When researching the My Internet Graveyard post, I ran across an old blog entry for a series I’d hope to make called Personal Site Spotlight. The idea was to highlight a blog or website, that I’ve run across and enjoyed. I thought it would be a fun way to share some interesting sites and maybe shine a light on some blogs that haven’t gotten the attention they deserve.
I only made one true entry and that is the post I ran across. I’ve decided to dust this old post off and repurpose it here as I once again, attempt to highlight some websites that I’ve enjoyed.
Back in the 90’s, finding websites wasn’t all that easy. Most of the time you utilized link pages or webrings to find other sites of similar interest. There wasn’t much to internet marketing and I loved the whole word of mouth approach to recommending websites.
Recently, I’ve been enjoying my time on the internet more after finding some likeminded users who have great blogrolls and lists of links that have guided me to some of my new favorite sites. I also spent some time digging through the directory of Neocities looking for more “personal sites” that create the type of content I like to consume online.
One of the sites I ran across on Neocities is called Jack Spratt’s Vietnam Experience. At first look, I thought it was an old website that someone had just re-uploaded on Neocities, but it turns out this is a website that is still active and updated.
Jack Spratt’s Vietnam Experience is a list of stories about author Jack Spratt’s time in Vietnam. These aren’t the gruesome war stories one might expect, but more or less a series of memories of lighter moments and just mundane daily experiences while in Vietnam.
Mr. Spratt has a photo gallery on his site that shows you what life was like on a swiftboat and he also sprinkles in photos on occasion throughout his stories. The stories are told in a casual remembrance type of way and it’s exactly the way I love to read personal recollections.
I spent this morning reading through all of the stories and I really enjoyed myself. Jack Spratt’s Vietnam Experience is an excellent look into the life of a sailor during the Vietnam War and I look forward to any new stories he may add.
I got to visit Vietnam right before covid, and it was an amazing experience. I only wish I could have stayed longer and gone to other locations. I went to Ho Chi Minh City, and went on a boat to a village that took us across the Mekong River (same as he patrolled). It seems there used to be many more crocodiles and other fish in that river in old days, but because of all the chemical warfare, hardly any of it remains, though it is returning (at least that is what our guide told us).
Vietnam is an amazing experience, very friendly people, and everyone just seems to be enjoying their life and lax. They also have so many cafe’s for Vietnamese coffee and tea which is amazing.
If you ever get a chance to visit, I suggest you go 🙂
That sounds wonderful. I’d love to see Vietnam. I used to follow a blog where an American had relocated there and it sounded like such a relaxing place.