Back to Hanoi

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The night train arrived back into Hanoi at 4am; as there were no guesthouses open we had to sit by the lake in the cold & dark watching all the crazy people do mad exercise routines & thai chi. We put our i-pods on & decided to join in to keep warm & amuse ourselves so in the end we looked just as silly. About 6.15am we found a coffee shop that had opened so had a coffee & then checked into a gueshouse near to where we were staying when we were last in Hanoi.

We got showered & headed out early to catch the Mausoleum which is only open till 11am, it was here that we saw Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body. He looked very peaceful although his wishes that he had wanted to be cremated & have his ashes scattered on three unmarked hills in the North, centre & South of Vietnam had not been followed.

We had a mission trying to find out how to get into the Presidential Palace & HCM's House on Stilts with your bag & camera, (as you aren't allowed to take them into the Mausoleum). Eventually we found a guard that spoke English & got into the Presidential Palace grounds. It was here that I was accosted by a Japanese Lady; she grabbed me to have my photo taken with her. I went very red & was embarrassed then her daughter wanted a photo so I thought I would get one as well as Claire thought it was hilarious it is always me that gets grabbed for photos.

We had a walked around the grounds, where there were garages of HCM's used cars, (not very exciting so didn't spend long on that one), HCM's office & his house of stilts which was a nice building set on a lake with his bomb shelter at the back.

Claire went to buy a present so I couldn't resist buying just one last souvenir from Vietnam before we head off to Laos! We grabbed a pain au choclat & sat by Hoan Kiem Lake before having a relaxing afternoon doing not an awful lot.

In the evening Claire got some 60p vodka & I got some 60p Brandy, (it helps you sleep when you have a cold!), & I would just like to add that Chocolate is twice the price of the vodka & brandy so the Vietnamese are encouraging people to be alcoholics rather than fat! We played cards, watched TV & also played this game where you write a famous person's name on a piece of paper & stick it to the other person's forehead. After I completely stumped Claire with Peter Andre & Mother Teresa we both strangely put Danni Minogue on each others head at the same time. Claire & I have even started saying the same things at the same time, its getting spooky!

When we went for breakfast this morning, (21st January), before heading to the airport, they were just taking the Christmas Tree down in the cafe, (although still playing Christmas music!) They definitely don't rush things in Asia.

Vietnam has been good but I am fed up of dodging bikes & taking my life in my hands as I cross the road. We were told in Ho Chi Minh City that the population was 8 million people & there were 5 million bikes, there must be less motorbikes in Laos?!

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Photos

Me looking rather embarassed with one of the random Japnese Tourists
Outside the Presidential Palace

Comments

[Ollie Johnson]

Hey Erica! Sorry it's taken me so long to post on your blog! I've really enjoyed reading about your travels. Definately hoping to get to Cambodia and Vietnam at some point in the future. Hope you're both enjoying Laos. Take care, Ollie