The Snowlady Chronicles

Hue - A Magical Place

Saturday November 10, 2012

Tokyo, Japan

Gorgeous Fall Weather

One of the side trips I was very much looking forward to is visiting the ancient capital of Vietnam Hue.  It was also the site of one of the bloodiest battles during the American War - The Tet Offensive.  Almost everyone in Hue has a relative who was killed during that time including our driver and our guide.  We were going to just do a one day trip but in hindsight, we would have spent a night to really enjoy the trip.

We were going to take the mountain pass to Hue from Danang but were told if it is rainy, its too dangerous and we would have to take the tunnel (which happens to be the longest tunnel in southeast Asia - 7kms or so).  Anyhoo, we were lucky in that it was not raining albeit overcast.  So we took off at 7am for our day trip to Hue.

The drive was beautiful along the mountains next to the sea.  It was a spectacular drive. 

View of the former leper colony from the drive.

We then got to the peak of the mountain where remnants of the old French barrack and later used by the US were still standing.  We were also told to stay on the path as there are lots of poisonous snakes in the mountain.  Last time Dat was there, a French tourist from another group strayed and got bitten by the famous poisonous green snake.  She had to be rushed to the hospital.  Dat does not know what happened to her.  It was quite a nice place as cows from the farms were also found roaming the mountains.

The old French Barracks

Once we got into town, our first stop was to the studio of a famous artist in Hue.  We would have never found his place without our guide Dat.  The artist's name is Nguyen Thien Duc.  Very well known and also head of the college of Art at Hue Art University.  His paintings were magnificent.  I wanted many pieces but settled on this piece.  As we were buying directly from the artis, I had to pay cash which was a problem.  I ended up going to the ATM doing 10-15 withdrawals to be able to get enough of the cash.  I LOVE the painting.  And Mr Nguyen is very nice and a gentleman.  We were so lucky to have Dat introduce us to him.  Can't wait to hang the picture in my apartment in Tokyo!

The talented Nguyen Thien Duc.

Then it was time for some sightseeing. Our first stop was Emperor Khai Dinh's tomb.  And boy, was it an elaborate tomb.  It took over 11 years to built and is located in the beautiful Chau Chu mountains.  The tomb was completed by the "last emperor" his son Bao Dai in 1931.  It's nothing but over the top.  Khai Dinh was known to be the "salaried" employee of the French.  He also imposed a 30% tax on the people to build it so one can imagine what the villagers thought of him.  I could not believe how over the top it was with a combination of Chinese, Vietnamese and European influences.  Although I'm glad I went, I did not have a good feeling about it as many people suffered for the emperor to have his tomb built.

The entrance

The tomb!

The ceiling was painted using and ancient technique where the foot is used to paint it.

The two pushy Vietnamese sales ladies trying to get me to buy a fan and tiger balm.

Next stop was the Tu Doc Royal Tomb.  The tomb is located in a gorgeous pine forest and the buildings were done in the style that was common during the Nguyen dynasty.  I have to say I loved the place as it was serene, austere and beautiful.  I believe he was the 4th emperor and was the last Emperor I believe to resist French influence.  The history of Vietnam is amazing.  A country that was finally established by the Nguyen family, only to be invaded by the French, then the Japanese,  War with America (America did not go into War to colonize but side with South Vietnam) and then China.  Tough country, tough people but the nicest people in the world.

The grounds of the tombs

Shrine for the concubines

The tomb, but is he really buried there?

 After the visit, we headed back to the city, got on the rickshaws and visited the Citadel and the famous pagoda which I posted about last week.  It was a long day but lots of fun!

Thank you Dat from Trails of Indochina for making our trip special

Rickshawing to the Forbidden City of Hue

 Saturday November 3, 2012

Gorgeous Afternoon at the Beach

Da Nang, Vietnam

 

Dat, our guide, took us to a long but wonderful day tour of the majical city of Hue.  One of the highlights of the tour was a rickshaw ride to the Forbidden City or Citadel.  Hue was for a very long time the capital of Vietnam and where the Emperor resided.  The first Emperor seemed to be a great guy but his ancestors gradually became weak, culminating in the last Emperor who fled to France after the Viet Cong took over the country. 

