Camp Champions Blog

I debated writing about the Vietnam War.  Many of the wounds are still fresh and well-meaning people have very different opinions on the subject.  My blog has generally been designed to share thoughts on family, travel and culture; not serve as a political commentary.  With this in mind, it seemed wise to avoid the topic.

I, however, must share some thoughts.  Here, I hope to avoid anything political, but instead make observations with appeal to any reader.  If I offend, please know that this is not my intention.

I know I have already announced our flight to New Zealand, so you know that the blogs currently describe events that happened a day or two ago.  I have been endeavoring to catch up after the handful of days in the Vietnamese countryside where I was unable to post the blogs I wrote then.

I have three blogs from Vietnam that I would like to share before we focus on New Zealand.  The first (this one) will describe Saigon briefly, the second focuses on our visits to Vietnam War museums and the final shares an odd trip to an odd temple.

“My parents aren’t cool!” – Liam Baskin

[Note: we are about to go to the airport to fly to New Zealand, so I am not sure when we will next be able to post a blog.]

As I have documented, there is a superstitious streak in the Vietnamese people.  One of the most important beliefs regards the fear of evil spirits and the protection of the home.

The threshold of the home is a sacred part of the Vietnamese home.  You generally take your shoes off before you enter, but you NEVER step on the threshold.  Instead, you step over it so that it can wipe the evil spirits from your feet.  Failing to do so is a true faux pas.  Further, I think that stepping on the threshold just might suggest stepping on the ancestors (though I cannot be sure).

My good friend Scott Brody noticed a typo in my comparison of Vietnam and China. Certainly, I have more than my share of typos, but this one was fairly relevant to a point I was stressing.

Hello everyone, and welcome to the First Annual Vietnam Cultural Oddities Awards.  Texas Monthly has the Bum Steer Awards.  Think of this as the Bum Yak Awards.

During our show, we will recognize the most noteworthy of traditions of the people of this fine country.

As we are halfway through our trip in Vietnam, I find myself wanting to compare it to China.

We are in our last day in Hanoi.  We came back for one day after our northern Vietnam homestays.  Sadly, Hien is not with us.  She has been pulled to escort a 3-day trek.  The tour company had a guide pull out of the trek due to a family emergency.  They were able to secure a substitute for one day, but not all three, so we have the substitute.  The replacement is a lovely woman from the Red Zao ethnic group.  She has taken us to see lacquer-ware and embroidery factories.

Yesterday, we joined eight other people on a Vietnamese junk (boat) for 2 days and a night in Ha Long Bay.