Blueyjerene: Vietnam Trip Part 4

Do you know one of the places that you must visit is The CuChi Tunnel? Yes. The Underground Tunnel. It was built during the past time where Vietnamese used this for their hiding spot from the Americans. The tunnel is super narrow and small. Vietnamese is small and thin, so they built this small narrow tunnel for them to hide because Americans are always tall and big (big sizes), so they can’t actually crow into the tunnel.

A Brief History Of The Tunnel

The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Củ Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968.

The tunnels were used by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous North Vietnamese fighters. The tunnel systems were of great importance to the Viet Cong in their resistance to American forces, and helped to counter the growing American military effort.

Life in the tunnels

American soldiers used the term "Black Echo" to describe the conditions within the tunnels. For the Viet Cong, life in the tunnels was difficult. Air, food and water were scarce and the tunnels were infested with ants, poisonous centipedes, scorpions, spiders and vermin. Most of the time, soldiers would spend the day in the tunnels working or resting and come out only at night to scavenge for supplies, tend their crops, or engage the enemy in battle. Sometimes, during periods of heavy bombing or American troop movement, they would be forced to remain underground for many days at a time. Sickness was rampant among the people living in the tunnels, especially malaria, which was the second largest cause of death next to battle wounds. A captured Viet Cong report suggests that at any given time half of a PLAF unit had malaria and that “one-hundred percent had intestinal parasites of significance"。

Let’s get started. Before exploring the tunnel, we had a quick video session showing us how they live in the tunnel and some history of it.

At the entrance, you will see this JackFruit. It is a very old tree du. Haha!

On the way to the place.

Let's take a picture before the boring history video session. ( I hate history if you know me )

The topography of the tunnel. It was separated in 3 level.

Let's get started!

The worker showed us how to go in the tunnel and come out. (Demo)

I don't want try because I scared dirty. You don't want to be getting dirty to visit other places right? You know what I mean.

The hole is really tiny! Very very tiny! Unless you are super thin and tiny, or else failed!

This is the hole where Vietnamese Soldier climb up from the tunnel.

They set a lot of trap for hunting and to kill enemy. If they drop into it, sure die!

There is another hole here!

As you can see, Vietnamese also Asian, so they are very smart. For your information, underground always lacks of fresh air, so they used the bamboo as their air refresher to the ground. Bamboo sticks have a hole, so they use that to transfer the air from the ground to the underground.

They make it like a termite nest so that the Americans Army won't get noticed this is the place where they get fresh air.

My mum said to us not to take pictures in the jungle because jungle is very gloomy, sometimes it is believed that there is spiritual stuffs. So, I managed to take couple pictures only, not much. So, yeah! I kinda like the view because it is very jungle and full of trees. For me, it is very natural and beautiful. Haha!

This is the Cannon car that they used in the war during that time. They still keep it as a display until now.

There are types bomb displayed at there. You can see their code number and model types.

In this part, I guess boys will like it. Shooting Part!

Of course, I hate the fucking loud shooting gun sound!

I want to try but forget about it -.-

Here is my brother. I forget the shooting gun model. It costs like 350,000 Dong. (About RM58++). Nice try! It's a real gun oh!

Here, they will show you how to make Rice Paper which is very popular in Vietnam. I personally dislike the smell because it is very smelly. By the way, you eat it with some dishes.

Then, they will put under the sun to let it dry completely.

A close look. Very thin!

Couple shirts! #YOLO

All underground water was dig by human hand. Not machine stuff. So, they are very strong and powerful! Because it is very deep you know.

You can see these shoes at here. It's named "Tyre Shoes". The exact quality from the tyre and they make it into shoes. It is very durable. It can be wear for couple years as the tour guide said. People will wear it the another side where the biggest part of the shoes at the back and the smaller side at the front. So, the Americans soldiers will not trace them and they will trace the opposite way. Brilliant idea!

You can see the bomb shape. It looks like a big concave on the ground. It is B52 BOMB CRATER. Now, it still there.

Let's go explore the tunnel!

It is very squat down to pass the tunnel. Of course, i tried the shortest one. I don't want to be in there for so long. It is very hard to breath and very gloomy and dark!