saigon

Saigon is the capital of what was South Vietnam. It has been renamed Ho Chi Minh City but no one calls it that down here. Our hotel is generic and outside of the city center. This has been a typical booking by our tour company, which has come to irritate us.

After breakfast at the hotel, we drive two hours outside of the city to Tay Ninh. This is the temple for followers of Cao-Dai. This religion combines Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucism. Tourists walk on the edges of the hall as swallows swoop through the large hall and out the Chinese symbols of longevity carved in the windows. I explained to our guide that in America we would call this a cult. It was impossible to slip out without signing the guest book complete with full name, city and country.

From there we went on to Cu Chi tunnels, which is 200 km of underground tunnels. We were ushered into an orientation room to watch a poorly narrated video. Instilled in us was that there was no way Americans could decipher who were Viet Cong or not. If Americans discovered the tunnels then they soon rushed out scared.

After a brief tour of the various traps used against the Americans, we walked a path through trees with various strings rigged to firecrackers. The idea was for the tourists to illustrate their own failings against the ingenuity of the Viet Cong. We played find the secret tunnel where we would look at the leaf-covered ground and be unable to spot the hidden manhole cover. Then it was on to the tunnels where we crouched and walked while sweating. This was a testament to one's thigh muscles to crouch through the tunnel and keep up with the guide. If that wasn't hard enough then add the heat and it was just about unbearable.

To close out the Cu Chi tunnel experience there were cages with monkeys and a solitary bear followed by the prerequisite gift shop. Robert wanted to purchase some snake or gecko wine but I strongly discouraged him.

Back in the city, we took a cab into the downtown area. We enjoyed dinner at Vietnam House and visited nearby Khai Silk. This was the third business of the enterprising Nguyen of Hanoi that we spent money at. The first being Brother's Café and then followed by Hoi-An Riverside resort.

The following morning after breakfast, our guide took us the War Museum before our flight out to Cambodia. I was ill from our lunch at the Cu Chi Tunnels so only viewed a couple rooms before retiring to either the squat toilet or the benches outside. Robert was able to see most of the museum and the photographs. On site were captured tanks, planes and helicopters that were dated with the date of capture from the U.S.

bangkok : vientiane : laung prabang :
hanoi : halong bay : hue & hoi an :
saigon : phnom pehn : siem reap

Return to home.
All photographs are copyrighted by A. Lincoln & R. Wainberg.
They cannot be reproduced or altered without permission.
If you have any questions - please email.


	Saigon is the capital of what was South Vietnam. It has been renamed Ho Chi Minh City but no one calls it that down here. Our hotel is generic and outside of the city center. This has been a typical booking by our tour company, which has come to irritate us. After breakfast at the hotel, we drive two hours outside of the city to Tay Ninh. This is the temple for followers of Cao-Dai. This religion combines Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism and Confucism. Tourists walk on the edges of the hall as swallows swoop through the large hall and out the Chinese symbols of longevity carved in the windows. I explained to our guide that in America we would call this a cult. It was impossible to slip out without signing the guest book complete with full name, city and country. From there we went on to Cu Chi tunnels, which is 200 km of underground tunnels. We were ushered into an orientation room to watch a poorly narrated video. Instilled in us was that there was no way Americans could decipher who were Viet Cong or not. If Americans discovered the tunnels then they soon rushed out scared. After a brief tour of the various traps used against the Americans, we walked a path through trees with various strings rigged to firecrackers. The idea was for the tourists to illustrate their own failings against the ingenuity of the Viet Cong. We played find the secret tunnel where we would look at the leaf-covered ground and be unable to spot the hidden manhole cover. Then it was on to the tunnels where we crouched and walked while sweating. This was a testament to one's thigh muscles to crouch through the tunnel and keep up with the guide. If that wasn't hard enough then add the heat and it was just about unbearable. To close out the Cu Chi tunnel experience there were cages with monkeys and a solitary bear followed by the prerequisite gift shop. Robert wanted to purchase some snake or gecko wine but I strongly discouraged him. Back in the city, we took a cab into the downtown area. We enjoyed dinner at Vietnam House and visited nearby Khai Silk. This was the third business of the enterprising Nguyen of Hanoi that we spent money at. The first being Brother's Café and then followed by Hoi-An Riverside resort. The following morning after breakfast, our guide took us the War Museum before our flight out to Cambodia. I was ill from our lunch at the Cu Chi Tunnels so only viewed a couple rooms before retiring to either the squat toilet or the benches outside. Robert was able to see most of the museum and the photographs. On site were captured tanks, planes and helicopters that were dated with the date of capture from the U.S.







bangkok : vientiane : laung prabang : hanoi : halong bay : hue & hoi an : saigon : phnom pehn : siem reap Return to home. All photographs are copyrighted by A. Lincoln & R. Wainberg. They cannot be reproduced or altered without permission. If you have any questions - please email.