Cu Chi Cu Chi Coo

Good morning, Vietnam! After a brief sleeping session at Alcove Library Hotel, we're on the bike trip! Also, the hotel gets two thumbs up for accommodations, breakfast and proximity to airport. Great choice if you're spending one quick night in Saigon.

The coffee is always the star of the show, but beautiful fruits deserve a standing ovation.

Above: mini banana, dragonfruit, rambutan, and rose apple.

It's technically winter here so leaves are falling in the rubber tree plantations despite the heat.

A 2-hr boat ride with someone named Bain brought us up the river to the Cu Chi area. 

A stop of culinary interest was a small operation making rice paper. The sheets paper (used for spring rolls) are laid out to dry in the sun and you can hear them pop-pop-popping.

This man works for the family that runs the place and was keen to have his picture taken. "Cahm Uhn" is thank you in Vietnamese. We say it over and over. 

The afternoon was spent exploring the Cu Chi tunnels - infamous for their role in the war. We were the only people there and I was shocked when we were able to go inside and crawl around. Not for the claustrophobic friends. The tunnel system is unbelievable. I cannot imagine spending an hour in there, much less years. It was an interesting, but sad stop.

Tomorrow we double our mileage on one bikes -- lots more to see!