DMZ and Central Vietnam. War Tourism: There's Nothing Cute About It.

Hello from Central Vietnam---

We took an overnight train from Hanoi to Dong Ha, which is the closest town to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) at the 17th parallel. Most people stay in nearby Hue (the ancient capital of Vietnam, and take a day trip out to this area where they are carted around to war memorials, bases, and museums in the area. Typical war tourism package. We decided to stay in Dong Ha so that we could take a couple days to learn about one of the most important areas in Vietnam during the war. We rented a motorbike and toured the sites on our own time, being careful not to stray too far off the beaten path because there are unexploded land mines and bombs that still kill people from time to time. On our first day, we drove out west, towards the border with Laos along Highway 9, which was one of the most important, if not the most important supply road for the Americans, and later the Vietnamese. The landscape along the way is gorgeous, and on first glance the lush vegetation, rice paddies, and rolling hills do not betray any signs of the recent conflict. Though once you look closer, you can see where newly planted rubber and coffee plantations have replaced napalm scars and bomb craters. We rode about an hour and a half to Khe Sanh, where the American soldiers at the well established base were essentially driven out by the NVA (Northern Vietnamese Army) guerrillas after fierce battling. For weeks the hilltop base was shelled by guerrillas in the surrounding low lands while American Marines returned fire and carpet bombed and napalmed the whole area. After horrendous casualties on both sides, that left over 10,000 dead, the base was evacuated in one day by over two hundred American helicopters. This was seen as a turning point in the war and a sign that the war would not be so easily won by America.


On the road to Khe Sanh. Kara drove the first leg. Max sported the pink helmet. Kara really wanted it, but it was too big for her head.

Overlooking The Rockpile, which we have since learned served as an R and R base for soldiers who had "done good" and had a few days of leave. The base was replete with a Catholic Church, Baptist Chapel and open air drug market. We know this for a fact because we are currently staying with a South Vietnamese fighter, Thien, who worked with the Americans and had been to the base several times. The Rockpile was on top of an incredibly steep hill so it didn't have to worry about defending from NVA attack. Thien said that while the Americans had "ice cream, marijuana, the Monkeys, and heroin," the NVA had "rice, guns, and the will to fight for their land." Thien owns a "guesthouse" and "cafe" called the "DMZ cafe" here in Dong Ha. While he fought for the South and was sent to a "re-education camp" for 6 years, he still seems to have respect for the North Vietnamese fighters. We are very curious to hear how Vietnamese who fought on opposite sides live together in modern day Vietnam, but so far people are cagey about their feelings. However, it is clear that Thien does not support the Communists. Thien's son was sponsored by a US Marine and now lives in Cleveland, Ohio. We are thankful for his stories and hospitality.

Looking out at the Rockpile.

The area surrounding Khe Sanh.

More looking out.

The museum at Khe Sanh.

The museum was focused on the triumph of the NVA, seemingly ignoring the tragic loses on both sides. In the guest book, we saw that many Marines who had fought here have come back with mixed feelings about the preservation of the area.

Second day in Dong Ha/DMZ area.

Driving through newly planted rubber plantation. This is the first time that both of us had ever seen rubber trees being harvested.

Rubber sap. When you roll the sap between your fingers, it quickly takes the form of eraser shavings. It was incredible to physically relate the rubber that we know (rubber bands, erasers, tires, etc.) to the natural product of this tree because we usually think of rubber as such an industrial, man-made product. But then again, everything "man made" really does come from the Earth.

Frustrating part of day. We spent about 2 hours looking for the Con Tien Firebase, which was part of the "Macnamara Line," intended on sealing the border between the North and South. Getting stuck in the mud was the last straw and we decided to move on. Everytime we asked someone where the base was, we were told it was in the direction we just came from. EVERYTIME. We know approximately where it is.

We did find, however, the monument at the base of Dien Moc, another point in the Macnamara Line.


Vinh Moc Tunnels. One of the clearest monuments to the resilience of the Vietnamese people and honestly one of the most amazing things we have ever seen, ever, in our lives. From 1965-1972, this coastal village of approximately 400 people literally dug in to survive the carpet bombing intent on bringing the area back to the Stone Age. Half a million tons of bombs were dropped in a 800 square kilometer area over the course of approximately eight years. The tunnels included housing, wells, meeting halls, food and ammunition storage. More than being just bunkers to hide out, they were centers of both social life and military and party activity throughout the war. There was even a maternity ward, where 17 babies were born. We met one of these babies, who is now severely retarded, when we were visiting the museum at the tunnels. Vinh Moc is just one example of the extensive network of underground villages in the area that were coordinated by the people and the NVA. The total length of the network spanned over 40 kilometers. The tunnels, all dug without the use of modern machinery were planned on three levels: 8-10 meters, 12-15 meters, and 23 meters deep. Walking through the tunnels was a very surreal experience.

