How many times can I start off doing the same old thing? You know, the "Well, didn't do too much today..." intro haha. Fuck it, I'm mixing it up. I just got in from dinner at Cafe Zoom and picking up a Toblerone bar. If you're in Vietnam it's you're only fix for chocolate in terms of size and price. The only other chocolate fixers they have are Mars bars and Kitkats, but at 24,000VND and you get twice as much chocolate in a Toblerone for only 10,000VND more. That's right, I know chocolate economics. I like Zoom Cafe and it's new and fresh, that's why I keep coming back. The menu is kinda selected though. They have the normal apps, cheese sticks, onion rings, potato skins, etc. Other then that, it's burgers and Mexican food which I wasn't impressed with. If I don't want Mexican it's... you guessed it... Burgers! Haha. Don't get me wrong, they make the best burgers I've had here but I gotta find a new place as I've had all their burgers. The bad thing is that I've been here for six weeks, each night hitting up a new place and I can't think of a place I'd like to come back to, other than Pizza Hut, which I'll have to hit before I leave. I've eaten everywhere in my neighbourhood, and outside of it is Vietnamese food which I have no interest in which is odd since I'm in Vietnam right? Haha. I've exhausted local resources and might have to do some hunting tomorrow instead of just wandering down the local strip.
Before dinner I watched two VN war documentaries I just happen to find torrents for, in my quest to rape the hotel's bandwidth while I still can haha. The first movie was "Know Your Enemy - Viet Cong" which was a thirty minute video of a propaganda film of the Viet Cong found in Katum, 1967. Anyone know what unit found it? Fucking right, the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Wasn't sure how I could work them into tonight's blog and then bam, mentions them in the video. Anyways it's a dog and pony show of the Viet Cong killing members of the Civilian Irregular Defence Group. The CIDG was a rag tag unit of locals. When the US or allies cleared a village that was known to harbour the Viet Cong, the people would be moved to a safer location called Strategic Hamlets which was a good idea. The bad thing is that looking at them they conjure up images of Jewish concentration camps with barbed wire. A village would be moved and they'd be trained on how to defend themselves if attacked and were given weapons. I could be wrong but I think each village had a radio allowing them to call for help to local ARVN, US or allied troops. The bad thing about the idea is that the people have lived on that land all their life. Their family have worked that rice paddy for hundreds of years. Farmers are buried beside their field so that after they are gone, their spirits can watch over it. Well the video shows the VC attack a village and afterwards the locals through a big party thanking the VC for saving them. Bull fucking shit haha. The magic of editing haha. The point of the video wasn't to take their propaganda but to learn other information about them, at least that was what the host said. I find it a little hard to learn about the enemy while he's spoon-feeding you what he wants you to see. You can only take it like a grain of salt but keep what you saw in mind.
The other video I watched was done by History Television Australia on Long Tan. I've been there already, seen the battlefield but sadly I found this video after I went there. Hearing about all the details, the time line and action from the men that were there made me appreciate it a lot more. Before hand all I knew was it was Australia's first big battle with the enemy and they faced a larger force and survived, but took 18 KIA and 24 wounded. It's not a lot in the bigger scope of the war, but it was the largest single loss for Aussie troops. I'll quickly go through it. An Aussie company of around eighty troops (I assume they have different troop sizes than the US as a US company is 120 troops) entered the Long Tan rubber plantation. Rubber plantations are dead flat and span out for a few hundred metres and the biggest rubber tree might be a foot wide. Due to the shade from all those trees there's next to no grass to hide in. If you're in there, there's no way to hide. The company makes contact with a platoon sized enemy force and take a handful of KIA in the first few minutes. The enemy force grows to a company size. Aussies call artillery from the Royal New Zealand Artillery Regiment. For every VC killed by artillery, two take his place and keep fighting. They call for reinforcements but there was nobody to send, they were running low on ammo and most troops saved one round in their pocket, so that if they were to be overran they could kill themselves instead of being prisoners. The Aussie HQ didn't want to send helicopters but hearing the battle most went anyways to kick out ammo to the troops, not to slug it out and fight so I assume they didn't get in too much shit. The company loses two radio men and the only one left is with the Company HQ which was behind the front line and supporting the fight. They find themselves heavily outnumbered and soon outflanked. They send an Aussie troop of M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC's) with big machine guns. The video played radio communications from the fight, and I think that's what got me. Hearing a radio man scream "If we don't get those tracks (the APC's) in twenty minutes send them back to base, since we'll be fucking dead!" and calling in artillery "They're... they're getting in closer... drop those rounds on our own position!" The base radios back to the platoon in the most shit that it's too dangerous and they radio back something like "I have six men left against a hundreds of VC charing at us! I'll take the fucking risk!"
