Ho Chi Minh City - Day 2

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Our second day started at 6am. We went to the Cu Chi tunnels , 2 hours out of Ho Chi Minh City. On the way our bus got a speeding ticket from the "yellow cows" (Vietnamese police). These are the tunnels that the Vietnamese lived in during the Vietnam War. We saw the booby traps that were made by Viet Cong to disable American soliders. They were all very grotesque and frightening. Some brave travellers went through tunnels like those the Viet Cong spent many years living in when fighting Americans. The tunnels were very small and we had to crouch down and in some places crawl to get through.

After a filling lunch when went to the War Remanants Museum which give us an insight into the affects of the war on the Vietnamese people. Agent orange stood out as particulary bad as it caused a lot of harm to the country and its people.

From the museum we visited the Reunification Palace. The first thing we noticed was that no one was allowed to stand to on the grass surrounding the fountian infront of the palace. We were taken through the palace by our lovely tour guide Anthony. It was beautiful and very exquisite. At the end of the tour we were all very tired so we rested in the hotel before shopping at the night markets.

The night market is a whole new experience of shopping. Every second person is trying to grab you and sell you something. Many bought suitcases and clothing, which was all very cheap. The food is certainly very different but also very good. At our breakfast buffet they were serving fried dragonflies- which some adventurous people tried.

Tomorrow should be amazing!

Rachel and Ria

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