Putney in Vietnam - Adult Community Service Program

Program Itinerary | Transportation | Suggested Reading

Detailed Program Itinerary

Friday, March 7, 2008:

Arrive in Hanoi. Putney will arrange for you to be met at the airport and taken to our hotel by taxi. The cost of airport transportation (and all other transportation in Vietnam) is covered by Putney. It’s about 45 minutes drive from the airport to the center. You’ll cross the Red River which is bordered by enormous dikes that were a key target during the “American War”. Hanoi is growing very quickly – there are now more than 3 million residents – and you’ll see construction everywhere. At one point you’ll pass an enormous, ornate gate (which looks like something from Las Vegas) that marks the entrance to an area the government is trying to develop to relieve congestion in the Old City.

Community House entrance in Hanoi Old City.

The Old City is where you are headed! The historic section of Hanoi is a maze of tiny streets just north of beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake. In contrast to many other Asian cities where historic districts were destroyed by war or are being razed for development, Hanoi’s Old City is largely intact. There is a mix of old and new, but few buildings are over 6 stories, and tiny pagodas and community houses with extraordinary traditional art open from narrow doorways between commercial buildings. Capitalism is alive and well in this communist/socialist city! Different blocks of the Old City continue with their traditional groupings of similar businesses. In the space of a few blocks you’ll pass from the sheet metal street to the flags/religious art street to the paper street and so on. Our hotel is comfortable and modern but right in the center of the Old City, making it ideal for informal exploring. If you take a walk, be sure to take a map and a copy of the hotel’s card so you can be certain of finding your way back!

Those who arrive in time will join the group leaders for dinner in a nearby restaurant.

Saturday, March 8:

Breakfast is provided at the hotel. The morning will be devoted to recovering from jet lag. Those who are interested can join a guided walk around the Old City, visiting the central market and other sights there. This will be a good time to learn how to cross the street in Vietnam. At first the solid mass of (beeping) motorbikes traveling at about 20 mph is daunting. However, if you adopt a slow, steady pace and walk directly in to the flow you will find that it magically parts around you allowing you can cross safely and, once you are accustomed to it, without undue anxiety. Do not, however, under any circumstances stop part way across! Confidence and predictability are key.

The first organized activity of the day will be lunch at nearby Brothers Café. Located in the courtyard of a beautifully renovated 100-year-old house, Brothers features a buffet offering the opportunity to sample the extraordinary variety of fine Vietnamese food, some of it prepared at stations adjacent to the buffet. Their bun cha (grilled pork on cool rice noodles) is rightly famous. A meal at Brothers is an excellent chance to learn about the options you will have over the next ten days. What do you want to be sure to have again?

In the afternoon the group will visit the Temple of Literature and Royal College, dedicated to Confucius. This quiet, leafy complex of traditional buildings was founded as an academic institution in 1070 AD. Vietnam’s many connections to traditional Chinese culture are evident in the architecture and intricate and colorful decoration. Those who choose to do so can continue on to the Ethnology Museum. Modern, and well-designed, the museum focuses on the extraordinarily rich and diverse cultures of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities many of which continue to pursue lifestyles and traditions quite different from the mainstream Vietnamese. The intricate clothing and weavings of the Hmong and other groups have received

The worksites are a great place to meet local kids.

attention worldwide. Interestingly, the needlework of the Hmong is so detailed and exact that Hmong refugees in the U.S. now produce almost all of the finest “Amish” quilts in Pennsylvania! Outside the museum is an impressive collection of meticulous recreations of enormous wooden long houses and community buildings characteristic of particular ethnic minorities.

After a simple dinner at a local restaurant, those who wish can walk along Hoan Kiem Lake to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. This art form, unique to Vietnam, features wooden puppets 10 to 20 inches tall that appear from the surface of a pool of water which hides the mechanisms that control them. They are accompanied by traditional song and instruments.

Sunday, March 9:

The group will leave early in the morning for the airport for an flight of about one hour to Da Nang. (Note that all Vietnamese words have only one syllable. In English we are used to referring to Hanoi and Danang but in Vietnamese they are Ha Noi and Da Nang.) Vietnam Airlines is the carrier, and you will not be able to distinguish the equipment or service from an American airline. In fact, American Airlines is a codeshare partner with Vietnam Airlines.

