There was a lot of confusion getting in. We knew we needed to dress respectfully, with shoulders and knees covered. We had been told by one person we needed to check our bags, so we're prepared to do so, knowing we couldn't bring cameras inside. I had my messenger bag with my camera inside and had put my wallet in my pocket to keep on me.
As we passed through the metal detectors, those of us with cameras were handed a red tote bag with a picture of a camera and words basically saying to leave it at the bag check printed on it. Our interpretation was that we should either put the camera in the bag and check the camera. But we saw someone heading into the line to enter the mausoleum with the red bag. So perhaps we put the camera in the bag and carried it, making it harder to sneak photos? At the desk I just decided to check my entire bag. Others didn't feel comfortable putting their expensive camera in an easy to steal, clearly labeled bag. At the desk they tried to tell me to just keep my bag with me. And they took the empty red bag. Ok. So I proceeded to enter the line to get in to the mausoleum. And was stopped by a security guard saying to go check the bag. WTF? Finally we gave up and gave all our bags to the local guide who said he would hold them and meet us at the end.
We were ordered to walk two by two down a long pathway under a blue awning. Other people in line were sneaking photos left and right as we approached the building.
As we entered the building we were told to keep our hands by our sides. We turned the corner, entered a room and there he was. Ho Chi Minh himself, lying in the center of the room with a spotlight illuminating his beard and khakis. We were on a walkway that took us down one side, past his feet and up the other side out of the room. He was on a platform in the center and two lucky soldiers got to stand guard in the space in between.
It was a very odd experience.
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