant and extremely tidy city. Everywhere we went there were workers sporting their conical hats, trimming bushes, cleaning the streets and keeping flowers abloom.

Nap time

Vietnam is a very safe city--unless, of course, you are trying to cross the streets in which case you are clearly taking your life into your own hands. Yes, there is a strategy that we eventually figured out. 

But suffice it to say that every crossing involved Eileen desperately clutching Mike's hand and the two taking a deep breath and muttering a short prayer before leaving the curb.

They check in, but....

One of the more sobering visits was to Maison Centrale, aka Hoa Lo Prison aka "Hotel Hilton." And this is where history gets a little bit confusing.

The memories linger

The way it was told to us, we entered the Vietnam War to help South Vietnam escape the evil clutches of Communism. 

But clearly, at least in retrospect, that is not the way Vietnam sees it with the constant references to "The War of American Aggression." Regardless, the photos of the people affected by Agent Orange continue to haunt us.

Like a pair of chopsticks

The $1.50 dental visit

Our wanderings did have their lighter moments. We visited the spectacular Vietnam Women's Museum and got our first taste of a local specialty, coffee with egg in it (there was also hot chocolate with cheese--not as big a hit).

We also did what Mike likes to refer to as "on the road maintenance." It was time for our six-month teeth cleaning and one of our hosts agreed to take us to her local place. Granted, we were a little skeptical. But less than an hour later both of us had shining pearly whites, cleaned with modern equipment by a very competent dental hygienist--all for about $1.50 each. Everyone was smiling after that.