SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Our adventure has brought us to Saigon a.k.a. Ho Chi Minh City (depending on who you ask). The good news is that we are seeing the most beautiful pagodas, Buddhist Temples, and war-inspired artwork in all of Asia. The streets are nicely paved in the city and there's always a well-manicured park just around the corner.

An interesting fact: There are 5 million motorcycles in Saigon. Motorcycles are the most common form of transportation and a new fashion movement has erupted as a result. Instead of Versace and Louis Vuitton handbags, here you can buy brand name seat covers and decal stickers for your motorbike. Dust masks are a must when cruising, and Saigon offers dust masks in many stylish designs and colors to suit your mood. Or you can buy one to correspond with each day of the week, just like underwear!

It's fascinating to be seeing anti-American propaganda. At home in the states many people share the notion that America is currently making some political enemies. This reality hit us in the face when we watched an "education video", which called Americans a "band of devils who will shoot their guns at women, children, trees, the ground or whatever stands on their path to imperialist domination". We also heard things like, "How dare a country who's name is barely yet on the map bully around other countries with thousands of years of history".

We visited the War Museum which is also a place you would never find in America. Inside the museum are walls covered with photos of dead babies, bombed school houses and hospitals, victims of agent orange, deformed babies of soldiers who were exposed to agent orange and more recently, children who've stepped on land mines and lost limbs. There are even current pictures of victims of the wars in Iraq, Afganistan, Kosovo and Angola. We've never seen such truth telling about the real price of war: human life. We are shocked, guilt-ridden, angry and plain dumbstruck by the visuals of what our country has done to others.

Looking deeper into the reality of Vietnam, the culture and economy are still so fragile from the American War and post-war communist restructuring that it may not be the best place to visit for a relaxing holiday. There are still many people in the south who are not afraid to talk about their animosity toward the north. There are still many people everywhere who proudly call Americans, French, Japanese and Chinese "The Enemy".

In truth, we feel quite lucky to have the opportunity to see Vietnam without having to stay here and live in it. Both of us are leaving Vietnam wide-eyed, having gained a simultaneous experience of gratitude and resentment for the freedoms we have as Americans.