A day out

 Spirits were high this morning as we left the hotel and once more boarded a bicycle rickshaw bound for a packed day of sightseeing. 

Any lingering post-colonial guilt I may have been feeling about the bicycle rickshaw was quickly assuaged by JB who pointed out that by travelling via pedal power, we were in fact,  offsetting our carbon footprints.

Thank God I married a scientist. 

Anyway, today's driver/pedaller was a much younger model and well up to the task:

First stop: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. 

The security was incredibly tight. Our bags were scanned and we had to pass through metal detectors, on the off chance we'd brought any weapons with us . 

Quite what they thought we'd get up to wasn't clear. Uncle Ho's been dead for 55 years. It's not as if we could make him any deader.....

The Mausoleum is a severe square building. No windows, but then, I guess he's not going to complain about the lack of a view.

He's guarded by some the Vietnamese Army's finest, although their marching raised a few eyebrows.

The Mausoleum complex is set in really lovely grounds, although there are signs everywhere saying no entry.

There is, however, a rather nice pavilion and pond which I guess is better than nothing.

Our next stop (on foot) was to the Vietnam Museum of Literature. 

According to the guide book, it's a hidden gem in the city.

We visited it quite a few years ago and were impressed.

Today however, we were underwhelmed. 

I fear we may have become jaded as far as Museums of Literature go. (I blame the post-colonial rickshaws).

Whatever.

Here is a flavour of what was on offer, yet failed to engage us .