We also stop at a Viet Cong cemetery straddling the "McNamara Electrical Fence". The VC tombstones have an 8-inch square cut about 1 inch in which mourners may place a stone just as Jews might place a stone on top of a grave marker.

Observation about driving and blowing horns. Horns in Vietnam are simply a communication tool designed to say, "Hi, I'm here." In the U.S., horns are also a communication tool, but for more complex ideas, such as, "What the hell do you think you're doing in my space. How dare you, you ignorant piece of excrement."

We stop at Truc Lam Village, built be a consortium of international foundations. Every unit is about 12-foot square and given to a Viet Cong survivor.

Surprise du jour

Passing back south of the DMZ, I spot a billboard on AIDS awareness: Five dancing condoms. Who knew?

We dine at a roadside Com Pho (rice and noodle house), intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 9, Dong Ha town. Arriving at 12:15, the place is packed. Departing at 1:20, it is empty.

Tho and Huieu had catfish and bitter melon soup. I select shrimp and noodles.