The coffee shop with Viet Cong style in Saigon

The coffee shop with Viet Cong style in Saigon

The coffee shop is an old house, where the activities of Viet Cong with secret tunnels, appliances of a time resistance remain intact.

Dau Dung coffee shop on Dang Dung street (Tan Dinh ward, district 1) is a relic of Saigon special forces. The house was built by the husband and wife of Mr. Do Immigrant from the 40s of last century. Prior to 1975, this place was one of the hidden operations of the Sai Gon Special Forces under the supervision of Tran Van Lai (Nam Lai). At that time, Mr. Do Son and his wife sold rice to Korean soldiers (Korean) to fight in the Vietnam War. Outside is a cafeteria but the house is actually to hide the officer; storage, transfer of letters, confidential documents, gold coins, drugs ... to the war zone. After 1975, the restaurant still operated until Mr. Do Son died.

In the beginning of 2018, Tran Vu Binh (Tran Van Lai's children) was relieved of his right to manage the house to open a coffee shop at the monument. "Out of love with the soldiers in Saigon, I tried to recreate the original secret basement, the artifacts to make history of combining cafes for people to attend. Quan, "said Binh.

The house has a ground floor area of ​​about 50 m2 with French tiles, set of furniture, glass cabinets, appliances used by the Saigon people before 1975.

Upstairs is a floor with wooden decking. This floor is also a tunnel built by Mr. Tran Van Lai in the wall. "This vaulting wall together with the next house, more than 2 m deep, the width of the board only. Letters from bile, documents, gold coins ... are placed in aluminum cans and hidden in a cellar. If you cover the board back, then nobody knows it is underground, "Tran Trong Nghia (grandson Mr. Tran Van Lai) said.

Also on the floor is another tunnel with a depth of 3 m, just enough to enter one. The tunnel was built within a year and camouflaged by a wooden cabinet. Upon detecting danger, the indoors went into the closet, opened the tunnel cover to escape the path behind the house.

Around the house are some niches for letters, secret documents, small arms ... are in danger of brick. The above items are daily activities, so the enemy is difficult to detect. "Visitors are introduced to the house, the objects and the functions of each type of tunnel, thereby understanding more about a period of history of the country," Nghia said.

Nostalgic coffee shop space when the items of the old house are intact. In addition, the innkeeper also collects items from the soldiers and some other sources.

The 50-year-old sewing machine used by Mr. Do Mien used to remain intact and was placed in the same position.

TVs, phones, decorations ... in the house are also in place as half a century ago.

Even cups, spoons, ashtray, forks ... to prepare are also items that the Saigon people used one. "After this coffee shop, the Saigon style coffee shop will also be born in the remaining relics. I also plan to build a passenger tour throughout the city, to the relics, souvenirs and pictures in the car of his father, "Tran Tran Binh shared.