Hanoi City

We had a whirlwind tour of the city covering a wide variety of the city's heritage. It is a capital city and is busy - zebra crossings are for decoration only. We visited many temples and pagodas (they are temples too). The people are devout bringing gifts to the temples. - food for their ancestors and for the poor. Must ask what happens to the food offerings brought for the ancestors - is it like the Father Christmas carrot, mince pie and sherry? They also bring money for the monks who use it as they think fit - some for themselves, some for the upkeep of the temple and some for poor relief.

I noticed at one temple that there was no requirement to take off the shoes whereas at others there was. Why? I asked - because many pairs of shoes were stolen at that temple so the rules changed. So Buddha recognises that it is not meant as disrespect when they keep the shoes on but a necessity for dry feet outside!

We visited the Museum of Ethnology to learn more about the 54 different ethnic peoples and within each ethnic group there are subgroups - some with as little as 300 in total. Within the collection of artefacts there are constructions of the different styles of housing they have developed using the different materials they have at their disposal.

Thong our guide is a subversive - he seemed quite sceptical about the government and their brand of communism. Whilst one of the few remaining communist states, the government is happy to encourage investment from capitalists corporations and countries to bring about economic change but there is no plan for political change. However his prediction is that they will eventually "lose their control" as these outside influences and the internet infiltrate society. He looks forward to this happening.

He spoke quite a lot about the various wars that have taken their toll on the country and it's people. One of the lakes (there are many lakes and the big Red River shaping the landscape) is nicknamed the B52 Lake as so many US pilots, including John McCain, were shot down and fell into the lake. They call it the American War and he mentioned many of the consequences of the bombing the US were responsible for. It was not an anti US rant but there has had to be much reconstruction of bridges and highways, before any advancement of infra-structure which is hard for the hard pressed economy. Even though there is much more investment from outside it is still a poor country. They have a number of projects that have started but have been mothballed due to a shortage of funds.

The city isn't particularly a pretty one - while there are some stunning French colonial buildings much of the new building is depressing concrete construction with little or no finish and looking grubby. Land is VERY expensive and so they build narrow and deep - tunnel houses they are known as.

We saw Ho Chi Min's mausoleum which Thong says costs $1m a month to guard - his view is that is would be better spent on schools and hospitals rather than fancy guards in uniform. There is a massive reverence for the old boy or uncle as he known, so it is hard to understand exactly what they would be afraid of. The actual interior is locked off to the outside world out of opening times - some video cameras with a couple of people monitoring them to check if anyone is trying to break in would probably suffice.

We had a cyclo (rickshaw) ride round the narrow streets of the old town last thing in the day. It was fairly scary at times but nothing like being a pillion passenger on a motorbike in India.