The day began early---that is. with hotel breakfast at 8.00am after clearing away some e-mail. Slept most of night except for 30 mins. awake at 3.00pm and time to plough through a couple of chapters of "The Chamber" (as in gas chamber), by John Grisham. Jet lag slowly yielding.
My sightseeing target today was, I judged to be suitably aggressive given the sweltering heat of Hanoi in September. # 1. to walk around the Hoan Kiem lake. In the heart of the city and bordered with high trees, shady pathways and dotted with small restaurants and food stalls. Positioned in the centre of the lake, connected to the bank with a scenic curved bridge, the spot is a favourite for wedding parties to use as a backdrop. The temple is heavily patronized by devout Buddhists ....... interesting in a rigidly controlled Communist country. (I learned upon arrival in Vietnam that the BBC, my favourite news source, is blocked). While eating my sandwich lunch on a park bench I watched the local gendarmes aggressively use their whistles and shout- out litter droppers and wide boys who whipped along pedestrian pathways on their mopeds.
The lake is purely decorative---the water being a shade of green. Did see a lady fishing & who told me that the fish were fed to her cat. Legend has it that the lake is the home of some massive tortoises---in fact there was an embalmed reptile in the temple--- perhaps a metre feet long. Might be the reason why the locals do not bath in the lake!
Item #2 on the itinerary today was a visit to the Hoa Lo prison. Older readers may recall the "Hanoi Hilton" of Vietnam war fame. Senator John McCain was a 'hotel' guest for 7 years and it was the home for hundreds of US aircrew who were shot down during the war. The prison, now a museum, was built by the French and according to the exhibits was the site of intense savagery during colonial period when the French were continually fighting off coups and revolts from a
nascent Communist liberation movement. Interesting how the presentation of events was very heavily against France, but noticeably quite forgiving towards the US. In fact, the angle taken towards the prison's role during the war was how comfortable and enjoyable Vietnamese hospitality had been for the US airmen. Not mentioned was the fact that the US prisoners were deliberately incarcerated in the centre of a high population war zone, clearly as a strategy to deter American bombing of the city centre & in contravention to Geneva rules. John McCain's book reveals different memories of this period and the treatment handed out.
Getting around Hanoi has to be by foot--a maze of narrow streets & chaotic traffic.
So much to see and an intense sensory experience. Life here is lived outside and on the street and tourism a pied is the only way to appreciate the sights sounds and people.
The lake is purely decorative---the water being a shade of green. Did see a lady fishing & who told me that the fish were fed to her cat. Legend has it that the lake is the home of some massive tortoises---in fact there was an embalmed reptile in the temple--- perhaps a metre feet long. Might be the reason why the locals do not bath in the lake!
Item #2 on the itinerary today was a visit to the Hoa Lo prison. Older readers may recall the "Hanoi Hilton" of Vietnam war fame. Senator John McCain was a 'hotel' guest for 7 years and it was the home for hundreds of US aircrew who were shot down during the war. The prison, now a museum, was built by the French and according to the exhibits was the site of intense savagery during colonial period when the French were continually fighting off coups and revolts from a
Getting around Hanoi has to be by foot--a maze of narrow streets & chaotic traffic.
So much to see and an intense sensory experience. Life here is lived outside and on the street and tourism a pied is the only way to appreciate the sights sounds and people.
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