Oct-Nov 2019: Vietnam
Discover Vietnam
"Sometimes people hold a core belief that is very strong. When they are presented with evidence that works against that belief, the new evidence cannot be accepted. It would create a feeling that is extremely uncomfortable, called cognitive dissonance. And because it is so important to protect the core belief, they will rationalize, ignore and even deny anything that doesn't fit in with the core belief."
(Frantz Fanon)
Shattered! One by one beliefs are shattered. Gone. Rearranged. Core beliefs are threatened and we can’t handle it; but change is inevitable.
I had the good fortune to be raised in a small middle class family, surrounded by Nature. Life wasn’t easy at times, as it isn’t, but I was enveloped in unconditional love. With that strength on my side I was thrust into the reality that life wasn’t fair. Life has good and bad and ups and downs. Yin and yang. That is life.
From a very early age I had challenges put in front of me to force me to take off my rose colored glasses and face reality. Nature can be cruel at times as a befriended wild cub gets killed when released back into the wild.
Raised in 2 religions, I was told by the visiting Catholic sisters that my beloved Mom would go to Hell if she didn’t convert! The church is here to protect us. Shattered. I ran home crying to my Mom who comforted me with, “that is only THEIR belief – God Loves Everyone!” Shattered. Our priest or minister or religious leaders are here to help us get closer to God.
As an early teen I watched the horror of the unfolding Vietnam War. Tension was high as we sat around the living room waiting for my brother Paul’s draft number to be called. He lucked out. Joseph, who as a teenager had visited Vietnam and loved the people he met, refused to return as a soldier and kill them. My cousin Johnny was not so fortunate. An honored hero and helicopter pilot he was shot down and killed, returning home in a casket, as his pregnant wife fainted on the runway. Why was our government sending our sons off to war to be killed? Hadn’t they learned a lesson in WWI and WWII?
My Mom set the example to question authority. Always question. She and hundreds of other Mom’s got on a bus and protested at the capitol. “Bring our Boys Home!!” Off to University at 17 I joined in Anti-War demonstrations. This movement gained momentum. We the People were speaking and our elected officials, who technically are our employees, were forced to listen. The war ended, resulting with many surviving young men being ruined. Shattered. The government is here to protect us.
I have spent my whole life trying to protect the earth. Protesting, signing petitions, setting an example to live lightly on the earth, whatever I could do. In the last 50 years the earth has been destroyed before my eyes, for profit, at an alarming rate. Shattered. Governments/Corporations are supposed to protect our environment, air, water. The puzzling thing to me is that no one even seems to care about the deadly threats from nuclear plant radiation, 5*G, chemicals, on and on.
Good health is Freedom. Don’t get me started on the steady decline of personal health freedom I have witnessed over the past 50 years. Shattered. The medical system is here to keep us healthy. My blood starts to boil as I watch our rights over what we can do WITH OUR OWN BODIES disappear. That is a God given right. We have the right to healthy food, to choose prevention. We have the right when faced with an illness to choose our course of treatment – alternate or conventional. Chemical or natural medicine, vac*cinations or not. Free speech should allow us to research and make up our mind. We choose. With that choice comes consequences. But the CHOICE must be ours. Especially in the ‘land of the free and the brave’.
I read something yesterday that pointed out the fear and divisions that have gripped our world. People are terrified with Covid and becoming polarized ‘for or against’ just about every issue. Pandemic or Plandemic? Republican or Democrat? Mainstream media or censorship? Va*x or AntiV*ax? Alternative or conventional treatments. Mask or no mask? It stated that this is the first time in history that the United States has not joined together in the face of adversity. Shattered. The governments are not here to protect our freedom of choice and to keep us healthy.
Self-responsibility and example are our only choices now. Question whatever is told to us. Question our core beliefs and be willing to change and be flexible. Stand up for personal freedom. It’s now or never. “All it takes for us to lose our freedom is for enough good men to do nothing.” Are you part of the problem or part of the solution? Our life has been changed forever. Help to create a new, positive future for our children! We Can do this!