It's hearing the fright and despair in their voices that just sends a shiver right down my spine. The Viet Cong have three walls of fire around the Aussies and they're getting ready to close the lid on the "box" and move in to finish them off. They're low on ammo, their medic is out of supplies and morphine, men are in such pain they're biting their tongues and lips off and I forgot to mention it's pissing rain too. Nobody has a bayonet as they weren't issued yet, so those who are out of ammo are ready to swing their rifles like clubs. The VC line up and start coming, and thank fucking god the M113's just make it in time and cut down the VC. The troops ran out the back and laid down a base of fire while the .50cal machine guns snap trees in half and luckily it broke the VC's back and they fled. Eighty troops took on two thousand five hundred enemy troops and killed 245 and wounded 150. The Aussies took 18 killed, 24 wounded. All twenty-two sent to the aid station, the lone medic did his job and they all survived.
Now looking at the war, 18 KIA isn't a lot and the Aussies lost 521 KIA from 1962 to 1972. It was their first big fight. Still in comparison the 1st Calvary Divison's first big fight they lost around 400 troops but mind you they were 25,000 compared to the Aussie's 400. I tried to think about it though, the impact and I looked to Afghanistan. We have around 3,000 troops in Afghanistan and at the time of Long Tan, Aussie's strength was about the same. I thought about going from losing one or two guys in a week or two, to losing eight-teen in three hours and that would rock the country. I'd personally flip and see how fast I can get processed for service and I'm sure some did just that as well. While we're on the topic a Canadian died in Vietnam, but in an Australian uniform. Ronald A. Scott died Sept 10th, 1965 from small arms (rifles) and was an Australian Advisor with 3d Bn, 6th Reg't, 2d ARVN Division up in Quang Tri, which is just south of the Demilitarized Zone. Just reading his file and he's from New Westminister BC. He was a Volunteer and was a 2nd Class Warrant Officer and he's buried in Sydney Australia. I'm assuming his family settled there.
Okay, keep going backwards haha. I had lunch at KFC, and I only do it because I'm in the area and there's next to nothing else. I finally saw they had Popcorn Chicken and figured I'd test it out. I feel better saying I tested it out, like in the name of science, like it has a higher purpose than coating my arteries haha. I hit the market. Now I know you're asking yourself, wait... which market did Jay go to? Which one has he spent hundreds at? Which one does he see plenty of full grown rats, and in one case a monster spider? That's right! Dan Sinh Market! I picked up a map for Josh, got Chris a nylon belt and circled the market for a good forty-five minutes hunting for those nylon ammo pouches I saw yesterday! I couldn't find them. Guess they're like the VC. Naw, I have one glimmer of hope that they're in the shop of a guy who wasn't there today. Tomorrow I have to pick up a sexy '60s Canon camera for the Lt. so I'll check it out again. Tomorrow is my last market day and I'm not going back as I hope to ship everything out this weekend before my freedom-bird takes me away Wednesday morning at 6am. Today was a sort of land chance day, so I picked up some US military money troops were paid in, to avoid the Vietnamese from getting their hands on US cash, but ironically enough I was buying it from a Vietnamese lady! I also picked up some LSA Oil to sit in my helmet bands, you know, since I now have three helmets and only one head, but the others are for the FNG's I'll recruit, or just a lone uniform for someone who wants to try it out.
I forgot to mention that yesterday while I was going through a shitload of maps, there were some white boys behind me checking out the fake ass zippos. I was planning on warning them that they're fake, made locally and in the last five years, that Bugs Bunny and Mikey Mouse weren't on the Vietnam Era ones as the troops only saw Charlie Brown and Snoopy comics in Stars and Strips magazine. That's why the one girl is knocked up and cursing Charlie Brown, and Snoopy dressed as the Red Baron on Era zippos. Good thing I read Brit's book before coming :) Anyways the girl asked them where they were from. They said... wait for it... CANADA!!!!! I spun around and blurted out "Where in Canada!?!?!" and they were from Victoria Island! I told them I'm from London, Ont and it took me six fucking weeks to find one of our own abroad. I told them I thought I was the only Canadian in country haha. I quickly warned them about the zippos, how I'm here because I've studied the war for seven years and how I collect all "this" shit as I spun around aiming at anything green and for sale in the market haha. We chatted for a bit and they wanted six zippos for $25Cdn. They only had Cdn which I advise against. When you come here, trade it in for VN Dong asap, as it's easier to figure out if your getting fucked over than converting it. I had to tell the shop keeper Cdn is on par with USD and they debated buying. They did the smart thing and walked away, much to the girl's frustration. She said "USA buys good, but Canadians dinkydau except Jay" hahaha. I just explained that Vietnam is really different from Canada and when you first get here you know how much you'd pay for something at home, but you have no idea how much anything costs here, even more so at a market with no price tags or compare. A 1967 tri-fold E-tool runs around $30, but I got mine for $25 and some guy wanted me to buy his at $80 haha. Also I've seen mint condition helicopter pilot helmets. The first I saw was $400, the second was $600 and the one I saw yesterday and took pictures of it on me was $200, which I considered for a few seconds haha. I plan on getting a motorcycle eventually, and I'll either wear a helicopter, or most likely an F-14 Tomcat VF-84 Jolly Roger Squadron pilot helmet for it, so that's why the thought floated between my ears. By the way I had my spider killers on and luckily I didn't see any. I saw at least four rats though.
