27th December 2014 - Last Day in Hannoi VIETNAM

After 2 weeks in Vietnam, this is the last day staying in Hanoi and we have very much enjoyed all the stuff we have done in this warm and hospitable country but today, we are spending in Hanoi itself. After today, we are no longer able to shout "good morning Vietnam".

Our plan for today was simple, a dead revolutionary, a famous prison of mass torture,a temple or two, some water puppets, a bit of shopping and a cookery class.!!

Phase one - the dead revolutionary.  It not possible to be in Vietnam and not be reminded about the understandable importance of Ho Chi Minh or "Uncle Ho" as is is known. Never more so that Hanoi where he is one of the few dead world heroes that you can actually still see because he has been preserved.  There are actually only 2 others in the world that you can actually see - Mao and Lenin. Janette had always wanted to see "uncle Ho" but despite therapy she could not be dissuaded so off we went through lots of communist rules, regulations even to the point of telling you how to stand in the queue!!.

HCM wanted his ashes scattered on the South, central and North region however the "Party" refused and had him embalmed by the Russians who are apparently leading experts in stuffing people!! (aint that the truth!).

Whilst he goes back every year for a "top up", he is still very much on display here and the highlight of janette's day was to see him in the flesh.  He did look a bit off colour but I guess you can accept that as he has been dead since 1978
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          Janette poses for a family photo - all 5 of them (including HCM).

That girl is so strange!!

 "Uncle Ho" in his mausoleum.  Created a unified Vietnam and saw off the french and the Americans.  Despite being dead for nearly 40 years, there are still very large queues to see him.  When you walk around, you are even told how to walk and Steve was told off for having his hands behind his back.

Phase two, the famous prision of mass execution.   The most famous prison of all, built by the french to house political prisoners in frightening conditions, the used by the Vietnames to house American POWs such as John McCain now Senator McCain.
This was also high on Janette's list of things to see.
The prison was famously known as the Hanoi Hilton

The cells of this morbid prison.  Actually, only a quarter of the prison still stands as a lot of it has been demolished to make high rise apartment blocks but the front area and the and the french guillotine are all retained

Inside is a propaganda video of US soldiers being given good food. playing baseball and even souvenirs packs when thy left.  They were apparently lucky to be held prisoner of the North Vietnamese!!!. The prison was the scene of widespread torture of US service men my North Vietnames and execution of Vietnamese plotical prisoners by the French including many women.

The University of Vietnam - a Buddist temple which houses the details of the scholars for many generations and ancient Chinese writings from the 14th century.  Above is the statue of Confusious but he's not talking today despite all the sacrificial biscuits he receives.

 Phase three. The famous water puppets of Hanoi 

                             

Phase 4.  Janette had bought two characters made by this guy from rice - Mandy had bought a puppet from the puppet theatre. Suffice to say, there was no souvenir Ho Chi Ming fudge or tea towels available.

Local market for food Hannoi

Turtles for sale to eat as well as frogs - a legacy from the french

The girls are off the Vietnamese cooking classes tonight so if the blog stops here you will know what has happened.....!! Phase 5 might be terminal.