And so we flew to Vietnam, the site of the atrocities of the “American War” as they call it. In Asia people just seem to acquiesce under pressure. Their lives have been shattered. They already don’t trust the government, so maybe they are a step ahead. They have moved on. Like the bamboo they are flexible and bend. Stronger and resilient, the ancient culture of Vietnam thrives. This is apparent in every corner of the country. In 2007 we spent 6 months exploring from North to South. Names like Hanoi, Da Nang, Saigon ringing in our ears. We explored the whole country from the inside out.
Twelve years later we landed in Da Nang and rejoiced at the preservation of the culture in the midst of development. We were here to absorb the culture and enjoy the people welcoming us back.
Vietnam has a long history of diverse tribes uniting to form strong and powerful family dynasties. In the second century B.C. the Chinese invaded from the north and ruled for 1000 years. In the 13th century the Mongols tried to conquer 3 times but were repelled. The French, in 1893, incorporated Vietnam into French Indochina. France continued to rule, making few improvements to the country, until it was defeated by communist forces led by Ho Chi Minh in 1954. The country became divided into Communist North Vietnam and the anti-Communist South. In 1965 the Americans joined the fight and by 1973 more than 58,000 soldiers had died; with Vietnam estimating 3,000,000 civilians and soldiers lost. To what end? No one really knows to this day.
In 1994 the USA lifted an economic embargo on Vietnam and in 1995 diplomatic relations were restored. Today the Vietnamese economy is booming. Vietnam is realizing more prosperity, with tourism an important aspect of this recovery.
Time heals. And so we were welcomed back to Vietnam with open arms. We chose to base ourselves along the river in Hoi An. Quiet and relaxing, we ventured out in the then soaring temperatures mainly at night or up to the cooler mountains. Nothing beats the old town of Hoi An, especially at night with the colorful silk lamps lighting your way down the maze of ancient alleys.
We spent a day exploring the ancient ruins of My Son Sanctuary. The My Son Ruins are a cluster of Hindu temples constructed sometime between the 4th and 14th centuries by the Champa civilization that once extended over a large part of coastal Vietnam. The richness of ancient Vietnam was highlighted by cultural dancing and the novelty of an unexploded shell from the war right in the middle of the ruins. Had it gone off another culture would have been obliterated from history.
We escaped, via sky gondola, up into the cool mountains to walk along the now infamous Golden bridge. This bridge outside Da Nang is wowing visitors with its elegant design and stunning view; seemingly being held aloft by two giant stone hands. It stands 1,400m above sea level above the Ba Na hills, offering majestic panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Built around it is a sort Disneyland theme park filled with ‘selfie spots’ replicated castles and expensive restaurants. Some of the only foreigners there, it was fun to just blend in with the locals having a raucous good time.
And so it goes………………………………Next a welcome visit back to our home of Hawaii. Until then Keep Laughing, Keep Living Life to the Fullest, and remember to keep open to changing our beliefs. Thanks for stopping by. Drop us a line sometime on the form on our new Contact page or email us at happyorchid2@yahoo.com. Take care!
Love, Light & Laughter,
xo Nancy & Joseph
TRAVEL NOTES:
"Xin Chao!"
(Hello – Vietnamese)
$1.00US = 23,175.10 Vietnamese dong
Hoi An
Karma Cay Tre – relaxing hotel along the river
Across the Street, Hoi Ann Waterfront hotel – 2 km to city center but cheap taxi direct. (Check out on booking.com or agoda.com for the best deals.)
Hoa Anh Dao – small classy restaurant on the river, edge of old town in Hoi An
Tailors:
Hoa Nang Sunny
#9 TranPhu St, Old Town
Phuong II
#309 Nguyen Duy Hieu
Hoi An Roastery – tasty lunches with A/C
Vegan Zone 197 Nguyen Duy Hieu St.
The Fisherman – Vegan
Am Duag Beach
TGM Dental – a good stop for any emergency dental problems
Sao Mai Restaurant 48 Bach Bang Hoi Ann
Enjoy more of Vietnam!
(Click to enlarge images - X to return)
