Friday, Feb. 18.
Our driver and the lady driver arrive right on time. We have no idea how far they have come to get us, so we settle for 30,000 VND each - about $1.50 - for the ride. We ask if they will drive us again tomorrow morning for the same price, and the man accepts. Must be enough.
The sidewalk and the street outside Sinh tourist office are a jumble of people waiting; buses coming, filling, and going; hawkers selling breakfast stuff and tacky-tourist junk; and ordinary people going about their business.
The bus leaves almost on time for the trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. Although it is a propaganda set-up, it is quite fascinating. The various booby-traps set up to kill the Americans are quite ingenious and deadly-looking. The tunnels themselves are Vietnamese size - if American men tried to enter, they would soon come to a narrowing and there would get stuck and become a victim. When they show the video, they show a number of brave young men and women who were awarded medals for killing American soldiers.
We get to eat some tapioca pulp, spiced with sugar and ground peanuts, and a weak tea, the diet of the locals during the war. Now, as before, this area is lush with edible fruits and vegetables.
Our driver and the lady driver arrive right on time. We have no idea how far they have come to get us, so we settle for 30,000 VND each - about $1.50 - for the ride. We ask if they will drive us again tomorrow morning for the same price, and the man accepts. Must be enough.
The sidewalk and the street outside Sinh tourist office are a jumble of people waiting; buses coming, filling, and going; hawkers selling breakfast stuff and tacky-tourist junk; and ordinary people going about their business.
The bus leaves almost on time for the trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. Although it is a propaganda set-up, it is quite fascinating. The various booby-traps set up to kill the Americans are quite ingenious and deadly-looking. The tunnels themselves are Vietnamese size - if American men tried to enter, they would soon come to a narrowing and there would get stuck and become a victim. When they show the video, they show a number of brave young men and women who were awarded medals for killing American soldiers.
We get to eat some tapioca pulp, spiced with sugar and ground peanuts, and a weak tea, the diet of the locals during the war. Now, as before, this area is lush with edible fruits and vegetables.
One of the barbed-spikes.
One type of dooby trap.
Getting in or out of a tunnel.I'm following her.
I'm next.
I'm glad to be out.
There does not seem to be animosity against the Americans now. As the Subway owner tells us: his ex-girlfriend/still best friend says; the Vietnamese were always fighting somebody and the US conflict was just a skirmish; the Vietnamese actually kicked-ass! Funny though, there is no talk about the Chinese help in the war!
With the help of the Sinh tourist people, Peter is getting the tour of Vietnam ironed-out. The prices are ridiculously cheap.
We return to the Beautiful Saigon hotel restaurant. This sounds fancy, but it is like most in the backpacker’s district: about 15 feet wide and forty feet long, the main level of a rooming-house. We don’t look at the rooms, but lots of people rent in these hotels.
I try the steamed Mekong fish and a plate of steamed carrots, green beans and beans sprouts garnished with a few peanuts. Great W.W. meal.
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