Safety First

I truly don't want to spend all my time lamenting over my personal woes when street children are forced to sell chewing gum and ladies balance piles of books from cafe to cafe trying to get a few dollars from tourists off the photo copied knock offs they have so specially wrapped in plastic for the aestetics we "first" world citizens so blatantly expect. So after I added the period to that extremely long sentence I'm ready to sing.

Today began with a knock on our trap door.The cozy attic room we occupy has a stairway that leads to only one place,us.On the other side was our new travelling mate Laura. Laura is hardcore, she's doing the travel thing alone. I guess that's how they make them up in Washington St.I'm excited to travel with her for a while.The three of us sat around for a while this morning before making a move for food and transportation. Food we found easily in the mini hotel alley lined with clothes vendors, guesthouse entrances and the frequent entrepreneur peddling sunglasses, books or "marijuana for smoking", any of which you can purchase from the comforts of your dining table.It was when we sauntered our full bellies over to the local motor bike rentals that we were faced with issues.

First, the $1 bikes we encountered on day one were inflated to $5 and when the three of us went to climb on $3.50 deal we did find it all of a sudden became illegal.I suppose a Vietnemese toddler has more dexterity than three full grown Americans. I've seen tons of 15 month olds hanging on the handle bars, standing on the seats and posed in other rodeo riding positions amid the 3 other people perched on the bike with them. So if you wondered why three of us were getting on one bike, it's because that's what we've seen other people doing. If nothing else it would give us something to write about.

We already stick out like black folks at a Klan meeting and since that's what everyone seems to be staring at how much attention could we draw by hoisting our caucasian friend on the back of our moving circus act. We got off the bike though after sitting there next to the curb, all three of us on the bike, in the neutral position.It seems like foreiners get different treatment and they were pretty sure we would get a ticket if we rode off together.

In the rain we walked to the War Remnants Museum and got a good education on the Anti-American war, also known as the Vietnam war in the US. Let's just say they don't teach it like this back home.It was unbelieveable the amount of destruction the U.S. left behind that people are still dealing with. I don't really have the energy to get into it but if you know anything about the war enlighten me.I'm not trying to spark any arguments but dropping chemicals on peoples homes, lives and land is crazy and 21 million gallons is evil. With that I 'm done because I'm getting pissed as I type.

Don't be lazy research and form your own opinions of things. Laziness allows images and subliminal messages to slip into our psyche and determine and form our thoughts for us. Be careful what you watch and read.

Joronda