The above statues sit outside the Robert Taylor Museum , which I had to photograph because they reminded me of the current crop of politicians – you pick the country.
None so blind as those who will not see what those who elected them can see.
If I don’t hear the complaints, there mustn’t be any.
I never said that, you misunderstood me . . . .
If you click on the above link you will see a page in Vietnamese, click on the top right hand black box to have a choice of English or Vietnamese. The English is not all that clear, but it will allow you to click on the gallery for more detailed images.
The Robert Taylor Museum of Worldwide Arms is the full title of the museum, Robert Taylor is the owner and the operator.
Mr Taylor, who is British, visited Vietnam to work in 1991 to establish a company specialising in the construction of anti-corrosion, insulation, sound insulation and personnel training. He later married a local girl, and in 1996 he settled in Vung Tau, the city in which he now lives.
From a young age he had a passion for collecting old weapons and military uniforms. Over the years he has collected 2500 items; guns, swords and uniforms. About 1500 items are between two and three hundred years old.
In 1996 he began procedures to obtain permission to import the various weapons and uniforms in to Vietnam so as to create a museum. This took four years before he receive the licence to do so. When this happened he sold his assets in the UK.
The museum opened, but in 2012 he divorced his wife, and because of property problems with his wife, the museum was closed.
In 2015 the provincial government offered, as a loan, the current building that Robert now occupies, and the museum reopened.
The museum has become a ‘must see’ attraction for visitors to Vung Tau City, not just for foreigners, and it is open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm.
Forecourt of the museum – the entrance to the building is on the left.
Welcome
There are two floors of exhibits – the above is on the 1st Floor.
Also on the first floor are exhibits of
Chinese, Mongols, Samurai, Greeks, Romans & Vikings uniforms and arms.
As we climbed the stairs we met some old friends, Henry VIII
Admiral Nelson
Napoleon Bonaparte
Pikeman from the 1600’s
The 2nd floor focused on the Napoleonic wars – French, British, Russian & Dutch exhibits.
A display of British uniforms through the ages.
There is a special area within the museum complex for the Australians.
A display of mementos for Long Tan, and the 50th anniversary of the battle,
which was in 2016.
Australian evening dress uniforms, with the wall covered in mementos.
Memorial service for the 50th anniversary of the battle.
WW2 has not been forgotten.
The portrait is of Kaiser Wilhelm II, Emperor of Germany and King of Prussia, who ruled from 1888 to 1918, after which he abdicated and lived in exile in the Netherlands.
He lived long enough to see the rise of Hitler.
Wilhelm died in 1941 and is interned in a mausoleum in the grounds of the house in which he lived from 1919.
German monarchists visit the house frequently, and in 2012 the house had 25,000 visitors from Germany.
For $5 USD the visit to Robert Taylor’s museum was well worth the fee, and extremely interesting.
We docked alongside a working port called Phu My (pronounced Foo Me) in Vietnam.
Tommy’s Bar & restaurant.
Fifty-two years ago, this area was the HQ of the Australian forces in Nui Dat, photo taken 2018.
1966
Fixing things after a monsoon rain storm.
When I took this photo, I was standing at the end of the runway as it stretched in to the distance. Don’t forget the runway was in use 52 years ago, and the vegetation has grown since.
Rubber plantation near Long Tan. This was the terrain in which the battle was fought.
Memorial at Long Tan – only two foreign memorials have been allowed in Vietnam, the Australian memorial here at Long Tan, and the French memorial at Dien Dien Fu. The French lost their battle in 1954.
I photographed a memorial photograph taken during the 50th anniversary of the battle.
50th Anniversary 2016
Current pathway from the road.
Minh Dam Mountain Memorial, to the soldiers from this area.
There were thousands of names.
An interesting place to visit, except that the monkeys would throw rotten fruit at visitors. Perhaps they blamed us for the bombing.
Tommy’s for lunch
A day out of site seeing, education, and memories, what more could you want for USD $40 / person?
or Qantas 
, but when I checked on the prices I realised that Vietnam Airlines had a virtual ‘monopoly’ on the route. Qantas did not operate their own aircraft, but sold tickets on their subsidiary airline Jetstar 
. Once I knew this I checked the cost of the Jetstar tickets. Their tickets were still too expensive after one added various additional charges for food, drinks, and entertainment.
(our old friend), which would require a night stop in Kuala Lumpur (more cost), Cathay Pacific 
via Hong Kong was too expensive, Thai International 
; a possibility over Bangkok, but they were expensive, so I finally checked Singapore Airlines 
and their rate was the same as Jetstar fare when I add on the additional cost for food, drink & entertainment. In fact Singapore Airlines was a few dollars cheaper than the total Jetstar price, and much cheaper than Vietnam Airlines, so it was Singapore Airlines, which would require an hour and a bit transit time in Singapore; but our bags would be booked through to Saigon. (Ho Chi Minh ).
There were eight of us (four couples) and we’d visited Malaysia & Sri Lanka so where next. Because I was responsible for arranging the two previous holidays the question was aimed at me.
I was reading ‘Brighton Rock’ by Graham Green, so I thought why not Vietnam to see the Continental Hotel in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh), where Graham Green wrote much of his novel The Quiet American? I’d love to sit in the hotel for a drink.
silverfox175 