they call me: uber-tourist

Honestly. My feet haven't touched the ground during the last two days. It's been tourist site this, tourist site that, and there's no sign of any let up. Here's a quick run down of what I've seen, and prolifically photographed...

Yesterday morning I went to the most important Caodai Temple in Tay Ninh Province, and stayed to watch their noon mass service. Caodai was formed in the south of Vietnam during the 1920s, and is - as far as I can make out - a curious fusion of Chinese religious philosophy, Buddhism, and Catholicism. I'm on shaky ground in describing its main tenets, but I can tell you what their most important temple building is like: a riot of vibrant colours - predominantly pink, white, and yellow; friendly and inviting; and relaxed and placid. Everything I would want from a religious building were I religious. I got a really good vibe wandering between the pillars, and looking at the flowers and stars painted, and stuck, on the walls and ceiling. I would have liked to have stayed a bit longer than I did.

Same day, in the afternoon, I went on to the Cu Chi Tunnels and learnt more about the Vietnam War. The Cu Chi Tunnels are a vast network of tunnels which were secretly dug out - by hand - by the National Liberation Front. They were begun during conflict with the French, and continued, and developed further, during conflict with America. Astonishingly, the tunnels go three levels deep, have secret entrances, guard rooms, traps for attackers, headquarters, a medical area, kitchens, and escape tunnels. In total they stretch for a massive two hundred and fifty kilometres, and all hand dug with simple farm tools. Unbelievable. During the afternoon, I crawled through, on my knees, what felt like a mile of the tunnel network myself. I guess I crawled through about thirty metres truth be told. But this was still extremely brave of me as there were large spiders down there.

Today has been very busy too. I've been on a proper tourist tour of Ho Chi Minh City. This included a visit to the War Remnants Museum, which made me realise that American troops have easily equalled the Khmer Rouge in terms of needless inhuman brutality in their time. Also visited the Reunification Palace (which I really liked), the French built Notre Dame Cathedral, the Central Post Office, and the Chinese influenced Jade Pagoda. After lunch I visited the Cholon Market (the biggest market in Vietnam), Chinatown, and also the Thien Hau Temple. A good day, jam-packed with sites of interest.

There's just time to catch my breath this evening, and then tomorrow I'm heading off by boat down the Mekong Delta. I've been assured an full day of interesting activities and sights. Will report back.