The Provo Museum of Postal Art

  Ho Chi Minh is still revered in Vietnam as the country's liberator from, first, the French, and then the Americans.  My half brother Leonard served 3 hitches in Vietnam -- and the wrongness of it savaged his conscience for the rest of his life.    The Vietnamese revere these statues while reviling religion.    Vietnamese sausages have a huge variety of ingredients, often including duck, pork, and dog.    Portrait of Jen Ho. My second cousin, by marriage.

 The only unconquered and prosperous Communist nation on earth (besides the behemoth China), Vietnam welcomes tourists, especially American tourists. The people have slyly decided that they will revenge themselves on their former enemies by gouging them for everything from bottled water to hotel rooms. Still, it's a beautiful country if you don't look behind the lacquer.  The Vietnamese enjoy having their pictures taken. Chinese tourists love taking photos of Vietnamese young women. These often wind up posted on bulletin boards at Chinese marriage bureaus, with spurious biographies attached. Here are a few more examples . . .  *************************************************** Grilled octopus tentacles are a street food specialty throughout much of Vietnam. The country basks in a long coastline that provides abundant seafood throughout the year. Vietcong  soldiers are the national heroes of Vietnam. They initially brutalized the country after the American withdrawal...

  Dr. Peter Mandelbaum, of the Southeast Asia Institute, has predicted that Thailand is on a crash course with economic ruin if they continue their cross breeding of pineapples with durians. Dr. Mandelbaum recently helped a Caucasian tourist who had become 'possessed' with an ancient Chinese spirit from a Chinese graveyard outside of Lopburi. The anonymous tourist was dipped in a pool of rice beer until he came to his senses. And developed a hangover. Round trip airfare from Bangkok to Hanoi is only fifty dollars. So many tourists take a weekend off from Bangkok to visit Vietnam. They are usually met with a reception committee like the above. Tourist dollars are a top priority in both Thailand and Vietnam. Vietnam considers itself the victor in the Vietnam War that tore America apart back in the 60's. Considering the damage done to our returning soldiers from that conflict, and the Vietnamese resilience, perhaps they are right . . .

  In Thailand you eat, then go to the beach; then eat again; they go back to the beach; then finish off the day with a savory bowl of noodles; and take a walk on the beach before turning in. There's no other way to live. Why do older men make faces on airplanes in Asia, and then record them as selfies? In Thailand the influence of China remains paramount in their cuisine -- although forks, knives, and spoons, are commonplace in restaurants, at home the Thais prefer to use chopsticks. A shopping mall in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand was recently ordered by the government to remove this artwork from their promenade. There were no protests, and the painting is now in storage, awaiting sale on eBay. The new LDS temple in Bangkok draws many tourists from the United States, who at one time were missionaries in the country.

  Buddhist amulets for sale.  Many Thais believe these brooches and cameos, which are blessed by monks, can ward off illness, bad luck, and even heal gunshot wounds.   Each of these metal 'dog tags' has a Buddhist verse stamped on it. The Thais purchase these to hang up by the thousands in Buddhist temples throughout Thailand. This act builds merit and brings good luck. In the many hidden Chinese ancestral temples that dot the landscape of Thailand there are 'blessing trees' like this one; the name of an ancestor is written on each metal tag and hung on a ceramic willow, which ensures that said ancestor will find favor with the gods of the White Mountain. A night market in Khonkaen that sells paper lanterns for the upcoming Loy Krathom festival.