VETERANS TRIP 2012

Arriving Diamond Hotel

Orphanage

Airstrip at Phuoc Vinh

Market at Phuoc Vinh

Pat the garlic seller

Song Be Bridge

What was that we just ate

Sorry girls.  Tallest in back

Dave!! What are you doing?

The beginning of Veterans trip in 2012.  We picked up Pat, Dale and Andy from Tan Son Nhut Airport at 1 AM and got them to Diamond Hotel in Bien Hoa City.  We left the first day at 7:30 AM to sight see Bien Hoa where Dale was stationed.  We were unable to get on the air base as it is an active military base today.  We were able to locate the orphanage that his unit helped support while he was here.  It is no longer an orphanage and has been changed to a kindergarten.
  
Next we headed for Phuoc Vinh where Pat and I were stationed during the war.  We were able to locate the airfield and the market that we went to when we were there.


On the way back to the hotel we stopped and visited Bao Chau's English school and her parents.  They all went to the classroom and tried their hand at teaching English.  Next we went to Phuc's house (our driver) and met his wife and children.


We returned to the hotel for about an hours rest and then went to Tuong Vy 2 restaurant for our evening meal.  We had several of my friends meet us there.  One of my friends brought 3 American girls, that were staying with him, to join us.  We had an outstanding time there.  The three girls were former basketball players and were about 6 foot 5 inches tall.  Everyone in the place turned to see them come in.  After dinner we went and had coffee before we returned to the hotel for the evening.


Dale went to bed and the owner of the hotel took Pat and Andy up to a Karaoke room to visit and watch some of his DVD's.  The owner is a famous rock star in Vietnam, so those two got very little sleep that night.


See you tomorrow in Da Lat.