Lady Saigon (Ho Chi Min City)

District 1 Ho Chi Min City

So we have finally arrived in Ho Chi Min City. I was predicting that Ho Chi Min would be much like Hanoi, the 2nd largest city in Vietnam. In fact the two cities feel nothing alike. Hanoi has a very ancient and cluttered feel, while HCMC seems very modern and high paced. We made our way to the back packer section of town and settled in. Our new mission on this trip is to get to the Beach's in Thailand ASAP, so we only planned two days in the city.

The first day we hit the markets and did some major shopping. We also arranged a tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels the following day. On the morning of the second day we headed off to the tunnels of Cu Chi. Our guide that day was a former soldier for the Vietcong and actually fought in the tunnels. He was born and raised in Cu Chi. The first stop in the tour was an area where they explained to us how the tunnels came to be. Originally it was just one tunnel system when the Vietnamese were at war with the French. The tunnels were still there during the American war(Vietnam War). During that war they expanded on the tunnel system to an impressive 250 km when it was all finished. Some rooms were as deep as 60 meters under ground. They also showed us a propaganda film made in the 60's. Most of us found it quite hilarious because of how they portrayed Americans, refering to us as "a crazy batch of bastard devils"! After the briefing we toured the grounds. Bomb craters littered the area. We looked at different tunnel sections and even got to squeeze some live rounds through a M30 machine gun. Wicked! At the end of the tour they allow you to crawl through a 150m section to get the feel of it. Even though the tunnels were lit and widened to allow tourists through, it was still very cramped. Some sections you had to lay flat to pass. After that experience I could not imagine how thousands of Vietnamese soldiers and their families lived and fought in the tunnels. Sometimes they spent as much as three months underground. It was truly frightening!

Chillin with my comradsReady to pounce

Kristen emerging from the tunnels


One of the many craters

Deep inside the tunnels

Still creeping

Any questions??

For our last few days in Vietnam we decided to see the Mekong Delta. We saw some floating villages and visited a cocoa nut candy factory. It was a pleasent afternoon. That night we stayed on the border of Cambodia to get ready for our crossing the following day. The ride to the border from the Mekong Delta was four of the most terrifying hours I have spent in a van. Our driver was crazy even by Vietnamese standards. He swerved back and fourth into incoming traffic. Every eye in the van was locked forward watching the traffic swerve and barely miss us. I know we only missed some cars by inches. The only victim was an unfortunate dog, which took a good wack from the front bumper before scurrying away. Tomorrow we are heading to Phnom Penh, Cambodia by river.

Little girl at a Muslim village

Another Muslim girl selling cakes

Houses along the Mekong

Adam and Miguel's lunch of Elephant Fish (native to the Mekong)

Total destruction!!

Thinking back on our time in Vietnam I began to remember what I saw there. It takes some work and dedication to break away from the tourist trail and see some authentic Vietnam. It's actually quite hard to find. Every now and again you catch a glimpse of it. What you find are very friendly locals who work extremely hard every day to maintain their place. They love the their country and for obvious reasons. Overlooking the crooked hostels, constant honking, pollution, and the difficulty traveling the area, Vietnam is truly a beautiful and ancient country. I don't know if I will rush back here anytime soon but I am so happy that I have experienced it! -Miguel