One of the things that I was looking forward to doing when we came to Vietnam is going to see the Cu Chi Tunnels. These are part of the tunnel network used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam war to circumvent the South Vietnamese and U.S. armies, to launch attacks, create mischief and store weapons and foodstuffs sent to Saigon from Hanoi via the Ho Chi Minh Trail in preparation for the Tet Offensive. I'm no war buff, believe me, but I had read about these tunnels and really wanted to see them for myself. I think we all found the tour to the tunnels fascinating and horrifying all at the same time. I think we were all astounded at the sheer ingenuity that went into the creation of this network. These were more than just tunnels - the Viet Cong created and entire subterranean world down there complete with sleeping quarters, storage rooms, kitchens, meeting rooms and even hospitals. They dug tunnels and rooms at different levels from three meters below the surface to twelve meters below the surface, and the tunnels were so small that very few American soldiers could ever manage to squeeze in there. This is our guide Buffalo squeezing into one of the tunnels. He's a very small guy and you can see it's a tight fit.
The Viet Cong disguised their ventilation shafts as ant hills and lined the bamboo air tubes with honey so that ants would travel in and out of the hole, making it look more authentic. They even stuffed pieces of U.S. Army uniforms into their ventilation shafts so that when American troops used dogs to try to sniff out the tunnel locations, all they would smell coming from the ventilation shafts were an "American smell," so the dogs would just go right on by and never detect the Viet Cong. They even designed special sandals that were wider in the heel and narrower in the toe, creating a backwards footprint so that when they would walk, their footprints would appear that they were actually walking in the opposite direction. And let me tell you, when it comes to heinous, evil booby traps, the Viet Cong had the market cornered.
Evidently, life in the tunnels was something of a nightmare. Of the 60,000 Viet Cong who lived down there during the war, only 6,000 survived the perpetual darkness, the lack of good air and healthy food, the intense heat and the constant attempts by their enemies to flood them out, gas them out, shoot them out and finally bomb them out.
There was a section of the tunnels that was enlarged for western bodies and stairs were added so that anyone who wanted to could go down in one of the tunnels to see what it was like. I had fully intended to do it until I heard that you would have to crawl or crouch through the whole thing and it was extremely hot down there. Oh, my goodness, hotter than up top where it felt like 300 degrees at 4000 percent humidity? No way, Jose. Thanks but no thanks. Mom and I took a major scoffing pass but Jill and Frank gave it a whirl. So glad I didn't go down there! Evidently a couple of women started freaking out due to claustrophobia and had to be taken out. Then our tour guide kept stopping the line so he could take a photo of each person, prolonging the experience. Now, our guide wears a small microphone and we all wear a device with an earbud so that we can all hear him talking to us as we're touring around. Evidently, he left his mic on because all of a sudden my mom and I can hear Jill loudly and clearly in the tunnel saying, "Is it over yet? Nooooo, you don't have to take my picture!!!!!" My mom and I were dying! As you can see, she made it out alive, but possibly with a new phobia of confined spaces.
And here Frank is demonstrating just how small the "enlarged" tunnel was. The originals were so tight that the Viet Cong had to crawl on their bellies, pushing their guns ahead of them until they reached a room chamber. Then they could crouch like Frank is doing.
Friday we left Saigon behind and headed off to Our next stop. Tomorrow I'll catch you up on all our doings in beautiful Hoi An.
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