Final day in Vietnam

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Yesterday I spent in Saigon. First I took a taxi to the War Remnanats Museum - what an upsetting experience. If you think Mai Lai was an isolated incident think again! Quite how the Americans justified killing and disembowelling 3 boys aged 10, 8 and 6 I will never know. Several war reporters witnessed civilians being shot by US marines. It seems to have been an every day occurrence. The Vietnamese claim that of the 3 million vietnamese that died only 1 million were soldiers. Anyone who beleives that modern warfare is any different is living in a fools paradise. Not every Iraqi was a Saddam supporter or a member of Al Quaeda - most of the 'collateral' ocivilian damage in any war wanted what we all want peace, security and happiness.
The photographs don't pull any punches and you can't help but be affected by it. All credit to the Vietnamese they show the war from both sides as well as neutral Japanese photographers who covered the war too.
Agent Orange is still claiming victims as the high levels of Duioxins used to make it affect unborn children causing hideous deformities and mental issues.
After 2.5 hours of this I can't take any more and leave - I've seen enough and head off with my map for the main market in Saigon.
It's a massive covered affair and it sells everything - coffee, silk, clothes, fruit, veg, flive fish, shell fish and crabs, tin baths, buckets, brooms, tea pots, coffee percolators, jewellery, watches etc ad infinitum. Right in the centre I find about 20 food stalls all clustered together with seats and small counters around the central cooking area. All the ingredients are displayed and go for a Crayfish noodle soup with freshly squeezed mango juice - under a quid! I still havn't mastered the art of eating with plastic chopsticks - stuff just slips through them - the wooden ones are much better and hold the food. Most of my soup ends up splashed all over me and the counter! Lovely! A few hours later I try pork with glass noodles and mint with fish sauce dip - again awesome! This gaggle of food stalls does rival the best Ha Noi has but Ha Noi has more stalls and not just in the markets.
I buy some small tangerines for desert - and head off back to the hotel to watch the Discovery channel - it's the only thing I can get on the TV that's in English! Now I remember why I got rid of Sky - it's crap! Real life is much more interesting!

Off to Cambodia today to see my old best mate from school - Dave Harding. He has lived in Phnom Penh for about 10 years now and we haven't seen each other since 1985 - 24 years! I reckon a few beers will get sunk tonight!

When I have an hour spare I'll post a summing up of my experiences in Vietnam as there is a lot I've managed to leave out in my posts so far and some things need to be drawn out and made clearer.

Back soon folks.

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Comments

[Mum]

Soup Success
Try drinking liquid first then tackle noodles!!