Well the bus journey continued and about 1 hour later we arrived at our destination. The Cu Chi Tunnels was infamous for how the guerrillas went around and popped up and attacked the enermy (the US Army) during the Vietnam War. They were very crude but effective in their attempts to overpower the US Army, and most importantly, it worked!
-
- The Cu Chi Areas Versus the US Army Occupied Saigan City
-
- One of the underground openings – to raise up behind the enermy!
-
- I thought I would try it out first 🙂
-
- I fitted in very easily – luckily I am quite ‘thin’!
-
- With leaves and twigs on top, and you wouldn’t even know it was there!
-
- One of the tunnel entrances along the trenches
-
- Trenches lay at the backdrop
-
- Barb wire galore
-
- What the guerrillas looked like 🙂
-
- Are you scared of spiders!
-
- This replicate termite mound was used for ‘ventilation’
-
- One of the M41 US-tanks destroyed
-
- Destroyed by a Mine in 1970!
-
- The trenches
The guerrillas also set traps to kill or mame the US soldiers, and the demostration of the various types of devices and traps looked absolutely ‘painful’ especially thinking of the poor sod who got caught up in ’em! Ouch!
-
- One of the many land-traps – Doesn’t look bad hey?
-
- But this is what you drop on to! Ouch!
-
- One of many traps!
-
- More of the traps!
-
- They seemed very effective!
-
- They also looked painful for the poor sod who experienced ’em!
-
- Some killed, others just mamed or injured the US Soldiers
-
- Painful I imagine!
-
- Ouch!
-
- Crickies!
-
- An effective door protection
Some of the B52 bomb crates were littered around the area too – that must have been an almighty bang when they landed!
-
- B52 Bomb Crater
-
- The B52 Bomb Crater!
-
- Another B52 Bomb Crater
The guerrillas actually ‘lived’ down the tunnels for days, weeks or months at a time, and I whilst the tourist tunnels have been re-escuvated to make it easier for the mere-mortals (you and I) to go down and crawl through, they were actually narrower and more cramp than what I experienced.
-
- You can even try some shooting – but at a USD $1 a bullet – wasn’t interested!!
-
- Rubber tyres…
-
- The remnants of the Rubber tyres…
-
- Some house rules!
I decided to give it a go, and not to give up, and whilst it was only 100 metres or so in length, it was very uncomfortable and I am amazed that the guerrillas were about to survive down there for more than the 20 minutes that I experienced. Wow!
-
- Cu Chi Tunnel Entrance
-
- About half-way along – yup it was cramp!
-
- Made it through the tourist-tunnel complex – neat!
We had a bit of food at the end of the tour – similar to the type of food that existed from those down in the tunnels – I would just say that it was ‘basic’, but at least it filled them up!
-
- Lunch – weird and tasteless…
-
- Green Tea!
And as usual, a gift shop was placed right at the end trail of the tour…
-
- Bombs Galore!
-
- Amazing what you can make out of a Tiger Can!
-
- Nice Tiger Can Car!