history – Page 2 – Travels in Vietnam

63. A Brief History of Vietnam

A review of the nation’s long and varied history takes center stage in this report, as the author prepares to hit the road with a pocketful of magazine assignments.

60. Deer Me! Stepping Back to Nara

Sika deer are national treasures in Nara, an ancient Japanese capital whose grand Buddhist temples and Shinto shrine are the highlights of a visit.

59. Stepping Back: Pre-pandemic Kyoto

A stroll through the tranquil lanes of Japan’s imperial city reveals beautiful gardens, marvelous temples and a people in love with their heritage.

54. Stepping Back: Malay Memories

A 1976 excursion through the Malay Peninsula introduced the author to the smell of opium, the Ten Courts of Hell, and a coven of frightening ghosts.

47. Vietnam and China: No Love Lost

Vietnam is not one of China’s biggest fans. The reasons may be rooted in a long and combative history, but they extend today to a perceived lack of respect.

30. Where the Wild Things Are

The Saigon Zoo & Botanical Gardens, one of the oldest such parks in the world, shares its urban campus with a wonderful history museum.

26. The Bleak Legacy of War

Ho Chi Minh City’s most profoundly emotional collection is displayed at its War Remnants Museum, where visitors learn more than they wanted about what is called the American War.

24. Celebrating Tét

Vietnam’s biggest annual holiday celebration is Tet, the lunar new year. It’s kind of like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day rolled into one.

22. A Palace Intrigue

Once the seat of government of republican South Vietnam, Independence Palace is now a “national cultural and historical relic” and a popular attraction for tourists in Ho Chi Minh city.

7. Chiang Mai, City of Temples

Ancient tradition collides with modern tourism on a “visa run” to northern Thailand. From temple to pagoda, the Buddhist shrines are ever fascinating.

5. Uncle Ho

Hô Chí Minh may be a villain in the Western world, but in Vietnam, he’s the greatest patriot in the nation’s history.

4. Learning the City

A brief tour introduces some of the sights of Ho Chi MInh City, including the Bitexco Tower, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office and the Jade Emperor Pagoda.