Vietnam Part 2...Ho Chi Minh City

Skyline of Ho Chi Minh city

April 30,1975;communist north Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces captured Saigon,forcing south Vietnam to surrender.This was the end to the Vietnam War fought over more than a decade;Vietnam reunited as one country under the control of the communist Govt.of the north.Saigon renamed Ho Chi Minh city after its former president.

Day 1

This morning we escape the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh City to explore one of the relics in Vietnam;The Cu Chi tunnels.We journey 2.5 hours west towards the Cambodian border. Built during the Indochina conflict it served as a base from which the Viet Cong could operate from close to the Southern Vietnamese capital.

The location of the tunnels was of great importance;they're at the end of the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail, and within striking distance of the city. Initial construction started in 1948 when the Viet Minh required   somewhere to hide from French air attacks. By 1965,the tunnel complex, a system of deep underground passageways having several tiers was estimated to be 250 km long.It included,hospitals,schools,meeting rooms,kitchens and sleeping quarters. Life was difficult for the inhabitants, and to protect against outside intruders,read Americans,booby traps were laid throughout the complex.

Different traps viz., Window trap,folding chair,see -saw and rolling (above),with sharp iron spikes, are all laid out under artificial turf to show the visitors  the many ways to crush the unsuspecting American soldier. Today,the Viet govt has preserved approximately 75 km of the Cu Chi tunnels as a memorial park,and the tunnels have been widened for the benefit of the tourists.Some from our group crawled through one of the tunnels.

We walked past camouflaged entry/exit points right beneath our feet, huge bomb craters,   and wandered past tiny little chimneys in the ground that dispersed smoke from the  underground kitchens. finally it was time for a groupie with the erstwhile soldiers inside their tent.And time for Chai for others while I ...... 

 

We slowly made our way out thinking about the war that destroyed Vietnam

District 1,Saigon.This is the financial and commercial hub designed by French architects during the colonial era,which explains the wide,tree-lined boulevards and parks.It also boasts of some of the finest upmarket shops.All the big brand names can be found here.It was very nice gesture by the Tour Orgn, to bring us to Tandoor, a classy Indian restaurant located here for lunch.As usual we were divided in our choice of food.Six non veg and five veg was the distribution.Food went down very well,and soon we were recharged after our exertions of the morning.

Our first port of call was the Reunification Palace. Presently the Palace is primarily a tourist destination and is occasionally used for official government functions.It was from here that South Vietnamese President Thieu directed his forces during the war.In the sprawling grounds are vivid reminders of how it all ended,with a tank crashing through the front gate and bringing the Vietnam War to a close.The building served three primary purposes.In those,it was both home and office for the President.In the basement are the stark,windowless offices of the war rooms.The middle floors are state rooms, designed to impress visiting dignitaries and government officials with their show of style and opulence. Large conference and dining tables dominate meeting rooms decorated in a stylish mix of traditional and modern.

Next we have a brief halt at the cathedral in Saigon.Built in the late 19th century by the French and known as Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral, it stands as a famous landmark in Ho Chi Minh City..Right across the way from the Cathedral stands the City's Central Post Office,a period classic designed by Gustav Eiffel and built between 1886-91.The walls of its grand concourse carry historical maps of south Vietnam while a mosaic of uncle Ho finds its place at the end of the barrel vaulted hall.It has been maintained very well.

                                                                       

We are now nearing the end of the day but for a visit to the,Saigon War remnants museum that documents the costs of the war. It’s aimed squarely at foreign visitors–you won’t find many locals here.The tone isn’t one of victory,but one of victim.The photos are graphic and damning. Outside the building is a range of American military hardware that had been captured or abandoned, much of it handed over to the South Vietnamese regime. On the whole it is a shocking account of the war and left a bitter taste at the end of the day! washed off with a cup of filter coffee. 

That reminds me to inform you that Vietnam is big on Coffee,introduced by the French of course.Of particular interest is their drip filter (phin) which goes directly on top of the cup to give you the fresh brew.Vietnam has far more to offer in the caffeine department than just coffee with milk.One can get a Caffeine fix through yogurt,eggs or even with fruits.

Day 2

At 8:30 we head south of the city for the morning drive to the town of Ben Tre,nestled deep within the rice bowl of Vietnam – the Mekong Delta. Ben Tre is a peaceful retreat offering enchanting scenery.

Upon arrival,we embarked on a motorized boat trip around the scenic river lined with water palms, thatch and bamboo houses sheltered rich orchards.

We stopped at a brick-works, 

and then boated further along soaking in the atmosphere and life of the locals in the delta. BenTre is famous for its coconut candy.We visited a coconut processing workshop and sampled fresh candy and saw how every single part of this versatile nut is turned into food and

health care products;Vidya was in a mood to drive the boat and the driver obliged much to our chagrin.

We moored at a quiet village and walked a bit enjoying the rural country side and entered a house of Mats.Womenfolk in rural households  have developed the art of weaving mats out of sedge..a coarse grass like plant growing in wet regions..The Mat's high quality makes them popular even for export to Korea,Japan and USA. However, for us,more than the demo of mat weaving, the spread on the table held more allure and we gobbled up the succulent fruits and bid adieu to the old lady who was happy that she could be hospitable to a bunch of travel weary seniors. Our guide announced that our next stop would be lunch and we boarded a couple of xe loi (a kind of motorized rickshaw) and traveled deep into the village stopping at a riverside restaurant for a delicious and filling lunch,featuring such local specialties as elephant-ear fish and river shrimp,washed down with some cold drinks/beers.Followed it up with a relaxing Sampan ride along the narrow creeks until we reached the boat for our journey back. 

Back in the city,more excitement was in store.We visited the Opera House in Saigon to see the A O show. Understood as the Ahhh! Ohhh! show,it depicts the Viet life both  the countryside and the Urban chaos in 60 min.It is a mix of acrobatic acts and contemporary dance.                                            

Day 3

                                                   

 This Mariamman Temple was built in the 19th century by traders from India and it is dedicated to goddess M. It was close to the hotel where we stayed and we took a stroll to the temple.Hindus and Buddhists come to pray here. It also functions as a community centre. There are beautiful statues of the avatars of Lord Shiva among others.The temple is well maintained and provides an insight of the early Indians who lived in HO city.Also went and saw the famous Ben Than market which is a shoppers' paradise for local goods.

It was time to bid adieu to Ho Chi Minh city and Vu and travel to the airport to take our flight to Siem Reap,Cambodia

I will blog on Siem Reap next. Ciao.