Planes, trains and strange rashes

Tucker and I left the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City yesterday and headed up to the Roots of Peace Quang Tri office in Dong Ha.

According to Project RENEW: "Quang Tri Province was the site of many of the most devastating battles of the American war, from 1966 to the end of the war in 1975. The province was also subjected to one of the heaviest bombing campaigns in the history of the world. The amount of munitions poured onto the landscape and villages of Quang Tri totaled more than all the ordnance used in Europe during World War II." http://www.landmines.org.vn/where_we_work/quang_tri_province.html

"Quang Tri still suffers the highest contamination of bombs and mines of any place in Vietnam. Contamination is found on more than 80 percent of the province’s land area (average contamination nationwide is 20 percent). Since 1975, the province has recorded 7,075 casualties due to ERW accidents, about 1.2 percent of its total population, including 2,635 deaths. Notably, 31% of the victims have been children."
http://www.landmines.org.vn/news/NPA_Quang_Tri_government_commit_two_million_nine_hundred_USD_to_reduce_UXO_accidents.html

Roots of Peace has a black pepper project here, working with small farmers seeking to grow a high-value crop in areas that have been de-mined. 

Hue from the plane

After landing in Hue, we took the shuttle into town from the airport and had dinner at a "French" restaurant. The calamari was absolutely delicious, as well as my mango and yogurt shake, ham and cheese crepe, and lemon tart. A little bit after eating, however, I started feeling little pin pricks on my upper arms. I hoped it was just psychological and tried to put it out of my mind.

 

 The calamari culprit (?)

We then headed to the railway station to catch the train to the ROP office in Dong Ha. It cost 40,000 dong per person ($2) for a soft seat in the A/C cabin.

  Ok, so we know which direction we are heading...

Upon boarding our car, I was immediately invited to sit down next to an older man who was quite drunk. He kept patting the empty seat next to him and pointing at me, grinning ear to ear. Luckily you are assigned seats when you buy your ticket and mine was out of his reach. After we got moving, he started talking loudly on his mobile and smoking (in a non-smoking a/c cabin). Charming.  

I didn't take too many photos on the train since I didn't want to look like the three weather-worn backpackers videotaping the bathrooms and snapping their flash. But I did get this one, and it pretty much sums up my experience (albeit short) with train travel in Vietnam:

See that man on the left with his leg on the empty chair? That could have been my throne...

We arrived in Dong Ha, met up with the only other expat in town and his coworker, had some beers, and went to bed. I woke up this morning to this:

Exhibit A

So, who knows what caused it--Calamari? Bug bite? All I know it's itchy as hell. Tucker and myself and the two Roots of Peace staff here, Binh and Lien, attended a 4 hour lunch with local government officials. (Otherwise known as "networking"). After the first beer the itching got worse, so I switched to Coke. About two hours into the lunch, Binh appeared with toothpaste and told me to slather it on my arms. Amazing relief! And he also had a neighbor lady prepare a strong green tea for me to wash with. I could feel my skin "shrinking", but it seems to be helping a bit. Whatever happens, don't give me any sandpaper as I might be tempted to use it.

Trying to make the best of itchiness

Click here for more photos