Hanoi history day

(Usual waiver applies to grammar, typos,spelling as I'm posting via  a small phone screen on the hoof 🤭, click on the pics to zoom in)

Today was a day for learning  a little of Hanoi's incredible history. It was drizzling when we set out so we had a driver take us to our first stop and then it was on foot the rest of the day. The sun came out , well you could feel the heat but you couldn't see any blue sky for smog 😬.

The Trấn Quốc Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in the city, it's been a sanctuary of calm for over 1,500 years. It's on a little island linked by a causeway. 

The pagoda holds many important monk's ashes.

 Most of the pagodas were made in the 17th century. Monks still live there today. 

Visitors to the shrine  give offerings like food or small amounts of money as a present for the gods to give themselves good luck. Incense is burned to send wishes to the gods. It's a peaceful place to wander and the scent of incense calming.

As we left the little causeway it was interesting to see the lake being cleaned. Very humble boat and outboard motor but it worked.

Next stop was the Ho Chi Min Mausoleum. 

The entry system was run with military precision. Ladies wearing  traditional Aoi Dai we're very clear with their instructions 'single file! One line!  The system  worked and before we knew it we were in front of the mausoleum in time to see changing of the guard. 

Guards were in white military uniforms, no smiling or photos. Very serious guard change and sombre atmosphere befitting the resting place of the father of their nation. The guards looked so young. It was hushed as we walked past Ho Chi Min in his glass coffin, flanked by a ceremonial guard with soft lantern lights at each corner. Very impressive. The mausoleum was built despite Ho Chi Minh’s wish for cremation. It's said to be inspired by  Lenin's Tomb but designed with Vietnamese features. In complete contrast is the Presidential Palace next door. 

There were  school and kindergarten groups visiting and they were so lovely, keen to practice their English skills😁

Wasn't expecting to see a statue of Lenin in Hanoi. Lenin and Ho Chi Minh met in 1922. Ho Chi Minh was inspired by  Lenin's ideals. 

 This bronze beauty was a gift from the Soviet Union in the 1980s, and not surprisingly its the only statue of Lenin in Southeast Asia.

The Flag Tower of Hanoi was  built in 1805 and unlike many other structures it was not destroyed during the French invasion (1896-1897).

We literally stumbled upon the famous Train Street where you can sit almost on the edge of the rails and have a coffee as the train passes. Today a young gal got her scooter stuck. We also saw our first small scooter crash and the guy picked himself up, revved the scooter and went on about his business. 

Hoa Lo Prison  was our next stop. It was a prison originally used by the  French  colonists for political prisoners  and later by  North Vietnam for US prisoners during the Vietnam War. American POWs called it the Hanoi Hilton. Senator John McCain was one of the US pilots imprisoned here. 

It's a deeply confronting museum and record of terrible cruelty and suffering. A guillotine from the French is still in place . The  photo boards and old cine film with Vietnam freedom fighters stories was heartbreaking, so many  young, men and woman.

The American POW black and white photos are equally moving.

The shrine of offerings was so peaceful and a good spot to let it all sink in.

A full on day of history and learning for us. 

  

A tale of two cities

After an amazing tropical thunderstorm, complete with fork lightening, around 2am we were up  early with destination French Quarter in our sights. We  now  boldly cross multiple lanes of motorbike scooters, dodging  rickshaws and no longer can we be taken for Vietnam traffic newbies. We know  the footpaths are not for walking but for motorbike parking 😁

The street scenes as we moved from the Old Quarter  to the French Quarter didn't disappoint.

The contrast was dramatic. The Opera House  case in point. It was closed today unfortunately so we just wandered about. All around this area you'll find classic French colonial buildings, beautiful architecture, designer stores, wannabe Insta influencers and security guards talking into their shirt cuffs.

We visited the St Joseph's Cathedral which was built while Vietnam was under  French rule. 

Not far from the Catholic cathedral was a beautiful wee temple, again a stark contrast in culture and beliefs. 

There is something quite charming about the gritty Old Quarter, it feels well-lived in, real and a world away from the designer stores of Chanel, Valentino, Piaget, Gucci etc. 

The offerings to the spirits at the temples are so touching, simple but perfect.

Hanoi

(Usual waiver applies to grammar, typos, spelling as I'm posting via  a small phone screen on the hoof 🤭, click on the pics to zoom in)

Our first day in Hanoi. Skip part this bit if you just want to check out the photos. A little bit of history.....Hanoi is the  capital of Vietnam. It's the country's second largest city and has a population over 8.8 million! Bit bigger than the entire population of New Zealand.

Hanoi  means 'city inside rivers' as it's  built on the bank of Red river and the lowlands. As we flew in we could see miles of  lush fields,  a green tapestry  of produce/veg/banana trees. No wonder the fruit & veg looks so fresh here. Great alluvial river soil. Pic below courtesy of Google as we travel sans drone 😁.

We crossed  the Long Bien bridge as our hotel shuttle got us from the airport to the Old Quarter where we are staying. You could tell this bridge  was important just by looking at it. Google told me it was designed by Alexandre Gustave Eiffel, who also designed the Eiffel Tower  and Statue of Liberty. Early French colonial occupation has certainly left its mark.The area surrounding the bridge is home to some of the poorest living under the bridge. Tough life.

After a good nights sleep we set out early to explore as the Old Town came to life.

The noise, chaos, hectic traffic, motorbike horns, bicycles traders, street food being cooked on the footpath.... it's amazing. 

You can wander down little back lanes where there is meat being cut up, flowers being sold from the back of  bicycles, shoes being cleaned and rickshaws on the move. 

You can see why  the Instagram 'influencers' love Hanoi - turn a corner and there's a money shot.

We wandered along to Hoan Kiem Lake and crossed the red Hue footbridge to the beautiful Ngoc Son temple in the middle of the lake. 

We were early in the day so it was incredibly peaceful. 

Many locals were out exercising around the lake in the cool morning air. Spot the night herons in the trees beside the temple. 

We then passed the Monument of Determination or the Martyrs Monument which honours those who gave their life for independence. It shows a woman welding a sword to acknowledge the role women played alongside men in the independence movement.

We did our own self guided walking tour, following our noses with some key locations along the way. 

Bach Ma Temple is in the heart of the Old Town, small as temples go but of major significance. As we wandered by there was a beautiful  ceremony taking place. 

The blend of architecture is amazing. Grand French influenced alongside the very humble. Lot's of houses in the Old Quarter are very narrow. Property tax, introduced by the French, was based on the building’s width, the wider the house, the more tax people had to pay.

Vietnam produces some of the best coffee in the world so it's no surprise the amount of coffee houses in the Old Quarter.

We made several coffee stops to get out of the noise and humidity. Day one over and it's been incredible. Over and out, well caffeinated, tired but happy.