UNCLE HO
One of our first sightseeing adventures
in Hanoi was to visit Uncle Ho resting in his mausoleum. Visitors
were directed anti-clockwise around an airtight glass case containing
Ho Chi Minh's remains. Guards stood to attention at each corner
of the case; there was no time for dawdling.
Decades since his death, Ho is starting
to resemble a figure from Madame Tussaud's wax museum, not the
esteemed president many Vietnamese still regard him as.
Vietnam has only recently become a
major tourist destination since its government relaxed its visa
and entry requirements.
As such, Vietnamese are still excited
to meet foreigners they can practice their rusty English on. In
return they are happy to teach you a few words of their own tongue.
Vietnam is a beautiful country filled
with welcoming people ready to teach you about their history and
culture. In 2000 it is also a country ready to unfurl its secrets
after a horrific civil war and strict communist regime closed
it off from tourists for many years.
As word spreads that contemporary Vietnam
is an unspoiled traveler's paradise it will surely become, as
its government hopes, "The Destination for the New Millennium."
