Monday Oct. 13
This morning we were picked up by the tour company van and we were the only two passengers headed to Cu Chi Tunnels. This was the third day that we used Buffalo Tours, and we have found them to be “first class” with new Mercedes and Toyota vans. The guides all speak English and are very familiar with the area.
We reached the tunnels in about one and a half hours. On the way we passed many rice fields and rubber tree plantations. The country is very tropical with rich vegetation. We made a stop at a government run work shop where handicapped veterans and others produced the most beautiful lacquer ware. We were shown all the steps taken in producing the large variety of items, some of which were priced in the thousands of US dollars. It is interesting to note that US dollars are the preferred currency here and we had to convert out Vietnamese dong back to US dollars, having converted a large amount to dong upon our arrival. We found no resentment to Americans here and people are extremely friendly. You get no feeling that you are visiting a communist country. When the war ended in 1975 the population of Vietnam was about 40 million and now it is 80 million. Well over 70 % of the population is under 30 years of age.
The tunnels were dug about 50 years ago as a means of hiding out from, and waging guerilla warfare against the French and later against the Americans. The Viet Cong and their wives lived in the tunnels for months and years, even giving birth to babies down there. The tunnels were dug in three levels as deep as 30 feet below the surface. They are low and narrow—possibly 4 feet high and 30 inches wide. Bunkers were dug along the way where people lived and improvised weapons to use against the foreigners. The soil is a mixture of sand and clay and with the moisture present, the tunnel became as hard as cement and no supports are needed. We saw many “booby traps” that were used against the enemy. We did get to go down and through about 100 feet of a tunnel that could cause a person to get claustrophobia. Pam was able to walk stooped over but I had to crawl on my hands and knees with my shoulders touching both sides of the tunnel. The tunnels are not lighted so the guerillas used flash lights and kerosene lamps. The bunkers were usually about 20 feet by 20 feet and about six feet high. Here they lived, slept, cooked their meals and made weapons and ammunition. At a rest area on the tour we were given refreshments of green tea and tapioca and we were told that tapioca that grows in the area was the food staple of the tunnel dwelling V.C. Tapioca was cooked and tasted something like sweet potato with similar texture.
It was an experience that we enjoyed immensely and it gave us a better understanding of the horrors of war and the great danger our military personnel faced in the thick jungle where snipers could be hiding, unseen, and near by.
The weather here is extremely hot and humid and after being outside in the tunnel area for an hour, we were completely wet with perspiration.
We arrived back in HCMC about 1:00 p.m. and we still can’t get over the number of motor-scooters on the streets and highways. We were told that the population of HCMC is 8.5 million and the number of motor scooters is 4 million. You would not believe the scene here with up to four people on those little scooters and many carrying tons of products as they weave in and out of traffic. It is extremely difficult for the average person here to own a car and it seems that only the wealthy and taxicab owners drive cars here. Of course hundreds of minivans and busses crowd the streets. Large trucks seem to operate at night so that helps the traffic a lot during the day. Large trucks are brought in from Japan and Korea but many used trucks have come from the US, particularly cab-overs that were formerly owned by large US trucking companies before deregulation allowed conventional-type of trucks that are now used in the US.
This morning we were picked up by the tour company van and we were the only two passengers headed to Cu Chi Tunnels. This was the third day that we used Buffalo Tours, and we have found them to be “first class” with new Mercedes and Toyota vans. The guides all speak English and are very familiar with the area.
We reached the tunnels in about one and a half hours. On the way we passed many rice fields and rubber tree plantations. The country is very tropical with rich vegetation. We made a stop at a government run work shop where handicapped veterans and others produced the most beautiful lacquer ware. We were shown all the steps taken in producing the large variety of items, some of which were priced in the thousands of US dollars. It is interesting to note that US dollars are the preferred currency here and we had to convert out Vietnamese dong back to US dollars, having converted a large amount to dong upon our arrival. We found no resentment to Americans here and people are extremely friendly. You get no feeling that you are visiting a communist country. When the war ended in 1975 the population of Vietnam was about 40 million and now it is 80 million. Well over 70 % of the population is under 30 years of age.
The tunnels were dug about 50 years ago as a means of hiding out from, and waging guerilla warfare against the French and later against the Americans. The Viet Cong and their wives lived in the tunnels for months and years, even giving birth to babies down there. The tunnels were dug in three levels as deep as 30 feet below the surface. They are low and narrow—possibly 4 feet high and 30 inches wide. Bunkers were dug along the way where people lived and improvised weapons to use against the foreigners. The soil is a mixture of sand and clay and with the moisture present, the tunnel became as hard as cement and no supports are needed. We saw many “booby traps” that were used against the enemy. We did get to go down and through about 100 feet of a tunnel that could cause a person to get claustrophobia. Pam was able to walk stooped over but I had to crawl on my hands and knees with my shoulders touching both sides of the tunnel. The tunnels are not lighted so the guerillas used flash lights and kerosene lamps. The bunkers were usually about 20 feet by 20 feet and about six feet high. Here they lived, slept, cooked their meals and made weapons and ammunition. At a rest area on the tour we were given refreshments of green tea and tapioca and we were told that tapioca that grows in the area was the food staple of the tunnel dwelling V.C. Tapioca was cooked and tasted something like sweet potato with similar texture.
It was an experience that we enjoyed immensely and it gave us a better understanding of the horrors of war and the great danger our military personnel faced in the thick jungle where snipers could be hiding, unseen, and near by.
The weather here is extremely hot and humid and after being outside in the tunnel area for an hour, we were completely wet with perspiration.
We arrived back in HCMC about 1:00 p.m. and we still can’t get over the number of motor-scooters on the streets and highways. We were told that the population of HCMC is 8.5 million and the number of motor scooters is 4 million. You would not believe the scene here with up to four people on those little scooters and many carrying tons of products as they weave in and out of traffic. It is extremely difficult for the average person here to own a car and it seems that only the wealthy and taxicab owners drive cars here. Of course hundreds of minivans and busses crowd the streets. Large trucks seem to operate at night so that helps the traffic a lot during the day. Large trucks are brought in from Japan and Korea but many used trucks have come from the US, particularly cab-overs that were formerly owned by large US trucking companies before deregulation allowed conventional-type of trucks that are now used in the US.
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