WEDNESDAY, MAR 17TH--SAIGON, VIETNAM

We sailed up the river a couple of hours before arriving at our docking place near Saigon this morning. At 9am I boarded the bus for what was to be a 5 hour tour to the Cu Chi Tunnels on the outskirts north of Saigon. It was to be a 1 ½ drive to and from this place but at noon, 3 hours later, we arrived. That is not the worse part however. Unfortunately our bus’s air conditioning system was not working very well and it was in the 90’s today. I would say our bus temperature was in the 80’s. We had to drive through Saigon city itself and the traffic was unbelievable. Motorbikes by the hundreds of thousands madly racing in and around the cars, buses and trucks. The best way I can describe it is, “uncontrolled chaos”! On the way our tour guide was telling us about the Vietnam war and how the “American Army” was responsible for destroying villages and killing women and children. He also told how the “American Army” ran his country. He went on and on until I had heard enough and politely invited him to sit in the seat next to me so I could tell him about the war. This man was born 4 years after the war ended in 1975 and he proudly stated that his parents were Viet Cong, the enemy of South Vietnam. I informed him that the “American Army” had been invited to help the South Vietnamese defend themselves from the invading North Vietnam army. I reminded him that we trained and fought beside the South Vietnamese army. Then I told him that South Vietnam was run by its Presidents (there were several different ones during our involvement). So he finally went back up to the front and after a few minutes he got on PA and ask my name. I said, “Rick”. So he said “Mr Rick” had made some correct points to him. Then for the next 10 minutes he admitted that the history books used in their schools teach what he had earlier espoused. This history is what he learned and it said the US had invaded Vietnam and ran his country. He admitted that it was untrue, and that indeed, the South Vietnamese Army was fighting side by side with the “American Army”. I received applause then and other kind comments from my fellow passengers. Rose Ann, the bridge instructor, thanked me and said she had had it up to here also. That was the end of his war comments on the bus. The Cu Chi Tunnels were a museum and tribute now to the Cu Chi fighters who fought American and South Vietnamese forces from tunnels deep underground that had been actually dug during when the French were fighting them. So I expected misleading statements and propaganda there and I got it. I took a few photos there but not many. They proudly showed probably 20 different booby traps they used to kill and maim the “American Army”. The Cu Chi fighters and Viet Cong lived in these tunnels and came out at night to ambush. We had the opportunity to go in a tunnel and several did but I could not due to my knees. After spending 1 ½ hours here we finally headed back to the ship. This time the bus was even hotter. We arrived back at 4:15, two hours late. I composed a letter to Phil, our excursions manager onboard, about our experience on today’s tour. Well, it is about 7pm and time to go for dinner. I missed lunch as we had no food on the tour so am a little hungry. Dieting probably helped me though. I am scheduled for a 7 ½ tour tomorrow to the Mekong Delta but am rethinking this. Have a nice St Patrick’s Day!