journey through vietnam, and of course you can get all the latest news and information anytime you want on our website, that's the ww dot com for me and all of us here at the w news. thanks for watching the big altima video companies play a role in the destruction of the rain forest. the letter for luxury casa, often comes from illegal capital funds in the m, as in yet the supply chains don't mess a video industry. illegal as a stats may said on dw the

book, and so i love it. every time i go to train and start walking the, it's 6 am and honda way, the vietnamese capital the,

the times that the daily flag raising on board in square the national anthem play and war veterans attend the ceremony. the, the protracted war between what was the north and south vietnam and the subsequent unification of the country. deeply ingrained in the memories of the vietnamese equals on this now historic square that revolutionary communist leader, quote she meant, proclaimed independence of the democratic republic of vietnam. in 1945, this mazda, liam, honoring the late president,

overlooked the square. but independence was not fully gained until the founding of the socialist republic of vietnam in 1976. at the end of what is known here as the american war. further east, at the heart of henry's old town, east one team lake nearly 50 years after the war ended. a lot of people have a positive outlook on the future. transportation infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with the countries rapid development, including both roads and railways. being across and guard isn't increasingly dangerous profession when town long has overseen this crossing for 12 years, the of the he works

12 hour shift in a job with a lot of responsibility to the right. so we don't sell it when you work here. it becomes your life. paul, what are you doing in vietnam? we say you have to carry your faith with you the the, i was almost 30 when i started working here and i had had a range of different jobs before the. yeah, working here is my face. what is the allow me to move ahead and i mean, long's mother was similarly destined to work for the railways. the highly confined surroundings mean the trains rattling through inevitably dictate the rhythm of locals lives, including new in town long. she was across and guard here herself for over 3

decades, and has been living here just as long. and i believe the community. i suppose it would be a good idea with my job to use the pulse of land and build a house for us here. the railway had no objection, and we're still here today. i'm going to do that. my oldest son has also been living here for years, not waiting. nobody wants to ship this over long, takes his birds and walks the short distance along the tracks back home the it's now time for lunch with his wife, his children, and his mother. after sundown, there's a hardy, a range of food available in henry's old town. muse cuisine is extremely varied, especially here on tie in st. are also known as bierce street. it's

a hot spot among the noise evening revellers. the just to the so is one team lake. the . 2 the this time is about taking the train home the because not far from the lake is a noise main railway station. the ticket counter is in the main waiting hall tree and travel in vietnam is

straightforward. we have tickets for the s t one at 1015. the sy gone express number one, the think? oh, yeah, the call is for that though, do you do? vietnam's real network was built during the french colonial period and has played a prominent role in the country's history, recounted to us by trends on bond, one to come to the station. he's a frequent traveler on this train. the railways are an important symbol for the 79 year old war veteran. the are trained the parts on time, the, the,

the, our journey will take us from north to south in this thing, coastal country and will last over 32 hours the, our route will take us right past the south china sea. the our journey will cross almost the entire length of vietnam around 1700 kilometers from handling to hope. schumann city previously known as psych on what our train we'll 1st take us past or rather special kind of attraction don towel or railway street where when one wheeling runs, one of the many cafe is lining the train track. he made himself restaurants here,

used to use waiters who would hop across the tracks to serve customers, apparel, his practice, that is now prohibited that because he told us that you know, you. so when you left this policy, there are few, a trains now, they used to come almost every hour. the schedule dictates my life, and my child is going to provide the sample name to them. so it goes, he's been seeing the trains passed by you for a to take on the way. he and there's no danger. now we have the theme of the tourist. so safe to that are you doing because the cost they own those are responsible for the damage from quantity over which i have no idea about that. i'm farmers. okay. the thrill seeking torres are good business for land. the north south line was built to be the backbone of the call entry, which as our train driver 1000000 queen,

