China's Han Dynasty conquered Vietnam (or Nam Viet) for more than 1000 years. The Chinese domination had left great influence on Vietnam philosophy, culture, religions and many aspects of Vietnamese life. Chinese visitors would probably love to see traces of Confucius code of ethnics in visiting Vietnam.
But most first-time visitors (including yours truly) were naturally delved into the more recent American Chapter of Ho Chi Minh City's history.A must visit is U.S. War Crimes Museum. In the interests of bilateral relations, it is now called War Remnants Museum. But the message is blunt in every corner of the museum - to give the Americans a moral lesson.
It was a gallery of horrific pictures sending home the messages of cruelty of the "big bad guys"!
Many clippings of newspapers reports of the war were framed. I heard a visitor said, "I remember this picture I saw in the newspaper." In another turn of the corner, I saw an American on clutches with one leg missing among the visitors. Someone whispered, "He could be one of the soldiers with legs blown off in the guerrillas tactics of the Vietnam military." Remark was unkind and unfounded, but the Vietnam War (the Vietnamese called it the American War) was really too costly - whether to the Vietnamese or the Americans - in terms of life, social welfare and economy.
This is the door frame of isolated cells reserved for women prisoners. The cells were called "ovens" as they were too small and stuffy.
The prisoners had to stay in turns near the door to get some fresh air.
Here is one poem I copied from the "book" that honoured the journalists and photographers who died in the war. It said all -
On the side that's winningThe moon hangs like a tear
And I, sensing immortality
But afraid of tomorrow, rush to greet it
Afraid to die
And keep running
Afraid to realize it may be hopeless
To carry tears on my sleeves
While right behind, in cloak and gown
That man's juggling bombs
Like a circus clown
Though the bells toll
They can bomb the land
But not the soul
- Kent Potter, USA
born 1947, Philadelphia
Died 1971, in Laos
And I, sensing immortality
But afraid of tomorrow, rush to greet it
Afraid to die
And keep running
Afraid to realize it may be hopeless
To carry tears on my sleeves
While right behind, in cloak and gown
That man's juggling bombs
Like a circus clown
Though the bells toll
They can bomb the land
But not the soul
- Kent Potter, USA
born 1947, Philadelphia
Died 1971, in Laos
14 comments:
Nice efforts these Vietnamese are making to earn the tourist dollars!!
It is so good that they are preserving the old buildings and showing the old photos...Good museum in the name of history!!
All these make people more appreciative of both the past and the present.
Sarawakiana,
I was a lousy history student during school days. Along the way in my course of work, I began digging into history. And before I go on a trip, I would have to burn midnight oil to read into the country's history. Thanks to technology now.
Thanks to people who are real historians!
Thanks for sharing pics.
Yan, your literary juice is in top form. You are getting to be my fav blog now. perhaps when u come home n pressures of home and career dig in you will slow down but I love reading yr stuff now. Great work.
Yes, it is very high quality writing. it is amazing to learn that your english has become so erudite over the years. i really love the travel tales.
yes in vietnam you cannot step backward when you are crossing the road; i did and was rammed into by a motorcyclist who gave me the same lesson. it was in hanoi where
dogs can be found running around in some parts of the city centre. vietnamese love dogs and you can see breeds of all kinds running around the street.
i was frightened by one stepped back and was hit by the motorcylce. luckily nothing unforeseen happened.
thanks for featuring my poem here. i would love to read the article which won you the kenyalang award -is it possible to feature it here?
thanks john tiong
just me,
When I share, I remember better. And when you leave a comment, I am very happy! Happiness is also reading the comments left at my blog! Thank you too.
Bengbeng,
Thank you for your kind words. Actually I am back home - with mountains of works for some forthcoming event. Would be away for work the next week, and half work and half leisure the week that follows.
But writing remains my passion.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
The evergreen John!
I tremble when a poet and a writer read my blog and even leaving a comment!
I may have written many stories on health (dreaming of being a medical writer), this is my first time writing travel tales. I have loved your travel stories which I read now and then in NST.
Posting the "winner's story" here? I will try. I do have the pdf, but do not know how to post. Any help out there?
Again, thanks, John, for leaving a comment.
I agree with sarawakiana's comment that people should restore and preserve the old buildings - the heritage. In Sibu, we do not have much left - all gone except maybe Old Street (now Jalan Chew Geok Lin) where Cafe2 is.
I hear in Penang they are tearing down the buildings as fast as they can and putting up new ones before their property is identified as heritage and taken over by the government. Dunno how true this is.
Or maybe once it is heritage...you cannot develop it, must maintain as it is.
oh..oops i didnt know u r back in Sibu. :)
suituapui,
At one stage I was involved in the Lau King Howe Hospital heritage Museum. Now they preserved part of the building for the museum. However, it was actually not the first part of the hospital that was built. Don't know how's is going now! Even preservation of building can be very "politic".
Bengbeng,
Yes, back to work and in Sibu. Are you still with your cell group?
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