Saigon :: 12/14

Well, this is the last full day in Vietnam, and was it ever busy.

Our wake up was at 5:00am so we could watch the sun rise from China Beach. However, it was incredibly cloudy, and all we got was a few yawns. That said, there WAS a surprise side show.

Turns out, at least in Da Nang, the locals LOVE to get up early, go to China beach, and exercise. From the very early darkness, literally hundreds and hundreds of locals were stretching, playing games, hoola-hooping, massaging each other, and swimming with little floaties. They were all smiling and having an absolute blast, and it was all very communal... not like watching a few random joggers on Venice Beach. People did everything together, and it seemed like it would make a good calendar... sort of like those "Nuns Having Fun."

Our flight left at 8:30 in the morning for Saigon, and we arrived about 9:30-ish. We immediately took a taxi to our new hotel, a charming guest house in the "Western" area of the city, and then booked a private car to take us out to the famous Cu Chi Tunnels. A tour, consisting of a bus and entrance ticket to the tunnels, costs about 5 to 7 dollars. However, they leave early in the morning, so the only way for us to get out there was to get a driver. So, for $35 we hired a private, plush-leather SUV to drive us an hour-and-a-half there and back AND wait for us. Not something I would do if I was traveling long term, but to pack one last activity into our two week holiday... totally worth it.

The tunnels were fantastic... google them. These were the underground passage ways used to hide from American forces in the area, and the tunnels and entry holes are so small that fat-ass Westerners can barely squeeze through. One of the highlights was the movie they show before the tour. It's 1960 film copied to DVD, and it was so laughably filled with propaganda that those of us in the room couldn't control ourselves.

"After the U.S. devil soldiers dropped their Washington, DC bombs on her village, this Cu Chi woman took arms and is seen here receiving a medal for her efforts in killing Americans... the same ones that destroyed her peaceful land of flowers and happiness."

Good times.

After we got back into CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY Saigon, we hit up the central market, bought a few last things, and are planning to, now, grab some spring rolls, take a little nap, wake up, eat dinner, and stay up for as long as we can... our flight leaves at 7:00am tomorrow.

So, that's it from Vietnam. Look for the complete visual blog on my site in the coming weeks.