{"id":4514,"date":"2016-10-28T09:34:11","date_gmt":"2016-10-28T13:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=4514"},"modified":"2018-01-28T14:29:44","modified_gmt":"2018-01-28T19:29:44","slug":"hanoi-having-a-look","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=4514","title":{"rendered":"Hanoi, Having a Look…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 2016 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n

Three forty-five a.m. \u00a0My eyes pop wide open.<\/p>\n

Having been to Asia before, it was no surprise to wake up this early. \u00a0It had happened quite frequently when I was in Thailand a couple of years ago. \u00a0The trick was to make use of my time…update Facebook, edit pictures, write blog posts, call home.<\/p>\n

The Ha Long Bay cruise, was still weighing heavily on my mind. \u00a0Still not sure what to do, I called a friend who had done Ha Long Bay as a day trip and asked her for her opinion. \u00a0She assured me that since there was so much that I wanted to do and see in Hanoi, I would definitely benefit from doing a day trip and that I would not miss out on anything. \u00a0Yes, it would be a day trip (albeit a long, tiring one) and it would be a much cheaper option, helping to resolve that deficit I was now in thanks to my expensive visa!<\/p>\n

Feeling good about my decision, I finally dressed for the day and headed downstairs for breakfast. \u00a0After some fruit, sticky rice and an omelet, I enlisted the front desk’s help to finalize my booking for my Ha Long Bay trip\u00a0the next day. \u00a0 Finally, it was all set.<\/p>\n

Glad to have the Ha Long Bay dilemma resolved, I gathered my belongings, marched out of the hotel into the congested streets and made my way toward the western part of the city. \u00a0My plan was to venture northwest of the Old Quarter and begin my exploration at the\u00a0Ho Tay or West Lake.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>Making my way westward along a street behind my hotel, I still marveled at the hoards of motorbikes passing by and admired the locals making deals on their daily produce. \u00a0Soon, I came to a few stalls that contained piles of some sort of grilled animal. \u00a0Behind two of these, I noticed women wielding cleavers and cutting the animals into pieces. \u00a0After taking a closer look, I stopped in my tracks. \u00a0Were these dogs? \u00a0Already attracting negative attention as a foreigner with a camera swinging freely around her neck, I didn’t dare lift it to take a picture. \u00a0 I stopped in my tracks, pretended to search\u00a0for something in my bag, while trying to get a better look. \u00a0A few negative glances\u00a0deterred my curiosity, so I walked across the street to another stall with a lady who did not appear so menacing. \u00a0As sweetly as I could, I inquired as to\u00a0what kind of animal it was. \u00a0Not as welcoming as I thought, she\u00a0proceeded to yell at me to go away, further making me think that these were indeed\u00a0dogs.<\/p>\n

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I am sure that I am not the first westerner\u00a0to walk down this street early in the morning and witness this ritual and I am sure that there have been many animal rights activists willing to give the Vietnamese people a piece of their mind. \u00a0 I decided to keep walking or possibly find myself in a situation that I was not willing to welcome, however, I did find out later that dog is still considered a delicacy in Vietnam. \u00a0Typically, Vietnamese eat dog meat at the end of the lunar month to get rid of bad luck. \u00a0Dog is also the go-to dish for drinking parties, family reunions and special occasions. \u00a0It is said to increase a man’s virility and help provide medicinal cures. \u00a0Although I vowed at that moment to avoid beef, lest I be served something I was not comfortable with, I was also told that because it is more costly than beef, chances of that happening were extremely rare. \u00a0Still, I decided that I would be consuming chicken, pork and seafood during my stay.<\/p>\n

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After my early morning shock and struggling to put it out of my mind, I continued my walk\u00a0along the streets covered with beautiful old trees and lush greenery. \u00a0I marveled at the monuments, buildings and churches that I passed and soon, I arrived at my first destination, the\u00a0Qu\u00e1n Th\u00e1nh Temple.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>The Qu\u00e1n Th\u00e1nh Temple, formerly known as the Tr\u1ea5n V\u0169 Temple, is a Taoist temple dating back to the 11th century. \u00a0One of the four Sacred Temples of the capital, it is a leading tourist attraction in the city. \u00a0Known for its principle gate and giant\u00a0banyan tree shading the large yard, it is one of the oldest temples in Hanoi. \u00a0The shrine contains a famous bronze statue of\u00a0Tr\u1ea5n V\u0169, Deity of the North in Taoism, and in the courtyard, a brick oven which people use to burn fake money believing\u00a0it will\u00a0be sent to their ancestors. \u00a0Finding it very peaceful, \u00a0I enjoyed my walk around its\u00a0gardens.<\/p>\n

