Asia-Pacific,
Mekong River
2004

The Mekong River is a famous river in the world. Starting from the Tibetan highland plateau, the length of it is about 4,800 kilometres while it runs through six countries, which are China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Around 65 million people surround the river. The Mekong River is like an invaluable present that nature offered to the people. The river supplies profuse water for the inhabitant life, for agriculture. Moreover, it provides a large amount of water products, such as many kinds of fish and shrimp. This majestic great river flows through a large area and covers thousands of kilometres from the Himalayan highlands to the Mekong Delta. Sometimes it's very quiet and poetic, other parts are extremely fierce. Up to now, the Mekong River is still a superb and mysterious river. If you have a chance to travel on this river, you will hear many interesting legends to explain the magic in this river.
When passing through North-East Thailand many branches fall into the Mekong River. That's why this area always has precious fishes. The river is considered to be the hometown of the migrant fish. The people have become fond of the water and the water animals are engraved in their minds, not just fish, but also crab, frogs and snakes. The local inhabitants will tell you that the Mekong River system is the result of a battle between two wonder snakes. The strength of the river is a result of the Naga snake, the genie snake

The Mekong River

Children playing in the Mekong River

According to the legend, in the old days there were many Naga snakes living in Nong Krasae Luang, in the upper part of the Mekong River. Among the snakes two wonder snakes, Sri Satta Naga Raj and Sri Sutta Naga, were best friends. They agreed that if one would catch a prey, it had to share it with the other. Time passed and one day, when Sri Sutta Naga got a porcupine he shared a small part with Sri Satta Naga Raj. When Sri Satta Naga Raj saw that the porcupine's quills were long he was aware that the prey was very big. This was while a day before Sri Satta Naga Raj shared a big elephant equally with Sri Sutta Naga. To Sri Satta Naga Raj, Sri Sutta Naga broke the promise and an argument started, followed by a fierce fight. They fought for 7 days and 7 nights. Ultimately a saint was sent down to the world to arbitrate between the two snakes. Looking for a solution, the saint decided that the two snakes had to join in a competition. Both snakes had to dig a river to the sea. The one who finished first would win. The present for the winner was a giant catfish, a big kind of fish that can weigh over 200 kg. Bursting to win, Sri Satta Naga Raj went off wonder-working to dig a gutter around the mountain to the South Sea. The water from Nong Krasae Luang flooded into the gutter, becoming a river. Because he went around the mountain, Sri Satta Naga Raj didn't have to dig through the hard rocks. It was easy to win. From that time, the river was named "Kong", which means "roundabout way". The story explains why the giant catfish, the biggest fish living in a river, only exists in the Mekong River. At the same time, Sri Sutta Naga was very careful and tried to dig an extremely straight river. As a result he lost the race. Nowadays, the river made by Sri Sutta Naga is the Nan river in the North of Thailand. The local people believe that if the water of the two rivers mix on the bottom, the bottom is blown up. As a result, nobody dares to make an experiment to prove this.

Vietnam,
Mekong Delta
2004

Vietnam is the last country that the Mekong River flows through before running into the sea. The flow in Vietnam is only 200 kilometres, but the benefits of this river are very important. The Mekong River takes part in consolidating and creates this large alluvial delta. The Mekong Delta is about 40,000 km2, including its provinces and city.

Naturally, each river has its own name, but when it flows through a big area, it will have a local name. In Vietnam, the Mekong River is called the Cuu Long River, which means ' Nine Dragons River '. Before coming into Vietnam, in Phnom Penh the Mekong River is divided into two large branches that run into Vietnam. The names of these branches are Tien Giang and Hau Giang. When you come to the Mekong Delta from Ho Chi Minh City, Tien Giang is the first river that you will see and Hau Giang is the second. Maybe this is the reason that some people call the rivers the Front River and the Back River. The Tien Gang River divides and flows into the sea in six branches. The Hau Gang River also divides and flows into the sea in three branches. In general, there are nine main branches in this area besides an interlace of small rivers and irrigation canal system. For the East and Vietnamese people, a dragon is a deity animal. That is why the nine branches are considered as nine dragons that create a wonderful and abundant delta, the Dragon's Delta. Inhabitants of this delta have a comfortable and peaceful life. In the old times it was a desolate waste area. Time has passed and the area has become a populous and wealthy place. Besides the products of nature, the people have worked hard and assiduously. "Our hands can do everything" and the living standard is better now. Nowadays, the Mekong Delta is known as the largest granary in Vietnam. The place is famous for its gardens, fruits and aquatic products. Farmers continue to study and use technology in agriculture in order to enrich themselves en and enrich the country.

Mekong Delta on Water

Mekong Delta on Land

If you have a chance to come to Vietnam, the Mekong Delta is an attractive place for you. Through the streets of the Mekong Delta there are a lot of rice fields. Even more interesting is when you are on a boat to go on the river around the small islands with many coconut trees. Visit the fruit gardens. You will know the life of the people. While boating on the river, around the green gardens and coconut trees, you can smell the alluvial water, the fields, the trees and feel the wind that flows naturally around you and makes you comfortable and relaxed. For all people the native country is always in the heart. For Vietnamese people, sometimes the native country is simple and provides for rustic pictures.

