Debbie’s Blog

Its 6.45 in the morning, and already its steaming hot ! …its drained the energy out of us, the heat , the humidity is a killer ! .  We have reached Can Tho on the Mekong Delta,  this morning we are going to the floating market, all the traders going about their business, selling the wares, iinteresting to see the river life, living on the river has been a way of life for this people for years……we weave in and out of their boats , they are up since four in the morning , now they are resting….The tour is drawing to a close, tommorow we fly back to dear old blighty , visions of  vietnam , I ponder for a moment ,  its the kindness of the guides that has left a mark in me this time , the unrelenting way they want to please me , and make everything good .  I am now the proud owner of a harmonica, my guide hung, went out to buy me one and presented it to me with BOTH HANDS a sign of respect in their country, he plays well, and wants me to too…I am not bad already , i have two notes of moon river , but he is an inspiration,  his tales and stories of when the war was, and the way it was when communism was here, will always be with me,  he remembers the day the helicopters came to take away the last of the americans stilll remaining in saigon , all that day he could not understand why on the radio, im dreaming of a white christmas kept on and on playing and playing …this was in fact april, above he could hear the helicopters in the distance, something was going on and he never knew quite what, until it was evident the next day ….It was the signal for all the americans to get out of saigon, the last remaining , the song was the signal to go ….and they did, some of the most famous of photographs and films is of that scene where they are climbing to the top of the building to get to the helicopter to get out…and get out they did , leaving the people to the hands of the Viet cong , and communisism, where there was brutality , no food, people murdered.  “iM DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS WILL NEVER MEAN THE SAME TO ME ANYMORE ” ! ….and on we go to the end of the tour….