HO CHI MIN CITY/SAIGON (day 68 continued + 1/2 day 69, afternoon)

AT NIGHT WE WERE ENTERTAINED ON THE SHIP BY A VERY TALENTED GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DRESSED IN TRADITIONAL CLOTHING, DANCED AND PLAYED TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENTS  

AN INSTRUMENT WITH 2 STRINGS THAT SOUNDED VERY MUCH LIKE A VIOLIN

BAMBOO TUBES, PLAYED LIKE & SOUNDED LIKE A XYLOPHONE

A  DANCE AT THE YEARS END SAYING GOODBYE TO THE OLD YEAR AND WELCOMING THE NEW YEAR

The VIETNAMESE people are very nationalistic and welcome visitors. They see tourists as a source of income that the country needs very badly. Being Buddhists they believe in KARMA and that you receive what you give. Their smiling faces are contagious.

AT SEA (1/2 day 69, afternoon)

SWALLOW HOUSE COMMUNITIES LINE THE BANKS OF THE SAIGON RIVER

THE SWALLOWS ARE ATTRACTED TO THESE CONCRETE HOUSES TO  BUILD THEIR NESTS THEY ABANDON THEIR NESTS AFTER THEIR FLEDGLINGS ARE MATURE ENOUGH GO ON THEIR OWN

BIRDS NEST SOUP IS CONSIDERED A DELICACY

THE FARMERS HARVEST THESE NESTS AND SELL THEM FOR A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY

Microphones are placed in the houses in order for the sounds of the Swallows chirping to attract more birds. We could hear the chirping on the ship. Very sweet. This seems to be a win win in that the birds are provided with a place to build their nests and nurture their young and the farmers do not have to climb the walls of dark caves, (where swallows nest) that are also home to other creatures, to harvest the nests.

What I found most interesting while we were in VIETNAM was is the fact that NOT just anyone can become a member of the COMMUNIST PARTY. Apparently, it takes yrs. for the person who applies to join to be vetted. The party looks back into 3 generations of the applicants family and if they have a relative who may have been in one of their re-education camps, that was (my guess is that the camps were very inhospitable places) when COMMUNISM took hold in VIETNAM, or done something that they believe was against the regime they cannot join the party. Should they not be allowed to join the party and promotion in their field of work is dependent on party membership, should they remain in that field of endeavor, their income becomes limited forever.

SUN DOWN IN THE MEKONG DELTA

GOOD NIGHT VIETNAM