Tunnels and beaches
The Cu Chi tunnels were certainly eye opening. Due to horrific traffic in Saigon it took about 1 1/2 hrs to get out of town and to a crafts shop for the famous laquerware. It is run totally by peoples who were adversly affected by agent orange and they do amazing work! I had no idea it was so labor intensive and what was really eye opening is that most laquerware designs are done using sand and broken egg shells. They are painstakingly applied to the design and then 11 coats of laquer go on top. Just amazing. I bought a bracelet and we got a small picture of a fisherman throwing a net.
Then on to the caves. It is always interesting to us to hear the “other side of the story” and, of course, in the states we generally only hear about how horrific the VC soldiers were, Americans in POW camps, etc. And, that is all true. However, being here and seeing the evidence of the horrors WE inflicted upon the Vietnamese makes you realize that no matter whos side you’re on that war is, indeed, hell and a horror to all involved.
So, we took the video they showed with a grain of salt and then headed out to see what we’d really come to see which was the tunnels. It’s an amazing system which runs for 250 km!!! The tunnels basically completely encircled US headquarters in south Vietnam. A small area of tunnels were originally done during the war with the French and then during the Vietnam/American war they increased them to what they are today. A few areas were bombed but amazingly enough most are still passable today (if you’re about 5’2 and 98lbs!!!)
After viewing some of the ways they used to trap the enemy and seeing the start of the tunnels you could pay to shoot some weapons so Jim did take a few shots with an M-16. Then, time to actually go in the tunnels. I declined because I’m slightly claustrophobic to begin with. I would have gone in if I could have gone in alone but with loads of tourists crowding in even Jim came right back out and only did 30m of the 90m tunnel you could climb through. They had cooking , sleeping, and storage rooms built underground throughout the system as well. Really, very ingenious.
We got back to Saigon/HCMC around 3pm and had a relaxing last evening in town just people watching and wandering around.
Our bus to Mui Ne left at 7am the next day. As usual, the 4 1/2 hr trip took around 6hrs but we’re getting used to that. Little Mui Ne Cottages was just fantastic. Mui Ne is tiny and quiet (no horns honking 24hrs a day!!!!) and the beach and scenery is beautiful. We had a garden view bungalow with the first comfortable bed we’d had in over 3 weeks. Heaven! One night we wandered next door for dinner and, being the only 2 people there had the owners undivided attention. When we complimented him on the rose he’d carved for our plates he insisted on getting another tomato and showing us how he’d done it. He was just so happy to see us..it’s been so wonderful throughout the trip to have people truly thrilled and interested to see you.
We spent 3 days just lazing between the lovely pool and the beach chairs and then 1 day took the 1/2 day sand dune tour. We got up at 4:30am to be at the sand dunes by sunrise. It is an amazing thing to suddenly turn a corner and find huge sand dunes! We did some sledding down the dunes, which hurts when you crash, and then headed to some “yellow” dunes, did a walk through a river to a very interesting canyon called Red Canyon and visited a fishing village. It was fantastic to watch all the women bartering over the fish and watching the give and take. Lots of great photos of the fishing boats and some shopping for bracelets from the kids on the beach. Certainly a fun morning and we still got the afternoon by the pool!
On 12Dec we took the afternoon train from Mui Ne to Nha Trang. It was supposed to be 4 hrs but, you guessed it, took around 6 1/2 or so. After about 1 hr on the road we had to stop for 1 hr as the bus had a flat tire. 3 hrs back on the road and the guide announced it was 1 1/2 hrs to town but we’d stop in 30minutes for toilet. Well, we’d passed about 4000 gas stations and restaurants at this point but they instead pulled down a side street so the MEN could get off and pee by the side of the bus. Lovely!!! I was fine or would have been out there with them but some women on board were not too thrilled!
We ended up staying at the hotel the bus dropped us at. We hadn’t had a place in mind and it’s fine. $15/night for a big room, aircon, hot water and a HUGE balcony. Pretty comfy beds too thank goodness! We went to the Cham Towers ruins today by bike tuk tuk. They were built in around 784AD or so and were in ok shape. However, I fear after seeing Angkor that most smaller sights won’t be so impressive anymore!
Tomorrow we’re doing a trip to the mineral mud baths and hot springs in the morning and just packing up for our night train to Danang. From there our hotel in Hoi An will transfer us back there for 3-4 nights. The entire city is a UNESCO world heritage site so we’re looking forward to some great sight seeing.
Vietnam has been great so far. It’s unfortunate that an entire generation of Americans have such negative feelings towards the country. I hope that it will fade in time, just has it has in Germany and other WWII sites in Europe. The coastline and beaches are gorgeous, the people are friendly and the food is good. I’m sure more great things ahead.
Cheers for now! J&R
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