Our first stop this morning was a visit to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. Entry to see the body is only permitted in the morning and no cameras are allowed anywhere near the mausoleum. Tons of school children with their teachers all around. Typical of kids everywhere, they were just having fun being out of school and with their friends.
The line to go in was pretty long but moved quickly as they do not let you linger inside. Armed guards, like at our Tomb of the Unknown were outside the entrance with more inside around the body. I thought it would be creepy but it wasn't. The people are in great awe and respectful of him. Later, after the mausoleum was officially closed to the public, we were allow to photograph the exterior. Interesting story told by our guide. Ho died in 1969 while the war was still going on. They used embalming techniques learned from the Russians and moved the body to a cave in the North. Then in 1975, when the war ended he was returned to Hanoi and placed in the mausoleum.
The line then went past his house and office to a car garage where some of his automobiles were on display.
Finally we visited the Pagoda of Literature, where we came upon what must have been a wedding party.
Then we went to lunch, which again was a delicious meal. Pork, cabbage as spicy as you wanted, with rice noodles.
Then we had time to wander about the old quarter for some time before dinner and then back to the hotel to grab our bags and head to the train station. Once on the train we had a series of "cabins" each with four berths or couchettes. I roomed with our professional photographer instructor, Joey, and we shared the cabin with lovely husband and wife from Sidney. I had an interesting conversation with the husband the next morning when we arrived at our destination on the train. They were both obviously of Indian descent and were traveling with their 3 adult children who were in another cabin. I really enjoy these opportunities to meet new people from different cultures.
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