In Da Nang the group will board a 30 passenger, air-conditioned bus for the 2 ½ hour trip south on Vietnam Route 1 to Quang Ngai. This 2-lane highway is the main (and only) north/south thoroughfare in this narrow country. The view out the window varies from expanses of rice paddies to marginal housing, to tiny restaurants and repair shops. Diesel smoke and grime are prevalent, though you may also see rice laid out to dry on the shoulder of the road right up to the traveled lanes. Depending on timing, the group may stop at the Marble Mountains near Da Nang – a tiny outcropping of steep, marble hills that have been the center of a sculpture industry for centuries. On the top of one of the hills, easily accessible by foot, is a beautiful and peaceful temple complex that features some large caverns, one of which now contains Buddhist shrines, but was used as a secret hospital by the Viet Cong during the American War.

Lunch will be at a very simple beachside restaurant in the “China Beach” area. Whole steamed fish with vegetables, rice soup with shrimp, grilled prawns, and other seafood are the specialty. You’ll also be introduced to the thin, 1 foot diameter grilled rice crackers that are a side dish for most meals along the central coast.

You’ll pass through the city of Quang Ngai (population about 500,000) and continue about 8 miles to beautiful My Khe Beach. Known for its fine sand, attractive pine trees and profusion of tiny, informal, thatched, beach-side restaurants, My Khe (which is several miles long) has only two modern buildings -- the small (12-room, two story) hotel where the group will stay for 8 nights, and an adjacent restaurant. The hotel is directly across a small, seldom-traveled paved street from the beach. Accommodations are in single and double rooms that are simple but comfortable and feature all amenities including air conditioning. Note that this is rural Vietnam, so power outages occur on a regular basis but seldom last very long!

This region of Vietnam was a zone of particularly fierce fighting during both the war with the French after WWII, and the American War. At My Lai on March 16, 1968 a group of American soldiers perpetrated a completely unprovoked, horrific massacre of 350+ unarmed villagers – all women, children and old men. My Lai is about 2 miles from My Khe Beach. A substantial memorial marks the spot. There are recreations of some of the original buildings, and a small, graphic, and disturbing museum.

In the context of this violent history, the positive attitude of the local people is extraordinary. During the two years that our student groups have worked in the My Lai area, their reception by local people has been, without exception, enthusiastic, welcoming, appreciative, and kind.

You will soon notice that the Quang Ngai region is not on the tourist track. Though the My Lai commemoration may attract some visitors, it’s rare to see any non-Vietnamese in the city or My Khe, and only Putney participants have ever visited the rural villages.

March 10 through 15, Monday through Saturday:

These days will focus on work on three “compassion houses” in rural areas of the village of Tinh Khe, immediately inland from My Khe Beach. The rural villages around Quang Ngai are among the poorest in Vietnam. While there is no widespread hunger or malnutrition (the region is lush and produces three crops a year of rice) poverty is endemic, and many people live in little more than shacks. Working with the local authorities, Putney will identify three families who will have small, simple houses built to replace the inadequate structures where they now

A visit to the market in Quang Ngai makes for a fascinating excursion.

live. These are cement/brick/stucco constructions set on a cement slab. A portion of the fee for the program goes to the cost of construction of these homes. The Putney group will split into smaller work crews to work simultaneously on the houses with local builders. Prior to the group’s arrival the local people will have done sufficient work that the houses probably can be completed with six days work by the group. We don’t presume that you will have any special construction skills – just a willingness to lend a hand in jobs ranging from mixing concrete to simple brick-laying to spreading stucco to painting to site improvement.

