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Published: January 9th 2009
I have just had the best few days of my trip thus far.
Am convinced that the only way to see this country is from the back of a motorbike. A real motorbike.
Last time I wrote, I was about to leave Hoi An with a backpack full of new digs. I ditched my tourist bus ticket and Dale and Katherine, the Aussie couple, picked me up from my hotel. They hired a couple local fellows to drive us up the coast to Hue in a car!
When you're on a bus, you really only get to see the highway. It was so nice to be able to stop when we felt like a drink or wanted to take a photo. Or to use the bathroom. There are no bathrooms on those dang busses.
We stopped at Marble Mountain -- these 5 mountains that represent the 5 elements. There are some pretty awesome views from the top, loads of Buddhas carved into the marble and a variety of caves... some enormous, some very hidden and secret. They were Buddhist and Hindu sanctuaries, once upon a time, but were later used as hideouts during the war. Went into one cave --The Huyen Khong, or hospital cave -- which was used as, well, you guessed it... a hospital by the Viet Cong. Neat to see all the little hidden ins and outs. But there was also evidence of when the enemies found them -- walls ravaged by bullet holes, etc.
From the top of one of the mountains, we had a perfect view of China Beach. White sand, turquoise blue waters and mountains off in the distance. After climbing back down, in flip flops, I might add, we got our drivers to take us to China Beach for a swim. It was soooooo hot!
The beach actually stretches for about 30 km, so we didn't go to the exact place were the US soldiers went for R&R or where the TV series was made. That was about 2 km away. But where we were, we were the only ones on the beach. The swimming was gorgeous. There were only 1 or 2 guesthouses on this little lane and a tiny hole in the wall restaraunt (which actually did have bullet holes in the wall). The owner claimed to make 'world famous spring rolls...' and coaxed us in. They were amazing. We read log books from all sorts of travellers who came across this little treasure -- off the beaten track.
After that, we drove through the town of Danang, where many US Marines landed during the war, and drove through the most picturesque place in Vietnam, the Truong Son Mountain Range. The pass that juts out into the China Sea, and the route is called the Hai Van pass. Hai Van means sea cloud.... you're as high as the clouds, looking down over the sea. The temperature changed as we went up. Spectacular, spectacular views. The bus doesn't go this way either.
So... we landed in Hue in the late afternoon and we're staying next to the Perfume river...which, I might add, does not smell anything like perfume...
Hue is located in the central coast of Vietnam and is not far from the river that once separated the north from the south... and where some of the bloodiest battles of the Vietnam war took place. They call it the DMZ area - or Demilitarized Zone. It's barron for 5 km on either side of the river, still today.
Dale is a huge Vietnam war junkie and has read every book there is to read. He looks and acts just like Ray, too. (I told him about you Ray, and the cheese truck, and he's convinced he's coming to Canada to meet you and chat over cheese and sa-LAAAAAM-eee) 😊 He has a super sense of humour and a brilliant Aussie accent. Anyway, he knew what he wanted to see. There are loads of 'DMZ' tours that take you to the 'highlights' of the area for 8 dollars. We looked at those tours, and then looked at hiring a car, but for some reason (I think this was after several Huda Beer) we decided to take the tour. It covered a lot of ground -- about 150 km north of Hue and then inland almost to the Laos border and promised to visit the highlights. Plus, it offered an A/C bus, a knowledgeable guide and free breakfast. I think the free breakfast lured us in....
So, the bus picked us up at 6 am and we got on with about 15 other foreigners and started off down the road. No one in any official capacity welcomed us or told us where we were going or where the free breakfast was.... 2 hours later, we landed in Dong Ha town, in the middle of nowhere, at some dodgy cafe for our free breakfast... a baguette and jam. You had to buy your own overpriced beverage. Aha. They got us again.... Duuuhhh.
That's when we picked up our tour guide who could barely speak english. And that's when we realized we made a terrible mistake.
You see, these tours are all the same. This one is government run -- all the DMZ ones are -- and they're basically a drive by shooting tour... You drive by the sites, and you shoot a photo, sometimes out the window without even stopping. And you don't know what the hell you're looking at.
We went as far as the Ben Hai river - and the reunification bridge. And then the Vinh Moc tunnels - similar to the Cu Chi tunnels - but these ones are not rebuilt for tourism. And you could actually WALK through, standing up. They were quite interesting - 17 babies were born in the tunnels. I even saw the delivery room. But the only reason I found anything out, was through Dale... my personal walking talking history book. When tour guide buddy couldn't offer us any information, we knew we were going to bail.
