Quang Ngai and My Lai

I just returned this afternoon from a day trip to Quang Ngai (3 hour care ride one-way), the city where the My Lai Massacre took place on March 16, 1968. Remember hearing about those war crimes? 500+ Vietnamese civilians murdered by US GIs – it is quite a museum/memorial. My fascination with the American/Vietnam War has only grown since my arrival in Vietnam. In Quang Ngai, beautiful scenery: Brilliant green rice paddies that stretch for miles…coconut trees and casuarina-lined beaches…bright sun, rolling hills in the distant west…hibiscus flower plants that bloom all year…green, lush vegetable gardens…it is breath-taking. I stopped for a moment in the silence of the memorial, and could not believe that this gorgeous piece of land was once a place of devastation. In Quang Ngai the tone is a bit somber, due to the destruction that the area endured 40 years ago, in which it is still recovering. The museum was startling with all the photos, video footage, and artifacts salvaged from the wreckage of what was once a quite, poor farming community. Then a walk around the compound where the foundations of homes burnt to the ground still remain, and plaques name the living and dead that once lived there. Gardens remain intact, and one of the groundskeepers is a tiny elderly woman, a long-time resident of Quang Ngai and lived through the American War.

Visiting the memorial was just a reminder of how senseless and stupid war is. Life is so short and so precious. I am reminded to thank God for every day that my family, friends, and I can live in peace.

Only 2km east of Quang Ngai are deserted white sandy beaches that are often over-looked by the tourists that visit here. My friends and I had our driver take us to the fine white sand and clear turquoise waters. The beach extends for kilometers north and south of where we swam, not another person in sight (besides the staff at a small local cafe). I felt like I was dropped on a deserted island in the South Pacific! As of right now, it ranks #2 on my list of favorite beaches in the world, right behind Positano, Italy.    

 

Today when Shirley and I were on our way to Quang Ngai, it became apparent to me that living in rural Vietnam is like stepping back in time. Circa 1940? or earlier? Some of the farming and roads in the country have not changed for centuries. Rice farmers work long hours, doing everything by hand. Water buffalo and oxen are a rarity (due to the expense). Farm machinery does not exist here. Except for the motorbikes and trucks hauling, it appears the lifestyles have not changed. Wooden wagons pulled along the road with huge loads of grain and rice…small shrimp farms dot the land on either side of the road…old bridges we crossed when I just hold my breath that we wont land in the river below… I wish I could have spent more time out in the country! I miss the quiet. I enjoy city life for a short time, but its too noisy for me. I need my mountains, lakes and bike paths.