While the compassion houses will be the focus of this portion of the program, there will be opportunities for other activities. Obviously the beach is an attraction for an early morning jog and swim, a late afternoon of relaxing, or an evening beer in a thatched restaurant under the pine trees beachside. There will also be opportunities to take a few hours off from work to visit places of interest in the area. These include:

An orphanage in downtown Quang Ngai;
The My Lai school -- three large buildings constructed entirely with funds raised by the Quaker community of Madison, Wisconsin, and filled with beaming, enthusiastic elementary kids who find a visit by Americans to be a great thrill;
A beachside complex of American War era tunnels and an observation post – the site of another massacre and a place mentioned in Tim O’Brien’s novels; and
The Thien An Hill and Pagoda, a beautiful, tree-shaded Buddhist monastery complex dating from the 17^th century placed at the top of a steep hill 4 miles from My Khe. The multi-story pagoda, intricate mosaics constructed entirely of broken tableware and bottles, antique bells, colorful shrines, and imposing tombs of previous abbots, are fascinating. Meet the 80-year-old senior monk who has lived there since the age of 10.

On one or more occasions during this time, Mike Boehm will join the group for informal conversation. Mike is a Vietnam veteran who has devoted the last 15 years to efforts to help the residents of the My Lai area. More information on Mike’s work can be found at www.mylaipeacepark.org. Mike will be in the area for the 40^th anniversary commemoration.

During this part of the program, the group will have breakfast at the hotel, lunch at the work sites with food provided by a local restaurant, and dinner at beachside restaurants or, on a couple of nights, at restaurants in Quang Ngai. Transportation to the work sites will be by private car, taxi or bus, or for those who choose to, by bike. Transportation to places of interest in the area will be by car or bus.

Sunday, March 16:

This is the anniversary of the My Lai Massacre. There will be a commemoration ceremony at the Memorial, and related activities. At present the exact schedule for the day has not been established by the local authorities.

Monday, March 17:

The group will leave early for the 2 hour drive north along the coast to Hoi An. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hoi An is a small, historic coastal city famous for its well-preserved, Chinese-influenced center, its many colorful assembly houses and traditional homes, its tailor shops (where Vietnamese come from around the country to have clothes made), and its beaches. In recent years it has become an international tourist destination. It’s generally considered to be one of the top cultural highlights of Vietnam.

Unless you chose to join one of the guides, you will have a chance to explore Hoi An independently. It has a small, compact central area perfect for walking. The group will gather for dinner at one of Hoi An’s many excellent restaurants.

If you want an item of clothing made, it’s likely that an early afternoon visit to one of the tailor shops can result in a morning fitting, and delivery of the finished product by the time the group leaves Hoi An for Da Nang in the early afternoon on Tuesday.

Accommodations will be at a comfortable hotel within easy walking distance of the historic district.

Tuesday, March 18:

Breakfast at the hotel, and free time to explore Hoi An until departing for Da Nang about 2 PM. Fly from Da Nang to Hanoi in the evening. Transfer to the hotel in the Hanoi Old City.

Wednesday, March 19:

The program ends after breakfast.

While it is possible to book a flight returning to the US on Wednesday, our presumption is that many participants may want to spend a few additional days in Vietnam. Because your interests are likely to be divergent, we have scheduled the program to formally end on this date, but we will assist you in scheduling independent travel for a few additional days. There are many, well-organized options for:

Short (one to two-night) cruises on nearby Ha Long Bay with its abrupt karst limestone mountains, caves, beaches, and religious sites, or Bai To Long Bay, a similar but less developed area a little farther north;
A couple additional days in Hanoi to take in the contemporary art scene, the shopping options, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and other sights; or
A two or three night (three to four day) visit to the Sa Pa highlands region to the northwest, accessible by the comfortable “soft sleeper” overnight train from Hanoi. The highlands offer gorgeous scenery, treks to remote villages of ethnic minority tribes, and markets that are internationally famous for their handicrafts.

The cost of these extensions is not included in the program fee. We will assist in planning and booking these excursions, but will not accompany you on them.

A Note on Transportation: (back to top)

The program will begin and end in Hanoi. Numerous major airlines serve Hanoi. At present there is no non-stop service from the U.S., but convenient connections are available through Tokyo, Seoul, and Hong Kong (among others). It’s possible to leave from New York about noon and arrive in Hanoi the evening of the following day. A day is lost by crossing the international dateline. On the return, flights generally arrive in New York on the same day as departure from Hanoi.

Travel to Vietnam requires a visa. A tourist visa good for 30 days is very easily obtained (in 2 weeks or less) by mail from the Embassy of Vietnam in Washington.