Vignettes from Vietnam 4

13 May 2012

We went to District 1 Saigon. Saigon is the old name of Ho Chi Minh City. It is the second largest city in Vietnam and quite like Bombay because it is the economic and financial capital. We took the bus to go in the heart of the city. We walked around a bit. Went to the back-packers lane to collect some tour details and then we checked out some curio shops. Then we walked through a public park where someone said "Namaste" I turned back and said "Xin chao and namaste". Kids were amused. Most Vietnamese smile without an effort.

A little further in the park we heard some great music being played. It was a public performance where traditionally dressed Vietnamese musicians played traditional musical instruments. It was unimaginably good. Check out my Videos on you tube….the link..

http://youtu.be/3aam9O4tCBo

It was very hot and a cold refreshing sugarcane juice seemed just right. Its a smaller set up to extract juice and the juice is collected inside, at the bottom. Though it looked pretty neat one couldn't really make out if the left over is mixed in the fresh lot. Here the glasses are loaded with more sugar and less juice…unless of course you tell her to reduce it. Awww…did I say 'Her'…yes most small business are run by women. Women sell eatables, flowers, vegetables, fruits, curios, jewelry, clothes…..or just about anything. And they aren't easy to bargain with. As it is, it is very difficult to get your point across because of language barrier. They either write or type in the calculator while bargaining for the 'good price'. We went to the the Ban than market and found it difficult to break the ice with them. I was itching to spend some Dongs so eventually we did. We bought some dresses with a tough bargaining. Not very cheap….certainly not.  

It was lunch time and we found a place in the same market where the lady assured of some good vegetarian stuff. Some mixed noodles and vegetables with some sauces. Just a bite was enough for me. I just could not say what was not right. But something refused to go down. I was a…poor vegetarian in the non-veg land. So I sneaked out to buy some roasted cashew nuts and they were a great idea. Of course certainly not for the weight loss plan. But here I will be fighting for survival….hence…Also had some freshly cut pineapple slices, some roasted corn, some boiled corn..just to try.

Lesson learnt…to pack veggies from home…next time.

From there we went to the Bao Tang Chung Tich Chien Tranh War Remnants Museum. Its a quick look into the history of Vietnamese war. As everyone read through the descriptions of various pictures and posters on display there was a sombre expression on their faces. The details, facts and figures were moving and caused pain. A lesson in history, a lesson in human psychology and may be some philosophy could be learnt from those poignant portraitures and barbaric strategies of armed forces. Here are some facts….

1.US armed forces had a policy for Vietnam war. "Burn all, destroy all and kill all"

2.Village Ben Suc is no more. It is completely destroyed in the war.

3.The war lasted 17 years and 2 months.

4.US experimented with the deadliest chemicals and used TCDD, commonly called Dioxin, barely 85 gums of which can kill a whole city with 8 million population.

5.US military sprayed herbicides and defoliants wiping out jungles, poisoning fresh water sources.

6.The chemical warfare used Agent Orange, Agent Orange II, Agent Pink, Agent Green, Agent Purple. These chemicals were used without informing even those who carried or dropped them. Everyone who was exposed to these chemicals has suffered the worse medical disorders, mutations, skin diseases, nervous disorders. Not only them but their offsprings too have not been spared of the consequences. Deformed limbs, cerebral palsies, missing eye balls, congenital blindness, rare cancer of various kinds are seen in those born even in this century.

7.The most gruesome and barbaric killings moved the heart of a 30 year US pilot of B-52 who said no to flying for Vietnam War. "I can not in good conscience be a part of it. I can live in the prison but it is easier than taking part in the war" is what he wrote. He was a distinguished and highly decorated officer with 11 medals and one flying cross yet he refused to be a part of unjustified atrocities on innocent human lives.

I strongly feel that no war in the world could be justified and no war has left any solutions at the end of it. I almost wanted to cry but I could not and as if the Gods did…as there was a downpour. We remained there waiting for the rain to get over. Soon a Vietnamese appeared with lots of thin raincoats. For 15 thousand Dongs a piece, it sold like hot cakes.The museum was crowded with people but I was lucky to get a chair to relax and catch forty winks. It rained heavily for more than an hour and finally we took a cab back home…..for a hot cup of my favorite lemongrass tea.

The dinner was early…chapatis, tofu cooked in lemongrass and yoghurt for me. The non vegetarian palette is always fuller than mine……and I am not gonna write about that...

(Did get some calligraphed key rings done by the victims of chemical warfare. These kids sit there at the museum and make small glass flowers, do calligraphy and some souvenirs….)