Run to the tunnels, run for your life

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20120317-082048.jpgWe woke up early around 0700, and managed to eat a big breakfast before getting picked up by the tour agency for our trip to the Cu Chi tunnels. After changing bus twice and a mere 45 minutes we started to leave central Saigon. Just as we had read in advance there was the mandatory stop at some shop where disabled workers sold various handicrafts. I liked an antique amphora which depicted Papa Smurf but thought it would be too much of a hassle to get it home in one piece.

The tour where pretty much as we expected after reading up about the trip the night before. It started with a healthy propaganda movie,20120317-082056.jpg followed up by galleries of weapons used (handmade traps as well as actual rifles) and before the actual tunnels there was a stop at a cafeteria which had a shooting range conveniently placed next to it. Rather few from our bus were interested in shooting so the break was only fifteen minutes or so. The actual tunnels were not that long, perhaps it took 15 minutes to go through but I still found it quite fun – perhaps not ideal for people who feel uncomfortable in cramped areas or are of bigger stature though. All in all a fun, although rather touristy tour – I dozed off on the way back to Saigon which made the return trip considerably shorter.

20120317-082103.jpgWe decided that for dinner we would try out a nearby Japanese pizzeria, Pizza 4Ps, that according to Trip advisor was really something special. As we got there it turned out others also thought so and the place was occupied for a private event – we instead went to Hoa Tuc which ranked rather high as well but served local Vietnamese food. We had Sea Bass with mango/avocado salsa which tasted really nice. Well stuffed we headed home after our last night in Saigon.