Before that I hit the park to meet up with a Vietnamese friend. I suck at names but I know his name is Hien as that's the Zippo dude's name, not the made up name I threw on him "Tran" haha. I met him in the park at 9am, which I don't love getting up early haha. I was there for 8:45am and a guy read my shirt, asked me where I'm from. Today I was from the US of A. He asked where and I said Maryland, because of the movie "1969" last night with sexy Winona Ryder (she's still in my head ;) haha). He asked where's that and I said near New Jersey. Well he had a surprise for me. He has a sister going to New Jersey to work in a hospital (fist to palm... here we go again!) I told him "Wow, are you serious? What are the odds!? You are the 9th person in Saigon that has told me they have a sister going to work in a New Jersey hospital. I mean most people come to the US and go to New York, or LA (he mentioned San Diego, but why would anyone go there!?) and that I find it amazing!" He thanked me, shook my hand and quickly fucked off. After that I down where I was going to meet Hien, and I met someone who I recognized, but didn't recognize me! I saw Ian, the guy that worked at the Cambodian casino that would let me win at Super Pan 9, who worked scamming with Fuckstick and Bitch! I didn't clue in until he walked away, and I thought about chasing him down to talk to him, but didn't wanna bail on Hien.
Hien showed up and we talked, told him my home town got 4ft of snow in two days and he flipped, as most Vietnamese do haha. He had some English homework he wanted me to check over. His teacher is a foreigner and figured if it made sense to me, it would make sense to him too. Soon I had a following, at its largest of six Vietnamese people listening in on my English presentation. Hien had to write an essay on an easy question, if money brought happiness. Pfft... I can write that in my sleep without using my hands. Yea that's not suppose to make sense, don't worry about it. I read it over and it was good, I understood it 100% and just had to tweak sentence structure around so it flowed a bit better, and I kept giving Hien options so he maintained control, not me running off and taking his essay in another direction and I honestly really enjoyed it. The others watching, which some told me they were taking English at university I'd check with them to see if they understood what I was doing or changing and why. After that I asked the usual "Does anyone have any questions about English or Canada?" haha. That's my trademark as I don't have too many questions about Vietnam. I did ask what muc chien was as it's a meat sold on the back of a bicycle and when my Canadian brain reads chien I think of dog, which is eaten here. To my relief muc chien is squid taken to a meat slicer and shaved real thin. Hanging on the back of a bike it looks like a stomach or intestinal lining and I kept looking at the "chien" part dreading the worst.
They asked how does Christmas work in Canada, and I told them what it meant, and what it is now, which are two very different things I feel nowadays. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and getting free shit, but that's what it's turned into, free stuff and turkey day for me instead of the Holy religious day. I'm not personally bothered by the difference as my beliefs don't line up with the holiday's religious meaning, but I thought I should try to explain the original meaning, about how Santa was born in the desert, and the Reindeer came bearing gifts to him, and in return he took care of them, went on sleigh rides with them and using his magic powers visited everyone in the world to give cookies and milk to everyone, and in return everyone builds a snowman in their front yard and worship it every afternoon until it melts. Once it melts Christmas is over and after that you are allowed to pray to whoever you like. They all understood and I asked how Tet works. I have an idea but just wanted to see if I missed anything. It's the Lunar New Year, everyone drinks until the morning and goes to bed, then the rest of the day is spent with family reflecting on the past year, shooting fireworks to scare off bad luck and the first three people who visit your house after the new year has started determines how your year will be. Yes that means if you have a shitty year you can blame it on the mail man, or some door to door salesman or even better Jehovah Witnesses!!! Haha yea, I know, driving the bus :)
Before that I had my breakfast and woke up! Tomorrow I'm meeting someone else at 5:30pm as I don't want up early again haha, hitting the market one last time and possibly brining our shit to Uncle Phuoc to be boxed better and start the shipping process. Again after I ship it I'll do the mail and email everyone their shipping costs so you only have to send me one payment each.
What did I forget to mention... Oh! At Zoom Cafe some guy grabbed my shoulder and was squeezing it, asking if I wanted a massage. It took three quick and sharp "Get your hands off me!" before he understood haha, I plan on recording a video of me fucking with the vendors who want me to buy their purses while I'm eating my dinner, moto drivers and scammers before I leave here and one of my English "students" told me I'm beautiful which I thanked her and politely shot down. I'm in the wrong place, the women love me and I want nothing to do with 98% of them haha. Be hard adjusting to home where it's the exact opposite situation muhahaha :P Take care!
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