Saigon City (Ho Chi Min)

Hierdie is 'n groter toets van geloof en vertroue as wat dit op die oog af mag lyk. Dit is nie toevallig dat my oë toe is nie . . .

Benoude boude in die Cu Chi tonnels. Na die bietjie wat ons gesien en gehoor het is daar geen twyfel in ons gemoed dat Amerika (of enige ander land) ooit daardie oorlog sou kon wen nie . . .

. . . vir die kinders was dit egter 'n "walk in the park"

Die Vietnamese gaan GROOT met hulle (Chinese/Lunar) nuwe jaarsvieringe en is definitief nie skaam oor die feit dat hulle 'n sosialistiese land is nie. Moet se mens kom dit nie regtig agter nie . . . behalwe dat die gastehuise, ens elke aand aan die polisie rapporteer wie by hulle geslaap het.

Marketing . . . Starting Young

Two Cham girls selling their "waffle" cakes.

Cham, Western People Group of Vietnam

We visited a village near Chau Doc this morning where 3500 of a minority group, the Cham people live - own languages and own culture.

(We have since moved on to "Can Tho". The internet here is open, free and lightning fast, yet motorbikes and bicycles are still the primary means of transport!?!?)

Eerste dag in Viëtnam

Eers per minibus en toe verder per boot op die Mekong rivier het ons die grens na Viëtnam oorgesteek. Het die eerste aand in "Chau Doc" geslaap.

"Kyk ma, niks hande". Ons boot bestuurder het darem hande gehad, maar blykbaar is dit opsioneel vir sy werk.

Het gedink die mense in Kambodja kan 'n motorfiets laai, maar lyk my nie of die Viëtnamese een tree terugstaan nie.

Sal liewers nie met die klein mensies van Viëtnam moeilikheid soek nie .....

Christoph het nou die "chopsticks" bemeester. Dit is meer as wat die res van ons (gesin) kan se.

Killing Fields

Absolutely mind boggling that one man in the space of 3 years was able to virtually destroy a country. Pol Pot became leader of Cambodia in mid-1975. During his time in power, Pol Pot imposed a version of agrarian socialism, forcing urban dwellers to relocate to the countryside to work in collective farms and forced labor projects, toward a goal of "restarting civilization" in a "Year Zero". The combined effects of forced labor, malnutrition, poor medical care and executions resulted in the deaths of approximately 21% of the Cambodian population.

Amazingly the new government for the sake of reconciliation decided to only prosecute the leaders of the Khmer Rouge. Many followers were forced to kill (even their own parents) or be killed. I can't even begin to imagine the guilt and baggage that these people carry and live with every day.

Oppad na Phnom Penh

Gereed om die pad aan te durf Phnom Penh toe. 'n Sending egpaar, Deon & Corne en hulle twee seuns het intussen by ons aangesluit. Die seuns het sommer vinnig maats geraak.

Hierdie dogtertjie het in die bus oor Christoph naar geraak ... darem net sy broek. Moet sê hy het dit baie goed hanteer.

Ons ry Phnom Penh binne, 315km en 7 ure later. Let op na al die mense op motorfietse!

Ancient Temples

My conversation with this nine-ten year old girl:
Girl (with a bit of a Cambodian accent): "Sir, Sir, do you want to buy .... from me, only one dollaaa?"
Kobus: "No thank you."
Girl: "Sir, from what country are you, what country?"
Kobus: "South Africa."
Girl: "Will you buy from me if I can tell what the capital is of South Africa?"
Kobus" (frowning): "What is the capital?"
Girl: "Pretoria sir, Pretoria"
Kobus (surprised): "How do you know that?"
Girl: ..........

One of several ancient temples, Preah Kahn, build during the 12th century. The temple is just as it was when rediscovered, with roots of banyan trees spread over its roofs and galleries . . . amazing!