The next day, we engaged another local tour agency with tour package Cao Dai Temple - Cu Chi Tunnels (USD$7 per person). First, we traveled around 2 hours to Tay Ninh to visit the Great Cao Dai Holy See, a place of pilgrimage for quite a few South Vietnamese people and for those who are interested in Caodaiism - this is a unique religion that you might never expect to encounter. We reached there about 11:45am and were in time to watch their noon time prayer ceremony.
Cao Dai Temple
statues of Cao Dai saints
according to the Cao Dai creation myth,
God is symbolized by the Divine Eye,
specifically the left eye because Yang is the left side
and God is the master of Yang
most worshipers are lay followers, who wear pure white robes
men sit on the right and women on the left
somehow I still think they wear like Muslim and and pray like Muslim
men with the rank of priest and higher have brightly colored robes
reflecting their spiritual allegiance:
yellow (symbolizing Buddhism and virtue),
blue (Taoism and pacifism) or red (Confucianism and authority).
Bishops and cardinals have the Divine Eye emblazoned on their headpieces.
then we lunch at a local restaurant at Tay Ninh
vietnamese roast pork
fried spring rolls
then we start our journey to the tunnels
a booby trap with bamboo spikes
one of many hidden entrances to one of the Cu Chi tunnels
notice when the trap door on the jungle floor closed and camouflaged,
it is almost undetectable.
it is almost undetectable.
my manager immediately climbed into this American tank
when she 1st saw it
gals group photo took before the rain start
we start entering the tunnels
part of the tunnel complex at Củ Chi
bombs and the shells of the US army on Cu Chi land
Vietnamese spring rolls
green curry balitong (sea snail)
Xoi Ga 15 - Sticky rice and chicken restaurant
serves the best crab soup
(was too hungry and buzy eating, so no crab soup photo :p)
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