After a record 250 days at sea without a port stop, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has docked in Thailand, giving its nearly 5,000 crew members a much-needed break.
The ship is docking close to the beach resort of Pattaya, known for its raucous nightlife and for sex tourism. For the US it also carries strong historical echoes.
When the weary sailors walk into the city’s bars and restaurants, they will literally be treading in the footsteps of the hundreds of thousands of US troops who came here for R&R – rest and relaxation – during the Vietnam War.
