Day 12 in Hanoi - Mausoleum, Temple of Literature, Bike Rides and Pottery

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Hanoi is a vibrant and busy city. Our one day city tour turned out to be a packed affair with a trip to the Ho Chi Mihn mausoleum (including a viewing of the 43 year old body of Uncle Ho), a walk around the 1,000 year old Temple of Literature, a "bike" ride around the old shopping streets of Hanoi, a water puppet show depicting the life on the farm (we think), and finally a trip to a village solely dedicated to making pottery.

Tomorrow we head to Halong Bay where we will be staying on a Junk (a ship for others like me who have no clue what a junk is), so our blogs may be on hold for the next couple of days...

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Photos

Ho Chi Min Mausoleum
"One post pagoda"...Legend has it that the infertile king made this in the image of a lotus flower and then had a kid within a year

Ho Chi Min Mausoleum
Mom's bum...comfy

Temple of Literature
The names of top students were engraved on the stones (called steeles) each year. Oldest one is ~500 years old

Temple of Literature
Cheri getting to know the good luck turtle

Temple of Literature
Cheri proudly displays her diploma (not sure in what though)

Old Hanoi Street Market
Most enjoyable bike ride either of us ever had

Old Hanoi Street Market
Mmm...nothing like weasel coffee. Guaranteed to have passed through the digestive track of a weasel. With the real taste of weasel in each cup (sells for $100 a kilo here and $200 a kilo in the UK)

Pottery Village
Woman making tea cup handles

Comments

[Dave]

Wait, really?
You're kidding about that Weasel coffee...right? Right?

[Meatless travelers]

Weasel Coffee
Hey Dave, coffee is made when the weasel eats the coffee fruit and poops out the coffee bean seed. It is highly prized....also, you should know I never kid about poop ;)