But before they became "weak" they built a Citadel which is a replica (albiet smaller) of the Forbidden City in China.  But unlike the Forbidden City in Beijing which faces south, the forbidden city in Hue faces East.  It's quite beautiful albeit many of the buildings were destroyed during the Vietnam War. It's my understanding that the American forces were first told not to bomb the Citadel but during the Tet offensive when casualties started to mount, many of those restrictions were lifted. 

Our tour to the Citadel started with a Rickshaw ride through Hue and into the Citadel.  What was very cool is that we found out that Dat lived in the Citadel.  It was pretty cool to get on the rickshaw and get dropped off in front of the main entrance to the Citadel

We started our rickshaw ride on a quite street in Hue.  Dat is in the rickshaw in front of us.

Soon we were in the hustle and bustle of the city (ps.  those are my shoes)

And then we crossed a bridge

And got stuck in traffice

Before we knew it we were crossing the first moat into the Citadel

Where folks were fishing at the first moat.

Once in the Citadel, the atmosphere was lively.

And we saw the aftermath of an accident

Then when we turned a corner the atmosphere changed

We passed an army museum which the rickshaw driver did not want to talk about.

And all of a sudden we were in a quiet and serene neighborhood which was beautiful

We then got off the rickshaw and entered the Citadel for our tour.  This is one of the few buildings that survived the Tet offensive.

Bullet holes from the Tet offensive.

Grasslands where buildings used to stand

But what was left was beautiful

It must have been an amazing place when all the buildings were in tact.  The citadel was very well organized where concubines lived in one section, mandarins in another and in the old days they even had eunuchs!

Next stop (via car) on our agenda was the famous pagoda of Hue. It is called the Heavenly Lady Pagoda that resides between a forest and the Perfume River.  It is one of the prettiest Pagoda's I've ever seen.  The grounds are quite beautiful also.  The monks that live there practice Mahayana Buddhism and were very active against the South Vietnamese government when Buddhists were persecuted.  The grounds also house the Austin Martin, which a monk drove to Saigon and conducted self-immolation.  This act drew attention to the world about the plight of Buddhists in Vietnam during the corrupt South Vietnamese govt rule.

The Austin Martin

Mauseleum to the founder of the Temple

More to come on Hue, a very special city.

Champa - The Ancient Indianized Kingdom near Da Nang

 Saturday Nov. 3, 2012

Scattered Showers, Perfect Temperature

Da Nang, Vietnam

One of the highlights of the week in Da Nang was My Son where the Hindu temple ruins of the Champa dynasty can be found.  The temples were contructed between the 4th and 14th centuries.  It's quite interesting because the temples were used to worship Shiva, the Hindu God.  I especially found it interesting to learn how HInduism found its way to the isolated mountains of Southeast Asia. The ruins were discovered by a French archaelogist in the 1930s.  It was pretty much intact until the US carpet bomb attacks during the Vietnam War in August 1969.  Its quite unfortunate as the buildings must have been magnificent. I don't know what the US govt was thinking but bombing an ancient and sacred temple ground seems unethical even if the Viet Cong were hiding there.   Unlike Angkor Wat, the temples were built using smaller bricks. No one knows to this date how the buildings were made as it took a major bombing to destroy them.  Even today, the area surrounding My Son is dangerous due to unexploded landmines because it is located near the Ho Chin Minh trail.  The photos below do not do it justice.  It really is a special place and one should visit when in Vietnam.  Unfortunately, as it common throughout history of mankind,  war with the Viets and Chinese diminished the thriving Champa Kingdom in the 14th century. Today, many "Champa" are Muslim and are a minority ethnic group in Vietnam

The My Son temple ruins

Bullet holes in the temple from the Vietnam War

Unexploded US missiles.  Dat made it clear that we should not touch it.  I'm sure they deactivated it but it stands as a reminder what damage war can do

Bomb Crater from Vietnam War

After thoroughly enjoying My Son and getting educated by our incredibly passionate and knowledgeable guide Dat, we headed back to Hoi An to do some more sightseeing and also get our second fitting for the clothes I had made. 