queen notes also led to its repeated destruction. the route was again complete one year after the reunification of vietnam, the since the liberation of south vietnam. and the reunification of the country trains have resumed from illinois to sy gone and brought citizens from both parts of the country closer together with each reunification express, we bring people from the north to the south and vice versa. the it's a train that is a symbol and physical manifestation of the countries reunification. a train of

national reconciliation of a people once bitterly divided half a century later. it's a scenario that's hard to imagine. the train is a comfortable ride for nighttime travelers. and it's quiet enough for us to visit trends on bon in his compartment to join the communist vehicle and forces based in the north of the country. in 1967, lee, the lee my glove, my family received 4 notifications of my death. of those 9 was 91968. 1970197219745 redeem almost 999. 1 that came down. so not just one, but 4 times like really normal. 19 dumb,

laid me high level that did come lead me to non i can imagine it was a huge surprise for my family when i came home, the new light doesn't come on monday. yeah. not the it just been declared dead 4 times and still came back alive. you got, you know, more than willing to the other lady. you know, the typical that man's mother had even built an altar for her son. it stood in her home for 8 years until bon returned home. in 1976. she removed the altar himself. bonn, has since devoted his life to searching for the remains of fallen soldiers. the next morning we visit the van la nature reserve. near noon been the where we joined taylor

knob. the german biologist came to vietnam in the early 19 nineties and has since dedicated his life to the conservation of a rare prime in the you found at the 1st wildlife sanctuary of its kind. in the endo china region, in 1993, the sanctuary gives animals freed from poachers. a new home one of his primary focuses is della corps langers, a critically endangered species of monkey. i know the ask not feeling as well right at the start of like a gift from gaunt. we were able to see the 2 of these animals from poachers ongoing . from eric on 200 and the endangered primate rescue center was born,

tilo was its director for 25 years. he and the local conservationist played a big part in ensuring that primate like the del acor's lingers, have survived into the new millennium. the aim is for the animals to one day, the return to the wild, the company too low as he makes his way to the john unesco world heritage site and to an island where the now 82 year old once released a number of them onto the lenders with white pants, as they're also called have seen their numbers right back up to around 200. that's to you. it's not dollars either. all right, me is of course to build up a viable population. so that kind of thing is going to take several decades, e mail that you all tend about, unquote,

at the bible population means between 500000 down them on slice 1000 t on. and it takes a lot of time for a population of that size to build up for that. so and ask about the back aboard the reunification expressed a new day dawns and it's breakfast time. the passengers are served in their seats. coffee and the traditional morning suit, the almost 80 percent of the strategically important railway line was destroyed during

the vietnam war. of the $1300.00 or so bridges an estimated $1000.00 were reduced to ruins. although for tribes on the last of soldiers lives was far worse things we knew we knew that a lot of us would end up dead. we dug graves for ourselves. so for each battle, we'd gather together and promised that after the liberation the survivors would bring the bodies of the men who died back to their mother's checked all the last half hour. the ben took his 1st ever trip on the train in 1978. he dug up the remains of $34.00 conrad and delivered their death certificates to their families. in person, the fighting was

especially fierce in the province of kwan junior. the 17th parallel roughly coincided with the border that had been drawn up between north and south vietnam after the departure of french colonial forces in 1954. the area would later be witness to some of the bloody as battles of the war with memorials now honoring the casualties. such as this one in what was then north vietnam. we follow ban on this bridge across the 10 long river, until 1975 part of the border between north vietnam and the us back south. this monument commemorates the separation of families. the bones as the branch is a reconstruction of the original which was destroyed by an american air strike in 1972. he has long forgotten the border. he has originally from the north, but married a woman from the south where she now lives in his search for the remains

of fallen. soldiers continues to this day regardless of where they fought for the whole night. boeing i dropped of it. i need not picture day, i cross these bridge, i mean not as a soldier covered while thinking about the reconstruction of our country and how to heal the wounds caused by the war that can get out of night. and even with the large until you hit night, bon has commuted between the north and south and vietnam over 40 times on the re unification. express the journey progresses. further south, past the farms and fields that dominate the country's landscape. about 700 kilometers. later, we arrive in the way, the

