September 21, 2026

I joined in with 49 other Ship Residents to attend an event the next day at The Vietnam War Remnants Museum also known as The Museum for Peace. This was put together by our residents as part of our ongoing efforts with the Ship's Odyssey Rotary Club and our Global Flagship of Peace initiative.

The event had Madame Ton Nu Thi Ninh a Vietnamese diplomat, politcian and educator as the guest speaker. She served as the Vietnamese Ambassador to the European Union and other European countries such as Luxembourg and Belgium from 2002 to 2007. She spoke candidly and with great enthusiam, on Peace and Reconciliation. We then had a symbolic ringing of the Museums's Peace Bell followed by four cultural musical performances. The morning wrapped up with guided tours of the War Remnants Museum.

The Museum currently has a photography exhibit on display, that was quite interesting. Alot of the photos were extremely distrurbing, but I thought it really showcased the many who gave their lives to get the story out and capatured so much of the pain and suffering in their photos of the innocent, who just happen to be living in this war torn hell.

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HO CHI MING CITY, VIETNAM

By Pat Patrick • September 21, 2026
HO CHI MING CITY or SAIGON was our last port in Vietnam . The downtown area was an hour away from the Port , so most of us got Hotel rooms in town, as prices were so reasonable. Sadly, it was a rainy four days, but that kept temperatures moderate and we could still get out and do most things. We stayed in district #1 as most of the City highlights are in this area along with the nightlife. Traffic is very busy in the City, especially motorbikes. Crossing the streets needs to be done with intent and quickly as there are very few traffic lights or stop signs.

SHIP SHENANIGANS - CLUE PARTY

By Pat Patrick • September 16, 2026
It's never a dull Sea Day on the Odyssey! We have such creative residents, that are always coming up with new ideas to entertain ourselves and have a good time. This plot was the calculating of Eddie and Michelle - a Game of Clue! The rules were simple - find the party venue at 8:30 pm, come dressed as a character, weapon or room from the game and solve the mystery of who stole the Ship's bell.

TERRACOTTA ARMY - XI'AN, CHINA

By Pat Patrick • September 16, 2026
In March of 1974, some local farmers outside Xi'An, China are digging a well and accidentally hit one of the great archaeological sites in the World! They were paid one day's wages for the find, roughly 4 USD! The Terracotta Army was dubbed the 8th Wonder of the World by France's President in 1980 when he came to visit and wanted to meet the farmers, the oldest was then, 89 years old.