Vinh's Home Village

We visited Vinh's small home village near Quy Nhon where many of his relatives live.
Top Pic - One of several feasts we had with Vinh's relatives. As always, great food and people.
Bottom Pic - We had another feast at Vinh's uncle's/aunt's house (standing to my left and right in pic). They are both active Vietnam army and have been since the Vietnam war (her a nurse and he a finance officer). I met them the first time last year. Ironic that former enemies met each other and fear together after almost 50 years.
We returned to Saigon yesterday. It was a great 5-day trip triggering many old memories and resulting in many new wonderful memories.

Big Critter

Me with one of many beams-type Bulls that you see in the highland countryside.

Small Village Life

Linh and I went to the small village where Vinh once lived. While there we visited the village market. Everyone there stared at me because I don't think that they had ever seen a westerner in their market. They kept asking Linh if I was a Russian!
Top Pic - me with one of the curious vendors. I borrowed her hat. They were all very friendly.
Bottom Pic - Soup vendor. Note the table and seating bench for her customers!

Coffee Deaign

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Back to Quy Nhon

Early this morning, Vinh's cousin drove us from Pleiku to Quy Nhon = 165 kilometers = 100 miles = 3.5 hour drive.
Quy Nhon is a beach city in central Vietnam, Vinh's & Linh's home village where Linh and I attended a large wedding last year. Linh has many relatives/friends here. There was a very large US army base here during the war. Many of Linh's family knew/worked with the US army during the war.
This is a picture of the logo/sign of my favorite coffee shop in Quy Nhon - I love the sign's design. Coffee shop is right on the beach - note background in pic.
We will be here until Friday when we will return to Saigon.

Memories and Ambassadors

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Pleiku Gathering

Top pic = Vinh treated 17 members of his family and me to lunch today. Great food and people all of whom have a great sense of humor and knowledge of Pleiku history. Many of his older relatives lived in Pleiku when I did and we shared our memories of that time so many years ago.
Bottom pic = me and my new 7 year old friend Bao Han. She is learning English and was anxious to talk to me because I was the 1st and only American she has met! We have had a great time chatting. She always insist to sit beside me at meals and holds my hand whenever/wherever we are going. Now she tells everyone that she wants to marry an American so that she and her children can speak perfect English! She and I are now BFFs. It is great being ambassadors for our countries!

Pleiku - Central Highlands

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Emotional Return to Pleiku

During the Vietnam war, I was initially stationed in Pleiku (September 1966 to January 1967). Pleiku is located in the central highlands - its altitude results in very nice weather (10-15 degrees cooler than Saigon).
It has been 48 years since I was last in Pleiku. Vinh (Linh's father) knew about me being stationed in Pleiku and paid all expenses (air, hotel, etc) for us to visit Pleiku (we arrived yesterday).
Of course, Vinh's very large family includes people living in Pleiku. His family met us at the airport and have been/will be our very gracious hosts while we are here.
Top pic is of "Ocean Lake" (volcanic fresh water lake) around which there were several US Army bases where I lived.
Bottom pic is Linh, Vinh and I having coffee with some of Vinh's/Linh's relatives/friends. This coffee house was a beautiful Vietnamese empire style architecture set on a gorgeous man-made lake.

Feast

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http://veteran-sojourner.blogspot.com/

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