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ten motorbikes coming along the pavement at you because the road is full
(also the pavement is full of parked motorbikes), but everyone treats it as
normal and there's no shouting or road rage. Nearly everyone wears a helmet,
except, oddly, the kids. If two parents have one or two kids on the bike with
them, it's the adults wearing the helmets.

Vietnam has come a very long way since the dark times of 40-50 years ago.
The US is assisting in the cleanup of sites still contaminated by Agent Orange,
though there is still no compensation for the hundreds of thousands of 1st,
2nd, 3rd and even 4th generation victims of genetic deformities caused by
the deadly dioxins in it.

HCMC is high-rise, vibrant, colourful, and tourism is based around food, busy
markets, temples, the Mekong Delta - much more than it is about the recent
history. It has parks and sculptures, open-air gyms and is building its first
much-needed tube line. Generally going about its business of being a modern
large city. It may be some way from building cycling superhighways, though.

BILL

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