Temple of Literature

A very enjoyable but busy day. We ventured out into the rain with our umbrellas and raincoats. I would have loved to get a photo of people on their bikes and scooters with plastic capes covering them but l wasn’t quick enough and we were boarding the coach. We headed for Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where we joined the queue to view his body. Quite an experience as you appreciate just what he means to the Vietnamese people. Then it was a tour around the grounds viewing the Presidential Palace grounds and going around Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house. We took in a tour of the Temple of Literature a Confucian Sanctuary and historical centre of learning. I had no idea of just how old this centre was and of its importance. This shot shows a ?shrine to one of the early kings sons who studied here becoming a ruler later. The bird statue on either side is standing on a turtle which is a yin yang relationship representing earth and water one helping balancing the other. I must look into this very interesting building when l am home.

We then visited the old quarter, see extra, before finishing off at the Hoa Lo Prison known locally as Hanoi Hilton from its recent use. So much covered in a day. Tomorrow we head for Ha Long Bay followed by a train journey so Internet is probably limited.