Day 6

Having missed AirAsia flight, we have to squeeze all the Hanoi sighseeing programmes into the last day, before our departure time at 6.05 pm. After hotel buffet breakfast, we visited Ho Chi Minh Complex. We have to line up and remain silent while visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. No camera, no pouch, no backpacks, no handphones are allowed inside the mausoleum.

Like usual, the piggies were not paying attention to our tour guide, as evidenced in the photo above. All we heard from the tour guide was:

• Vietnam War = War between China and Vietnam
• American-Vietnam War = War between America and Vietnam from 1958 to 1975
• Uncle Ho never got married till his death, nonetheless, he is a father to the whole nation.
• Uncle Ho didn't want to stay in the huge French colonial presidency palace and built his own humble wooden house as shown in the photos below
• The body of Uncle Ho is sent to Moscow every year from Sep to Dec for "cosmetic" touch-ups.
  

Buddha tree. The protruding sticks are the roots of the tree.

To my surprise, this is the so-called One Pillar Pagoda. It's just a very small altar, supported by a pillar.

Temple of Literature is also named as the First University. Vietnamese worship Confucius, just like the Chinese. In those days, they obtained a doctorate upon graduation. Now, you just get a bachelor degree upon graduation from a university, then, a masters degree and eventually a doctorate. In the Temple of Literature, there are many stellae with names of graduates. Though the wordings are in Chinese, it's beyond our vocabulary knowledge to read them.

On the previous day, I avoided the hectic Old Quarters. Today, it's in the itinerary to have a cyclo ride around the Old Quarters, i.e. being carried around and breathing in the choking exhaust gas from vehicles. Traffic in Vietnam is like fish swimming in the water. It's difficult to cross a road if you see left, see right and see left again. Oops... here in Vietnam, the driving direction is opposite from that of M'sia. Anyhow, if you see right, see left and see right again, you won't be able to cross the road. To cross a road, you just need to focus on the ground and keep on walking a-la praying. All vehicles will automatically manoeuvre away to avoid hitting you.

The electrical cables are horrible, as shown in the photo above. As Chinese New Year was around the corner, shops were selling Chinese New Year goods. The mood was definitely thicker than that in M'sia.

This was the most enjoyable meal in Vietnam - buffet lunch. There were over 100 types of dishes to choose from.

The last programme on the list was a visit to the West Lake. The temple by the lake was of the Nepalist style.

Before heading towards the Hanoi International Airport, we detoured to a flower market. Vietnam, to me, is full of fresh flowers, real flowers. No artificial stuff, yet.

The Hanoi International Airport was very crowded. Without Mr Tan, our tour guide, I think we'd have difficulty checking in, especially when we're taking AirAsia (er... you know lah, low cost=cut cost=lack of service). Mr Tan fought his way thru the crowd, shooing people on the line to another line and ushering us to get into the line he created. Wow... kam tou tak?... like that also can ah?

If you've not missed a flight, you'd not appreciate a take-off. This time, we're all wise men and women. We asked around even though we can read English boards. AirAsia changed boarding gate without announcement and we're the first one on the queue just because we asked around. Only upon scolded by a lady, announcement was made. Later, that same lady criticized about the food on board. The brochure illustrates mouth-watery nasi lemak. What came out was shown in the photo below.