way was the capital of vietnam during the wind dynasty, from 18 o 2 to 1945. when physical legacy of the period is the citadel, the police show residents of the royal family

the. the at 17 meters mom. it's the largest fresh water lagoon in south east asia. the majority of people in vietnam do not adhere to one belief system. they tend to follow one or several folk religion or an amalgamation of classical

fates the today, we will see the tapping out ceremony for this house to face with construction work basically complete the the ceremony is conducted by a monk. the, the, the ground floor will host a cafe. while the stories higher up are still being finished. the, i don't know, i'm the, i'm, and now it's being the means custom to celebrate

a new building being constructed. the prayers are for our ancestors. while for monday, the ceremony is to bring good luck to the owner to drive away evil and protect against unemployment. it's a really old vietnamese custom. distributing money is also part of the ceremony. a high before the earthly well is consigned to a fire and offering to those in the after life the

the most spectacular section of our journey aboard the reunification express is now beginning. the train passes beneath the del hives on the ocean cloud, past the the trains have to set off from late at night to allow passengers to appreciate this stretched during daylight, the

many passengers take the train just because of the breathtaking view. the going by train is safe and cheaper than by com. last, i wanted to see the scenery that the cloud palm. i am going to have the i have on the motion mountains constitute a kind of media or a logical border between north and south vietnam. a top torres destination and paradise for bikers.

the ocean cloud path rises almost 500 meters from sea level the the we reach our next stop, a few kilometers from the top of the past. the don on is a terminus station. so the engine has to be coupled onto the other end of the train,

the which gives us a brief opportunity to look around. the coastal city with a population of around amelia downtown is famed for its features. the 1st to us combat troops landed nearby during the vietnam war. the few americans set up a vital error base and on which subsequently grew to become one of the biggest cities in south vietnam the a few kilometers further south. we visit jolla. the old town enjoyed the rear feet of not being destroyed during the vietnam war.

and today, both moscow world heritage status. before our trained journey continues, we've arranged to meet someone outside town out on the tube on river, who tries to attract fish by hitting an or against his boat. he's always lived here and has mastered the art of coaxing his prey towards his round basket boat. the mad at rome uses the beautiful maid. how are you to that king told me to go to day and most hate. i was 9 when i learned how to swim and i've been working on the water ever since. i have them made up a black. oh yeah, i've never done anything else though. it doesn't come with them. when i go out in this round boat and every day i manage to catch a few key loads of fish. when i have a label that came to me and i'm book on today as i'm unfortunately an exception

for the 62 year old. the perhaps tomorrow's hall will be better of the we then return to the station and down up the the re unification. express sets off once again in the afternoon since the narrow tracks were built by the french, the train is often called the t g. v. after the same as high speed french train

around a quarter of the 1300 bridges are in need of renovation. the night to send early and swiftly in vietnam, we now get ready for our 2nd night aboard the train passengers used to be able to take a little detour here up to the lot at an altitude, almost 1500 meters. this delightful little station was built by the french in 1938 with touches of art deco style. the

railway was attacked by the viet calling during the vietnam war. the route was discontinued in 1968. a short tourist service was liter introduced featuring this scheme, locomotive the we meet and when due to behind the station, he was a driver during the war. ducking slater in the early 19 ninety's. he drove the called railway train and remained at the controls right up to attend the night. oh my look, quit google not doing the pack them. i was the last high game engine driver for the old railway and i don't, i was really sad when i had to stop in 2016. the trees on the like the new to was i don't like that. no local motive was my place of work, and i have very fond memories of it to all mean. it feels like an old friend. i

