We got to our coach and set off with our guide who addressed us as ladies and men (Andy liked this). First stop was not the temple as advertised but a place named Handicapped Handicrafts. They tempted you off the bus with the lure of a toilet, but once you fell for that line they ushered you over to an area, which contained the so-called handicapped people making handicrafts! Now I say so-called, as apart from 2 people in wheelchairs everyone else was able bodied and appeared to be of sound mind. My own personal theory is that the staff used to be handicapped people but they have died over the years. Their replacements are just normal people who don’t mind being called handicapped. The rubbish, I mean high crafted pieces of work were priced ridiculously high so no one, but the Americans who felt guilty about the whole Agent Orange thing, pulled out their wallets to buy anything.
The people in blue are supposed to be handicapped!
After our stop at Handicapped Handicrafts we got on to the coach to go to temple in Tay Ninh. The temple is the first temple to be built for the Vietnamese religion Cao Dai. The guy who came up with the Vietnamese religion in my eyes is a sensible guy. He decided to take all of the major religions and put them together to make a new religion. I do agree with what followers believe necessarily, but it would stop some of the craziness in the world if people believe in the same god.
The entrance to the temple
The decorator liked pink.
The temple gardens
The temple, which he has created, is very colourful! The followers dress in white if they are normal followers or women. The monks represent Buddhism, Confucianism or Taoism and wear different coloured robes to show this. I can remember that the monks in yellow represent Buddhism but I can’t remember if the blue or the red represents Confucianism or Taoism.
Let's sit on a hard tiled floor and pray.
His hat was made from paper
Andy likes this picture
We got to watch a service, which was interesting. What was more interesting though was that Andy wouldn’t shut up about the Illuminati. He says that the left eye represents the Illuminati, which is the same as Cao Dai religion (followers believe it is an eye to the soul). He talked about conspiracy theories for a while and then had great fun showing me the pyramid with the eye on the US dollar notes. Sometimes he is a geek! Or maybe he is a budding member, which apparently makes him a Supreme Being and not a geek!
The women getting ready for the service
Beware of the EYE
The EYE can see everything!
After a morning of fun we got to visit the real reason for our trip The Cu Chi Tunnels. After the ladies and men got off the coach our tour guide gave us a talk about the Cu Chi tunnels. His talk was anti-American and we got the feeling that many people in Vietnam still do not like America (sorry I may just be stating the obvious there).
No cakes before trying to climb in here!
Before we got to the tunnels we were shown around the jungle surrounding them. We got to see the traps intended for the Americans and the hidden trapdoors to the tunnels. It was all very interesting. That was until we got to the shooting range and the soldier appeared in Andy. He fired a couple of rounds on an AK47. I almost pooed my pants just from the bang each shot made. I did venture close enough to take a picture of Andy and his gun. I wasn’t allowed to close though (maybe they though he might turn the gun on me!)
Take a closer look
You wouldn't want one of these up your bum!
Soldier Andy Part 1
Soldier Andy Part 2
The tunnels were never meant for western people and have in recent years been made bigger (obviously so they can make a bob or two). Before we got into the tunnel the man told us to go straight, not left or right just straight! I pushed myself into the queue just before a really fat kid. I didn't want to get stuck behind him!
Inside the tunnel it was pitch black you couldn't see a thing. it was also very hot and very claustrophobic. We had to follow a guide and he went pretty quick (obviously the novelty had worn off for him). Anyway we were following a man in our group when we heard "come back your going the wrong way". We both got a bit scared as we thought we had gotten lost. The man in front had disappeared and there was no one behind Andy! Thankfully the people shouting waited for us with their flashlight and we followed them out.
I hated being in the tunnels for 10 minutes so I don't know how the Cu Chi people coped.
The tunnels have been made bigger so that fat westerners can get in.
Me trying to smile and pretend that I am having a good time
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