Day 1: Hanoi
I landed in Vietnam today. It was more emotional than I expected. I seemed to get this sense that I’d been here before—probably just my...
Vietnam Travel Journal
Claire St. Hilaire
- 4 min
Day 2: John McCain's Crash Site, Temple of Literature, Museum of Ethnology
I can’t sleep because I keep thinking about my book. So many thoughts and ideas. I feel Deborah and Alex must come here. Vietnam must be...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 7 min
Day 3: Vung Vieng Fishing Village
Alex should be quiet even in Vietnam. A man who loves nature and animals more than people—a classic American outdoors childhood. Coming...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 8 min
Day 4: Halong Bay, Thien Canh Son Cave
While I wait for breakfast, I will use this opportunity to get some writing in. This morning we had a fun outing to paradise cave—the...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 5 min
Day 5: Sapa Valley
Pearls are a resting metaphor to life—taking an impurity and after a year encircling it until an orb of beauty is created. Hanoi—when...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 3 min
Day 6: Tram Ton Pass, Silver Waterfall
Let’s see… I’ll start with dinner. I stopped writing on the page before to go have dinner with Duc and Ty. We had a traditional meal in a...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 5 min
Day 7: Eight Ladies Cave, Paradise Cave, Phuong Nha Cave
Today I visited 3 different caves. The first was eight ladies cave where eight NVC were trapped when a rocket fired by the 7th fleet in...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 3 min
Day 8: Camp Carol, Rock Pile, Phong Na, Vinh Moc Tunnels
Good morning Vietnam! I’m getting ready to leave the lake house this morning. I’ll be sad to say “goodbye” to such a beautiful spot, but...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 1 min
Day 9: Imperial Citadel
Didn't do much this day. Relaxed, enjoyed the citadel, and caught up on some much needed rest!
Claire St. Hilaire
- 3 min
Day 10: Perfume River, Thien Mu Pagoda, Tomb of Minh Mang, Hai Van Pass, Cham Museum
I have been learning a lot about Vietnamese culture and Buddhism. Let’s start with some history: The Chang Pa Empire ruled the southern...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 1 min
Day 11: My Son Sanctuary
I’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of the Vietnam War being a “proxy” war—meaning that Vietnam was the unlucky battleground where...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 1 min
Day 12: Rest Day
I took a break this day.
Claire St. Hilaire
- 1 min
Day 13: Reunification Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral
STORY IDEAS After Alex dies in Vietnam Deborah briefly considers a Vietnam burial, but then decides it is time to bring him home. At his...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 1 min
Day 14: Cu Chi Tunnel Complex and Tay Ninh's Cao Dai Temple
More Story Ideas Uniforms no longer separate the innocent from the guilty. We all have blood on our hands. Deborah gets back late from...
Claire St. Hilaire
- 1 min
Day 15: Mekong Delta
Quotes from Noah while talking on the phone: “We don’t just put our lives on the line. We put out souls on the line.” “As selfish as it...