Tunnels, Swimming, and Giraffes

Today’s post will be like a Lost episode from this season. One story line on the island and the other story line off the island. Doug stayed in HCMC with the kids and Audrey and I went to the Cu Chi Tunnels about 1.5 hours outside the city (now don’t go thinking Doug’s a martyr – he’s going to get his turn in a few days). This was the most bombed and defoliated area in the Vietnam War. The Viet Cong guerillas built an intricate web of tunnels where they cooked, slept, lived, and fought. Cu Chi was continually bombed in an attempt to destroy the tunnels.

Audrey and I almost didn’t make it to the bus. We booked through Sinh Cafe, which is a great tour company in our favorite part of the city (yes, we’ve been here long enough that we have a “favorite”!). They seem to be open all the time (like most things around here) and we just went in last night and booked for this morning. They told us that the bus was leaving at 8:15. Now, we’ve been getting up pretty early with the newest edition to the family who refuses to accommodate to our lazy ways, so that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that the traffic is even crazier at that time of the day! It was the first time we’ve ever had to wait for a cab and then it was just our luck that we had the only non-aggressive driver in the city. He only beeped his horn once and kept letting people in front of him – must have been new. We got on the bus just in time – they don’t check names to see if everyone is there. You snooze, you lose. They also were really prompt – no 5-10 minute grace period like in our part of the world. The bus left at 8:15. Luckily, we were on it!

The tour was fascinating and quite awe-inspiring. What we didn’t realize was that the people of Cu Chi, a rural area known for its easy-going lifestyle and abundant fruit, were all fighting in the war. They weren’t trained soldiers – just ordinary people who were forced to do some pretty extraordinary things to survive. Some examples:

• A 16 year old girl won an award for killing the most American soldiers one day. Her father had already been killed.
• The people of Cu Chi used traps that were normally for killing animals to trap and kill American soldiers.
• The people collected undetonated American bombs and land mines to kill the Americans. When they found a bomb, it would be the job of two people to saw it in half and collect the gunpowder. Some people survived this job and some did not.
• The tunnels that were built were three different levels: for living, fighting, and traveling. They were quite ingenious with how they built air vents into the tunnels so they could cook food and breathe without being seen. They only cooked in the middle of the night so it was harder to detect the smoke.

We saw a brief film on our tour and it was difficult to watch as a Canadian. I can’t imagine what it would be like for Americans to watch. Some choice phrases from the film:

“The crazy [American] devils bombed the children, bombed the Buddha statues, they even bombed the pots and pans.”
“The saying of the Cu Chi people was a rifle in one hand and a plow in the other.”
“They bombed us in the morning so we plowed at night.”

Anyway, sorry to get all sober and political and non-adoption-like, but it’s pretty astounding to see what human beings can do to one another and what ordinary citizens resort to in an effort to defend themselves and their land. When the war started there were 70,000 people in Cu Chi; when it ended there were 3,000 (don’t quote me on the first number, I’m doing this from memory, but the second one’s definitely what the guide said!).

On a lighter note, I picked up some valuable parenting skills form our tour guide. He was hilarious (without meaning to be). He’d yell things like, “Listen to me now!” in a really curt tone and “Hurry up and finish, we go back now!” I tried this on Norah when we got home and it worked (once). I may be on to something!

Back on the island, Doug and the kids lounged by the pool for a bit and then spent some time at the zoo and botanical gardens, which is just down the street from our hotel. This was Norah’s third time and Doug and Luke’s second time. We’re so busy it’s hard to keep up with all the goings-on so I haven’ posted from the zoo before!

We’ve got some more excursions planned, so stay tuned!

Our guide showing us the small picks and baskets that were used to dig the tunnels

A map of the area and a schematic drawing of the tunnel system

What the tunnels looked like on the outside

Guide showing us how to get into the tunnel - this one was about twice as wide as the original ones - they widened this one for tourists!

Trap originally designed to kill animals with bamboo spears - step on it and it looks like grass, then you fall in

Rolling trap

Audrey getting into tunnel...

...Audrey coming out of the tunnel. It was amazing how small this was - we were drenched with sweat because it was so stuffy and we were bent at almost 90 degree angles walking through.

Stopping for a quick snack of tapioca plant (I like the pudding better!) and tea


Back on the island...Sibling bonding by the pool

Catching some zz's without getting harmed by rays

Self-portrait at the zoo

Doug taking a picture of Luke (aka Sir Sweatsalot) while he was strapped to him in the Hip Panda (we would be miserable without this handy carrier!)

Posing for the paparazzi at the zoo playground

Checking out the giraffes

Top of the morning to ya! The only sign of St. Paddy's Day we saw here (we miss you Doug, Joanne, and Sara!) - outside a bar in the hitchhiker's district (off Pham Ngu Lao, where we spend about 50% of our time!)