Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon)

(We are catching up on posts before we head home so check to see which ones you have read in case we have uploaded them faster than you can read them. We have had a wonderful time exploring and writing about our adventures, although we will be sad to leave, we are looking forward to seeing our families again and eating food our bellies are used to.)

We arrived in Saigon and walked to our hotel one road over from the bus stop. Our hotel was lovely although we were on the fourth floor, actually the fifth with no elevator. It made it nice and quiet so high above the city traffic. The first thing we noticed is Saigon traffic does not have as much horn honking and the scooter/motorcycle drivers almost obey traffic lights!

For our first full day we decided to do a day tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels. As soon as we got on our bus  we saw Tina and Luka! We enjoyed catching up on what had happened after our bus ride from H E double toothpicks on the way to visit a Cao Dai Temple for the morning. After our nine hour bus ride the day before Fish and I were not really feeling sitting on a bus again and the temple was a three hour drive away, not the best news but doable. 

Cao Dai is a Vietnamese religion with about two million followers  in southern Vietnam. I believe our guide told us it was started in the 1930s by a Vietnamese man who was sent a spiritual message to begin another religion by combining existing ones to create world peace. Followers pray four times a day at 12am, 6am, 12pm and 6pm for thirty minutes. Followers wear all white although once they begin to rise through the ranks they wear either red, blue or yellow. 

We visited the original temple which took over ten years to build during the war of independence from France. The temple looked like a cross between a Catholic cathedral and a Chinese pagoda. There are parts of all the religions here, from statues to the actions of the followers during prayer. There is meditation, chanting, choir singing and music. We visited during the noon pray time which visitors are welcome to watch provided they follow some simple rules. No pictures with you in them whatsoever as it will bring you bad karma and disrespect the gods. No loud noises. No walking past the front door, you must walk around the temple the long way. This is because during prayer the gods use this door and they will even stop traffic on the road outside.

Front of temple

Massive temple

Just before prayer time

With this in mind we watched some of the service and were amazed at how rude and disrespectful people can be. Why push to the front just to stay for 30 seconds before pushing back again? The service was amazing the temple was beautiful and the children's' choir was interesting to hear.

As we left there were people posing for pictures in the front hallway, one guy leaned back against the picture and broke the surrounding neon light. It caused a loud noise and the security guards freaked and came running. He held it pretending it was fine, took one step away and smiled for the photo. How disrespectful can you be?

After lunch at a local restaurant we headed to the Cu Chi Tunnels. During the Vietnam War the Northern Vietnamese soldiers were unable to attack from the north so instead they moved through Laos and Cambodia and came towards Saigon from the west. They build a network of over 200km of tunnels under the ground to hide and protect their soldiers. They tunnelled in multiple levels around the area. These tunnels were so well hidden that they were able to control the jungle by stealth and terror. The entrances were 25cm by 35cm with camouflaged covers. From there the tunnels were narrow and low with many narrower sections that could be collapsed to prevent any enemy infiltrators from going farther within the tunnels.

An entrance to the tunnels

The ventilation holes were made to look like terminate holes and even the kitchen smoke stacks were separated and fanned out over the terminate holes so that the Americans would not see smoke and figure out where the kitchens were. They tunnelled to the rivers and would cross unseen under water with straws to breathe.

A disguised air hole

We were shown the uniform of the soldiers and why they were better adapted to the terrain of the jungle. We saw a simulated weapons factory where they had opened an old one up so it was no longer under ground. We could see the terminate holes everywhere once we knew what they looked like.

Simulated soldier in uniform

American bombs

Our guide showed us different kind of traps used to catch Americans and why they were so lethal. The tunnels were so strong and secretive that four actually ran under the American base without them knowing.