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Leaving Qu\u00e1n Th\u00e1nh, I headed north along Thanh Ni\u00e9n Road which crosses between Ho Tay (West Lake)\u00a0and Truc Bach Lake. \u00a0Many may know Truc Bach Lake as the location in which Senator and former presidential candidate, John McCain, landed during the Vietnam War after being shot down.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>Tr\u1ea5n Qu\u1ed1c Pagoda lies just off of Thanh Ni\u00e9n Road on a small island near the southeastern shore of Ho Tay and is the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi, constructed in the sixth century. \u00a0A favorite sightseeing location of kings and lords of Vietnam, it lured these nobles because of its tranquility, serenity and stunning scenery.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>Walking along the palm tree lined bridge connecting the pagoda’s island to the mainland, \u00a0the view of the red pagoda against the green water of Ho Tay is spectacular.\u00a0The front yellow gates are impressive with its massive wooden doors. \u00a0Immediately to the left of the entrance, is one of the main parts of the\u00a0Tr\u1ea5n Qu\u1ed1c Temple as it holds important monk’s ashes of whom have resided at the Tr\u1ea5n Qu\u1ed1c Pagoda for centuries. \u00a0The monumental\u00a0stupa, red in color, which symbolizes luck and prosperity and visible from afar, was erected in 1998 and is comprised of 11 floors each\u00a0displaying a vaulted window holding a statue of Amitabha made from gemstone. The top of the stupa offers a nine-story lotus, also from gemstone.<\/p>\n

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The\u00a0Tr\u1ea5n Qu\u1ed1c is also known for its priceless antiques, dating back hundreds\u00a0of years. \u00a0The worshiping statues in the front house are meticulously engraved and polished by skillful craftsmen. \u00a0The most outstanding of the bunch is\u00a0\u201cTh\u00edch ca th\u1eadp ni\u1ebft b\u00e0n\u201d, which has been assessed as the most beautiful statue of Vietnam.<\/p>\n

If you can visit this remarkable pagoda at the end of the day, it is renowned for its sunset views.<\/p>\n

After my visit to the\u00a0Tr\u1ea5n Qu\u1ed1c Pagoda was complete, I made my way back from the way I had come, passing the\u00a0Qu\u00e1n Th\u00e1nh Temple and headed toward the Presidential Palace.<\/p>\n

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\"image\"<\/a>The Presidential Palace, built between 1900-1906 for the French Governor-General of Indochina by August Henri Vildieu, incorporates Italian Renaissance design and lush landscaping throughout the premises. \u00a0Although you cannot enter the actual palace, currently used for government meetings, you can see it from a relatively close distance. \u00a0There are many other items of interest on the grounds including a traditional Vietnamese house on stilts, the house where President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1954 to 1958, a garage of Ho Chi Minh’s cars and a grand carp pond.<\/p>\n

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Leaving the Presidential Palace, I set out to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum located nearby in Ba Dinh Square. \u00a0Although the attraction is closed from September through November\u00a0each year for renovation\u00a0and is the time when Ho Chi Minh’s body is sent to Russia for re-embalming, you can get a great view of the building from the area where Ho Chi Minh, Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam (1951-1969) read the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.<\/p>\n

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\"image\"<\/a>Near Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh’s Museum lies the One Pillar Pagoda or Ch\u00f9a M\u1ed9t C\u1ed9t. \u00a0This pagoda dates back to 1049 when Emperor Ly Thai Tong had it constructed as a way to express his gratitude to the young peasant girl he married, bearing\u00a0him a son and heir. \u00a0The pagoda was built to resemble a lotus blossom and is built of wood on a single stone pillar. \u00a0The pagoda was destroyed by the French in 1954, but was rebuilt by the new government.<\/p>\n

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Although my guide book stated that an entrance fee was required, I wandered freely through the pagoda and the adjacent area. \u00a0This location has many vendors for decently priced souvenirs, snacks and drinks and is a great place to take a break for a short time before continuing on.<\/p>\n

My next stop in this fascinating city was the Temple of Literature. \u00a0This temple is one of many in the city dedicated to Confucius but is also the site of Vietnam’s first university, established in 1706. \u00a0I wasn’t quite sure what to expect here, but was not disappointed.<\/p>\n

