Cruise to Southeast Asia, Part Two

As I have said to many people since our return, the Southeast Asia cruise was a journey back into recent history, in which we learned the long-term outcomes of what we had lived through when young. During my twenties, the Vietnam War was background noise, something to be opposed to, but I never inquired into the colonial past of Vietnam or the rationale for US involvement, such as it was. On the cruise, a series of four lectures by Major Rod Baldwin, a military historian who had formerly served with the New Zealand army in Vietnam, provided the background for understanding the French and subsequently the American investment in South Vietnam and the horrifying events in Cambodia, fallout from Nixon's bombing of the country. At the same time, I was reading a volume Daniel had given me for Christmas, J. M. Barwise and N. J. White's A Traveller's History of Southeast Asia, which served as a very convenient textbook. Book and lectures in combination became a mini-course preparing me for Ho Chi Minh City and later Cambodia. The other two onboard speakers offered interesting lectures, though they were not directly related to the cultures we would experience. Gavin Roser, a really charming man, talked about naval history and maritime operations. It was probably more interesting to Ron--ships, like automobiles, are to me just transport vehicles, not objects of romance. Eric Sidebottom, a professor of the history of medicine at Oxford,gave a series of talks on the origins of plague and the effects of plagues on history. Since I had dealt with the Antonine Plague in the last chapter of Sexuality, I found his coverage of the Greek and Roman periods absorbing and right on target. On the way to Singapore we crossed the equator; those who had never done so by sea before were initiated (see accompanying photo). Singapore has a bad name among political progressives because of its severe penalties against drugs, not to mention laws against littering and a ban on chewing gum. Nevertheless, it was a marvelous city, particularly impressive because of its futuristic architecture, like the Marina Bay Hotel (below). Our introductory excursion took us to Mt. Faber and Chinatown, fantastically decorated for the upcoming Chinese New Year (the Year of the Snake, obviously). One highlight was the botanical gardens--more orchids, and a bounty of other tropical plants thriving in the moist equatorial climate. After the city tour, Ron and I found our way to the National Museum of Singapore, which provided a detailed photographic history of the Japanese occupation. At evening the ship departed the Singapore Cruise Center, the city glowing around us as darkness fell. Another day at sea heading toward Ho Chi Minh City. Days at sea became very boring. I finally resorted to staying in the cabin and working on the Catullus bibliography I'm compiling for Lustrum. Since we had cruised with them previously, the Aegean Odyssey line hads upgraded our quarters at no additional charge. We had an unimpeded outside view, making the cabin bright and fairly comfortable, even though small.