Veterans Day

Tuesday, Nov. 11 -- How appropriate that we're in Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City, depending on your politics) on Veterans Day: most of the visit to this part of the country has been devoted to war. We started at the Cu Chi tunnels, an enormous labyrinthine underground world where the Viet Cong disappeared during the day and emerged at night to kill GIs and anyone else they suspected as traitors. The tunnels, which go on for miles, have been enlarged by about 60 percent to accommodate the large bodies of foreigners, but they leave you feeling claustrophobic. When the guerillas used them, they were about as wide as the shoulders of 10-year-old and maybe three feet high. We either bent way over, walked on the balls of our feet or crawled on hands and knees to get through. The tunnel complex, which was three stories high, also housed meeting rooms, kitchens and hospitals and were about seven km from the U.S. command down the road. The many varieties of torture mechanisms the guerillas used to maim American soldiers are on display — revolving things with metal spikes to stab, spikes attached to hut doors that would kill anyone who entered, trap doors in the ground covered with bamboo. Those who fell through were impaled on long, very sharp bamboo spikes. All this stuff was designed to maim and disfigure people, but not to kill. American soldiers, called tunnel rats, had little success for a very long time in destroying the tunnels. First they had to find them. Then they used gas, water or bombs to do the trick, but not very effectively. Sometimes, they went in themselves, often with dogs, but I would think it would have been almost impossible to kill the enemy. And if they did, how would they get around the dead body in that tiny space? Eventually, however, the U.S. was able to wreck the tunnels, I believe with bombs. The whole area is kind of like Gettysburg, in that it's a war memorial, but without the dignity that should be accorded the dead. People climbed on tanks, there's a shooting gallery with live rounds of ammunition, and of course the ubiquitous souvenir shops. Lots of references to the American devils, who acted like "bunches of crazy chickens," compared to Vietnam's brave patriots. I probably would have felt the same if I were being carpetbombed. On the other hand, the guerillas had very creative ways of killing our guys as well as the South Vietnamese. Our guide's grandfather was a local who joined the guerillas. He was, however, murdered in a tunnel by a neighbor/compatriot who believed he was going to give them up to the South Vietnamese authorities. Grandpa was 37 and left behind seven children.

We went from Cu Chi to the Museum of War Remembrance, where more tanks, choppers and shot down planes are on display. Other than the infamous tiger cages, where up to 14 prisoners shared a tiny cell, and I mean tiny, in stiflingly hot conditions, the museum mostly features dozens of photos of war victims, some of them far more grisly than anything we ever see in the paper. More references to imperialist pigs, killer GIs, disemboweled babies, etc.

Fortunately, we got some relief from the gore by taking a cyclo tour through the city. Traffic that puts NYC to shame. Saigon is huge — 8 million residents — and far more cosmopolitan than Hanoi although not a particularly pretty city. I believe a lot of the architecture is pretty new, and featureless. However, there's less poverty, nicer homes and shops, and lots of upscale stores like Gucci, Armani, Prada. The gang had a drink at the Rex Hotel, frequented by journalists during the war, and we went our separate ways for another terrific dinner.

We also had stopped early in the day at a rubber tree plantation. Very interesting. They make spiral cuts in the bark until they reach a milky substance that drips into a bowl attached to each tree. The milk is converted into rubber in a factory. They have to make a tiny slice on each tree every day to keep the milk flowing. All these trees were leveled during the war, but now there are acre upon acre of them.

Unfortunately, one day is all we have here, and our stay in Vietnam is finished. It's a truly beautiful country, the people are lovely, and I've really loved every moment. I feel so lucky to be experiencing a different part of the world, and enjoying it.

Leaving shortly for Siem Reap in Cambodia, near Angkor Wat. We're moving from dong to riel, and the conversion is must easier -- $1 = 4,000 riel.