The most traveled corpse in the world
The mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh is a pharaonic structure in Ba Dinh Square and holds the preserved remains of the leader of the Vietnamese revolution and the father of modern Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh. This magnum opus was built in 1975 and reminded me of the tomb of Che Guevara in Santa Clara, Cuba and even that of Lenin in Red Square when I visited during the Soviet era.
Ho Chi Minh had wanted for his remains to be cremated, but his successors disobeyed his will in the belief that such a famous character should be eternally present and revered by future generations. To keep his spirit alive, they decided to display his corpse in this mausoleum, no doubt inspired by the case of Lenin. Vietnam is not known for its mummification techniques, so the body is transported to Russia every year for "maintenance." Therefore, the mausoleum is closed in the months of October and November when to body is transported to Russia (this is why it's said that the corpse is most traveled of all time).
The mausoleum is built of marble from the mountains of Da Nang. There are huge lines to visit the glass-encased remains that start in the early morning. It is a place of pilgrimage and Vietnamese come from far reaches of the country to visit. The place is guarded by the white-uniformed Royal Guard and the changing of the guard is spectacular. The utmost respect is mandatory during the visit: no cameras or backpacks, and women must be covered up.
I went to visit the grave for two reasons: firstly, the huge queues, but also to understand and respect this emblematic symbol of Vietnam. Like most tourists, I simply see the mausoleum in the great square, the parades, the red flag waving in the wind and the famous slogan written in Vietnamese: "there is nothing more precious than independence."
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