4th Funnel was Fake

Have you ever seen boats made of baskets? It may sound silly, but it is real in Vietnam. There are boats made of baskets along the coast of Vietnam. This is the idea behind the story. If you are lucky enough to visit the village of Ngan Ha located in Vietnams South Central Khan Hoa Province, you may see large dome shapes dotting the seashore. At first glance they appear to be gigantic turtle shells, a closer inspection though will reveal that the turtle shells are actually enormous woven baskets. What could a person do with such an enormous basin, the answer use it as a boat. These basket boats or Thuyen Thung found in villages along the coast of Vietnam.  The historical origin of Vietnamese basket boats is interesting and unique, as the boats themselves. It provides an interesting example not just of ingenuity but also of tax evasion. When the French ruled Vietnam in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries they taxed many items including boats. This could have proved devast...