During my adolescence, names like Hanoi, Danang, the Gulf of Tonkin, and My Lai were synonymous with war. Seeing them now, years later, at peace is striking. The war left deep scars. Our Vietnamese tour director shared how his grandparents’ greatest dream was simply to live in safety, free from bombs. His parents longed to raise children who wouldn’t succumb to diseases like polio and smallpox. Today, the biggest dream of his generation is to have meat on the table every day. But life is rapidly improving in Vietnam. Life expectancy is much better. Vietnam’s economy is currently growing at an impressive rate of 8%. The country is in a period of rapid transition, with significant improvements in quality of life occurring within just one generation. Only 30 years ago, people were still dying from diseases like polio and smallpox. Now there is a high rate of immunization. Today, modern machinery is replacing animal labor, massive factories are creating jobs, and tourism is on the rise.
After lunch, we drove to Huê, the former imperial capital of the Nguyen dynasty. The Citadel, or Imperial City, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. What remains is stunning, yet it saddened me to think of how much my country bombed and destroyed.
Afterwards we visited a pagoda, a peaceful place of Buddhist worship.
Marsh Travels 
Your first picture is kinda what I think of when I think of Vietnam. And, like you, Vietnam will always be associated with war. Both of my brothers went and returned from Vietnam. I missed going my weeks. It is nice to see that the country is rebounding and I am sure tourism will become one of its greatest economy drivers. ________________________________
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