Still in Hanoi

Trip Start Sep 11, 2008

Trip End Sep 24, 2008

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Where I stayed

Daewoo Hanoi

(Hanoi hotels)

Flag of Vietnam Hanoi, Vietnam
Sunday, September 14, 2008

Spent the day going to the museums. Started with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which was closed, we suspect he has gone to Russia for a make-over (no disrespect meant). I wonder if we will do the same when Mandela dies. The Vietnamese people really love Ho Chi Minh like I think we love Nelson Mandela and I hope that we will be able to keep his memory alive as they do. I don't really go for keeping his remains on display, but if that's what it takes so be it.

We then went to look at the house where he lived, very humble man and lifestyle, I think that's why he reminds me of Mandela. We then went to the one pillar pagoda, where the Vietnamese come to pray for a baby, I sent a small prayer up for San and for a little Peter!

We then went to the Literature museum, the first university in Vietnam, saw a statue of Confucius

Arrangement Outside Restaurant

. The Vietnamese are very superstitious and we had to touch the turtle for good luck and long life. There was a lady with her son and she went from turtle to turtle touching it, saying a prayer and then touching her son's head and he was bored stiff during this whole performance, reminds me of someone else in my life! I hope you are going to varsity while I'm away.

Wonderful lunch followed in a Vietnamese restaurant and then to the Ethnology museum, which I really found very boring. It was over-crowded, no air-conditioning and boring, maybe it would have been better if we had someone explain each exhibit. It is extremely hot and humid here our feet look like balloons they are so swollen.

We then went back to the hotel for dinner and sleep. The one disappointment so far is that all meals in the hotels are western menus. They other all like the break from the Vietnamese food but I really prefer the Vietnamese food.