I have another confession. I checked myself into the Metropole Hotel, built by the French in 1901 and refurbished by Sofitel into the nicest hotel in Hanoi. It is reminiscent of The Raffles in Singapore or The Strand in Rangoon. Besides providing some pampering after two months in Southeast Asia, it is giving me an interesting opportunity to observe the other side of travel in Vietnam. Sitting in the lobby, I watch well-heeled couples with professional guides glide through the polished lobby, free from the concerns that have plagued me since arriving in Saigon. I am taking advantage of all the amenities before I head to the mountains of the north and into Laos immediately afterwards.
Today I followed the crowds to the mausoleum of Ho Chih Minh. Following in the footsteps of other communist leaders, Uncle Ho was embalmed (against his wishes), and now serves as the primary attraction for legions of loyal Vietnamese locals, tourists and school children visiting the capitol. There is something decidedly creepy about filing through a dark room to view a person dead for 40 years. Thankfully, the eyes were closed – I guess I imagined something more like the wax museum (this was my first dead communist leader).
No comments:
Post a Comment