Day 3- January 11, 2011
I woke up this morning bright and early. I was able to figure out the shower a lot faster, however the temperature was still very sensitive. I used another girl’s hair straightener on the trip but my hair just looked like a huge poofball. The humidity here is just like South Carolina! I had a similar combination for breakfast this morning as I did yesterday morning (croissant, bacon and rice) and it was just as good as yesterday.
We boarded the bus around 8:30 AM to start our full day of adventures. The first stop we made was at Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh died in the late 1960’s. We were not allowed to take pictures inside of his mausoleum. I was expecting to see a stone tomb with flowers placed on top inside the mausoleum. However, his body was in a clear glass case on display. There were at least 8 guards surrounding him while visitors toured through. He appeared to have been preserved and embalmed quite well. The guards throughout the mausoleum were very strict on behavior. No hats were allowed and no hands were allowed to be placed in the pockets. It was so neat to see how well preserved Ho Chi Minh’s body was and how respectful the nation is of him. There was a lawn in front of his mausoleum that was decorated as well. We were allowed to take pictures of the mausoleum, just not inside. We also toured his houses and got to see his cars. We also got to see the guesthouse that was built for important people nearby. Ho Chi Minh was a simple man (in my standards). The guesthouse was much larger than any of his residences. It was so neat to see where he actually lived.
Next, we went to the Ethnology Museum. The museum had many interesting displays throughout. The museum was basically dedicated to the different ethnic groups found in Vietnam and about different aspects of the people. I saw many elaborate costumes as well as many types of pottery, weapons and day-to-day necessities. There was a very elaborate AIDS exhibit as well. I was surprised to see all the facts and figures for Vietnam. The displays also explained different steps that had been taking to spread education about AIDS and treatment. It was found that AIDS spread more rapidly when it was looked down upon, than accepted. One of the strategies used to spread awareness of AIDS is to make different structures (i.e.: Football Helmet, Christmas Tree) and elaborate dresses out of contraceptives. I did not notice what these structures were made out of at first, but then was amazed at the truly unique detail and supplies used for these particular works of art. I also walked around the outside of the museum that displayed structures such as different types of houses. It was neat to look inside the houses and read the many descriptions of items from years ago. I enjoyed the Ethnology Museum a lot.
After the museum, we left for lunch. We entered an old French inspired building for lunch. It was probably my least favorite meal so far. Many things were repeated from last night, however they were not as good. When I talk about the food not being good, it is like comparing one Chinese restaurant to another. There are only slight differences.
Next, we went to the Temple of Literature. The Temple of Literature is a Confucius temple in Vietnam that was founded in 1070. Originally, the temple served as Vietnam’s first university for over 700 years. The University strived to educate the elite and took pride in the difficult academics that it presented. Many students struggled to pass the final examinations. Engraved on the stone stele the names of the students who did pass the final exam can be seen. An emperor started the tradition of engraving ones name into the stele in 1484. The engraved names have faded, but some still remain. Today, The Temple of Literature is one of Vietnam’s most impressive historical sites. The temple is comprised of five courtyards that lead to pathways that run throughout the temple itself. These paths were reserved for the elite, specifically the king. We didn’t spend much time at the temple, but it was very neat to see a quick tour.
Vietnam is currently experiencing their coldest winter. Today it was about 46 degrees, rainy and slightly windy. Many of us were freezing yesterday and today. The weather was not supposed to be this cold! Before our next adventure, we were given about 45 minutes to shop in the Old Quarter again to try and find some jackets. I didn’t find a jacket, but many of my peers did. We found that again the shop owners were not too keen on bargaining. However many of my peers walked away having received good deals (North Face Jackets for $12.50). Throughout the day, we had many outside adventures. I think most of us were focused on being cold rather than remembering specific details that our tour guide (Hong) was telling us. I focused more on the appearance of things rather than the facts today.
We then attended a water puppet show. It was a short show that displayed puppets on water. It was so neat to see these puppets acting out scenes while appearing to float on the water. I took some great pictures and can’t wait to share them later! The whole show was conducted in mostly Vietnamese along with a lot of traditional music. While I didn’t exactly understand what was going on, it was neat to see the performance.
My favorite part of the day occurred next. We got to ride cyclos around the city. There was one person per cyclo. A cyclo is basically a big seat in the front with a small Asian man peddling you from behind. There were many mixed emotions about the tour. Some of the men didn’t speak very good English (if any at all) and many kept asking for a tip. I had a great experience. The man that gave me the tour spoke very good Vietnamese English. I enjoyed hearing about his life and he did a wonderful job of pointing out interesting things out around the city. I tipped him with a $2 and wished him good luck for the New Year. He was so excited and thankful.
We then boarded the bus to head back to the hotel. We arrived back around 5:30 PM. Most of us decided to take a short nap before trying to find a place for dinner. Around 7:00 PM, I met up with three other people from the trip to go grab a bite to eat. We ended up at a small restaurant around the corner from our hotel. The food was decent and cheap, and the owner was very nice to us. She gave us student prices on all the food and even gave us special egg rolls. So far, none of us have gotten sick, so I’m crossing my fingers we will all feel fine tomorrow!
It is currently 9:30 PM here. It is all I can do to stay awake. These adventures are so tiring but worth it! I am noticing many similarities between China and Vietnam. As I have explained to some others, it is like the difference between any Central American countries or for any state in the US for that matter.
I really love and respect the Asian culture. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to visit and learn more about their people and culture.
No comments:
Post a Comment