VIETNAM

FLIGHT TO VIETNAM
May 13

When we fly from the U.S. to HANOI, VIETNAM.
we will cross the International Dateline
and lose a day, and it suddenly becomes May 14.

HANOI
May 14- 19

HANOI, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is a beautiful city of boulevards, parks and lakes. Our major concentration will be the Hanoi of Ho Chi Minh and the Vietnam War. We plan to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum with its glass sarcophagus, the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Army Museum with models of the battle of Dien Bien Phu and the taking of Saigon, and the "Hanoi Hilton," the prison where American POWs were held during the war. We will also visit some earlier historical and artistic sites such as the 11th-century One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, the site of Vietnam's first university. In one evening we will enjoy a performance of Hanoi's famous water puppets. After our stay in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, we will travel by an overnight train to Hue.

HUE
May 20 - 21

HUE, known to Americans for its bloody battle in the Tet Offensive of 1968, was capital of Vietnam from 1802-1945 under 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty and is considered one of the cultural centers of Vietnam. We will visit several of the splendid tombs of these emperors, the Citadel which contains the Forbidden Purple City for the private lives of the emperors, the Imperial Museum, and the famous Thien Mu Pagoda.

Time permitting, we will make an excursion to Khe Sanh, a famous American base in the Vietnam War. We will then fly to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

The Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang

Student Dressed as a Vietnamese Mandarin

SAIGON (HO CHI MINH CITY)
May 22 - 25

SAIGON was the capital of South Vietnam from 1956-1975. After the North Vietnamese took the city in 1975, its name was changed to honor the communist-nationalist founder of North Vietnam. Our sightseeing tour begins with a visit to the Reunification Palace which was the former residence of the President of South Vietnam until end of 1975. Close to the palace are some striking French colonial structures including the Notre Dame Cathedral and the old Saigon Post Office. We also visit the War Remnant Museum to see how some of the Vietnamese view the U.S. participation in the war .

Saigon Town Hall

Former Presidential Palace

Saigon Street Scene

War Remnants Museum

CAMBODIA

From Saigon we will travel to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Phnom Penh
May 26- 27

PHNOM PENH , the capital of Cambodia, was the center of atrocities during Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge. Today it is a modern city with renovated French colonial buildings and trying to forget its past.

SIEM REAP
May 26- 28

SIEM REAP, formerly a sleepy village, is now a base for exploring the world famous temples of the ancient city of Angkor. On the way to Angkor, we will also be able to visit a memorial to atrocities by the Khymer Rouge. Time permitting we will take a short cruise on Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia’s biggest natural lake. Along the way we will stop to visit a floating village and catch a glimpse of fishermen at work.

EXCURSIONS TO ANGKOR

Angkor was the capital of the powerful Khmer Empire from 802 AD to 1350 AD. With the fall of the Khmers, the temples were slowly recaptured by the lush forest and remained hidden until 1861 when they were re-discovered by a French naturalist.

Our guide will take us through Angkor Thom, which is famous for its series of colossal human faces carved in stone, the Bayon Temple, the Royal Enclosure, Phimeanakas, the Elephant Terrace, and the Terrace of Leper King.

Then we will visit Angkor Wat (a Buddhist temple complex), the largest as well as most complete temple complex. We stroll around this massive monument with its many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water reflecting the towering temple.

We will also explore the jungle covered temple of Ta Prohm as well as some of the surrounding temples.

Angkor

Thailand

May 29- June 1

From Siem Reap we will fly to Bangkok, Thailand.

BANGKOK
May 29-June 1

Our stay in BANGKOK will start with a walking tour of the area of Ko Ratanakosin. We will begin at Lak Muang, the City Pillar, which is a shrine enclosing a wooden pillar built in 1782 to represent the founding of the new capital of BANGKOK by Rama I. From there we will walk to Wat Pho, the oldest and largest Wat in Bangkok with its large reclining Buddha representing the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. Next we will see the Wat Phra Kaew, called the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and Grand Palace, which is now used only for ceremonial purposes. On this excursion we will also visit the Wat Mahathat, a monastery and center for the largest Thai monastic sect.

We will also examine Thai art at the National Museum, visit the Royal Barges, and take a boat ride on the Chao Phraya River.

Of course, we wll allow time for last minutes course workand preparations for the return home.