This tour wouldn't even take us to the graveyard, or the Khe Sahn base -- bc the guide said you needed a special permit, which we found out was BS. Governement control. They just want your money, you sit all day in a bus (which, by the way, the AC didn't work and there's no bathroom) and you see and learn nothing. And you just pay money at crappy cafes.
After just two sites, the bus was doubling back an hour -- to the same town -- to take us for lunch which was NOT included. Another dodgy, dirty, disgusting cafe that gets huge commission or something. That's when Dale hopped on a moto and zinged into town to try and find a place to hire a car. When the tour guide
found out we were trying to get out, he called ahead to the only place to try and stop the rental guy from helping us. But after much haggling and a little bribing, not to mention his super personality, Dale came back...with 3 motorbikes and a guide in tow. We literally left the people on the tour in our dust and took off down the road!!!
We told our guides where we wanted to go, and they catered to our every wish... It was worth every cent. We each paid 15 dollars -- which was about a half a month's wage for them.
It was AMAZING to zing through the mountains in a former war torn area... around every bend was a new and beautiful landscape. Hard to imagine this is where so many were killed...
The guides took us down these tiny little back roads through eucalyptus and rubber tree plantations... areas that were destroyed by Agent Orange. The only thing that grows in those areas are Eucalyptus trees or rubber trees, bc they don't need soil that is rich in nutrients.
First we went to the Con Thien Firebase where there are just a few concrete bunkers left. I stood on top and looked around at the barron mountains -- much of which were destroyed by chemicals so they could see any movement. We saw burn marks on the ground where local people still come up and try to find scrap metal to sell for peanuts... People still die all the time bc there are landmines and leftover ordinance. Unreal. Saw pieces of sandbags and camouflage raincoats, which I'm told, were later used as body bags. There were clothes and rotting combat boots too.
Then, we went to the Truong Son National Cemetary... where bodies of tens of thousands of North Vietnamese soldiers are buried. They were buried on the mountains, but later the government had them exhumed and with the help of comrades, tried to identify as many as they could... there are white gravestones, some with names and birthdates, others unknown. There were several young girls who joined the army at age 12.... fought for 10 years and then were killed. That's all they ever knew.
Then, zoomed up the mountains -- the scenery spectacular -- through hilltribe villages and small towns... passed water buffaloes and cows and dogs. It was so amazing on the back of the bike -- my hands are still buzzing from holding on.
Saw what's left of the 'rockpile,' the new Dakrong Bridge, the bridge to the Ho Chi Min Trail... and we even rode along the Ho Chi Min Trail for awhile. I could see so much... smell everything... I'm still picking the dirt out of my teeth tho... 😊
It took several hours and the journey there was half the excitement... but we finally arrived at the Khe Sanh Combat Base before dusk. This is the site of the most famous siege of the American War in Vietnam. It sits silently and peacefully on a barron plateau, surrounded by mountains. It was hard to imagine
what it was like 30 years ago... There are photos and other memorabilia -- seats of planes, medals, helmets, guns, tanks, helicopters, bomb casings, etc, etc, etc.... There is one photo of an american man getting operated on (he got shot in the BUTT-TOCKS -- honestly, Paddy) and aparently, that man returned back in 2001 and didn't know that his photo was on the wall. He was in a wheelchair and couldn't believe it...burst into tears. A young Vietnamese girl gave us a quick tour. She told us how out of her family of 6 children, 4 of her siblings were born with deformities caused by chemical warfare. There's a guest book with comments from several Americans who returned in recent years. Pretty amazing stuff.
I walked along the former airstrip... which is the reddest, richest looking soil I've ever seen. Nothing grows here though. So many chemicals from planes and bombs exploding in the ground... It was unbelievable.
Sounds strange, seeing all this stuff, but this was my best day ever. I never would have seen it on an organized tour. I would not know half the stuff, if it weren't for Dale. And whizzing through the mountains on a motorbike is something I will never forget. I did some of my best thinking there. And now I have this thirst to learn more about the war. Dale's reccomended several books. Have you read Dispatches? or Derailed in Uncle Ho's Garden? I've got a 'coincidences' story to tell those who believe when I get home....
I could write and write and write but these words don't do this experience justice.
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Mom
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Hi Kel!!
Amazing stories Kel!! I am happy that you found your Aussie friends! They sound like a lot of fun!Tell them that your mother said they have to come to Nova Scotia & stay with us!! Love you & Miss you! Stay safe! Hugs & kisses, Mom oxoxoxox