Deb: Then its off to the Cu Chi Tunnels (pronounced Goo Chie). This is a system of deep underground tunnels having several floor, alleys and branches like a spider web of more than 250 kms. The tunnels were dug with simple tools and bare hands during the French occupation in the 1940s, and further expanded during the Vietnam War in the 1960s to provide refuge and a defensive advantage over the American soldiers. Despite all the bombings in their towns, the Cu Chi people were able to continue their lives beneath the soil, where they slept, ate, planned attacks, healed their sick, and taught their young. Some even wed and gave birth underground, but over 10,000 lost their lives here.
The
spider in his hole. Too small for me to get both shoulders through!
Going
down...
Typical
tunnel. This is roughly 20' below ground level.
Coming
back up in a different place. Big ladder!
A
guy can go a little funny down there.
I
had a choice of guns to shoot: AK-47; M16 Carbine; M60; M1 Carbine;
or a M1 Garand & Russian SKS. I choose an M16. I never did hit
the target but was surprised there was no recoil...kinda liked that.
Happiness
is a warm gun.
Steve:
We have a few more days in HCMC, so time for a bit of sightseeing
and a couple more tour-things. Deb was very disappointed that we
didn't get to see the water puppets when we were in Phu Quoc, and it
turns out that they must be long-distance swimmers because they are
here now! Not only that, they are within walking distance of our
hotel. The bad news; they are All Sold Out. We put our names on a
waitlist and hope for the best.
We
were staying in District One, which is pretty much where all the
Happening Things are. Having said that, this is a honking big city
and you can drive for miles and miles and there's just more miles and
miles. The main market is just 3-4 blocks from our hotel, so we
checked that out a couple times and we mooched around on foot
checking out the McDonalds (4 floors, the 3rd-floor kitchen delivers
everything to the main floor via dumbwaiter, GOOD COFFEE.) and the
parks and public squares and things. Oh yeah, we went to a 5-storey
shopping mall that had a theatre, bowling alley, arcade, and food
floor all on the top floor. The Hobbit plus popcorn and a drink for
five bucks. The Hobbit won. Again. You would think with all the
effort they put into the Orc Breeding Program it wouldn't be too much
to ask that they could kill one elf, at least a dwarf or two, they're
just little fellas. Yawn.
HCMC
is just another stinking city, but they have made a real effort to
beautify the downtown with enormous led lighting displays that
stretch for miles, and lots of city parks alongside the main streets
where people can come and hang out, do their tai chi, etc. Pretty
civilized.
Lots
of long narrow parks like this along the main thoroughfares.
Not
Rush Hour.
Hangin'
out at a typical (on the) sidewalk cafe.
Overhead
led lights. They often go for a mile or more.
There
were about 50 of these on a median, each with about 10,000 lights.
Better
than a backpack!
Lo
and behold, the day before we were to head for Mui Ne, two tickets to
the Water Puppet Theatre showed up!
Deb:
Well this was a treat. It was fun and very entertaining even though
we were in the nosebleed section. The puppets are run by people
behind the props who are also in the water. The photo's did not turn
out that great because we were so far away. The puppets are made out
of wood and then lacquered. The shows are performed in a waist-deep
pool. A large rod supports the puppet under the water and is used by
the puppeteers, who are normally hidden behind a screen, to control
them. Thus the puppets appear to be moving over the water. When the
rice fields would flood, the villagers would entertain each other
using this form of puppet play.
Dragon
boat racing.
Duck-stealing
cat in the tree
Obligatory
fire-breathing dragon
These
ones are real. I think...
Steve:
There were fishes, ducks, tigers, dogs, children, and fire-breathing
dragons. It was interesting. After the show we decided to take a
long circuitous walk back to the hotel and we discovered a group of
really nice restaurants, and we had a great meal in a lovely setting.
A great ending to our stay. Except for the food poisoning...
Believe
it or not, we jay-walked through this. No one bats an eye.
Remember
that rule about not eating in fancy restaurants? Why are these
people smiling?
Deb:
Our last night here we went to this fancy restaurant where I got
food poisoning. I am not sorry to see Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon in the
rear view mirror. I'm glad we experienced it but also glad to leave
the city. It doesn't matter what country you're in, a city is a still
just a city.
