Ba ba ba in Vietnam

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We started Sunday at the Presidential Palace in Ho Chi Minh City.(Saigon) There is a lot of beautiful French architecture in the city as the French occupied the country for 100 years until 1954. In the Palace, there was a war memorabilia room. The picture attached is with President LBJ and Sec. of State Deanrusk meeting to discuss strengthening troops in Feb. of 1966. Underground was a concrete bomb shelter that we toured. The Vietnamese people do not like Americans, so the Tour guide said, but I sure think they like our money because they followed us and begged us to buy things. They were relentless, just like at home.

The Vietnamese are very proud of their “Water Puppet Show”. It was child-like though, but this is their sense of entertainment for their personalities.

There are 8 million people in Saigon, and 4 million motorbikes, which only cost about 1 thousand dollars. They have to carry everything on them, from their children who don’t legally have to have helmets till they’re 14, to groceries, to home décor, and even computers.

Monday we went to Nha Trang where there are nice beaches and outdoor markets. George and I went to a brewery beach resort and had beer and then George went in the ocean. It was about 75 degrees. We had to ask for “ba ba ba” for beer, and make sure we didn’t say “ba ba” because that meant you need a new wife! I was looking at the food vendors on the beach and when I looked back, George was on his hands and knees crawling out of the water, as a wave knocked him down. We made it back to the ship just as the heavens opened up with rain!

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Photos

Feb 1966
LBJ at Pres. Palace

Comments

[Katherine Hervey]

Oh my goodness! So neat! I was laughing at that picture of that kid on the bike, or two kids actually! Holy cow! I would have loved to be there to see George getting knocked by that wave, you know how i laugh at those things! (No offense, George!) We love you and miss you terribly!