We flew the short distance from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City. It took about 30 minutes and was relatively expensive but due to the type of visa we had arranged we had to fly into an international airport in Vietnam. The visa and immigration procedures were straight forward and we were soon out of the airport and on our way to the hotel.
The hotel was in the middle of HCM city close to Ben Thanh Market. We checked in and went for a walk about. The traffic was unbelievable.
There are 10 million people in HCM and about as many motorbikes. Crossing the road is almost impossible.
We were only in HCM for three nights so we decided to book a couple of trips through the hotel. We booked the city tour for the first day and a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels for the second day. First morning we were waiting in reception for our transport. A few others were waiting too. The girl that ran the tour desk came over to say that the bus was there and we all went out. It was only about 15 minutes later after everyone had been picked up did we realise that the bus we were on was for Cu Chi Tunnels. Not the City Tour. There was nothing we could do, we’d just have to change the next trip. The five other people from our hotel who were also on this trip were a group of four football players and their coach from Singapore.
They play for Home United FC and this was a trip to celebrate the end of their season.
They’d finished 2nd in the league, losing top spot by one point. They were all really good company.
The trip to the tunnels took about and hour and a half with a short break to visit a small factory which made decorated wooden panels and gifts.
When we arrived at the tunnels we were taken on a group tour. We were shown a short film about the war as it had happened in the immediate area and how the tunnels had been used.
Next we were shown the small entrances to some of the tunnels and some of the traps that had been used against the Americans.
We were given the chance to go through some of the tunnels. You could choose the length of tunnel you took. We opted for the 30 metre tunnel.
It was very small, about shoulder width. We had to practically crawl through because it was so low. It was very hot and claustrophobic. Certainly not built for Scots folk. At the end of the tour there was the oportunity to fire some of the weapons. We tried out the AK47. Ten rounds each was enough.
The next day we took the city tour.
First stop was the War Remnants Museum. It shows graphic photographs of the war and the injuries and destruction caused by the chemical weapons used by the Americans.
Some of the images are horrific.
There are many weapons and vehicles on display which were left at the end of the war.
We also visited the Reunification Palace which is now a museum. It was used as the control rooms and Headquarters during the war until Saigon fell to the Army from the north. All the rooms are shown as they were in the sixties.
It was interesting to see the war rooms and all the old equipment from that time.
Chinatown has the largest Chinese community outside China. They have a large market where the locals sell there wares.
Lots of food stalls with items I couldn’t identify. The market was very busy. You couldn’t move for the porters bringing in supplies and deliverys being sent off.
Another stop was Notre Dame Cathedral.
It is a smaller replica of the cathedral in Paris. It was disappointing. I thought it would be more ornate but was in fact very plain.
Across the road from the cathedral is the Post Office.
Architecturally it is a beautiful building. Inside it is very old fashioned with booths where you can make international phone calls and counters for various postal procedures.
Our stay in Ho Chi Minh City was very short but we saw as much as was possible in the time we were there. I certainly won’t miss the traffic.
No comments:
Post a Comment