Vietnam - Easter Sunday (part two)

I almost forgot the wackiest bit of the Cu Chi Tunnels.  The reason I almost forgot it is I didn't take a photo as they were prohibited.... see notice below...  ho hum.  

As we walked along the tour trail, we could hear the sound of gunfire in the distance.  To my middle-class, middle-aged, female white English ears it seemed a little tacky, a little bit 'side-show-ey', a little sensationalist.  But, hey, did it add to the atmosphere?  Well, yes, it did, actually.  There was the birdsong, the filmtrack sound of the tropical insects, the heat, the dust and the shots echoing through the trees.  It may have been a pre-recorded soundtrack, but the random stutter of the gunfire didn't seem to be taped, and grew louder the further into the forest we went.   It didn't occur to me that there would be a firing range at the end of the trail.. 

At the end of the trail was a gift shop / snack stop / rest room / seating facilities and a firing range (of course!).  They were happily taking the cash of the people who were eager to try firing original authentic weapons from the War and live ammunition.  The firing range dropped off to the bottom of the slope and the targets were positioned a good distance into the de-forested hillside.  I couldn't see the targets from the cover of the shop canopy, but I could see the dust raised from the shots fired.  

What you couldn't mistake was the sound of the live fire, the lingering smell of the spent ammunition  and the quickening of your heartbeat when one of the more eager shooters let off a round of rapid fire (no doubt re-living Apocalypse Now or The Deer Hunter in his mind's eye).  Surreal.

Whilst I didn't take photos of the weapons available to hire, I did snap the cabinet at the entrance to the tour - with weapons used / recovered on display - your original AK47 and others... 

I would write more, but after two days back at work the jet-lag's getting the better of me, so it's an early night tonight.  Glad I didn't forget the gunfire at Cu Chi Tunnels.  Easter Sunday afternoon sees us back in Ho Chi Minh City to visit The Palace of Re-unification.  More on that next time.

night y'all,

Kat.