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Published: March 18th 2008
Underground Hideout
Skinny hiding place for North Vietnamese guerilla (unconventional fighter who uses ambush tactics). Entrance framed in wood with small wooden lid - easily camoflauged.Tuesday March 18th
I'm writing this at 2:30am after a very exhausting day -- I think we were all in bed and asleep by 8:30pm. I woke up and thought I'd better write the days events down -- before I forget.
We toured the CuChi Tunnels today 25 miles outside of Ho Chi Minh City (though most people we speak to still call HCMC " Saigon"). Our tourguide's name was Mr. Bin. He was a soldier for Southern Vietnam during the American/Vietnam War fighting alongside the Americans. During our trip through the crowded streets -- this time by bus -- Mr. Bin discussed the history of Vietnam and the hardships of the Vietnamese people due to the constant struggle for independence from France, Japan, North vs. South and China. He explained the eventual price that he personally paid once the American/Vietnam war was over because of fighting for the South with Americans (four years in re-education camp to learn about communism and clean up mine fields). He's very matter-of-fact about all of this -- and plans to write it all down in his retirement once his son graduates from college as a doctor. Going to the CuChi tunnels with him
Sniper's Spot
These entrances are so small (that's a size 8 shoe next to it!) Tiny space for sniper to sit beneath the surface. was very intense -- as he would tell us what it felt like to be a soldier trying to combat a very smart guerilla army... how the Americans and Southern Vietnamese soldiers would make "operations" during the day -- and the North would respond during the night.
The tunnels were dug by local people using hoes and baskets -- they stretch for hundreds of miles and can be up to 33 ft deep. There were rooms underground (a kitchen, board room, infirmary etc). He showed us the resourcefulness of the people of CuChi -- using old tires to make sandals, bombshells to make booby traps. It was a strange feeling to be somewhat in awe of the ingenuity of the Northern fighters -- while feeling scared in a past-tense sort of way (for lack of a better way to describe it) for the American soldier and Mr Bin. We went into a tunnel with a guide and a small flashlight. Helen and Will could walk upright most of the time -- David and I were hunched over and at times had to slide on our butts. Will had to carry our backpack. At times when the guide would round
Inside the tunnel
Beleive it or not -- this has been widened for Western tourists a bend David and I (who were obviously slower than our kids and guide) would be in complete darkness. During the war, the area above the tunnels was being bombed and the forest cover was being destroyed by toxic chemicals. Today, bomb craters are still evident, but young trees are now growing again.
From the tunnels we went to a "workshop for the handicapped". Mr Bin says that in recent years the government has paid attention to the generation of people affected by Agent Orange and other chemicals used during the war. These people who have birth defects that made earning a living impossible -- now are working at making lacquer boxes, shoes, chop sticks (anything you can think of really) to earn a salary. As a result according to Mr. Bin, there are not many people on the streets asking for money as there had been in the past. The work is so tedious, crushing up egg shells to make designs that are then coated in lacquer and highly polished... using a hand saw to create very small details out of sea shells to embed in boxes, trays, etc etc to be lacquered and polished. We had a
Dog Trap
US/South Vietnamese forces utilized dogs to sniff out tunnels -- so traps were set specifically for them. Notice bamboo spikes... Dogs were then used for food. guide there named Choun (pronounced Tuan) -- who was very eager to fill our baskets with the handmade items. She and her workmates fussed over Helen and Will -- to the point of us all blushing. Their website is www.27-7.com.vn/handicraft/index.html (in case you are interested).
Lastly, we toured some sights in the city itself -- the presidential palace, now reunification hall (the gates of which were knocked down by a tank in 1975 when Saigon was taken over) and the Cathedral of Notre Dame (completed in 1883 with red tiles and stained glass imported from France during the colonial era).
At that point -- the kids had had enough history lessons and sight-seeing -- and were in need of a steam blow off -- which they did a little in the hotel's pool. We then went to a great dinner at a place called "13" -- where both of the kids fell asleep before ever eating. The restaurant workers got a huge kick out of this.
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Judy Lorigan
non-member comment
Wow...You should be a writer
Hello Hoags. I have been waiting all day for the new blog. How great. The photos are super. Tell Will that I love the photo of inside the palm tree. David having a beer is great as is the photo of Helen asleep at the table. Great shots all around. Tracy, you should be a writer. I know more about the Vietnam War than I ever knew just reading your blog. And you have such a flare. I bet National Geographic would love to have you. Can't wait to see you. Love, Mom-DeeDee