The Mekong Delta is a place of rivers, native country, people that are fond of living here. Each people has an own river in the heart. The river is a nice place during childhood. People are raised besides the fields, the rivers, the boats. All of them become part of a beloved imagination in the heart, which enriches the soul. And if one day they are away from the country there will always be a dear riving flowing inside. Living close to nature, one's life is rustic and simple. It makes the local people friendly, truthful and good-natured. You will see their smiles when you are here and will experience the liberal character, which is like the nature that surrounds them.

Vietnam,
Chu Chi
2004

Cu Chi covers approximately 150 km2 of land. Before the Vietnam War, Chu Chi was known as a peaceful town with many gardens, including rubber trees. Being in the vicinity of Saigon, city folks would visit Cu Chi during weekends to get away from the crowd. During the Vietnam War Cu Chi would turn into one of the most strategic locations for the Viet Cong and would provide the American 25 th Division, nick named "Tropical Lightning" with one of the biggest surprises of the entire Vietnam War. The villagers of Cu Chi had shifted from living outside to underground, in the Cu Chi Tunnels.

The first simple 48 kilometres long tunnel was built at Tan Phu Trung village. After 1960 many tunnels were added to the tunnel system. During a period of 20 years, from 1948 to 1968 a tunnel system had been built by hands, making use of a baskets and shovels [ Jeroen, add a picture ] consisting of more than 250 kilometres of connected tunnel over 16,000 hectares of land.

During the Vietnam War there were 16,000 guerrillas in Cu Chi, of which 4,000 were women. Women wore a black outfit, making them virtually invisible at dark; man wore green, making them virtually invisible in the jungle. During the Vietnam war 12,000 guerrillas would die. In Chu Chi 20,000 Americans were fighting.

During the Vietnam War more than half a million tons of bombs were thrown on Cu Chi. One of the bombs was the cluster bomb. The cluster bomb consisted of 19 launchers [ Jeroen, add a picture ]. Each launcher would contain 19 small bombs. So a cluster bomb would carry 361 small bombs, causing great damage to anything in the area where it would be dropped. Agent Orange was hardly used in Cu Chi for the reason that the Americans were located in the neighbourhood. At the end of the War the entire Cu Chi had been turned into a moon land. All forest was gone. The Viet Cong used the non-exploded bombs to make bombs and landmines that together with traditional weapons, like bamboo traps, were used against the Americans.

Now the Vietnamese and Americans are good friends. The Vietnamese people are not angry. Sure 100%. Vietnam is not against the American people, but was against the American army. Americans soldiers that visit as tourists are very welcome. We even think it is a good think for them to see the good side of Vietnam. During the war they only saw the bad side. Sometimes we see old soldiers visiting our Cu Chi tunnels. We like that very much.

Cu Chi Tunnels	Cu Chi Bombs
Cu Chi Surroundings	Tools used to dig Cu Chi tunnels

The Chu Chi Tunnel system consisted of three levels, the first three meters deep, the second six meters deep and the third nine to twelve meters deep. In total there was more than 250 kilometres of connected tunnels. With a size of 50-60cm wide and 70-80cm high the tunnels were designed such that they were too small for foreigners to enter. For the local inhabitants the tunnels would provide an entire living environment, including bedrooms, kitchens, fighting bunkers, water wells, even bomb shelters, hospitals and nurseries. Ventilation of fifteen to twenty meters long would provide for oxygen. The specially designed kitchen was named after its inventor Hoang Cam, who invented it in 1954. The smoke that came out of the kitchen was dispersed in such a manner that it could not be traced or seen by airplanes from the sky. For the beds hammocks were used that were easily relocated. In the tunnels there was no electricity, so it was very dark. Getting around the tunnels you could by memory. Maps were not available.

During the war bamboo traps were built into the dark tunnels that were opened if Americans would enter tunnels. Furthermore, booby traps would be laid by the last Vietnamese entering the tunnel. Most Americans, named Tunnel Rats, that entered the tunnels didn't come out alive. To provide for extra safety for and supply to the local inhabitants, escape route cum weapon supply route were built to and from the Saigon River. When the Americans were getting more knowledgeable on the tunnels, they became more successful in identifying the holes, for which mostly termite looking hills were used by the Vietnamese. Americans started using German shepherd who would locate the holes. As a counter measure the Vietnamese put pepper on the holes. The dogs were startled, but the Americans would know that there were Vietnamese. As the ultimate counter measure by the Vietnamese they started using all American things, including clothes, soap, food etc that they had taken from the Americans. The German shepherds were neutralized and the Americans puzzled what to do. As the ultimate counter measure by the Americans they bombed the Cu Chi tunnels with special bombs that would explode at a depth of eight meters that were dropped by B52 planes.