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Published: December 13th 2006
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Em Trang and Jaso
Note the size difference. Greetings fellow Nerf Herders,
And still we are in HCMC, which is cool because the city is really growing on us. You kind of get used to the absolutely stifling heat and the strange smells and the people looking at you wherever you go.
Since the last entry we have completed quite a few tasks. First we made our way to the War Remnants Museum (formally known as the Chinese and American War Crimes Museum, I shit you not) which was quite good despite the warnings we had received from a few American tourists about its biased nature. I thought that it dealt with the war and its aftermath in a reasonable way. I had thoughts of seeing the words "American Imperialist Running Dogs and Masters of War" written everywhere, but this was not the case. It simply showed from a Vietnamese point of view the effect of the war and yes American war crimes. It was brutal and horribly uncomfortable to see. What was also surprising was the way it treated with sincere warmth and tenderness the plight of wounded and dead American G.I.'s it was really strange. It wasn't a propaganda piece for the government, which is what I thought it was going to be. It did concentrate heavily on the way the regime in the South (American Allies) treated 'political subversives'. It was brutal, they kept them in tiny darkened cells chained by the hands and feet to an iron bar on their concrete 'bed'. Shocking stuff.
It also showed in great detail the My Lai massacre, an entire village wiped out wiped out by Americans.
I guess the subjective nature of the museum comes from the fact that it doesn't recognise the numerous brutal atrocities carried out by the North against normal people during the war and after. But I guess the victors always get to write the history right?
It is amazing how many young people smile at you and come and sit next to you and start talking to you. They really are very friendly and intrigued with you. Plus if the truth be known they are probably dazzled by my boyish good looks and Pirate swagger. But the kids and people in general are wonderful.
We saw the strangest thing the other day. We were walking across a major road and this young dude came hurtling down the road through heavy traffic on his motor bike with a brand new, in the box, full size fridge on the back. He had one hand holding it and one hand controlling the bike. Madness.
Speaking of madness (something Sarah knows quite a lot about), we are staying at a lovely little guest house. It is staffed by the most wonderful people. Trang is a 19 year old girl who is studying English and Sarah and I have taken her under our wing and are helping her with her studies. She is beautiful and funny. We love her long time. We want to bring her home with us! Anyway she asked Sarah to come for a ride around the city on the back of her bike. Sarah jumped at the chance being the adventurous architect that she is. So at 7.30pm (dark time) Sarah and Trang take off for a tour of the city by bike. 45 mins later they come back and Sarah is jumping out of her skin, she had a great time. Then Trang grabs me and tells me it's my turn. Being a former Moto GP rider I jumped at the chance. The thing is though it is not a done thing for a lady to be driving a dude around, it is usually the other way around. I received some strange looks I can tell you. However when we got around the corner she stopped and said 'You drive me!" ( She'd obviously heard about my daring exploits in the '87 Japanese Moto GP when I started in the pit lane, crashed on lap 7 but still won the race on foot). I kind of balked at her suggestion because well lets face it takes some very big balls to ride a bike in Saigon, but not having much of a problem in that department I acquiesced to her request. Wow what a scary experience riding through downtown Saigon with a tiny Vietnamese girl on the back amongst a throng of other motor bikes, cars and very big buses. You literally have to ride against the oncoming traffic to turn right, now that WAS scary, dudes and chicks are beeping their horns at you, Trang is on the back saying "Oh my god, Oh my god" AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON. But because of my boundless talent I pulled us through and got us back to the hotel with NO problems. It was cool.
Today I had to go to language class by myself as Sarah is laid up in bed after vomiting her innards up all night. She'll be right though, my medical degree will pull her through.
Fine and sunny with a splash of milky bike riding goodness.
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Veness
non-member comment
Barometric readings please
Jaso - still a decided lack of barometric readings - however, the sweet smell of ball sweat from you riding through saigon on a peewee 50 is with me now. Blessings, Veness