Today we were off to the Chu Chi Tunnels. Vietnam was famous for these during the war. Cost us a mere US$5 for a half day tour. Yesterday's Mekong Delta tour only cost us US$9. The tours are really cheap.
Anyway, we were brought to a Wood-Art-Factory first. They showed us Vietnamese art done with painting or egg shells or mother-of-pearl shells. Bought some for my mom and we then proceeded to the tunnels. It is interesting to see the rice fields, and the rubber plantations, random horses and cows and goats and chickens along the road side. They even have people selling seafood like clams and crabs in buckets by the raodside. With every country becoming modernised, seeing such sites will soon be a thing you will just be able to see in picture albums. According to the guide, even Vietnam is trying to modernise by 2020.
We soon reached the tunnels. The guide brought us to watch a propaganda video about the American-Vietnam war and how the americans are bad people with death and destruction on their minds. We were then told to try out one of the original and unchanged tunnels. Being the only one with a flashlight inbuilt with my phone, I went ahead of my other friends. It was small, my thighs were hurting and soon, there was a fork in the tunnel. As I shone my flashlight around to see which tunnel to take, I was horrified by the sight of bats hanging on the top and the sides of one of the tunnels. A bat was flying around, but there was no way of turning back. So on my elbows and knees I went crawling hoping that the damn bat flying doesnt hit me in the head. I doubt such an experience would turn me into Batman. I made it out alive and well, and with no bat hanging off me. We were soon moving around to see the types of underground bunkers and rooms and the different types of traps made by the Vietnamese. They even sawed us bombs from fallen american tanks or planes to make small mines. A lot died while trying to saw off the bombs. Talk about desperate times. After all that, we were brought to a shooting range. We can buy bullets for about US$1 per bullet, depending on what gun we would like to fire. They had magnums, M16s and AK-47s to name a few. A minimum of 10 bullets had to be purchased. I bought my 10 bullets, and went for the AK-47. The re-coil is hard to control and my friend Eunice had a bit of a shock. Was really a great experience. We then headed to the War Remnants Museum where there were a lot of Gory Images.
There was no warning that there will be such images or any restriction for children.
We were soon hungry and went to Diamond Shopping Centre to eat at the food court there. Lionel and Lynn tried the local fast food there, while Eunice and me tried the local rice noodle with rice skin and pieces of beef and pork. Also got a side order of steamed fish. Was a prety interesting meal. We then headed to the Notre Damme Cathedral and the Post Office for more sightseeing.
Was really beautifull and had french architecture written all over it. After that, we tried to get to Chinatown. Did not have the address, so decided to head to a shopping centre which, as we were told by our hotel reception, should be near Chinatown. Took a taxi, but near the end, realised that this was no ordinary taxi. The meter was jumping fast and we had to use almost all our remaining 'Dong' currency to pay for the cab. To make matter worse, we were then told by the shopping mall staff that Chinatown was nowhere near. So with nothing else to do, we headed back. I had to ask the taxi driver to wait while I ran up to my hotel room to get my remaining 'Dong' currency, which I left in the hotel room as a precaution, to the taxi driver. After all that, we headed off to dinner, then to dream cones for some cheap Gelato Ice-Cream. After which, we went off to Highland Coffee, which is the equivalent to our Coffeebean or Starbucks. Soon we were back at the hotel. For one last 'taste' of Vietnam, I decided to try some snake wine. It was the most vile smelling thing ever. And the taste was no different. I washed that down with some Baileys :)
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