Hoi An, the town, is a Unesco world heritage sight and is quite beautiful.  It used to be thriving port up to the 19th century where people from all over Asia met.  The architecture of the homes and buildings are amazing.  One can see the influence of the Japanese, Chinese and Vietnamese whern walking through the town.  The bridge (in my previous post) is the only covered Japanese style bridge (build by the Japanese) in Southeast Asia and has a pagoda on it.

Today, though we visited the Quan Cong Temple and also one of the traditional homes.  I did not take photos of the traditional home cuz it was pouring rain and packed with French tourists.  The home though belongs to a 4th generation family and is interesting to see as it is located next to the river with beautiful lacquered furniture and antiques.  Also, because flooding is common, it is designed so that the furniture can be transported to the upper floors rather quickly.  On the walls were markers of floods.  In 2007, they had one of the worst floods where the marker was over the 2meter mark!

The Quan Cong Temple was magnificent.  I did take photos of it as the pack of French tourists left before us.  It was build in the 1600s by the Chinese Community to worship their esteemed general Quan Cong.  He was known for his loyalty and bravery.  The temple is Taoist I believe and very very beautiful.

Quan Cong Temple of Hoi An

Hoi An and the Pancakes

 Halloween, 2012

DaNang, Hoi An Vietnam

Pouring Rain, Fierce Winds, Typhoon Like

So yesterday was our first day to explore Hoi An. But since I was on a mission to get clothes made I told my guide that visiting the top tailor in Hoi An is the priority.  Wonderful Dhat, picked us up promptly at 10am on a sunny and hot day to whisk us to Hoi An.

He took us to Yaly, a long time tailor in Hoi An and made sure we got VIP service.  2 hrs later, I ended up ordering 2 dresses, 5 blouses and 3 skirts. Whew!  But it was fun.  I love their attention to detail and incredible fabric choices.

Then it was time to explore the town a bit, especially the galleries.  Because it took us too long to order clothes, we agreed to have our walking tour the next day esp since we had to do our 2nd fittings. 

The Japanese Bridge:  Hoi An was one of the most important trading ports in the 15th century onwards. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage sight.

I was most interested in art so we stopped at many galleries but did not see anything I like.  Seemed too mass produced.  But then we found a unique gallery with an artist in residence.  I LOVED his work.  So I ended up buying two of his pieces at an incredibly good price.  Both are big pieces so I hope I can carry it on to the plane cuz I'd hate to get it stolen!

My purchase No. 1 and the artist

My purchase No. 2

It was SO hot and humid that we were all dripping in sweat after intense shopping.  But it was time for our cooking lesson.  The meeting place was  at the Red Bridge Cooking School restaurant in Hoi An.  I was so hot and dripping in sweat that I immediately asked for sparking water to cool down.  Sandra, being the Canadian, ordered the local beer which she loved.

An, one of the chefs met us to take us on a tour of the local market.  He was Fab! He patiently explained to us the different ingredients used in Vietnamese cooking and answered all of our questions.

Marbled - quail eggs, White- duck eggs, Brown- chicken eggs

Since we were at the market in the late afternoon, most of the sellers who happened to be women where either chewing on betelnut or....

sleeping next to their produce or meat!

We also learned from An, how to buy good Vietnamese coffee.  Good Vietnamese coffee is to smell like chocolate.  And sure enough, when we did a test, he was right!  He also took us to a store to show us basic Vietnamese cooking ingredients and tools:  A good cleaver, spices and fish sauce.  What I LOVED about the spices and fish sauce are that NO MSG is used.  It has been interesting to learn that every restaurant I've been to so far in Vietnam make it clear they do not use MSG which is fabulous for me as I have developed an allergy for MSG. 

