Where in the World are V and M?: 4 days in Saigon

After Cambodia we rode a bus further east to visit Vietnam. Thankfully we were able to get our visas in Phnom Penh so there was no problem crossing the border. We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) on June 1^st. We didn’t know much about the country so we only planned to stay for 5 days.

From the bus station we shared a taxi with another couple to find our way to District 1 (the backpackers’ area). After wandering through the tight alley ways we found our hotel, Hello Hotel. It was a nice place and the staff was very nice (actually their niceness seemed a bit over the top, like it was too much). Talk about a busy city… wow, this place had so much going on. There are so many scooters that the city streets have two extra lanes just for them. It really was quite amazing watching the traffic and not seeing a single accident or collision. They don’t ever stop either so if you need to cross the street you’d better say a quick prayer and walk courageously otherwise you’d be road kill.

We enjoyed hanging out in the city. There were plenty of restaurants in the area. There were many people in the park across the street from our alleyway doing exercise or just hanging out. It was definitely a great experience, and to me, quite surprising to find it so. We exchanged some dollars (20,000 Vietnamese Dong to one Dollar) and tried to keep track of all the extra zeros as we looked for things to eat and planned some trips. We decided on two excursions: a boat trip to the Mekong Delta and a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels.

The Mekong Delta trip was nice. We caught a van with a bunch of other travelers and rode for two hours to south-west of HCM City. We got onto a tour boat that took us through the delta and stopped at four islands. The first stop was at a village where they used coconuts to make things like cups, bowls, milk, rice paper, candy, and liquor. It was interesting to see the process. The coconut candy was pretty good and Muthoni got to make some rice paper. Before we left that spot I got to handle a baby python… it was fine until I could feel its tail wrapping around my leg. After that we went to another island were there was a temple built by the Coconut Cult. There was a group of people who followed this religion in which the believers only ever ate coconut. The government in Vietnam had to bring that to an end because many people were dying. But at this site was also ate lunch, crossed some bamboo bridges and watched crocodiles feeding. After this we went to the third island where they kept bees and used the honey for tea. They put green tea, honey, sesame seeds and lime juice in a shot glass and gave us all a taste. It was pretty strong, but still good. Next we took a ride on a long paddle boat and were taken through the canals. The bamboo, water coconut trees and palm trees grow in the water along both sides of the canal. We thought it would be cooler than it was, but it was a nice experience for 20 minutes. After the paddle boat we hit our last stop, some traditional Vietnamese music performed by some of the local women. They served us sliced fruits as we listened and drank some more tea. We enjoyed this trip and would recommend it to anyone… there is also a two day tour that includes a visit to the floating market. We caught the bus and rode back to Ho Chi Minh.

First stop on our way to Mekong Delta. At this factory they make mosaics with eggshells. Pretty impressive but prices were out of this world.

Mekong Delta

This was a very popular souvenir. A dead snake and scorpion are bottled in oil. This oil can be used for massages.

The boat we took on the tour

Coconut candy manufacturing and packaging.

Vernon's craziness

Coconut religion temple

Back in the day they used these bamboo bridges to travel from island to island.

This family is from Malaysia and wanted to take a picture with us.

My rice paper making debut.

Hope I can replicate this at home

mm..mmm.. good!

Final product

Go Gators! or are those crocs?

Canal Tour

Going shopping

Our other excursion was to the Cu Chi Tunnels about 2 hours north of HCM. During the Vietnam War, the Viet Cong resistance fighters dug a network of tunnels to hide, recover and fight the American forces in the area. The network stretched some 200km in and around the Cu Chi region. The tour we went on lasted only half a day. We spent a lot of time trying to keep up with our very fast tour guide as he was speeding through the site saying, “My group, my group!”. Though it was fast there was much to see. We first went to a video room where they showed us a documentary on the Vietnam War. I felt pretty uncomfortable, being the only American there, as the video described the US forces as the “enemy” and how Viet Cong fighters were awarded for killing US soldiers. From their point of view the Americans came to steal their land and resources and they fought to keep what was theirs. I’m not sure which side was right but I do know that war is always devastating to the people who have to endure it, and it seems to me that it has left a mark in the Vietnamese people that will not be forgotten soon. After that video we took a walk around the complex and looked at some of the hidden portals into the tunnels. We saw some booby traps (very bad situation for whoever fell in them), and we actually went down into the tunnels. The tunnels were very small and dark. How they lived down there, let alone got around, was impressive. To finish the tour we had the option of going out to a shooting range so we could feel what it was like to shoot an M-16 or an AK-47… for just $1 per bullet. It was really loud and we felt like doing other things with our money so we opted out.

Boobie trap

Underground tunnels

I just had to try it myself.

B52 bomb crater

Inside the intricate tunnels built by the Vietnamese

Aside from those excursions and doing some shopping we also met with the church in HCM City. It was encouraging to meet with them. They met in smaller groups for Sunday services because the church is going through a time of persecution. In Vietnam religion is very closely monitored and with our church being… unapologetic… about what the scriptures say and refuse to water it down, the church had to go “underground”. It came to a head when one couple who had been in the congregation for some time and who had really earned the trust of the leadership confessed that they were spies for the government to “check out” what was happening in this group. A hard blow to the group, but they are pressing on and are continuing to grow despite it all. We were happy to learn how to strengthen our faith. It was “Tuyet Voi” (awesome) to hear them preaching about those basic things… repentance, confession, fasting and prayer… because when we get going on our adventure sometimes it’s easy to forget those things. We can use those things to grow in our faith and share that faith with others so they too can be blessed. After the message we all chatted for a good while, clearing our consciences and praying for one another. Then Mu and I went out to lunch with the leadership and enjoyed some delicious Vietnamese pancakes.