Indochina Part 1 - Vietnam March 2007 - A personal journey

[gary]

In March this year, Mai and I made a personal journey through Vietnam.

We flew into Saigon, where we caught the Reunification Express in
several stages northwards, stopping off along the way in Nha Trang, Hoi
An and Hue. From there, we went via car along the former DMZ as far west
to the site of the 1967 Khe Sahn Combat Base. From Hue, we flew to Hanoi
and then spent some days and nights on the water of World Heritage listed Halong
Bay, before doubling back to Hanoi and catching an overnight sleeper to
the far north-west corner of the country to Lao Cai on the Chinese
frontier. Whilst in the north-west, we trekked in and around Sapa and
Bac Ha, home of the H'mong peoples.

In the final part of our journey, we made our way along the various
rivers in the Mekong Delta, as far south and west as Chau Doc on the
Cambodian border.

The following series of posts includes some pictures taken on that
journey. The camera used was a Canon 400D.

At the end of this month, we will be making a second journey through
Indochina, this time through Cambodia. I hope to be able to take some
more photographs then and would look forward to sharing them here.

Best Regards

Gary Kopff
Mt. Kuring-Gai

[gary]

I always like train journeys and Vietnam is a wonderful place to travel by train in.

[h0ughy]

Gary those images are fascinating and you can see that every one has a story attached. Wonderful, thanks for sharing the journey

[gary]

On 13th December 1972, negotiations between Kissinger and his North
Vietnamese counterpart at the Paris Peace Talks had broken down.

Anxious to get the North Vietnamese back to the negotiating tables, on
December 18th, Nixon started an operation named Linebacker II, the
aerial bombardment of Hanoi. Wave after wave of B-52 Stratofortresses
were sent in, involving over 200 aircraft and 1000 men.

On the morning of the 19th Dec, shortly after it had dropped its 108,
750lb bombs on the Hanoi Radio Tower, a B-52 D designated Rose 1 was in
its post-target turn when it was hit by a SAM. The giant eight-engined
bomber crashed to the ground.

Four of the crew of six managed to bail out of the burning aircraft and
survive, where they then spent time in the infamous Hanoi Hilton prison.

In March this year, in the failing afternoon light, Mai and I hurried on
foot before darkness fell, searching for Lane 55 in the Ba Dinh district
of Hanoi, only a few kilometers from Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum. Finally
locating the lane, we made our way down it until we reached a small
murky green pond surrounded by tenements. And there it was. Sticking out
of the pond was what remained of the wreckage of Rose 1, where it had
crashed all those years ago and had since been slowly sinking in the
mud. The USAF insignia were still visible and some of the tyres of the
B-52 protruded from the water. It was a bizarre sight.

These snapshots have no artistic merit. However, sometimes if the subject is
interesting enough, perhaps a photograph does not require artistic
merit, as the subject can just speak for itself.

Best Regards

Gary

[gary]

The north-west of Vietnam is a fascinating area and the market places
of the towns in provide for plenty of opportunities for capturing portraits.
These images were taken in Bac Ha, not far from the border with China.

Best Regards

Gary

[gary]

In the far south of Vietnam, down in the Mekong Delta, the way to travel
is by boat. It was in these areas, to the south of Saigon, where some of the
heaviest fighting took place during the war. Today, it is a marvelous place
to journey and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed, providing many
opportunities for photography.

I wholeheartedly recommend you take the time to go there some time.

Best regards

Gary

[iceman]

Wow Gary, your stories and pictures are amazing. You are such a talented photographer. Your landscapes and especially your people just blow me away.

I imagine it would've been a fantastic holiday. Thanks for sharing these special moments with us. I really look forward to more of your images.

[gary]

Houghy & Mike,

Thank you both very much for your kind comments. I just appreciate the
fact that IceInSpace is here as a virtual community to provide many of us
with the opportunity to share stuff like this.

I note you are up late Mike and I just poked my head out and can see some
sucker holes here at 1:15am. Hope you got some imaging in.

Thanks again for the kind words.

Best Regards

Gary

[xstream]

Beautiful pics. Gary, you and Mai must of had a wonderful journey of discovery!

Our youngest daughter plans to travel there with her girlfriend next year for their 30th birthdays. I'm sure after I show them your insightful pictures, it will inspire them both even more.

[gary]

Hi John,

Thank you and and indeed we had a brilliant time.

You can pass on to your daughter and her friend that they are in for a treat.
Vietnam is about its people and with an *average* age of only 26, it is a young,
vibrant, friendly country.

So if your daughter complains about feeling old when she reaches thirty,
believe me, when she is in Vietnam, she will be old. :)

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive in HCMC (Saigon) is the heat.
The second thing is the shear number of motor bikes. You see more motor bikes
in Vietnam in a day than you would in an entire lifetime in Australia. :)
Just millions of young people all on motor bikes. It's an amazing sight.

My advice to anyone would be to engage with people whenever you can.
For example, there is one very easy way to do that. Family is
all important in Vietnam and the way Vietnamese address each other is telling.
For example, someone older than you one might address as big brother or
big sister, or someone younger, little brother or little sister. Someone much
older one might address as aunty or uncle. Addressing people in this way
is disarming and provides for instant common ground. Even the woman selling
bananas in the park will often have an interesting story to hear if one
takes the time to engage her in conversation rather than dismiss her.

Best Regards

Gary