War of atrocities

Steve and I just spent the day In the war Remnants museum which largely documents the war crimes of the Americans during the war and it's affects on the survivors. Going through that museum (which is largely told from the vc perspective) is like getting punched in the gut over and over for two hours.

There are stories of massacres and ritual killings. There are pictures of the scarred napalm victims as well as the deformed children being born to this day handicapped as a result of agent orange.

Almost as touching was an exhibit that was a tribute to the slain photographers who transformed western opinion about the war. Their photographs, which poignantly told the us soldiers side of the war, were even more saddening when you hear of their deaths. These were the final images the photographer saw in his last moments of life.

The whole museum just made me realize how pointless war is, whoever it's against and whatever it's for
-- Post From My iPhone

Death sport

Ho chi minh - where crossing the street is a sport

We arrived last night in hcm. The budget flight was uneventful. We spent it watching anthony bourdain be swept across north vietnam by an official communist. when we arrived the airport was well maintained, but rather desolate. No official cabs but official scary looking guards walking around.

Since Getting picked up we've been constantly scared, exhilarated and exhausted. The streets are filled with motorcycles - driven by Vietnamese of all ages from 10 to 100. What's more there are noo stop signs or traffic lights. Motrorcyles just pull into the center of the intersection to go left. And most streets don't have aidewalks (only the few grand boulevards the French built.). To cross the rule is to do it slowly so that the motorcyxlez have time to adjust around you and dpdge you (they will not stop)

Our hotel, which was 1 on tripadvisor, we soon discovered is in the center of the backpacker district.

More on this later.
-- Post From My iPhone

Oriental beauty or oriental drug?

We're at the national palace museum in Taipei enjoying oriental beauty
tea, a traditional taiwanese tea we heard of on 5 takes taiwan.
Steve's convinced it will rejuvenate us and leave us wired for the
rest of the day. Only time will tell.

As for yesterday, my blues thankfully disappeared. We saw the changkai shek monument and Taipei 101, the tallest occupied building. The building was pretty cool- designed to withstand 150 mph winds during monsoons and earthquakes that only come once every 2500 years. we also discovered my food of choice - cheesy bread - which I haven't found since brazil. It's soft enough for my teeth and cheesy!

Taipei blues

First day of the trip and already something is missing. I appear to have lost our headphones, my iPhone charger and most importantly Steve's iPod nano all at once during a low moment on our way to our hotel.

airlines airports and buses have been contacted but to no avail.

Ah well. At least my tooth is doing better and we made it to Taipei in one piece.

Now for some sightseeing.


-- Post From My iPhone