Abstract:

VIETNAM --"While one country since U.S. withdrawal in the late 1970s, the contrasts between what was North and South Vietnam are stark. The people in Hanoi rely on their feet for transportation, be it by walking, bicycle or pedal cart. Take a boat ride through Hai Phong harbor on one of the over-crowded ferries that take many of the residents to and from work. See the monument to Ho Chi Minh as thousands of Vietnamese pay tribute to their national hero. To the south, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) is alive with motor vehicle activity. The French and American influence is still strong. The stores and sidewalk vendors have a wide variety of merchandise for sale. Take another look at the rooftop of the American Embassy and remember tanks breaking down the front gate as the last helicopter takes off. Take a trip to the prosperous village of Cu Chi and its unusual marketplace. Cu Chi is also the home of 150 miles of underground tunnels which played a key role in the Viet Cong war strategy. CAMBODIA--"Known to its people as Kampuchea, Cambodia is still fighting many of the internal conflicts which filled our newspapers a decade ago. Yet the people live their daily lives with remarkable optimism. Attend a performance of the Cambodian Ballet, one of the finest dance companies in the world. Party in the modern capital Phnom Penh during the Lunar New Year (TET) Celebration. View the Royal Palace. Tour the ancient capital of Angkor THom which is a cradle of hundreds of years of rich history. Marvel at the majesty of the famous Angkor Wat (Temple). This videotape brings into your classroom the land and people of Cambodia as they are today." LAOS--"From the modern capital city of Vientiane to the beautiful ancient capital city of Luang Prabang, visit Laos and the people who inhabit this least-developed country in Southeast Asia. Travel down the Mekong River which still is the main highway of, and provides the basic economy for, the villages found on its banks. Take a trip on a 'road' which requires 3 1/2 hours to travel just 18 miles to a national park. Walk down the almost deserted streets of the Vientiane where bicycles outnumber cars and pushcarts are the predominate form of retail 'store'."