The tower on the left is the fourteenth highest tower in the world. It has an ice rink in the basement. The round orb on the right is the moon. Most Vietnamese children under twelve have no idea that men have been there.
It’s perfectly acceptable to wretch and gob on the floor whilst riding your motorbike with no lights but a working horn whilst smoking a fag and texting on the phone, to pick your nose in public or smoke in a restaurant / coffee shop. Saigon is one big coffee shop.
The money (The Vietnam Dong) makes you an instant millionaire, but you’re a ‘Dong’ millionaire, which sort of deflates things a bit. There are no coins. All notes from ten thousand Dong up to five hundred thousand Dong are plasticized, so it’s OK to wash them in your pockets. The Vietnamese will not accept any note that is damaged in any way and will always try to offload such notes onto you. So check your change.
I’ve started to read / study T E Lawrence The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Amazing phrases / thoughts and observations. If I had to choose a hero in my life it would be him. For a man to command, inspire and bring together disparate warring tribes for the benefit of his indigenous country, knowing full well that his country’s promises were deceitful, false and hollow gives insight into the internal conflicts of the man. And then, having led, commanded and been commended for his leadership, to re enlist as an ‘other ranks’ because of his own personal perceived guilt and disgust at the military/politico ‘officer Class’ elite makes him somewhat ‘special.
Tonight I have to go and teach some Vietnamese children who have no idea that Boris Johnson exists!!!
Talk soon.
love and Peace
John
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