Week 1

So just a quick update on the trip.

We stayed in Phnom Penh for a few days to start things off. Got our visas for Vietnam, visited Toul Sleng (S-21), the Killing Fields, and the Royal Palace. Toul Sleng and the Killing Fields were shocking and numbing much the same was Auswitz was for me. Words really cannot describe the experience of standing inches away from human skulls. We also got to meet up with some CRC missionaries who knew some of my family from Nigeria. The city was a bit more developed then I expected, but there was still a stark contrast between the rich and the poor. Lots of motorbikes as very few people seemed to be walking around. On the way to Siagon I saw a lot of the countryside which was a bit more rustic, but there's still a lot evidence of rapid development.

Siagon was a bustling place with even more motorbikes (an estimated 4 million of them for 6 million residents). Crossing the street was always an adventure, but you could pick up the pattern quickly. We visited the War Remnants Museum which was interesting mostly for its onesidedness. The only things listed were the horrors of war inflicted by the Americans as if the VC and NVA were innocent victims. It would have been much more beneficial if it showed the horrors of war in a balanced manner, but I guess propaganda is to be expected. Next, we took a two day tour of the Mekong Delta. A lot of it was pretty much geared for tourists, but we got to see a fair amount that we probably wouldn't have experienced on our own. Much of what I saw there reminded me of pictures of the slums in the Philippines that I've seen. I've seen quite a few churches here which has surprised me. Vietnam seems much more modern than Cambodia.

After a night bus, we're up at Nha Trang (google earth it) which seems much more laid back. The beach is nice and there's some islands off the coast that we can explore. Looking forward to the next few days here immensely.
Vietnamese food is delicious and cheap! The French colonial influence is evident in the availablity of baguettes everywhere which is making me very happy.

Wish I could write more, but there's not really time as I'm in an internet cafe and the best stories are told in person anyways.