Today I Took a Tour

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Hi Everyone,

It has been fast and furious here in Hanoi, but I did take some time out today (Sunday) for some sight-seeing. I took a tour that lasted from 8:30 Am to 3:00 PM. It was a great to learn a lot more about the history of Vietnam and Hanoi and to gain some new perspectives from some of its citizens. The tour group leader was a lady named Huong, who was very intelligent and a very good communicator. The only hitch was that we had a 9 passenger tour bus and 14 passengers. Let’s just say we all became good friends before it was over. There was a great deal of togetherness on the bus. The tour group consisted of about Australians, Malaysians, Japanese, and Thais and me. As usual, everyone spoke English.

We first visited the Temple of Literacy which was founded about 1000 AD and was the first University of Vietnam. There were some interesting stories about how students traveled long distances by foot to reach the university and many of these students died along the way due to starvation and tigers. The Temple of Literacy was dedicated to the teachings of Confucius. The stressed several times that Confucianism is not a religion, but rather is a philosophy that served as a guide for people on how to live their lives.

The next stop was to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It was not possible to go into the museum to see his body (although I wasn’t really disappointed) due to the fact that the body is taken to Russia 3 months of the year for “restoration” and also due to the fact that the mausoleum is undergoing enhanced security in anticipation of APEC next month. We did go visit Ho Chi Minh’s three houses on the Presidential grounds though as well as the Presidential Palace. The people of Vietnam are as reverent to Ho Chi Minh as American’s are to Abraham Lincoln. They identify with Ho Chi Minh because he was a very simple man. Even as President he refused to live in a palace and instead had small houses built for him that reflected the common people of Vietnam. He spoke fluent Vietnamese, English, French, Russian, German, and Chinese. Of course I still have personal conflicts with his teachings due to his staunch support of Communism and his admiration of Lenin and Marx.

The next stop on the tour was the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology to gain an enhanced understanding of the cultures of Vietnam. It was interesting to me to learn that there are some 84 different ethnic groups in Vietnam. Of course these tend to cross the geographic boundaries of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. The museum took about an hour and a half to go through, but it easily could have taken a full day. Lots of really interesting exhibits and artifacts, but there was no photography allowed.

We then had lunch together at a Vietnamese restaurant. The lunch was very good- rice (of course) tofu, spring rolls, sautéed spinach, chicken and an herb soup. I must have been over here too long as I am really enjoying the Vietnamese food.

After lunch we headed to an “ancient house in the old quarter of Hanoi. Here we learned the traditional set up of the Vietnam household which included careing for many generations of relative as well maintaining a business and social life on the first floor. The tour guide of the house actually still lives in the house and is a descendant of the original owners.

Well, that’s it for today. There are lots of pictures attached to this blog entry, and since a picture is worth a thousand words, perhaps that let’s me off the hook. Send me an e-mail or leave me a comment if you get the chance.

Everyone take care,

Arlyn

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Photos

Arlyn at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The Mausoleum was closed and Ho Chi Minh's body has been taken to Russia for "maintenance".

Typical Motorcycle traffic
Notice that on two motorbikes that there are 4 people? I continue to be amazed...

Me in front of the 1-tier Pagoda
Built by an early King in 1090 to commemorate the birth of a son.

Me with Ancient House Tour Guide
I had been taking other's pictures with her and then she insisted that I have my picture taken with her. I told her Nalynn might be very jealous if she saw me with another women- but here goes...

Tour Guide at "Ancient House"
In traditioanl (and contemporary) Vietnamese dress.

1st Professor of Temple of Literacy
Renowned professor of Temple of Literacy- dates to about 1000 AD

Presidential Palace
The Vietnamese version of the White House. Interestingly enough though, the tour guide volunteered that the architect was German.

School Kids at the Temple of Literature
The kids were very respectful and well-behaved.

More School Kids
The teachers were singing songs with them and there was not one kid out of line in the bunch! I think maybe we could learn some things about discipline from the Vietnam culture.

Incense Offerings
Incense offerings at the Temple

Ho Chi Minh's Limo
Nice car, still in his garage.

Incense Offering at Pagoda
Saw this on a side trip to the bathroom- thought it was worth a picture.

Comments

[Angie Tucker]

Hello
So good to hear from you. I am enjoying the blogs very much. Hope all is well with you. Be careful. Talk to you later, Angie

[Stan]

Really Nice
Hey Arlyn - Thanks for sharing your pictures along with great commentary with the comrads you left in San Francisco ((-: Take Care.

[Arlyn]

Hi Stan
Thanks very much for the nice comment. Tell all my friends in SF hello for me. I will call you when I get back to the states.