really miss it. i'm working with a lot and then i knew it. the temperate climate was one reason why the french founded the town of the building, a range of hotels and other buildings. the railway leech still not in 1932, which was eventually dog, little paris. the city is now home to over 200000 people. the then take a different kind of trip with the easy riders motorcycle club. the members have been hitting the road together in the area around the lot for over a quarter of a century. there i generate includes multi day tours and day trips for the club was not originally founded for the sheer joy of motorcycling. it was more out of

necessity with members turning a hobby into an occupation, a 73 year old home. explain the new things on google. yeah. go to the number. so number 1, december after reunification, older people have difficulty finding a job. but no, don't disney movie. i knew why my band, we started showing foreign visitors around the area. really newly english wasn't commonly spoken back then and then we'll in, but a lot of our members could turn in. uh they were teachers, professors or army officers. but we also are just talking to you got a new key. um, so you can go after a short ride, they show us the popular local attraction. the area around a lot is known for its waterfall and he visit one in number is named after a supposedly elephant like rock at the water's edge. although we were unable to

spot it 30 meters high, it's one of the most frequently visited water falls in the area, the near. now back on board, the re unification express for the final leg and our journey and the early hours. just a few kilometers to go until we reach coach human city. our 2nd morning on the train, [000:00:00;00] the 20 high is old enough to remember when it wasn't possible to take the train from north to south. boy, it's great to see our country unified. whenever i take the train now i no longer

notice any differences between the north himself. that's why i love writing on this training on that. it's 6 30 am as we pull into what she meant. city station, the the the re unification express arrives just 20 minutes behind schedule. despite having travel, 1700 kilometers, the train is not only a symbol of the countries. unity is also brought people from the to one hostile parts of the country a little bit closer, while making a small contribution to the reconciliation of north and south vietnam. the the side on sign deal adorns the station. people haven't necessarily gotten used to the new

name pushing in city the central post office and it's beryl bolton, main hall, are yet another reminder of the french colonial period. a portrait of the communist leader, who would she meant towers over the hall side on was renamed after him in 1976, following the defeat of south vietnam. amid the hustle and bustle of vietnam's biggest city with 9000000 inhabitants, people often seek refuge from the daily grind by visiting a toyota. we did to accompany new n t k. yet, as she goes inside the body and how to go to she lights incense to mark the start of her visit

the after prayers. the 47 year old buys a piece of paper where she writes down her name and her wishes of the she then hands over the know which is hung up on a spiral ornament. confident that her prayers will be answered. all of this is part of the ceremony in which prayers do not just focus on the wellbeing of the individual and their loved ones. one or 2 myself i have had a night. is that and you maintain that happening and everyone in my family is healthy. but i still go to the pagoda, to pray for a peaceful life. i'm for korea successful. i have

a couple of college jobs in addition to my main profession payment from the past. and i want to move to go, well, i want my children to do well at school. i just pray for everything to be. all right, well let's go with the cost of ok after the ceremony. pagan by some song, birds which show release again shortly afterwards. the, another ritual that's part of visiting the pagoda, setting the birds free as an offering, and just the post to create positive thoughts. deliberate ration of the animals is also meant to generate good karma, the an endearing custom to round up our in lightning journey across vietnam.

the, the, the india, the ancients cross street in india weaving is being done by her. and again, the number of autism is, is growing, and so is the income, because customers are prepared to pay more for hand with the industries flourishing to take off on to the next level. we need to educate and cranes, the eco india in 30 minutes. d,

w lots makes sure that the diversity of its residence, the commitment to one another, no matter what you're focused in 19 minutes the get ready for an exciting. i've been trying to look surprised. hi irish. and i'm ready to dive into the hands of human to you. have you have a one to talk to me before you go to the spot on the on expected side to side.

the the this is dw news coming to live from berlin. nature mark 75 years with a call for continued solid air, your needs are gone for its security. at the same time, north, i might have gone, also needs your alliance leaders, haile nato's history with an i to new challenges that could put it to the test. also coming up dw speaks to women in ukraine, volunteering to clear minds about 80 about 30 percent of their country is