By Nick Wilder
Back in high school and college days the subject of Vietnam was fraught with angst. I felt an obligation to serve in the military, but hated the idea of fighting in a war which seemed unjustified and pointless. Later I had no desire to visit what seemed like a cursed part of the world. However, in recent years I heard stories about a beautiful country with a respect for its history and a genuine affection for Americans. We decided to visit Indochina a few years ago, but had to postpone our trip due to covid. This fall we finally joined a group of of 18 fellow travelers in Bangkok then flew to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and from there took a bus to our riverboat on the Mekong River. We spent a week exploring villages and religious sites along the River on our way to Saigon (officially named Ho Chi Minh City). Highlights of the trip included meeting villagers along the river, hearing first hand accounts of the war years, exploring food and flower markets in Bangkok and Phenom Penh and marveling at ancient temples. We self diagnosed with COVID on the last day of the trip, but hopefully did not infect our fellow travelers.
Here are some photos I took of people and places we visited.
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Bangkok temples
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Inside the Bangkok flower market
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School group posing at Angkor Wa
Young monks outside the temple |
A few seconds later |
Posing at Angkor Wat
Leaving Angkor Wat in the rain |
Curious kids greeting our boat |
Boarding the Mekong Princess
School principal |
Vietcong Veteran |
Waiting for a parade in Phnom Penh
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Selling in the river markets
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Keven and I pose with a monk
