garnerbiker.blogspot.com: Saigon, Vietnam Day 2

Today was all about the Cu Chi Tunnels. I had seen and heard about them for a long time and now I had the chance to seem them in person. Not only did I want to see what the tunnels looked like, but I wanted to feel what it was like to be in the jungle that surrounded them.

We started off in the morning with a great "free" breakfast from the hotel. It was short and sweet, but we were able to talk with some of the people going on the trip with us. There was a group of 5 from Malaysia that we talked with for a bit and had an interesting conversation. Soon thereafter, the tour guide came to the hotel to round us all up. We headed out with them through the alley to the bus stop. There was one problem. There was no bus! The tour organizer was there and told us we had options. The bus was broken, but they were offering for us to take the boat to the tunnels, or wait for the bus to be repaired. It normally costs more, but due to the circumstances, it would be no charge extra. By luck, we were off to the Cu Chi tunnels by boat.

The boat took us up the Saigon river. It was scenic to say the least. The were numerous barges carrying gravel, diesel fuel, or food. After 2 hours, we got to the tunnel beach area. We left the boat and followed the guide to the tunnel entrance.

Once again, it was a European tourist party. There were only a handful of Vietnamese. That's fine, we were used to this by now. My ears go up in groups like this trying to see who is talking about Americans, or hear what they have to say about the museums. I try not to talk and give my nationality away too quick. I know once I talk it is over, so I just listen. They might not be so loud and free with their speech when they know who is listening.

The tunnel tour was impressive. We started with a short video in one of the bunker rooms and then took a tour of the grounds. From the above ground level, you could see a few enterances and air circulation holes. Even the cooking rooms had ventilation shafts to direct smoke and heat far away. They would cook only in the morning to hopefully disperse any smoke within the morning fog to disguise it. Also, we learned that any above ground travel would be at night and traveling would occur on the river in the darkness. The Americans and South Vietnamese had a real difficult time taking over these tunnels. The tunnels were in 3 different levels, had ventillation from numerous sources, and tons of escape routes. Fire would only harden the clay tunnels and water would drain out the bottom level back to the river.

There was a giant display of the booby traps as well. Most were variations of an in-ground design, but some were hung in trees and in homes. Something I didn't not know was the steel used in the spikes came from bomb fragments of the South forces. Also, if they found unexploded bombs, they would carefully cut them apart and use the powder for munitions of their own. Creative, huh?

One thing that was quite impressive was the "tiger trap." This is a rectangular hole in the ground with a rotating lid. In the bottom, about 5 feet deep was a bed of sharp bomboo spikes. Sometimes they would coat the tips of the spikes with poison, but when they found out that the sniffer dogs were being sent in, they stopped using the poison. By doing this, they could trap the dogs, and then eat them. Our guide told us that they loved to eat German shepards, and still do. She told us where to go to eat dog meat.

We found it funny that there was a firing range on the grounds too. You could shoot various weapons of the time and pay a hefty price for it. But, if you have never fired a gun, it would be an exciting place to do it. The cafe was right next to the range, so when you sat to relax, you could hear the weapons in the background making for a full experience. Yeah!

When it was time to leave, we took the option with the bus ride back to Saigon. It got us back to town in an hour, versus the boat's two hours. Each ride was different and impressive in it's own way.

We got a quick bite for dinner at a place recommended by the hotel owner. Very nice and simple. Right by the restaurant was a music shop that a Japanese guy told me about in Nha Trang. We went in after we ate and found the coolest instruments. I was on the lookout for the jaw harp that our Japanese friend was playing, but got a few others as well. I have the names of the in Vietnamese, but am working on the English ones.

On the way back to the hotel we saw a Circle K with a lot of people out front. Unexpectedly, we came across their Grand opening party. The entire staff was there and excited to see us as we were some of their very first customers, or at least they pretended well. The store is right in the middle of the hostel/hotel area for backpackers, and they can easily charge high prices for things that should cost less. Oh well, that's the business here. We just got a few items and hot dogs. No, not real dog meat, but close to what you get in the States, but not exactly right.