18th Feb 2010

This was my last day in Vietnam. I checked out of the hotel before breakfast and left my backpack with them. My flight was 8.30 that evening. Still gripped by taxiphobia, I decided to take a walk from Ma May to the famous, must-see Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

First, a brief intro:

In his will, Ho Chi Minh stated stated quite clearly that he wished to be cremated and to have his ashes scattered in the hills of north, central, and southern Vietnam. It’s interesting to note that in spite of the deep respect that the powers that be seem to have for Mr Ho, they went against the hero’s wishes and built a mausoluem to house his preserved body.

The structure is 21.6 metres high and 41.2 metres wide. Flanking the mausoleum are two platforms with seven steps for parade viewing. The plaza in front of the mausoleum is divided into 240 green squares separated by pathways. The gardens surrounding the mausoleum have nearly 250 different species of plants and flowers, all from different regions of Vietnam.

The parade square looks and sounds interesting enough, but don’t ever try to get in from the numerous pathways. They are all guarded by whistle-blowing policemen. There are many ways by which you may leave the compound, but there is only one way to get in. No, it’s totally free and they are not afraid of visitors entering without paying. The most fundamental ruling here, is that you must pay your respect to Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body before you can explore the other parts of the mausoleum.

Hence, even though there are numerous pathways leading to the mausoleum and no fences or signs saying that you can’t get in that way, you can be sure a whistle will be blown at you if you try to get in without first clearing security.

1. No bags allowed.
2. No cameras
3. No shorts or short skirts
4. No smoking
5. No hats

At the only dedicated entrance, you must join a long queue of Vietnamese and curious and probably unsuspecting foreigners. After going throught airport-like security screening, you surrender you camera and bag. These will be treated as checked in luggage. Once you begin your “journey” into the mausoleum, two by two like school children, the checked in cameras and bags will be transported to the exit where you’ll collect them. Everybody was understandably uneasy about it. Would they lose our bags or cameras?

Depending on the crowd, you may have to stand for hours on the “parade square” before entering the air-con mausoleum. As you approach the “red carpet”, further regulations come into force.

1. No talking.
2. No hands in the pockets.

Every few metres, there would be a soldier in white to make sure that you obey those regulations. Ho Chi Minh’s body is housed in a glass coffin in a darkened room. His body is illuminated by a couple of spotlights. Visitors walk anti-clockwise around the body and then exit the mausoleum proper. The surrendered cameras are waiting at the exit. They have been transported there from the entrance. If only Vietnamese airports could be so efficient.

Once out of the mausoleum, you are free to take pictures - that is provided you don’t get too close to the folks who are just about to enter the mausoleum. Try taking their picture and some grouchy policeman will shout at you. I’m sure we all respect and admire Ho Chi Minh. Do the keepers of the mausoleum need to go to such lengths to impose and ensure that respect?

It was a misty, chilly morning, 14deg C with a light breeze that made it seem colder. As I left the mausoleum with a lot more freedom to choose my path of exit than my path of entry, I couldn’t help noticing the glare of the huge communist slogans hanging on either side of the mausoleum. Equally glaring were the red flags with yellow sickles flapping in the wind. Looking through the mist, I caught a glimpse of what is really enshrined here.

Lunch was at Pho24, a beef noodle outlet.

http://pho24.com.vn/htmls/index.php?f=company.php&cur=6&about=1&language=en

After that, I was on my feet again, headed for the Temple of Literature. Having just come from China, the architecture of this old building wasn’t that impressive, but bearing in mind that this is Vietnam, the overwhelming Chinese influence here may blow you away. Inside and outside the compound, scrolls of Chinese calligraphy were on sale. Those inside were more the mass produced stuff. Outside, were the more interesting written-to-order scrolls for sale.

I walked back to the Old Quarter, had an early dinner of lemongrass chilli chicken with rice and collected my backpack from the hotel. A few last MSN messages to help out our proudly single receptionist with his numerous online girlfriends and I was off to the airport.