After the market tour, it was time to get on a boat to the cooking school. So cool to take a ride down the main river in Hoi An.  Although I question the water quality near the town, once we got away, we saw wildlife and lush vegetation and serene peacefulness which I have been sorely missing for the past few months.

The Beginning of the Boat Ride

View of the Market from the Boat Ride

Fishing Boats

Friendly boaters

Only had seconds to take a photo of this beautiful bird.  Not a good picture but take my word for it.

What to do when on a boat ride in Hoi An and need to go to the bathroom. No worries, there is a port-a potty, where the waste goes directly into the river.  Nope, I will not be swimming in the river anytime soon.

But as we got closer to the cooking school, we saw less contamination and more beauty and vegetation.

And then we arrived at the Red Bridge Cooking School!

Once we arrived, An took us on a tour of the herb garden which was another educational experience.  When I go back to the States, I'm more determined than ever to start a garden.

"Fish Herb"  stinky but good for adding tast in marinades

Then it was time for our cooking lesson with Fi, An's brother.  He first demonstrated how to make a seafood salad served in a pineapple.  That followed by us learning how to make fresh rice paper which was a bit challenging but fun.  We made fresh Vietnamese spring rolls with our freshly made rice paper.  But the highlight was learning how to make Hoi An pancakes which was alot of fun.  Both Sandra and I ended up buying the special pan to make the pancakes!

Vietnamese Seafood Salad

Making rice paper.  Have to move fast but "easy". Mine though weren't perfect circles

Fresh spring rolls

Hoi An savory pancakes.  So much fun to make.

We also learned how to make decorative food.  I failed with the zucchini but did OK with the tomato flower.

After the cooking lesson and feasting on our creations, it was time to go back to the town of Hoi An for our first fittings at Yany.  I'm so glad we went back into town because the town was lit with lanterns that were so beautiful  Vietnamese people believe hanging a couple of lanterns in the house will bring luck and happiness.  Now that I have seen the lit lanterns, I am now a believer. Something to think about for my place in Tokyo.

Hoi An Street Sign

It was a very long day.  I came back sweaty, hot and feeling gross.  But thanks to the turn down service at the Intercontinental, I recovered. Especially, when they prepared a rose petal bath for me.  Ahhh. Bliss.  What a great way to end a fab day.

Living in Luxury in Danang

 Monday October 30, 2012

Hot and Humid

Da Nang, Vietnam

 

Our original plan was to leave HCM on the 830am flight to Da Nang. But thanks to a typhoon, our flight left at 1130am.  Thank God for Trails of Indochina as they informed us of the delay so we were able to enjoy HCM instead of waiting around in the airport.  It was my first time flying a domestic flight and it was very pleasant.  Vietnam airlines is fantastic.  Very clean and great service.  The flight was about an hour flight.  Bumpy at the end due to the typhoon and the Australians on the flight were freaking out. 

Dat our guide from Trails of Indochina, met us at the fabulous and very modern Da Nang airport and drove us to our next hotel - Intercontinental Resorts in Danang.  We took the Da Nang Golden Gate Bridge to get there.  During our drive, Dat gave us a brief history of DaNang.  I knew this, but Da Nang is where the US troops first arrived to get involved in the "American" War.  The hotel was about a 30 minute drive from the airport and is located in "Monkey Mountains"  -  a termed coined by American GIs because the mountain was filled with monkeys.  It's my understanding that they still are monkeys despite many being killed during the war. 

We entered the "driveway" to the hotel which had multiple security check points.  Once we got to the "entrance" we knew we were into something special.  First, a "butler" was assigned to us - Huan  Then we were told we were upgraded to a "sea level" room.  Huan guided us to our room which included us taking a funicular to get to the sea level and a golf cart to deliver us to our room.

I'll let the photos speak for themselves.  WOW!!!  Spectacular. 

The Sitting Area of our "Suite"

My Bed

The Bathroom

The Deck

The View from the Deck:  Intercontinental has a private beach

Photo of the unit next to mine.  It's the same layout

 

Spent the late afternoon at the pool.  Luv, Luv the pool!

