A day alone to be a tourist; off to Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and queue soberly with the many who wait in line daily to pay their respects. Surreal but surprisingly moving; this tiny embalmed body lying in state in the towering square column, guarded by four white clad motionless guards who stare solemnly ahead as thousands silently shuffle past.
The museum and complex surrounding the mausoleum took me all day to explore. Ho Chi Minh, or ‘Uncle Ho’, his preferred title, was an inspirational leader. I knew little if anything of his life before and was genuinely gripped by his commitment to the socialist cause and the fight to free Vietnam from fascist rule, to unite the country and improve the quality of life.
I have been here nearly three weeks, from the manic seething mass of Saigon to the rural beauty of tranquil Hoi An and now the historic capitol of Hanoi, yet have barely touched the surface of this complex country. On my way back tonight I stood to watch a street vendor wind solid sugar strands onto a lolly stick. Two young girls were watching me, keen to encourage me to taste the ‘candy’, but I had no small change so politely refused. Moments later they were back beside me having bought me one as a gift. Despite the fact that it tasted foul –like oil coated cold chewing gum-their genuine kindness and wish to please was a reflection of so much I have experienced over here.
The museum and complex surrounding the mausoleum took me all day to explore. Ho Chi Minh, or ‘Uncle Ho’, his preferred title, was an inspirational leader. I knew little if anything of his life before and was genuinely gripped by his commitment to the socialist cause and the fight to free Vietnam from fascist rule, to unite the country and improve the quality of life.
I have been here nearly three weeks, from the manic seething mass of Saigon to the rural beauty of tranquil Hoi An and now the historic capitol of Hanoi, yet have barely touched the surface of this complex country. On my way back tonight I stood to watch a street vendor wind solid sugar strands onto a lolly stick. Two young girls were watching me, keen to encourage me to taste the ‘candy’, but I had no small change so politely refused. Moments later they were back beside me having bought me one as a gift. Despite the fact that it tasted foul –like oil coated cold chewing gum-their genuine kindness and wish to please was a reflection of so much I have experienced over here.
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