Along the Han River by junge1
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Description
I remember taking this picture for three reasons: 1) It was my fathers birthday-20 December, 2) It was the first time that I spent a winter in the tropics and I marvelled at the warm temperature that day-upper 70s to low 80s, and 3) last but not least DaNang was 'Off Limits' to Air Force personnel. Yet I boarded a Navy bus on the base (windows covered with mesh wire against attacks) to ride into town. Here I was, dressed in civvies, and snapping away with my recently acquired Nikon. I blended in with the many foreign workers. But if I would have been caught it would have meant a reduction in grade for sure. The problem was, how would I get back on base. Somehow I made it. But the atmosphere in the city was so exiting, with the locals dressed they way they were, walking along the boulevard under palm trees and other exotic trees, watching the activities on the streets and on the river. One can see the flag of South Vietnam and on the other side of the river the beginning of the peninsula that consisted of Nui Son Tra (Monkey Mountain), on top of which our radar site was located. The monsoon rains that year (1966) started on 23 December in DaNang.
This pictures was taken as a slide and a print was made in 1969 and I scanned this print in 2004.
Thank you for viewing and commenting on my recent uploads and a special 'Thank you' to those that may have added some of them to their favorites,
Sig......
A weather note: This afternoon the temperature on my patio was 116.1F (46.7C) in the shade and there was absolutely no reason at all to go outside.
Comments (28)
thevolunteer
I never knew it was so beautiful there. Love your story as well. Lucky you never got caught off base... Aloha
RobyHermida
Nice work! Great image. ROBY :o)
Iceshark39
Fantastic shot, Sig! Got off base lucky, huh? Lucky ;-) Beautiful shot for your efforts though and a wonderful tale to go along with it. Thanks, as always, for sharing!
tallpindo
Now the only places Vietnamese have that freedom are in Texas and Costa Mesa. The mood is exotic.
cameraobscura2
Greetings Siegfried, Your commentary is most interesting and I am very glad you were not found out and this little adventure of yours concluded without a hitch. I did notice the other woman, maybe the mother who quickly covered her face with the newspaper as not to have her identity revealed. Thank you for sharing. egmont
Mousson
Spectacular!
bclaytonphoto
wow..a nearly 40 yr old image...captures the times in which it was taken.
timtripp
excellent image.... excellent.
Richardphotos
beautiful country and capture.glad you were not caught or worse caught by the Vietnamese military
jocko500
there a lot here in Louisiana too. anyway I happy to see city life as it was. cool shot
ledwolorz
Fantastic photo.
dhanco
Great capture and interesting narrative of the events of that day, Sig. Glad you were not caught while on your escapade. Oh my! 116 degrees! Much too warm!
MrsLubner
These are all such interesting photos. Those years of the conflict were so much a part of my world. I never really knew what this country looked like when it wasn't on the news showing film of war.
Meisiekind
Looks deceivingly peaceful! Lovely shot Sig! :)
SapUS59
fantastic capture Sig and great story !!
bebert
nice scan for this beautiful shot !!
rawdodb
A Beautiful shot!!!
kgb224
Excellent capture.Glad nobody cuaght you.
JeffG7BRJ
Great capture Sig, I don't think that it is a newspaper up to her face myself, it looks like a vail covering her. you can see her eyes, just. Or is it? The other woman has definately clocked you. The boy is totally unaware, to him you are just some tourist taking a picture. So glad you didn't get caught, a lowering of status usually means a lower pay packet as well. I think you loved the thrill of the chase Sig. Lol. Excellent work. Bravo!!!!!
virginiese
What a story ! Great capture and for sure, it is really exotic :-)
marybelgium
SUPERB ! Love the tones...
durleybeachbum
It's great reliving your excitement!
dragonmuse
Wonderful tale. I find myself intrigued by a couple of things.. one is the exotic trees.. Living in the north, one doesn't see anything like them. The other is the seeming casualness of people just going about their business on a beautiful day... as if there were no war. Only the woman's camera shyness gives any inkling. I wonder how many of these people are still alive today.
mizoli
Beautiful photo!
lucindawind
it looks so nice and peaceful there but we all know its wasnt ! fanastic capture
gattone_blu
Excellent capture bravo
Miss_Smile
Nice Shot and nice story as well as.
Chanter56
LOL I remember doing the same thing in Bien Hoa which was off limits also. We would jump in back of 2 1/2 ton and jump off downtown and run to our girlfriends house. In the morning we would catch another one headed to base :) OH and we got caught once and relocated to HUE with the 101st Airborne Div. Welcome home by the way!