Same same but different

Same same but different is what they say all over Southeast Asia. And I’m in such a situation right now. I was travelling with my friend Loes when my sister Loes joined us. We picked her up from the airport in Bangkok, travelled to the north of Thailand, into Laos and finally Vietnam. We did trekkings, went out, talked, laughed and finally cried when saying goodbye in Ho Chi Minh City. It may be a cliche but it’s definitely true: time flies when you’re having fun. I’m pretty sure she got infected with the travelling virus! After shedding a few tears it was time for some Vietnamese culture and history. We visited Cu Chi, an underground tunnel network of about 240 kilometres that was used during the Vietnam War. People actually lived there and I don’t envy them: the tunnels are so small that you have to crawl through them. We tried it ourselves, and it wasn’t much fun.

…American soldiers used the term "Black echo" to describe the conditions within the tunnels. For the Viet Cong, life in the tunnels was difficult. Air, food and water were scarce and the tunnels were infested with ants, poisonous centipedes, spiders and mosquitoes. Most of the time, guerrillas would spend the day in the tunnels working or resting and come out only at night to scavenge for supplies, tend their crops or engage the enemy in battle. Sometimes, during periods of heavy bombing or American troop movement, they would be forced to remain underground for many days at a time. Sickness was rampant among the people living in the tunnels; especially malaria, which accounted for the second largest cause of death next to battle wounds…

(source: Wikipedia)

Today we visited the War Remnants Museum. We were quite moved by the stories we read and the pictures we saw, especially the ones in which people affected by Agent Orange were shown.

Agent Orange is a herbicide used by the American government during the Vietnam War. 4,8 Million Vietnamese were exposed to it, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities.

We got one more day left before we move on to Phu Quoc, an island close to Cambodia. Tonight we’re invited for dinner with a Vietnamese family. Loes has a Vietnamese friend back in Holland and he told us to visit his family here in Ho Chi Minh City. And so we went there yesterday. They barely spoke any English but were so friendly and asked us to come tonight to eat at their place and then go party. So who would we be to reject such an invitation?