We were blessed and refreshed with some rain in Ho Chi Minh that cooled off the blazing city. One of the top things on our list was the Cu Chi Tunnels. I had heard of the Cu Chi Tunnels, but did not know much about them. Come to find out they are underground tunnels constructed to the size of an underground city by the Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. The tunnels were used as shelter and hideouts by the Vietnam military. Women and children worked in these underground cities cooking and re-purposing used amo. For air circulation, small air holes were carved from the tunnels to the outside jungle to allow for smoke to escape from the fires used to cook and allow for oxygen to circulate in and out. One can only imagine the conditions the soldiers and villagers lived in for several months underground. In addition to the tunnels, several handmade traps were built to slow down the American military and boy were they ingenious was well as barbaric. The traps consisted of sharp edge spears that puncture the body over and over like a wheel. Once you were in the traps attempting to remove oneself from it would only cause more pain since any movement would re-trigger the wheel of spears. I can’t imagine being an American soldier subjected to one of the traps or being tossed into one of the dark Cu Chi Tunnels and nearly being subjected to death as you fight in darkness against the Vietnamese military.

Like any large city Ho Chi Minh was a concrete jungle with soaring high buildings amongst the hustle and bustle. So we got out fast and headed to Phu Quoc an island in the Gulf of Thailand.

– Vanessa