A trip to the Perfume Pagoda and a walk through Hanoi

We set the alarm for 5:00-- one hour early -and took a morning walk through the streets of Hanoi.

We stopped at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum-- (John has now seen all 3 embalmed leaders--Ho, Lenin, Mao... we called him "Parchment Ho"
Note: The high cost of keeping Ho-- Vietnamese people would like to “heave Ho”....

In the complex is Ho’s home on stilts--solid mahogany but very modest.

A two hour drive out of Hanoi on the limestone rocks of Huong Son Mountain is the Perfume Pagoda, a complex of some 13 shrines, temples and pagodas. The only way to reach the temples is floating along a narrow stream by row boats. An iron boat can carry 3-5 people and a large wooden boat – up to 20 locals.

The first temple is called Den Trinh (i.e. The Shrine for First Presenting), where Vietnamese burn jossticks to inform the local deities about their presence and pray for a good trip and good luck for the year ahead.

The main wharf of Huong Son mountain is the start of an uphill climb to the Main Grotto of Huong Tich.

The uphill trip takes an hour climbing on the ancient flat and sometime slippery stones. The main pagoda is set in a huge grotto. Each stalactite and stalagmite inside, which are soaked by undercurrent, is combined with a legend about its miracle and good luck.

Notes:
Gifts to Buddha-- now he gets Johnny Walker and cigarettes
Monks -- Three rules: No marriage, no wine, no dog meat....
“Hell Market”--Vietnamese people go there when they want to eat dog....
Back in Hanoi- Dinner: Mothers Pride-- 53 Ba Trien