This morning we were taken to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. This is the holiest of holy places for the Vietnamese. It is Ho Chi Minh's final resting place. We queued up in single file in silence to pay respect. He was well dressed and looked as fresh as he was just napping! It was fascinating to see how clean and well preserved he was. Next, our tour guide, Huyen, showed us around the palace where he lived. Ho Chi Minh was a simple man who did not like to make a display of his money, so his bedroom was rather basic. However, he had to keep up a grand image for the world and as such, the building exterior was stunning, as were the gardens.
After the Mausoleum, we went to the prison. This is where
Anne and I enjoyed going around the different art galleries in the old quarter. There were so many stunning pieces that we were blown away by the talent! Later that afternoon, the whole group went to see a water puppet show. This is an art form originating from northern Vietnam. It was so beautiful and creative! Lovely traditional music and puppets meant it was smiles all around.
It was the last night for four of our group buddies. Hailee and Peter and Chrissy and Jeff would be flying home to Australia tomorrow. For their farewell meal, we went to a fancy restaurant. It was a real treat! The head chef for this restaurant used to cook for Bill Clinton. We all enjoyed our meals and soaked up the company of the four leaving.
A wonderful day!
No comments:
Post a Comment