We have finally made it to Ho Chi Minh (or Saigon as most of the locals refer to it). We spent a bit of the day yesterday in the War Remnants museum, where we also bumped into some people we met in Nha Trang. Some of the photos on the second floor are particularly harrowing as they show the effects that the chemicals such as Agent Orange or Napalm had on the Vietnamese people and their children as it caused horrendous mutations. There was even a glass case containing several preserved foetus' that were seriously affected by the horrible chemicals. America dropped around 83 million litres of chemicals across Vietnam and large traces can still be found in fish, meat and the water supply today. The most moving part of the museum (I found) was a letter from a girl, Tran Thi Hoan, who was born with only her right arm and was a second generation victim. She had written to Obama, explaining that she wanted to train as a doctor so that she might go back to her rural village and surrounding area to help those who had been affected by the chemicals- she had been refused acceptance into medicine and had asked Obama to help people like her. It was so eloquently and beautifully written. I think if you click on the link it will take you to a copy of it CLICK FOR LETTER. Some parts of the museum, especially on the lower floor, were quite amusing to read as the articles and photos were heavily biased towards the Vietnamese and contained a lot of propaganda. An entire section was dedicated to all the countries and protests which fought to get America out of Vietnam. It was as if the Vietnamese were invincible and no one in their armies ever died, whilst swathes of the American forces were killed.
Today we also were particularly touristy and took a trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. We were in a huge group and our guide was rather hard to understand but we followed him around the trails in the jungle looking at all the horrific traps the Vietnamese set up to capture American soldiers. We watched a demonstration of how the Cu Chi people used to fit into the tiny trap doors and then recover them so that they were never found by Americans. The tunnels had three different levels; the first one was a couple of metres under the ground, the next was 4-6m and the last one was up to 8 or 9m down. The deepest one was only about 40cm in diameter-so I guess its lucky that the Vietnamese people are very petite. Its now been pointed out to us on numerous occasions that they think most Westerners are pretty "big". Also another thing they say when you tell them your from England is reply with 'lovely jubbly' to everything you then go on to say. Next was the most traumatic experience. I hate small spaces, so going down into the tunnels (they are enlarged to fit fat tourists down) was horrible. There is a 100m length of tunnel that you are allowed in which get smaller and smaller towards the end. At 40m and 60m you can get out, I only made it to 40m. I am in complete admiration of the Cu Chi people who lived there.
More motorbikes than people
Stopped off for some seriously good ice cream
Inside the Art Museum
War Museum
Our ridiculously lanky friend
at the tunnels
Some off the horrific traps the Cu Chi people set up
the original way that rice paper was made
they have amazing fruit here!
crazy roads of Ho Chi Minh