The trench system that was a precursor to the tunnels. Once the American Military bombardment became even more severe, the people quickly realized they needed an even more extensive and drastic form of defense. The trench system connected major towns. Though very small in width, we have seen pictures of people riding bikes through them.

One entrance to the tunnels. This one lead out to the ocean. There are extremely spiky palm trees that cover many of the entrances. We do not know if these were intentionally planted in front of the entrances, or if the trees are native to the area. Either way, they hurt.

Looking up from a tunnel.

Laying down in a area where a whole family lived.

Bombshelter.

Replicas of a small family living in the tunnels. This scared the shit out of us when we turned the corner.

Though they are now essentially void of human remains such as beds, instruments, machinery, etc, Kara found that there was an energetic, palpable human presence down below. While Kara was struck with the horror of such an existence, Max's reactions were more focused on the resourcefulness and resilience of these villagers-cum-freedom fighters. It also brought him back to fantasies of digging tunnels as a child.

There were some bats flying around in the tunnels in areas that were not lit for tourism. We had our headlamps to light the way so we could see more of the tunnels. The lit areas take about 15 minutes to walk around. We spent a couple hours in the tunnels, and saw as much as we could. This bat family where a human family once lived. Max took this picture and is very proud to have captured the bat in flight.

Kara is on a good day, 5'2''. She is pictured standing in the "meeting room," where the residents of the tunnels held party meetings, military meetings, and sometimes film screenings and concerts to keep up the morale. This is one of the largest openings and spaces in all of the tunnels.

Driving back from tunnels. Minor road block.

Monument at Hien Luong.

Rock the Cat Ba (Vietnam)

We made it to Vietnam. We stayed in Hanoi for a couple of days after taking 45-hour train ride from Beijing to Hanoi. Max is now keeping tally of our long haul train rides, with 8 hours being the the shortest so far. Tab is currently at 6. On the train, we met a really cool lady from Australia who was in our berth who was relocating from China to Vietnam. Her name is Ann and she works as an education manager for an Australian University and she taught us much about China as we were leaving. Hanoi is much more laid back compared to the Chinese mega cities we had been staying in, however its still a large busy city, with more motorbikes than people, it seems. They are like schools of fish, swarming and weaving their way through the winding streets of the capital.

Deciding that we needed to get out of the city, we headed to Halong Bay, which is Northeast of Hanoi. More on the Bay below.

K and M.

Perfecting our insta-veggie noodle mix on the train.

First picture in Vietnam. We were pretty excited to get off the train. Too bad we had to get on another train after customs in Dong Dang at 3am.

Military Museum, Hanoi. Lots of captured US equipment. That tower in the background is from 1800s. "US Army" fighter planes are pretty self-explanatory.

Overview from the tower of the Military Museum, Hanoi.

Photo of Militia woman, dragging the remains of a US fighter plane out of the water. This is Kara's favorite picture from the Vietnam War.

Kara is disgusted, clearly, after reading how many bombs were dropped on Vietnam. Everything in the background of this picture is meant to kill someone.

On a lighter note, here is Max in a "traditional" Vietnamese water poncho. Plotting our route to a veggie restaurant.

DVDS. ANY DVD you want. EVER. In Hanoi, and many Vietnamese cities, you can find perfectly copied DVDS. You can even test them out at the store to make sure they work. The covers might be a little off, for instance, they might depict actors who are not in that movie, or just a picture of the actor from another movie, but so far, they are flawless. You can find everything from "Rambo" to the complete works of Warner Herzog. We are buying The Wire, the complete series, even though we already have two copies of Season 1 and 4. Whatever. Its 2 dollars.

Also, at these stores you can find plastic shrunk wrapped copies of international publications. They might be a couple months, or even years old, but I found a pretty new copy of National Geographic Adventure in the box! Wee hoo! Kara was really stoked, "Hi Adventure. I'm Adventuring right now, by the way." Special shout out to Caroline, who is on the cover.

Phone booth, for your comfort.

Does this look like New York to you? Around the corner we ate the best chocolate mousse of our lives for 30 cents. Take that, France. Or Le Cirque!

Max made Kara put this up. She is doing her best impression of the plant behind her. We understand there has been a request for more Kara pictures, so here ya go. Max is doing his best, he says.

