Vietnam

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Post pics of FOOD!!

[bones]

Sorry Dok, I totally understood that you were just giving chronology, not reason..

It was just a tasteless joke I was making, that's all. Sorry.

[Suu]

It was the French's fault we got involved, and then they ran away with their tails between their legs.

I find it delightfully amusing that Australian tourists are allowed to Vietnam and Americans aren't.

Whaddya mean? Isn't Anthony Bourdain an American?

He's also a celebrity.

I find it delightfully amusing that Australian tourists are allowed to Vietnam and Americans aren't.

Pretty sure you're mistaken though. I'm kinda having a family reunion here. Me and my siblings were all born in the US, and my oldest brother currently lives in Buffalo, NY, which is where he's visiting from.

But do you have an Australian passport or American passport? And...who the frack has a family reunion in Vietnam?! Sorry. I'm glad you're having a good time, but I can't imagine why anyone would want to go there. Of course, I also have the brainwashed and skewed point of view as an American who deep down somewhere past all of the common sense and reason is the tiny patriotic gland that is still butt hurt for losing the "police action".

[bones]

Suu, I happen to have both, but I entered on my Aussie passport. My brother also has both but he came on his US passport, as an American. They will let you come visit because you'll spend heaps of your money here and they'll give you food poisoning. It's all good. Half of the prices of things here are listed in USD, not VND. Everyone accepts both. In fact, the government just devalued the Dong (from 18,000 Dong to US$1), and apparently the reason for this is to get all the US currency present here back into circulation and out of peoples savings.
As for the reason we came here, long story, but in a nutshell it's kind of a halfway point for us all to meet from around the world.
As for your tiny patriotic gland, KILL IT KILL IT KILL IT NOW! Our parents happened to fuck in the USA, that's all. We never never NEVER EVER should have come here in war. We fucking destroyed this place, massacred the people and destroyed countless of our own peoples lives. And still got nowhere. The war museum here is one of the worst in the world (despite it's obvious bias) for showing the dispickable atrocities of war and making you sick just to see it.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Vietnam, oddly, is one of the places I'd actually like to go see.
Along with Italy, Rome, Japan, most of Europe and many others.

[Suu]

Sucks about the food poisoning. Vietnamese food rocks when they're not trying to kill you.

[Doktor Howl]

Sorry Dok, I totally understood that you were just giving chronology, not reason..

It was just a tasteless joke I was making, that's all. Sorry.

No problem, though I don't get the punchline.

Dok,
Famous for his right wing jingoistic stance on colonial wars.

[Doktor Howl]

It was the French's fault we got involved, and then they ran away with their tails between their legs.

Naw.  They whimpered, we heard the word communism, and we decided to fight for Vietnam's freedom to be a French rubber plantation.

Of course, I also have the brainwashed and skewed point of view as an American who deep down somewhere past all of the common sense and reason is the tiny patriotic gland that is still butt hurt for losing the "police action".

Losing that should have been a lesson to us about hubris, and about our own supposed principles concerning self-determination.

*looks at Iraq & Afghanistan*

Yeah, about that.

[bones]

I find it delightfully amusing that Australian tourists are allowed to Vietnam and Americans aren't.

Is that their rules, or ours?

Their's from what I understand.

Can't say I blame them.  We killed a few million of them because France whimpered after WWII.

Not to mention we sorta, you know, destroyed a lot of their countryside.

Those are just "freedom regions", Suu.  You can tell, from all the "Liberty Cancers" the children have.

ouch, yeah. I was having breakfast the other day and a guy wheeled his son past in a barrow. Kid was lying there with a head about twice the size of mine, though he looked like he was about twelve. Could've been much older, I guess. Certainly wouldn't assume deformity that serious is limited to the head.

Vietnam, oddly, is one of the places I'd actually like to go see.
Along with Italy, Rome, Japan, most of Europe and many others.

Nothing odd, this place is stunning.

Sucks about the food poisoning. Vietnamese food rocks when they're not trying to kill you.

I didn't get it too bad. Only lasted one day at it's worst, and after three days I'm pretty much all better. I was vomiting and crapping at the same time for a few hours though..
And yes, the food is totally awesome. We spent one night on a junk boat up north. Place called Halong Bay. On our own private boat for about 20 hours, with about 6 crew to our family of 8 + a baby and a local tour guide. We were fed 4 meals in that time, averaging 9 courses each. No shit.
There will be pics. Soon.

[Cain]

Westmoreland was possibly the stupidest man to achieve the rank of General in the 20th century - and yes I am including Field Marshal Haig in that assessment.

[Jenne]

...I can see visiting Vietnam if you live in Australia.  Their proximity to All Parts Asia makes it an easier trip than from the US.

[Doktor Howl]

Westmoreland was possibly the stupidest man to achieve the rank of General in the 20th century - and yes I am including Field Marshal Haig in that assessment.

I'd add DeGaulle to that list.

In order, I think it goes:

1.  Westmoreland
2.  DeGaulle
3.  Mountbatten (or was he an admiral?  Same thing.)
4.  Haig
5.  Kimmel

[Doktor Howl]

Wait.

Kimmel was this century.

[Suu]

It was the French's fault we got involved, and then they ran away with their tails between their legs.

Naw.  They whimpered, we heard the word communism, and we decided to fight for Vietnam's freedom to be a French rubber plantation.

Of course, I also have the brainwashed and skewed point of view as an American who deep down somewhere past all of the common sense and reason is the tiny patriotic gland that is still butt hurt for losing the "police action".

Losing that should have been a lesson to us about hubris, and about our own supposed principles concerning self-determination.

*looks at Iraq & Afghanistan*

Yeah, about that.

...I fucking hate this country. Maybe if we weren't so obsessed with war and using our tax dollars to help every other country in the world but our own maybe I wouldn't have moments of embarrassment every time I watch NBC Nightly News.

[Suu]

GS's father was in Vietnam. He was one of those people who liked it. My grandfather, however, wouldn't tell me a damn thing about it.