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The overnight train to Hanoi was really good, I felt like I was travelling in Luxury (well compared to the bus). You get a little room with 2 bunk beds in and you get your dinner served in your room. I really like Hanoi so far, it's got a cafe culture and you could almost believe you were in France when you are in some of them. The first day we went around Hoan Kiem lake in the old quarter of Hanoi, it is surprisingly peaceful (amid all the traffic, millions of motorbikes). They say there are tortoises in the lake and apparently they have been spotted many times. I couldn't seem to find one. They say a tortoise came up from the bottom of the lake (many years ago) and took the sword used to defeat the Chinese (sorry can't remember the exact details). We went to the History museum, after looking for ages, we always seemed to get lost. It was quite good, I hate to say it but most of the museums we have been to aren't always presented to the standard of European museums. We guess that most of the money must have been put into Hanoi. On our second day we went to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, we were just going to the museum as we thought the mausoleum would not be open. Apparently the body is taken to Russia a few months every year, but we arrived and it was open. It is a very strict process to get in, like a military operation and there are lots of police. We had to hand over our bags, then we were ordered to sit and watch a film even though it was in Vietnamese so we couldn't understand it anyway. We were escorted to another security check and finally we got in. There are strict rules about what you can wear and do (no putting hands in pockets). The room was dark and cold and as you walk in you can see the body lit up through the glass, 4 police guard the body at the base. It was a strange experience. Ho Chi Minh created the first communist party, he is well respected in Vietnam there are monuments of him everywhere. We then went to the Vietnamese Ethnology Museum, which is the best museum we have been to on our trip. Everything was clear and explained really well (and it looked nice in there too). They had sections on the different people that make up Vietnam such as, White Thai, Black Thai, Mon, where they live, their lifestyle and had built full scale replica houses that you could climb up and go in, made of bamboo and wood. They also had a section on the period after the war when the country was forced to live on rations and had a coupon system, it really gives you an insight into the problems people faced at the time. I was quite surprised because some comments included from people that lived through that time basically criticise the government and the museums in the south seemed very biased, in the governments favour. They explain about the corruption that went on and the ways people survived by making extra money e.g sewing, livestock etc. Others speak about the government censorship, people made poems and films about the hard times in Vietnam and the government completely changed the endings or did not allow them to be shown. Any one that had a bicycle had to have it registered and it was a very sought after item. Many hoped to go abroad for study and bring back goods to sell. It was the best museum I have been to in Vietnam and I would definitely recommend it. The only thing I don't like about Hanoi is the traffic, there are too many motorbikes for the streets in the Old Quarter. You are forced to walk on the road because of the parked motorbikes on the pavement or because of the people that set up little stalls on the street and put out their plastic chairs. It takes twice as long to get anywhere and you have to dodge all the bikes, and don't even get me started on crossing the road!
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