Life In A Hmong Village...

Laos
il 10 dicembre

A ride up into the hills to visit a Hmong hill tribe. These are a proud, independent, self-sufficient, courageous people who suffered greatly after the Vietnam War, but whose belief in their ancestry and culture continue to keep them strong.

                                    On the way...growing crops in the countryside

                                        Homes are made of bamboo and wood

                                 

                              Evening cruise on the Mekong - our last night in Laos

Enchanting Luang Prabang...

Luang Prabang, Laos
il 8-11 dicembre

There's a sense of timelessness in Luang Prabang; traditional timber homes, restored Buddhist temples, narrow streets and alleyways, and quiet, except, perhaps, on the main shopping street full of boutiques selling local crafts or the night market, but even these feel like the past, when life wasn't so hurried and people took time to enjoy. Located at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan Rivers and surrounded by mountains, Luang Prabang, a Unesco Heritage Site since 1995, has been a center of Buddhism in Laos for quite some time and the monks, in their brightly colored saffron robes, are a respected and revered presence.

Wat Xieng Thong - one of the highest symbols of Buddhism in Laos - built in 1560

  Parade honoring the 20th anniversary of Luang Prabang as a World Heritage Site

                                               Wat Chom Si - high in the hills

Wat Visoun, the oldest temple in Luang Prabang, built in 1513

Young monks sound the gong at a local monastery

A Taste Of Saigon...

Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon

il 6-8 dicembre

Captured in 1859 by the French, Saigon soon became the capital of its Cochinchina colony and was transformed into a  provincial town as canals and marshlands were drained, streets were planned, and trees were planted. From 1954 until the fall of the city to the Communists in 1975, Saigon was the capital of the Republic of South Vietnam, but was renamed Ho Chi Minh City after the war, although it is still referred to by both names; I was told that the “old timers” continue to call the city “Saigon”, whereas those who came here after the war call it “Ho Chi Minh City.” It can get confusing because the government  disallowed the use of “Saigon” in any official capacity, yet it is still seen in various place names and is also the three letter ticket code (SGN) for the international airport here. Whatever title one uses, however, this city is bustling, full of energy, and, clearly, the commercial and entrepreneurial center of Vietnam, as well as being one of the region's most polluted cities.

Barely here two full days so I had only a brief taste; not enough time to fully enjoy all that Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City has to offer, but the visit provided a sober lesson in history nevertheless.

                                       The Central Post Office (built by the French)

Picture of Ho Chi Minh that hangs inside the post office

                        Lots of activity outside the post office - locals and visitors

Evacuation of CIA personnel from the top level when the city fell in April,1975

Notre Dame Cathedral

                                             A rooftop view from a local home

The city is a quickly expanding commercial center

"Boys just wanna have fun!"

The Reunification Palace (formerly the palace of the president of  the South Vietnamese government during the war)

The War Room

Outside the Reunification Palace

The Cu Chi Tunnel Complex, a major part of the Viet Cong battle plan for the south, was a system of underground tunnels with floors, alleys, branches and places for living, dining, and eating. More than 250 km. (approx. 155 miles) long, it is a grim reminder of the lives lost in a war that was a tragedy for both sides.

Traps set for the American military

A photo of one of my travel companions taken from inside a very small section of the                                                 tunnel that we entered.