Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam War

Hi Chi Minh is described as the larger more modern version of Hanoi which so far looks to be true. We arrived late evening but had time to eat in a local courtyard near our hotel.

The following morning we rented a scooter. The roads are no less busy than Hanoi but there is slightly less of a chaotic feel to the roads. The roads are by no means relaxed but do feel manageable so we left for the Independence Palace, the ex home of the president pre Vietnam war. Now open to the public, the building has little use but remains a significant historical building. On 30 April 1975, a northern Vietnamese tank finally crashed through the front gates of the grounds effectively ending the war.

Our second stop was the War Remnants Museum detailing the war and various accounts. Upon entering the museum you walk through an area showing the Vietnamese ‘tiger cages’. There are small cages covered in barbed wire used to detain up to 7 people at once in the prisons. Difficult to see and read the detailed accounts of how the north/south Vietnamese treated each other during the war but very informative. Inside the museum details more about the war including the use of the toxic chemical agent orange containing dioxin. 45 million litres of this devastating chemical was sprayed over 24% of south Vietnamese farmland, villages and cities to kill all vegetation and food supply but more importantly is estimated to have effected over 3 million individuals. Short term direct expose causes skin burning and blistering, second hand exposure causes serious illness but long term effects include cancers and severe physical and mental defects. Not only that but an estimated 150,000 babies were born with serious birth defects and millions are still effected today as effects can be passed down through generations. Very saddening to learn about but really eye opening. Fortunately all remaining stock was destroyed in 1978 with no suggestion any more exists today other than in a few highly concentrated areas still being actively decontaminated to this day.

Soon after we rode to explore a few other landmarks including the pink cathedral, central office and the Notre Dame towers albeit hidden behind scaffolding and out of sight. The evening was spend mooching around enjoying street food and a bit of Ho Chi Minh’s night life.Baca lagi