Trap

After the traps we went to the firing range where you could select guns of the war and fire them with real bullets. Fish and I decided to try it because when would you ever be able to fire these types of guns. We selected the AK47 also know as the Kalashnikov and headed to the range with a veteran. Then we each fired five bullets with the AK47 for good measure before heading down into the tourist tunnel. I made it down the first flight of stairs all opened up for tourists. Then you entered the tunnel down more stairs, then it turned a corner before going down more stairs. That corner and seeing more stairs were the last straw. I completely freaked out and backed out. You were told NOT to do that, if you go down you have to continue the 20m until the exit. Thankfully Chris was the only person behind me and had not entered yet so I could back out safely. It was small, and hot with you needing to bend over to walk. I went back up and waited for Chris to surface. He came up soon and said it wasn't so bad. They have 100m open to tourists with exists every 20m however it had started raining and they only let them go 20m.

We watched a propaganda DVD about how the Americans had come to peaceful Vietnam to take over and the Vietnamese had prevented that. The tunnels show just how strong the Vietnamese people really are and how much they were willing to go through to survive.

That evening we had a lovely dinner with Tina and Luka before checking in for the night.

The next day we walked to the War Remnants Museum which has heart. Reading displays about the Vietnam War. Although it was good coverage, it would have been nice to see more than photos. We understand why the reviews all say it was very one sided although history is always written by the winners. The museum was educational to say the least.

We then walked to the Reunification Palace although we did not go in. It would only be open for another half hour and it was a national holiday so the place was a zoo. From there we meandered back to our hotel, passing the Ben Thanh Market on the way. One could get lost in the isles of that place. We can't understand how people survive selling the same items as everyone else. However we did some shopping for one or two things and left as quickly as we could. Chris is a master shopper in places like that. They give the price, he walk away, they drop it immediately. He thinks about it. He then walks away, the price goes down again. He thinks some more, offers a lower price and they almost always take it. Chook our tour guide from Halong Bay had told us the real price is around half of the first one they tell you.

We were really craving a burger so we found the best reviewed joint online and it ended up being across the alley from our hotel, score! Chris had the cheese burger while I had a chicken burger which ended up being a chicken schnitzel on a burger, double score! Chris was jealous.

The next day we strolled through the market again on the way to our next destination. We bought chopsticks which Chris ended up getting the guy down so low that his mother started glaring and yelling at him, even though Chris wanted to go lower, her anger meant we had a good deal and the chopsticks were SOLD!

Norte Dame Cathedral

We went to visit the Jade Emperor Pagoda which is an emperor but not made of jade so that was weird. You could buy a turtle outside and write your name on it for good luck before placing the little fella in the turtle pool inside. They were cute but poor little fella with writing all over them. From there we walked to the Botanical Gardens, which we never found. We did find the History Museum and decided to stay there. At this point we were a little bored of seeing all the war museums but this one was all about Vietnamese history and full of artifacts and French people.

They have a Water Puppet theatre so we watched a show. It must be hard work being a puppeteer there as you work in waist height water all day. The show was nice and only half the price of the ones of Hanoi so we timed it right.

When we left the museum it started the daily downpour but thankfully my Omi let us use her hotel room to dry off. Yes you read at right, my Omi was in Ho Chi Minh City at the same time as us!!! It was so nice to see a friendly face and to be able to share stories with her. When she travels we always like to joke that she is famous and knows people everywhere. And here you go, she goes to Vietnam and finds her granddaughter!

Omi treated Chris and myself to a fantastic drink and dinner and it was a nice break for all of us. It was our fanciest meal yet. The restaurant was fantastic and the company better. Omi, when you read this, thank you so much, it meant the world to us. You are the best!

After spending the evening with Omi we caught a cab back to our hotel passing a night market along the way. As it was our last night in Vietnam we walked back to the night market to check it out and enjoy our last night walking through the craziness that is Saigon traffic.

The next day we were off to Bangkok again for our flight home. In all Vietnam was our favourite country's to visit as both the people and the food were fantastic.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Love,
Chel
Xoxoxo