We then made it to Halong Bay. First impressions, its a beautiful, magical, and surreal place. Second impression, never, EVER take the package tour. We understood that we HAD to take the package tour from Hanoi to get to the bay, which is filled with wonderful karst formations, caves, and overnight boat rides. However, we learned that every part of our tour could have been done without the package tour, for less money and without having to deal with unhappy Europeans. Oh well, at least we aren't unhappy, nor European. (Sorry to the rest of Kara's family.) We decided to break with the tour after spending the night on the boat (which was the only part of the tour we were interested in) to chill out on Cat Ba Island for a few days. Cat Ba Island: sharp hills, rounded by lush jungle. We learned how to ride a motorscooter here, eat frozen yogurt that is actually just yogurt but frozen, and kayak our way out to some outlying islands. We also went amateur spelunking, (thanks for the headlamps Gina!) Kara freaked out. See below.

Without further ado, Cat Ba Island and Halong Bay.

On boat. Kara feet. "Yes, Mom, I am wearing supportive sandals. Thanks for letting me steal your Chacos."

Our "guide." Communication breakdown. Max: "I fully understood what he was saying, however he did not understand that I understood."

Swimming at 6:30 am on tourboat. We hate that tour guide. Who wants to swim before breakfast? Who wants to eat breakfast at 7 am? Who wants to swim in polluted stagnant water next to boat motor. We do!

Max is a fish.

Kayaking in the bay at sunset.

Early AM. Nice light.

Stopping at a cave in one of the karsts on the Bay. Maybe penguins lived here at some point? If not, Vietnam is into kitch for kitch-es sake too. A common theme in Asia.

Inside the tourist cave. We don't know WHY this cave needed cheesy lights. Another Asian theme.

Back on boat. "Sunrise," though the boat was anchored in the shade of the karst.

Karst Formations.

Checking out the erroded rock next to the beach. Not on tour anymore.

Max emerging from water on beach where we were the only people, except for the caretakers of the beach who were raking various articles of trash that had washed up on the shore. (Mostly seaweed.)

Many people in this community live on their boats. There is even a floating school. By the way if you don't know what karsts are, (we didn't), those large rock mountains in the water are karsts. Legend has it that the islands of Halong Bay were spit up by a fleet of dragons to protect the harbor from invading armies. Those dragon loogies are the karsts. You can also see karsts in many classic Chinese paintings; they are the pillars of rock next to winding rivers in ancient scroll paintings which depicts Southern China. At one point, all of Halong Bay was such a waterless valley, but then the water came. We don't know how. This is the kind of thing we would have liked our guide to have told us. But all he could point out were how certain islands looked like certain animals, and once, when Kara wasn't listening, he told Max about how one formation looked like a breast. We basically learned everything geological about Halong Bay and Cat Ba from a small, yet very informative pamphlet from our last guesthouse on the island.

Looking out to the bay.

Max was looking rather sheep like. So he got sheared. Just like a sheep.

And then he shaved, everything but the stash. Max still doesn't know why mustaches are associated with child molesters. He thinks thats wrong. If a man wants to have a mustache, and a mustache only, that is his prerogative. He shaved minutes later.

Motorbike!!!! (Please note, Max's one night mustache is now gone.) Also, please note Kara being a badass.

Petrol, um, gas, costs about the same as the states, which means its REALLY expensive for everyone here, including us. Just to give you some perspective, filling up a tank is about a day's salary for city-dwelling Vietnamese. And they make a lot more than the rest of the country.

Driving on the road. There were about 2 paved roads on the island. It was hard to get lost.

Kara loves these "elephant ear" plants more than anything. There is a really cool one in the park on Allen in the Lower East Side if you need to rub your face or body up against one of these soft, huge plants. This was en route to the trek we took in the National Park on Cat Ba Island.

So. A little background on these pics. There are many caves that have been recently discovered on Cat Ba Island. This cave has a paved route that takes you through the "main body" of the cave, which takes about 10 minutes. And its amazing and all. But not amazing enough for us, apparently. We saw a small opening on the main route of the cave that we decided to investigate. At first we thought it was just one room, but Max looked deeper, he saw that it opened up into another room behind it. After a little convincing, Kara followed through the swooping bats into the off-trail adventure. The second space was really cool with lots of stalactites and other formations, but it ended after maybe 10 meters in a corner with a pool of water and a stalactite over it. We almost turned back at this point, but Max saw a bat swoop behind the stalactite and it didn't return, so we knew there was more. It was really awkward and difficult to get through the incredibly small spaces. INCREDIBLY SMALL AND AWKWARD. But after the squeeze, we found ourselves in another space, big enough to stand in. We repeated this process many times, going deeper and deeper into the cave. It was amazing to see all the different types of formations and to be actually exploring. We were surprised to see how deep the caves went, and kept going as far as possible, but eventually we got to an opening that only a bat could get through. Who knows how far it goes beyond that. At one point, we turned off our headlamps and it was the darkest dark we have ever experienced, ever. Go to this cave, even if you hate bats, bat poop, and are scared of the dark, says Kara.

