Day 4
Eight months ago when I was making reservations, I had to figure
out how to get from South Vietnam to North Vietnam. The train and bus
both take 2 1/2 days to go the 700 miles. The train costs $70.
Another option is a 2 hour flight. Far in advance the airfare is $17
($35 with taxes and fees). It was a no brainer ... we flew here.
Our first impressions of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, are that
it is, well, scummier than Saigon. In Saigon even the scums are beautiful. In Hanoi, there are more cars and less scooters.
However, there are many more tourists in Hanoi so there must be a charm
to it that we have yet to discover – but we have to do it quickly because we
are only staying one night. Quick factoid, we asked is it
"Hanoi" or "Ha Noi". The first version is English; in
Vietnamese, all word are single syllables.
Street vendor in Hanoi
For this part of our trip I booked a 3-day tour that takes care of
us from the moment we land to the moment we take off again. We spend the
first night in Hanoi, the second night on a junk cruise in UNESCO’s Halong Bay,
and the third night in a local village.
After we landed and dumped our luggage at the hotel, we grabbed
lunch from the Old Quarter and ate it at Hoan Kiem Lake.
We didn’t have long because we were meeting our free tour guides from a company name Hanoi Kids. They are students who want to practice their English. Our guides were Dory (22) and Zhimmy (19) – nicknames because there was no way we could pronounce their real names. I fell in love with Zhimmy immediately; she was adorable and unconsciously linked her arm through mine. Dory was the knowledgeable one and our protector; it was interesting that she acted like the patriarch of our group. They provided an amazing, intellectual experience for our short stay.
Turtle Tower in the center of Hoan Kiem Lake
We didn’t have long because we were meeting our free tour guides from a company name Hanoi Kids. They are students who want to practice their English. Our guides were Dory (22) and Zhimmy (19) – nicknames because there was no way we could pronounce their real names. I fell in love with Zhimmy immediately; she was adorable and unconsciously linked her arm through mine. Dory was the knowledgeable one and our protector; it was interesting that she acted like the patriarch of our group. They provided an amazing, intellectual experience for our short stay.
Our knowledgeable Hanoi Kids tour guides
Assuming we were short on time, I requested to mainly see the
outsides of places. I wanted to see the building (mausoleum) where Ho Chi Minh
is laid to rest (only open mornings). They surprised us by
taking us into the attached complex: the Presidential Residence, the gardens
and lake, and the homes where Ho Chi Minh lived (he refused to live in the elaborate
residence built by the French). His
simple house on stilts is exquisite.
President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - his body is preserved here in a glass case.
Hanoi's Presidential Palace
One Pillar Pagoda from the Ly Dynasty (1028) is one of Vietnam's most iconic temples
What I really wanted to see was the Temple of Literature – mostly
to take pictures. 1000 years ago, it was
originally built as a university dedicated to Confucius. When the university
closed in 1779 it became a memorial to education and literature. It was a calm,
beautiful sanctuary that allowed us to escape the bustle of Hanoi just outside
the walls.
The Great Portico - the entrance into the Temple of Literature
The high brick walls, grassy surrounding, and leafy trees create a bubble of calm at the heart of Hanoi
The Great Middle Gate - the statuary on the roof signify the carp who became dragons
82 stone stelae from the 15th century commemorating the 1,306 passers of the doctorate exams
Because Dory and Zhimmy had just provided us with a wonderful
afternoon, we let them pick their favorite restaurant for dinner where instead
of having turkey, we spent our Thanksgiving experiencing delicious, traditional
Vietnamese food.
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