10/21: Hanoi Highlights

We flew from Hue to Hanoi, Vietnam's capital and located in the north of the country, arriving there after noon. It was the first city in a while that we did not have someone we or the hotel had hired meeting us - we had sort of gotten used to (OK - spoiled by!) not having to fend for ourselves when coming to a new city! We had an easy time finding the airline shuttle heading to the Old Quarter to drop passengers off but the shuttle didn't leave til it was full. Normally that wouldn't matter one iota but we had a university student meeting us at our hotel at 2 to take us out for a walking tour of her city. Long story short, after arriving at the Landmark Hotel by taxi from the airline office just a few minutes late, we found out that our guide had come and gone.

Love how most Asian airports have easy to find and free luggage carts - why can't the US airports?

Tried to check into our hotel only to find that they didn't honor the  reservation I had made in January, if you please, because someone decided to stay an extra night. We were told that they were full for the first night but would put us up next door. That hotel was far inferior but at that point we had no choice other than to find another hotel. It worked out in the end with our getting the rate reduced for the 4 nights and also upgraded to a deluxe room but what a lot of hassle and unpleasantness.

Luckily the hotel was able to call our guide who returned to pick us up and we were off on our merry way discovering Hanoi through the young woman's eyes. Thanh, our sweet guide, told us the company she works for has university students like her give free walking tours with the hope they can practice and improve their English language skills. She said our first destination was the outside only of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. 

I asked Thanh what the billboard said and she was pretty vague about the details but it was something along the lines of 'Vietnam Forever.'

Before we got there though, I was delighted that we happened to pass by the Canadian Embassy, especially since Canada had elected a new Prime Minister only the night before!

Virtually across the street was the Mausoleum, an imposing, sober, granite and concrete structure modeled after Lenin's tomb in Moscow. Except for October and November when Ho goes to Russia for 'body maintenance,' Ho lies in state, embalmed and dressed in his favored khaki suit. He asked to be cremated but obviously his wish was not heeded!

In front of  the Ho Chi Minh Museum which details Ho's life and cause and also includes documents detailing the rise and fall of the nation's Communist revolution.

Thanh took us next to One Pillar Pagoda, above, located to the right of the Museum. It's a wooden structure originally built in 1049, that sits on a single concrete pillar in a tiny pond. She explained that it was built by a king of the Ly Dynasty who went to a temple to pray for a male child. The Goddess of Mercy sat on a lotus flower and the pagoda was built to represent a lotus emerging from the water when the king had a male child. Thanh said that lots of couples come here to pray for children.

We walked through a small Buddhist temple by the pagoda. Photos of it are below:

As in any capital city, there was a significant police presence in Hanoi, especially around buildings of such important historical significance to the Vietnamese. More views of the Mausoleum above and below.

Huge grapefruit.

Next up on our tour was a view of the former French Governor's home built by the French in German style. It later was Ho Chi Minh's home but he didn't ever live there as he felt it was ostentatious in such a poor country, Thanh stated. She added that only soldiers and 'government people' can enter it.

Cars given to Ho by the French and Russians.

Walked next to the nearby House of Stilts, Ho Chi Minh's home during his later years which was surrounded by a beautiful small lake and lovely gardens. Thanh said the place is packed on the weekends with Vietnamese coming to pay homage to Ho.

Photos from Ho's House of Stilts:

Mango Road. Ho planted all the trees, Thanh said.

Saw cypress roots all over the property.

Ho's House on Stilts at last.

Thanh said Ho met world leaders and children from all over Vietnam here as he loved children. He never had any of his own - don't know if he ever married.

Ho's office above and bedroom below.

Thanh shared with us that Ho clapped his hands on this bridge to catch the fish's attention, so she did it too - don't think she got their attention though!

All federal government buildings in Hanoi seemed to be painted this golden color - no idea what this building was on the lake surrounding Ho's House on Stilts.

More grapefruit, Thanh said but it was unlike any we've seen.

Passed lots of men, obviously in the military, jogging and then in a drill formation very close to the Mausoleum. Thanh explained that Vietnamese men are required to serve in the military for 2 years.

Buddhist prayer flag just like what we'd seen earlier at One Pillar Pagoda.

Steven and I had seen huge signs like these all over Vietnam but had no idea what they were til we asked Thanh. It was the '16th Government Meeting' she said and the meetings are only held every 5 years in Hanoi. I am thinking that something likely got lost in translation as to what the signs really said.

As we continued our walking tour, Thanh led us past a small triangular shaped park with a statue of Lenin, above.

Steven and Thanh on one of the many badminton courts set up in front of 'Lenin's Park.' A newscaster below in the same area.

Traffic here in Hanoi was far more 'civilized' than what we'd experienced down in Sai Gon even taking into account Hanoi's smaller population of 'only' 6.6 million people. We never felt here in Hanoi we were risking life and limb every time we crossed a major intersection even if it didn't have either traffic lights or a traffic warden as above.

Walked by the National Library of Vietnam above.

We asked Thanh why the huge throng of people here, thinking it was a demonstration or rally. It was nothing as radical as that, only parents waiting to pick up their kids from school! We next walked over to beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of the old town.

Photos of Hoan Kiem Lake:

It is also known as the Lake of the Restored Sword when a 15th C. king was given a magic sword by a tortoise that lived in the lake. Legend has it that the king used the sword to drive the Chinese from the country but the tortoise is said to have snatched the sword back and disappeared into the lake. Above is a photo of Tortoise Tower in the middle of the lake.

There's a great walking path around the entire lake, we later discovered.

Peace Tower located adjacent to the lake.

It was still shy of dusk as we walked here but we could imagine how lovely it must be to walk under the lit dragon at nighttime.

A huge sculpture and lots of flags!

It had been a longish day by this point flying in from Hue, taking a long time to get a shuttle to the Old Quarter, then a taxi to the hotel only to find we had no room at the proverbial inn and then rushing out with Thanh for the tour even before settling where we would be staying tonight. We were both tired and a mite bit hungry by then as we had had no lunch either. It was great taking a break on one of the lake's park benches for a few minutes! 

Thanh said that the couple above were waiting for their wedding party to arrive. She said that both families pay for their child's weddings and that men normally marry at 25 and women at 22. She vouched to wait til her mid 20's at least. Unmarried children lie with their parents in Vietnam, Thanh explained.

Pen Tower also adjacent to Hoan Kiem Lake.

Before we entered these stunning 'gates,' I looked across the street and noticed below this sort of a 'Swords and Ploughshares' type of statue, I thought.

Through here was the stunning Bridge of the Rising Sun that the three of us walked over so we could see it extend into the lake.

With Thanh on the Bridge.

 A better view of the Bridge of the Rising Sun. The end of Hoan Kiem Lake photos for today at least!

Thanh escorted us through part of Hanoi's thriving Old Quarter on the way back to the hotel.

I know of a few people who would love coming here to Beer St!

Thanh had provided us with a lovely introduction to Hanoi and we looked forward to discovering more of her city by ourselves in the next few days.

Posted on 10/28 from Ninh Binh, Vietnam.