Day 24

May 14 2013

Hue to Ha Thin

Recently I (re) befriended an old schoolmate called Ted Wesselius who I shared my school bench with in grade 5. We were friends in those day and made contact again about 50 years later via the Dutch School bank (school bench) website. We have shared many a stories already and share the same witty sense of humor. Why is this relevant? Ted is married to a Vietnamese lady who hails from Hue and had asked me a while ago to see her relatives and take some pictures etc. Now just image they would ask: And when did you see you friend Ted last? Eh…50 years ago. Bit strange right. Anyway who cares.

This morning I set out to follow the instructions Ted had sent me to get to the place. Well sorry Ted the instructions were as chaotic as peak hour traffic in Saigon. It was almost like: if you see a man standing on the corner , that is where you turn left. If my life depended on it, I would have found it eventually.

I returned to town centre and rode through the old city gate to the famous Citadel, rode around it, stopped at the US armory display and left town. In 2008 I had spent a days and half exploring the city and the citadel so a quick ride around was enough. The war has left many scars on this city. During my ride further north I was confronted more and more with the Vietnam War or American War as they call it here.

What was that all about? Fighting the communist ! What is a definition of a communist anyway and is that so bad. I remember communism from Eastern Europe. The picture I had in my head was of drab and dreary building, people with long unhappy faces. No advertising anywhere. Everything stark grey etc.

After doing major damage to the country the Americans lost the war. Ho Chi Min had been victorious. And now we have a communist Vietnam. So what is the difference? I think only a local person could tell me that but only if he also had knowledge of non communist countries, so a comparison could be made. As for my point of view? I have only seen happy people and it is business as usual and more so than in so-called free countries.

So what was the war all about then- I am puzzled as I don't have the answer. I only know that all the war cemeteries I passed today had people in them who died for their country. Often I hear that particular catchphrase like "he died for his country" Soldiers dying in Iraq or Afghanistan don’t’t die for their country. These countries are of no threat to the USA or other participating countries.

Australians who died in Gallipoli didn’t die for their country either. That is all just ********* if anyone says that. The Australian soldiers who died in Papua New Guinea THEY died for their country because in PNG they stopped the Japanese from advancing on Australia. It saddens me to see all those people having died early and not having been able to enjoy the fruit of their efforts. Anyway that is what I think.

Another very hot day and no relief in sight. Do I like riding here? yes and no. The roads are bad so you can’t take your eyes of them for more than two seconds so looking around is not happening much. I got Ha Tinh today, just south of Vinh City. Again saw a few unusual things today. At home we are used to seeing trucks loaded with perhaps 6-7 layers of chickens, all on their way to the abattoirs. Yesterday I saw a truck like that but not filled with chickens but small dogs, no doubt heading for the same kind establishment. Also saw a shop selling compressors with a difference. The air tanks where old cleaned up unexploded bombs. Good to see that they never went off.