Uncle Ho Legacy

Our tour guide casually pointed to the statue of Lenin as our tour bus passed by one of the streets in Hanoi. Vietnam is probably one of the rare countries still reveres Lenin. With the collapse of communism throughout the world, it is but name only that communist rule is still being kept in this socialist state. The sign of the rich getting richer and the poor becoming poorer in this bustling city testifies that it is capitalism that is driving the economy.

Vietnamese are resilient people. For a country that had been dominated for decades by so many foreign powers, it is quite remarkable that the Vietnamese are steadfast in keeping their identity and character. The northern part of this country was under Chinese rule for over a thousand years in the first AD millennium. Then from the late 1800's to mid-1900's, it became a French colony. And finally, the Americans came and rendered havoc from 1965 to 1975. Miraculously, the nation has been able to resist all these foreign powers and literally kicked out all of them.

Still, the Chineseness of this nation is conspicuously obvious especially in architecture and Chinese calligraphy inscribed in many old buildings.

Our tour guide revealed that a staggering 80% of foreign tourists are from China. One could sense a love-hate relationship between Vietnam and China. The hidden tension is further exacerbated by the overlapping claim of  a few islands in the South China Sea. The Vietnamese may resent the huge influx of Chinese but are somehow helpless to resist the dollars they bring in.

One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist Temple in Hanoi.

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The Vietnamese affectionately referred to their nation's founding father, Ho Chi Minh as Uncle Ho. The Vietnamese had consistently obeyed every order of Ho Chi Minh when he was President of this nation. They however refused to obey only one – They kept his body on display in Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum against the will of Ho who wanted his remains cremated.

We decided against spending one and half hours just to queue up to see the remains of Uncle Ho. It was more appropriate that this privilege be left to the many many pre-kindy children of the local kindergartens who came from all parts of Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

Presidential Palace which was offered to President Ho Chi Ming

as his official residence which he never took up.

Pre-kindy Vietnamese children queuing up to see the remains of

their nation's founding father.