Allison went to the Perfume Pagoda on a tour today. She will write about it, but i will tell you how it got its name....I have been very curious...Years ago lots of insence was burned there all the time.
So I just relaxed this morning...even took a morning nap. This traveling and heat makes a person tired. At lunch time I went back to the Best Burger in South East Asia place. It is owned by a man from New Mexico. I had a wonderful burger and salad. The tomatoes and cucumbers and special dressing were wonderful.
Next I had control of the map so I set off for our first Guest house. I found it without getting lost. They were so happy to see me. They really were very hospitable. She offered me water and then tea. She was not busy so we talked. I asked her about her perceptions of USA. She has no hard feelings. I asked her what her parents thought and she said they said the 60's and 70's were a difficult time. She is only 23 years old. I was in highschool when the war finally ended, and as a teen I did not pay much attention to it, but I know other American were very upset about what was happening.
Next I got my map out again and headed out for Hai Lo prison, where many American pilots and John McCain were held hostage. The streets are not symetrical here and all the street names sound similar and change every 4 blocks or so. I found it!! without getting lost!!! I felt nervous to go in. It cost $0.50. Not many other people were going in. Naturally there was not much to see, it was a prison....I felt odd the whole time I was in there. I was thinking of American being there for years. They did have a picture of John McCain visiting it in 2000. There was also a picture of Clinton and Bush visting Vietnam leaders. The one room that really moved me was one specific to the American Air Pilots that were shot down. They had lots of pictures of their final release in Feb 1973 or 1974. I just could not imagine. Apparently John McCain was here for 5 1/2 years. Hard to imagine.
I also passed the local hospital. I am sure glad I did not need to visit it. I saw open windows and white lab coats drying on a clothes line. There was a big sign by the street with about 32 gorey pictures of limbs that needed surgical repair. It was advertising that they do a good job there. It was not a sign we would see in the USA. The outside of the building was yellow, the color used for important buildings in Vietnam. Glad they have one, but it did not look inviting to me.
I found my way back to the hotel after finding my way back to Hoan Kiem Lake. We need to put up some pics of the lake. It is quite pretty in the middle of all this traffic. DID YOU SEE THE PIC of me at Mai Chao standing in the street with a mountain behind me AND I was carrying a 1500ml and 500 ml water bottle. I was happy to see bottled water is easily available, even though it cost $0.50 for a large (1.5L) water bottle. We have also eaten lots of local food, even though we were advised not to. Not sure why we went to the travel clinic, the typhoid shot was the only advice I am following. I got sick on the anti malaria med, and Mai Chau was just on the border of affected areas. Allison is taking it becasue she wanted to go to remote Sapa.
Al will post about Perfume Pagoda. Tomorrow we leave at 11:30 pm...that is 12:30 pm on Tues for USA. I am starting my personal fairwell to Vietnam. It has been a good adventure.
So I just relaxed this morning...even took a morning nap. This traveling and heat makes a person tired. At lunch time I went back to the Best Burger in South East Asia place. It is owned by a man from New Mexico. I had a wonderful burger and salad. The tomatoes and cucumbers and special dressing were wonderful.
Next I had control of the map so I set off for our first Guest house. I found it without getting lost. They were so happy to see me. They really were very hospitable. She offered me water and then tea. She was not busy so we talked. I asked her about her perceptions of USA. She has no hard feelings. I asked her what her parents thought and she said they said the 60's and 70's were a difficult time. She is only 23 years old. I was in highschool when the war finally ended, and as a teen I did not pay much attention to it, but I know other American were very upset about what was happening.
Next I got my map out again and headed out for Hai Lo prison, where many American pilots and John McCain were held hostage. The streets are not symetrical here and all the street names sound similar and change every 4 blocks or so. I found it!! without getting lost!!! I felt nervous to go in. It cost $0.50. Not many other people were going in. Naturally there was not much to see, it was a prison....I felt odd the whole time I was in there. I was thinking of American being there for years. They did have a picture of John McCain visiting it in 2000. There was also a picture of Clinton and Bush visting Vietnam leaders. The one room that really moved me was one specific to the American Air Pilots that were shot down. They had lots of pictures of their final release in Feb 1973 or 1974. I just could not imagine. Apparently John McCain was here for 5 1/2 years. Hard to imagine.
I also passed the local hospital. I am sure glad I did not need to visit it. I saw open windows and white lab coats drying on a clothes line. There was a big sign by the street with about 32 gorey pictures of limbs that needed surgical repair. It was advertising that they do a good job there. It was not a sign we would see in the USA. The outside of the building was yellow, the color used for important buildings in Vietnam. Glad they have one, but it did not look inviting to me.
I found my way back to the hotel after finding my way back to Hoan Kiem Lake. We need to put up some pics of the lake. It is quite pretty in the middle of all this traffic. DID YOU SEE THE PIC of me at Mai Chao standing in the street with a mountain behind me AND I was carrying a 1500ml and 500 ml water bottle. I was happy to see bottled water is easily available, even though it cost $0.50 for a large (1.5L) water bottle. We have also eaten lots of local food, even though we were advised not to. Not sure why we went to the travel clinic, the typhoid shot was the only advice I am following. I got sick on the anti malaria med, and Mai Chau was just on the border of affected areas. Allison is taking it becasue she wanted to go to remote Sapa.
Al will post about Perfume Pagoda. Tomorrow we leave at 11:30 pm...that is 12:30 pm on Tues for USA. I am starting my personal fairwell to Vietnam. It has been a good adventure.
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