ROMANCING VIETNAM

Rating:
Summary: Interesting,it captures the true essence of the New Vietnam
Review: Having lived in, and visited Vietnam many times over the last ten years, I read Justin Wintle's travelogue with great interest. He really captures the day to day experience of living and travelling in this wonderful country, without the pretentious and condescending attitude prevalent amongst most Westerners. I am sick of books written by people who forget that this is a progressive and caring country battling to improve its economic situation, and where travel is now easy and unrestricted. Many travellers and writers seem to believe (falsely!) that they are God's answer to the problems of a downtrodden and oppressed Vietnamese people, and falsely represent themselves as intrepid explorers and saviours battling against a maniacal state regime (read Mariah Carey's "3 Moons in Vietnam" is you want this drivel!) Vietnam's people are amongst the brightest and most resilient in the world and love their country - Hell! They fought the Chinese for 1000 years, the French for 100 years and the Americans for 10 years and endured incredible suffering just to have the right to call it their own. They have their problems - so would you if the Americans had ensured that your country was bankrupted and impoverished for the last 25 years, but, for sure, they'll get over them. Bravo Mr. Wintle, you really get to the heart of the country and its people and I'd love to read a follow up now that the US embargo has (in theory at least) gone.