Street scene Ho Chi Minh City

Today we drove to the Chu Chi Tunnels stopping first at a nearby rubber plantation learning how in the past workers were brought to work the trees living in almost slave like conditions as there was very little pay for food.  We then walked around the site of the Chu Chi tunnels which were first built when the French occupied the area but were then expanded when the Americans came during the Vietnam War.  They have kept much of the area as it was with termite like hills that are entrances to the tunnels or have air holes around them to ventilate the tunnels and are disguised by leaves.  A hidden manhole cover was lifted and volunteers were able to drop themselves into the holes replacing the cover on top to hide themselves.  Several of our group including my husband had a go at this.  We saw traps of various kinds, learnt how they used the old bits of scrap metal from armaments to make new weapons and designed sandals that could be worn back to front leaving a footmark that suggests they are moving in the opposite direction.  There was a series of tunnels that were open for people to climb though and several from our group also wandered through them.  Not the kind of experience I would welcome.  It was a very hard life for those in the tunnels who often did not have much food and lived in very hot conditions.  Some people had poor eyesight as a result of all the time spent underground.

After this we headed back to the town for a quick peak at the Post Office and the Notre Dame building.  On a further wander around the city on the way to the market I spotted this Hindu shrine or temple with its stark contrast between high rise buildings and more run down areas.  The town centre now has some very high rise modern buildings with an area of high quality fashion shops and older French style buildings mixed amongst buildings that are in very poor condition. Other flavours of the city are high temperatures and humidity along with masses of scooters and cars.   We visited the vegetarian restaurant again with our group tonight as it was so good last night.