Saluting Uncle Ho

The other members of the Rotary Club group departed early on Saturday, May 19, but my flight didn't leave until nearly midnight, so I had an extra day in Hanoi. I spent much of it in the company of a wonderful young woman, Thuy, who had served as interpreter for our group at several meetings earlier in the week. We zipped around Hanoi on her motorbike, visiting two "must-see" sites.

Because May 19 is Ho Chi Minh's birthday, we checked out monuments constructed in his honor. There is an imposing Soviet-style mausoleum in which Ho's preserved body is on display; it faces a huge plaza and is surrounded by lush gardens. We didn't arrive early enough to go inside; others from our group who visited said it was a pretty surreal experience, with dozens of guards on hand to make sure people stand in very straight lines and maintain proper decorum. People judged to be dressed immodestly are pulled out of line and ordered to buy a t-shirt (red with a gold star, like the Vietnam flag) to cover up.

The complex includes a large museum dedicated to Ho's memory. The first floor is old-fashioned, filled with display cases of items owned by Ho (his shoes, his simple clothing, his walking stick) and hundreds of photos of Ho in various contexts. The new second floor is a knock-out -- stunning displays of bold design that chronicle Ho's life and outline the efforts to overthrow imperial (French) rule. Especially considering the subject matter, it was a real surprise to see such a dramatic approach.

The Temple of Literature, built in the 11th century, was Vietnam's first university. It is a compound of temples, courtyards, gardens and pavilions containing stone tablets on which the names of all graduates of the universty are carved. The base of each tablet is a stone turtle (the turtle is one of Vietnam's four "national animals"). Thuy explained that she and other students rub the heads of the turtle for luck at exam time. Though the Temple of Literature is no longer a university, it's clear that learning still occurs there. I was asked by an English teacher to talk with her class for a while, so thy could practice speaking. Her students were delightful.

May 20 was election day for Vietnam's national assembly, and the evidence of the forthcoming election was on display in colorful polling stations located everywhere. I visited several, where workers were making last-minute preparations for the voting. I also stopped at a gallery exhibiting posters exorting members of all of Vietnam's 54 ethnic minority groups to vote. Banners stretched across the street remind people that it is their "right and duty" to vote; voting in these elections is mandatory.

I headed for the airport at 9 pm; it was absolutely packed with people. I hope all of them had the same wonderful experience I did in visiting Vietnam. The whole experience was fascinating, made even the more fun by very friendly people we encountered everywhere.