This was the second opening, which opened up into this hallway below. It was about 2 meters tall, which was large in comparison to other openings.

This is in the second off trail excursion in cave. The picture basically says it all, but if you can't tell, Kara is basically scared as shit from the bats, and the darkness, andMax thinks she is to be commended for her bravery.

Max, on the other hand, is having the time of his life.

Pickled Sea Horses.

Leaving Halong Bay.
After a couple days on Cat Ba and a attempted coup by the tour group we piggy-backed on for the return trip, we spent a couple more days in Hanoi to meet up with one of Kara's former photographers, Justin Mott (who is awesome and you should check out his work, and also thank you for the wonderful meal {www.justinmott.com} ) and to also see some museums and finish our veggie restaurant research. Our last day in Hanoi was spent going to over 7 veggie restaurants in a row. We were so full. So full. Squeezed onto the back of a motor, with our driver included.

Last couple of days in Hanoi:


These stencils are EVERYWHERE, on every wall in Hanoi.

On the back of motobike waiting for train to pass. The train tracks cut through the city with about a foot of space between the walls of the train and the buildings beside them. This is but a small fraction of the motorbikes at this intersection.

Here is another view of the train tracks, by day.

TV is watched all day, every day, at any given time in Vietnam. When you walk into a store, a restaurant, even a museum, you can find workers and owners watching their sets. There aren't many shows made in Vietnam, so most of them are dubbed. What is interesting about this dubbing is that there is literally ONE voice, ONE person, ONE female voice that does ALL the dubbing for ALL the characters on ALL international shows. This is Max's favorite show, some Korean war soap opera, that might be about feudal China. We can't really tell, on account of the dubbing and the fact that the original language is Korean. What is also interesting about TVs in Vietnam is that you will roll up to the most basic village, town, or house anywhere and you will see a TV set. We saw corrugated metal shacks in the hills near the Laos border (Lao Bao) with satellite dishes. Many times in our guest houses, cleanliness and hot water is secondary to a brand new TV. What is even more interesting is that electronics are much more expensive here than they are in the States, even though they are manufactured much closer.

Some fake money at the local market for sale. We think this might be used at ancestral worship shrines. Later that day, we saw a lady burning a stack of fake hundreds on the street. So we really don't know.

Local market, fish heads. "Do you want your fish dead or alive?"

Many street vendors still use these shoulder poles as their method of selling their goods. They are extremely heavy but they are very very cheap. It is amazing that these women can not even afford carts, or bikes. We went to an exhibition at the Women's Museum in Hanoi where we learned about the life of street vendors. We learned that the street vendors are overwhelmingly from the country side and overwhelmingly female. They are driven into selling in the city out of extreme poverty and still only make about 25,000-60,000 Vietnamese Dong, which is approximately a $1-3 USD a day. Recently, Hanoi has passed a law restricting these types of traveling street vendors to certain sectors of the city. They claim it is an effort to "clean up" the city...maybe they should start with a new sewage system. It is an atrocious act, with no plan to solve the source of the problem, which is poverty. Instead, the government just wants these women to "go away." After this exhibit, we understood on a deeper level why these women ask for so much when we go to buy fruit from them.

Some dragonfruit. The most beautiful of all the fruits. And very tasty.

Kara at the Women's museum reading some personal history of the women who fought in the Revolution. One particular story that stood out was about the women of a certain prison who had to cut their hair to make clothes lines. Hung on the braided-hair clothes lines were not normal clothes because water was only supplied twice a week and needed to be used for drinking. What were hung on the "clothes lines" however, were home made sanitary napkins, torn from their clothes, that needed to be aired out when the women of the prison were menstruating. To clean these home made sanitary napkins, the women chose to urinate on them, in order to save water. Women were instrumental to the success of the Revolution because they fought equally as men, as well as farmed and raised children. We salute these women for their bravery and their heroism.

Next stop, DMZ, Dong Ha, Central Vietnam.