Cu Chi tunnels is my favorite excursion here in Vietnam. During the day I'm telling Vietnam's large history (takes already 1,5 hours to explain it shortly) and how life is now when it's been 40 years since war ended.
Cu Chi tunnels are located to Saigon City, about 1,5 hours driving away from the central town. Cu Chi has been one of the main happening places during the Vietnam war (or American war as Vietnamese people are saying). During the war Cu Chi villagers build huge tunnel network where they hided themselves when enemy was too close. And it really was close. Because without Americans knowing, they even built some of their bases just on top of the tunnels. And every time when Vietnamese army attacked on them, it seemed that they just showed up from nowhere and disappeared same way also.
It took a long time before Americans discovered these tunnels where even 10 000 people where living at. It's crazy how these people has been able to live in tunnels which are even in 10 meters depth from the ground. But life was not easy there. Not much air, very narrow living space and many different sicknesses killed people in tunnels. Americans tried long time to destroy the tunnels without success. But they managed to drop thousands of bombs and destroy large area of forest. Even nowadays you can see very much bomb craters in nature. And there is still many hundreds unexploded bombs in the nature.
Some of the tunnels are nowadays bigger than original ones. During the war adult Vietnamese was like 15 years old size. So not even all Vietnamese can fit to original tunnels anymore.
This is the channel where Cu Chi inhabitants got air to the tunnels
Americans were many times surprised with attack. And it was impossible to see where Vietnamese were shooting from.
Vietnamese built many traps to the nature also
Vietnamese troops had to me on move all the time. When it was time to sleep, your buddies were carrying you.
Next to tunnels there is a temple for honoring all communist Vietnamese soldiers who died in war. Temple's walls are full of these soldiers names.
The prison where enemies were tortured.
Few weeks ago I had again excursion to the tunnels. This time there was big school group visiting at the same time. They got so super excited when they saw us, something so different for Vietnamese.
And for the random ending: picture of maybe the cutest puppy ever!
