Cao Dai Temple - Cu Chi Tunnels

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Today the 3 Amigo's head to Tay Ninh to visit the quite South Vietnamese people for those in Cao Dai Sm -

This is a unique religion that you might never expect to encounter, arriving in time for its noon time prayer service, you enjoy peculiar hymns with followers attired in brightly coloured gowns (red, yellow, blue and white). The colourful painted 3D sculptures adorn the many pillars both within and outside the temple with its unusual shaped roof, while inside looking down down the long hall you see a most impressive brass ball with the all seeing eye. This occult practices from Taoism, theories of karma and rebirth from Buddhism, and a hierarchical organization (including a pope) from Roman Catholicism. Well worth the visit.

Next stop, was the underground villagea Ben Dinh in Cu Chi District, which ws used by the guerillas during the Vietnam War.

Cu Chi used to be a bitter battleground for many years during the Vietnam War. Some routes linked to local rivers eg Saigon River, their top soil firm enough to take construction and the movement of heavy machinery by American tanks, the middle tier from mortar attacks, and the lower, 8-10m down was impregnable. A series of hidden, and sometimes booby-trapped doors connected the routes, down through a system of narrow, often unlit and invented tunnels.

When you visit, experience what it would be like to navigate the underground village with its intricate network of over 200km of tunnels at Ben Dinh, 50km form HCMC.

Experiencing just a small portion (100m) of what it would be like to crawl along the tiny underground tunnel is an experience in its self. Expect to come out hot and sweaty, and wearing a little of the tunnel, as your body touches all sides of the tunnel.

While in Cu Chi Tunnels try your hand at one of the many guns used in the War. Beware!! The sound is deafening.

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Comments

[Beruta & Noel]

Cu Chi Tunnels
Glad to see you didn't get stuck. Last time we were there some poor Canadian girl got stuck - very funny.

[HappyTravellers]

Cu Chi Tunnels
Guess What??? One of the 3 Amigo's got stuck also!!!! Oh I wonder who that would be???

[Dave Hertel]

birthday
Happy birthday Francine !!!!... love the blogs

[Richard Lavis]

Temple & Tunnels
Hi Guys, the temple looks temendous, how did Alec get his big shoulders down the tunnels. Ramona how did you get stuck in the tunnel

[Martin]

Mean machine
Add some wheels and you'd have no parking problems back home. If they've got a pope in there (at the temple) as well then they're covering all the bases. Cheers Martin