“Uncle Ho’s Stilt House”
On our third day in Hanoi it seemed about time to do some proper sightseeing and get acquainted with Mr. Ho Chi Minh. Our first stop was at his mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh requested to be cremated with his ashes spread across Vietnam but the exact opposite happened. His body was embalmed and is on display inside the mausoleum. Really. Unfortunately, (or fortunately?), we visited on Monday when the mausoleum is closed to visitors.
Next we passed by the European architecture of the Presidential Palace on our way to Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house.
The stilt house is said to be where Ho Chi Minh lived from 1958 until his death in 1969. The house is very simple with only two rooms and no toilet. The area underneath the house served as a conference room and reception hall. Realistically, Ho Chi Minh probably didn’t live here during the war. When you consider how heavily the area was targeted by American bombs, it just wouldn’t be smart.
Nonetheless, it’s still a charming place.
xo, jill
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