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Entering through the imposing tiered gateway I was greeted with formal gardens before reaching the Khue Van pavilion and a beautiful fish pond known as the Well of Heavenly Clarity. \u00a0The area encompassed by the temple is quite large and their are many displays of traditional Vietnamese architecture as well as a low-slung pagoda and numerous statues of Confucius and his disciples. \u00a0The temple honors Vietnam’s finest scholars and those of literary accomplishment.<\/p>\n

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\"image\"<\/a>As I departed from the Temple of Literature, many school girls were arriving wearing Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese dress) hoping to take pictures in front of and around the Temple of Literature and seemingly celebrating a success (possibly graduation). \u00a0It was a sight to behold with the many colors and with their beautiful figures.<\/p>\n

Taking a few minutes to grab some lunch at a nearby cafe, I discovered\u00a0that France is not the only place to get great bread. \u00a0Though France departed Vietnam in 1954, after one hundred years of colonial rule, they left behind the expertise\u00a0of unbelievable baking! \u00a0If you’ve ever had a good ham and cheese baguette in Paris, you’re sure to find one equally appetizing or better in Vietnam!<\/p>\n

With aching feet and the clock fast approaching the five o’clock hour, I realized that my final stop in Hanoi, that day, was going to be the Thang Long Royal Citadel.<\/p>\n

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\"image\"<\/a>As I entered the area near the Citadel, I found that an exhibition was taking place in conjunction with the 62nd anniversary of Hanoi Liberation Day. \u00a0Walking through the grounds, there were many exhibits and colorful displays. \u00a0The tunnels on the \u0110oan M\u00f4n gate were blocked due the exhibition, but I was able to enter the complex through an adjacent gate. \u00a0After paying my admission, I was able to climb to the top of the gate and walk throughout the structure. \u00a0From the top, I had amazing views of the festivities below. \u00a0This gate is the remaining relic of the ancient Forbidden City.<\/p>\n

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Walking throughout the UNESCO Heritage site (since 2010), it is easy to see why this complex is a source of great pride to the people of Hanoi and the Vietnamese people. \u00a0The grounds are lush, green and extensive, although many of the original buildings were destroyed by the French.<\/p>\n

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15th century stone dragons can be found decorating the steps to what was once Kinh Thien Palace. \u00a0You can also visit Hau Lau (Black Tower) and Cua Bac (Northern Gate) at the back of the complex as well as the Princess Tower and the Military Operation Bunker.<\/p>\n

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\"image\"<\/a>From the front of the grounds, you see the Flag Tower of Hanoi\u00a0which is frequently used as a symbol of the city. \u00a0Built in 1812, during the Nguyen Dynasty, the tower, was spared from destruction during the French colonial rule as it was used as a military post. \u00a0I inquired as to visiting the tower but was told that it was not open to the public. \u00a0After my visit, however, I discovered that although most people consider it a part of the Citadel, it is actually part of the Military History Museum. \u00a0Perhaps I was told that it was not open that day or perhaps I was mistakenly told that it was not open to the public…the language barrier may have contributed to not being able to visit this landmark.<\/p>\n

Realizing that the day was drawing to a close, I decided that it was time to head back to my little hotel room in the Old Quarter for a shower and dinner. \u00a0Exhausted, I was dreading the long walk. \u00a0After being approached by a motorcyclist and offered a ride to my hotel, I decided to take him up on his bid. \u00a0Shortly after taking my seat behind him, however, I wondered what I had gotten myself into! \u00a0Turning his motorbike around and heading into traffic until he was able to get to the street that he wanted, I wondered if he actually knew how to navigate the streets. \u00a0We continued on…many motorbikes immediately to our left and right and the occasional bus, inches from my shoulder. \u00a0He made quick work of driving back to the Old Quarter and was soon depositing me at the door of the hotel.<\/p>\n

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After my harrowing journey, it was time to relax, have a calming drink, eat a delicious dinner and ready myself for my long day to Ha Long Bay the next morning! \u00a0Reflecting on my day’s adventures, I was amazed that I had braved the streets of Hanoi, even on the back of a motorbike, and seen so many beautiful and inspiring things, however, I realized that I had seen only half of what the city had to offer. \u00a0There was so much more still to explore. \u00a0Glad that I had decided on the one day cruise to Ha Long Bay, I was now free to explore the rest of Hanoi’s treasures on my return.<\/p>\n

For more pictures, check out Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.<\/p>\n

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Qu\u00e1n Th\u00e1nh Temple<\/strong><\/p>\n