Bob and Ann in Vietnam 2005-2006 Eldertreks Tour

Hanoi Hilton


Water Puppet Show

Ann joined Dee, Linda and Mandee for a before-breakfast walk at 6:30AM, a fast trip along the shore path of Halong Harbor, then joined Bob for breakfast before we departed at about 9:30.

First stop was pottery factory and Bob found some ceramic bird whistles for the kids.

Had a wonderful seafood lunch at a restaurant in Hanoi where Marci and Bob who had stayed in Hanoi joined us. Roger took Marcie to an SOS center to check her painful ankle she had turned going down Galaxy stairs earlier.

We went on to the Hanoi Hilton, notorius French prison where John McCain among other pilots spent 6 years during the war. Somewhat gratuitus propaganda featuring the pilot’s superb treatment and Vietnamese kindness right before repatriation made us uncomfortable. We have been told repeatedly by our guides that neither the vietnamese people nor the government holds any bad feelings towards Americans. Rather a broad statement but the reassurance is appreciated.

We attended the water puppet show this afternoon which was a kick. The puppets were beautifully made and the skits were skillfully performed to live music played on classical Vietnamese instruments accompanying traditional songs well sung.

After a hurried but delicious dinner at the Vietcom restaurant we rushed to the opera house for a show. Instead of opera it was an hour and half of song and dance review, graceful dancers and nice ensemble singing, but the band and soloists were a bit forced with a torchy belting style. Most of us agreed we’d seen better and the mostly Vietnamese audience was restless with less than enthusiastic applause, so we were not alone. Although we were on our own after dinner, Thuy and Roger saw us to the show and then had the bus pick us up to take us back to the Galaxy to bed by 10. Apparently Christmas Eve makes the city teens restless, but we slept through it all. t

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