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Sunday November 2nd - 4th day in Nam
This morning we woke up early yet again. Just like yesterday and the Mekong Delta, we decided to just wing it and try to go to the Cu Chi Tunnels. We had heard from one of our friends, Raphael, that they just hired a cab driver to go so that was our plan. I actually talked to a guy yesterday who followed us around the first day and he said he would meet us at the Rex hotel where the shuttle dropped us off and he would take us. There was 6 of us total so he bumped the price down to $9 there and back. It was a good deal because the tunnels were over an hour away too. We took a mini van and we all fell asleep on the way there.
Once we got there, we bought tickets and started the tour. It is not just some tunnels that you crawl through. You can spend an entire afternoon at this place. First they brief you with a video and some background of the Cu Chi Village. It was basically one of the hot spots for guerilla warfare during the war and became famous for the elaborate tunnel system they had. They basically moved their village underground. We didn't have a tour guide so the 3 of us guys joined up with a small group of Germans who had a guide and the girls found someone else too. We started off by seeing some bomb craters from B52 bombers. We also saw some entrances to the tunnels where you could try to fit down into them. I fit down no problem but it was very awkward because you need your arms to lower yourself down but you also need to hold the lid to the entrance above your head. It was fun and made for those classic pictures of someone entering the tunnels.
The whole site was a system of trails that sent you from exhibit to exhibit so next we saw a trap that was a swinging door on the ground that gave way when weight was put on it. At the bottom of the pit were huge spikes. The guerillas in the Cu Chi village were also know for the traps they set for Americans. We saw a few trenches and all of the tunnel entrances around the trenches so that the guerillas could pop up behind the Americans and shoot them in the backs. There was an American tank, and then a long line of traps on display for us to see. All of them were spikes that would tear apart the leg of anyone who stepped in them. There were also things that fell from trees, and doorways to houses. It was pretty scary stuff and I would rather be shot then have to suffer from one of those traps. We saw some land mines and how they make them. Basically they are made from U.S. bombs that are dissected and made into mines. They are detonated by a stick sticking up from them and when the stick is bombed…boom. There are still landmines in the mountains and people still get hurt from them.
Next we got the opportunity to crawl through 100 meters of tunnel. This section was built for westerners and we were able to crawl through them no problem. We also crawled through original tunnels that were a little more claustrophobic. All of the tunnels had airways for air to get in and out. The guerillas also had underground kitchens and they made systems to spread the smoke from the fires out far away from where the kitchen was and you could barely see the smoke leaking out onto the forest floor.
There was a shooting range but it cost $16 USD to shoot 10 bullets in an AK 47. You could also choose to shoot other guns too. I didn't feel like spending that much money on shooting a gun, so we just got some pictures pretending instead. After the tour was done we thanked the guide for letting us join and we met the girls at the parking lot and drove back to Ho Chi Minh. We had some time left in the afternoon so what did we do…more shopping! We ate at Pho 24 again for dinner. I can't get enough of the Pho and I'm not sure if I have mentioned it before but it is a famous dish that is basically beef noodle soup but it is very good and fun to try and eat with chopsticks. I must say I am getting better at using chopsticks every day. They make eating a lot more fun.
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