As the capital of former South Vietnam, HCMC had a prominent role during and the Vietnam/American War. Our first stop was Independence (or Reunification) Palace, formerly the Presidential Palace of South Vietnam. This iconic photo was taken on April 30, 1975, when the North Vietnamese forces crashed through the palace gates and ended the Vietnam/American War.
Everything has been left pretty much as it was in 1975, and it was groovy to see the 1970s furnishings.
This was the conference hall, where South Vietnamese President Thieu delivered his resignation speech on April 21, 1975.
One very interesting room was the briefing room where Thieu met with Vietnamese and American advisers to plan the war. The original maps on the walls show troop locations from before the fall of Saigon.
We went up to the top of the building, where we could see the heliport. This was also where, in 1962, two South Vietnamese air force pilots dropped two bombs in an attempt to assassinate President Diem (the president at the time). The two red circles on the ground show where the bombs landed.
From there we went into the underground bunker, which included a command center, telecommunications rooms, and very modest quarters for the president.
This sign on the wall of the command center listed the numbers of troops, both domestic and foreign, on the ground in South Vietnam.
After our tour, we ate the most delicious bahn mi (Vietnamese style sandwiches on crusty French baguettes) and wandered through the city, stopping at the market and a few stores before ending back at our hotel for a swim.
The next day we went to the War Remnants Museum, formerly known as the American War Crimes Museum. We toured the first floor with the boys, since that exhibit was primarily about anti-war protests around the world during the time of the Vietnam/American War.
The second floor contains exhibits about the horrors of the Vietnam/American War, including graphic photos of the effects of Agent Orange (the defoliation chemical that was sprayed) and atrocities that occurred. We decided this floor was too graphic for the boys, so they played in a children's play room on the third floor (kind of odd but also convenient) while Bob and I toured the exhibits.
While there was certainly a propagandistic tone to much of the exhibits, I am glad that we went. This was another chance to see the conflict from the perspective of the Vietnamese and to consider the long-lasting, devastating effects that continue to this day.
The next day we took a day trip to the Ben Duoc Tunnels, which are similar to the well-known Cu Chi Tunnels. However, the Ben Duoc tunnels are less touristed and less modified than the Cu Chi tunnels (which have even been widened for "Western tourists"). While the big tour busses go to Cu Chi, we only saw 3 other tourists at the Ben Duoc tunnels, at the very end of our visit.
The tunnels were really tight! Bob and I had to scoot through completely crouched down.
Our guide showed us how tunnel entrances and exits were camouflaged and the size of some of the entrances and exits. The lookout points were also well disguised as ant hills.
We tried tapioca root, which was the food eaten by the North Vietnamese troops who used the tunnels. It was pretty bland.
Finally, we saw examples of some of the jungle traps that were used by the Viet Cong.
The boys were also really excited to find these cool plants....the leaves close up when something touches them.
After the tunnels, we went to the city of Tay Ninh to visit the main temple of the Cao Dai religion. Caodaiism is a religious movement founded in Vietnam that mixes aspects of Catholicism, Buddism, Hinduism, and other religions. Everything, from the architecture of the building to the elements of the service, is a mix of these religions. It was really unique to see!
After walking around the temple, we watched about 15 minutes of the midday service. Services are held every 6 hours, including at midnight.
We enjoyed a delicious BBQ chicken lunch with our tour guide and driver.
On the way back, we drove through the village where one of the most shocking pictures from the Vietnam/American War was taken. Kim Phuc, the naked girl in the photo, was running away from a napalm attack near the temple where she and the other children had been sheltering.
We stopped at that temple, as well as at a roadside cafe next to it. We talked with the cafe owner (through our guide) for a few minutes before he told us that she is the girl in the white top and black pants in the photo above.
At this point, I really had no words and just tried to hold back tears. I asked her how she feels about people stopping by this place because I was feeling fairly uncomfortable that we were there as tourists. Through our guide, she said that Kim Phuc gets all the attention and that no one remembers the other children, like her. I'm pretty sure I'll remember her for the rest of my life.
We got back from our tour tired both physically and mentally from a full day of some heavy moments. We were all excited to find a wonderful care package had arrived from my Mom and Dad, complete with Halloween candy and fun Halloween treats.
We ended our day and our stay in HCMC by meeting up with new friends. One of my uncles does business in Vietnam, and he connected us with one of his colleagues, Minh. From our first days in Vietnam, Minh was quick to offer information, suggestions, and any kind of help we needed. We kept in touch with Minh as we traveled through Vietnam, and we were happy to finally him and his friendly wife, Chi, for dinner.
The people of Vietnam were a large part of why we really enjoyed our time in this country. From Nhung and her family, who welcomed us into their Hanoi home for dinner, to Minh in HCMC, who checked in on us and offered help through our travels, and including all the men, women, and children we met in between....the Vietnamese people are such hard-working, friendly people, and we felt so welcome in their country!
No comments:
Post a Comment