New Orleans in the Orient

This was not an official holiday but still very quite in the city. In fact right now I can not hear the usually beeping and traffic that goes on. Many people are on a five day holiday taking today off with the other two days and then the weekend. I took off today down Hai Ba Trung street to try to make my way towards a building I saw from the bus last weekend. It looked like a public building and in fact turns out to be the Viet Nam National History Museum. The museum was started by a French and Indochine group in the late 19^th century to do archaeological digs and historical research. There has been evidence of ancient man back to the Neolithic period with stone tools in caves 15- 20 thousand years ago. There were some pretty amazing artifact from the long, and I would say violent, history of wars and invasions.

One of the groups I have been interested in is Champa. They had a kingdom during a period similar to Angkor Watt and there are some very fascinating ruins of a kingdom with a Hindu orientation that remind me of the pictures I have seen of the more famous site. Apparently, the ruins have not stood the test of time well. Angkor was lost even to the locals and therefore was not an easy site to quarry for building materials. In addition the wars of the 20^th century were quite violent in the area south of Hue that was the site of this kingdom and there was extensive explosive damage.

I also learned a lot more about the ancient capital we visited the other day and I had always wondered about these wooden poles with different tops that they seem to have at temples. Now I at least know I am not imaging the connection. They had a set of the “8 auspicious objects” but no explanation of what the objects are or why they are auspicious.

After getting a bite to eat I walked on into the old quarter. I first heard the music and then I saw a knot of people and then I realized it was the beginning of a funeral procession. At the front were probably 6 banners with Buddhist figures that apparently some family members were caring. Then there was the band playing traditional music, a very sad lament then some male grandchildren or great grandchildren, 3 in all, carrying a photo portrait of the man they mourned. Then came the hearse, open with flowers and other gifts on the coffin followed by the family, some crying very hard, supported by a large group that followed in support. This is so like the famous New Orleans Jazz funerals and with the city having that French quarter feel. It is sad to think that New Orleans is unlikely to really recover to the pre-Katrina state and just a quarter mile from here is the dike protecting this city from flooding. It could happen here.

I did negotiate some prices for some gifts for family. I cannot buy too much and get it back on the plane. I also found the market which was several stories and many shops to buy material and have clothes made. I did find some time and place to make a few sketches. It is hard since it is hard to find a place to get prospective and also not have too many people come up and watch you, which is unnerving. It seems if I am sketching, I must be an artist?

Tonight the only thing on TV in English is Australian Rules football. This is a strange sport but not as incomprehensible as the Cricket I resorted to watching yesterday. If I hadn’t read Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Universe cricket would have been even more of a mystery to me then it was.