And had a drink at the Long Bar.  Very Cool

Good Morning Vietnam!

Sunday October 28, 2012

HCM, Vietnam

Hot and Humid but Nothin Like Tokyo in Summer

 

So, here I am in again.  One of my favorite countries in the world.  But for the first time, I'm in HCM - Ho Chin Minh, formerly known as Saigon.  First impression, totally more laid back and less "crazy" than Hanoi.  Don't get me wrong... I LUV Hanoi, but was surprised at the wide streets, boulevards, and less craziness in traffic than in Hanoi.  And OMG!  Chanel, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Hugo Boss, so much money!  It really is not what I expected.  I expected Taipei in the 60s, Tokyo in 60s, etc.  This is a happening city where one can get everything but..... McDonalds.  Not the "Saigon" my father told me about.

I arrived Saturday around 2pm after the "Worst" treatment ever from "immigration" officials to a foreigner leaving a country.  Got to HCM and was met by a Trails of Indochina representative who whisked me away thru visa control ( they arranged for my Visa), immigration, and got my bags, which meant I was out of the airport within 20 minutes of arrival.  Got to the Intercontinental, which upgraded me to the Club level and then told me I was in a corner suite.  SWEET!.  The folks from the Intercontinental in Saigon, are the BEST staff I've ever met in ANY Intercontinental.  The folks from ANA Intercontinental in Tokyo could learn a few tips.

Anyhoo,  so for the first nite, I basically just gelled and then booked 3 spa treatments.  I've been suffering from headaches for the past 3 days.  So I booked a Lotus and Sesame scrub,  hot stone massage and scalp treatment.  4hrs later, I was a new person.  No more headache, went straight to bed and fell asleep at 8pm and only woke up to the arrival of Sandra, my BFF and travel buddy. She arrived around 11pm after a stressful trip (mechanical probs which almost made her miss her connecting flight to HCM.  She made it, we broke open the wine in the hotel, toasted our re-union and fell asleep!

Unfortunately, due to jetlag, Sandra was up at 4am (but never heard her as her room was in the other end of the suite) and I ended up waking up around 530am instead of sleeping in.  So after a workout, we had breakfast at the Market Restaurant (free to Ambassador members) which was fabulous!! I had Pho, fresh coconut water (can't get it in Japan!) and fresh veggies.  Sandra had a fresh omelet and fruit.  We both were VERY impressed with the spread.  Then we were off to our tour.

We got picked up by our wonderful guide Khan from Trails of Indochina  at 830am to start our ½ day or so tour of HCM.

First stop was the former Presidential Palace aka “White House” where the Presidents of South Vietnam resided before the defeat.  I still remember the images from magazines of Viet Cong tanks blowing past the gates and entering the palace.  The palace was built in 1962 after the former building which was an ornate French style building built by the French colonialist was bombed

The first President, President Diem , ordered the construction of a new building which was built by a Vietnamese architect who studied modern architecture.  It’s a classic 1960s style building.  Unfortunately, Diem was assassinated and did not live to see the completion of the building.

My impressions, quite grand and is living proof of the abuses the leadership of South Vietnam committed.  I’ve been to Ho Chi Minh’s house a couple of times in Hanoi where it is pretty austere and plain.  He slept in a small bedroom with a twin bed.  Contrast that with the living quarters of the South Vietnam leaders who had lavish bedrooms, reception rooms, dining room, gambling rooms and a rooftop party room with a helicopter on standby for rescues. 

Khan patiently told us about the history of Vietnam but it is clear that the abuses of the former leaders (esp Diem) are fresh in everyone’s mind.  For example, the introduction of the guillotine, persecution of the Buddhists, etc.

We also learned from Khan about the extensive HCM tunnels.  Quite an amazing feat by Ho Chin Minh and General Giap which led to the defeat of South Vietnam and a dark chapter in American History.  Not even 20 million gallons of agent orange, 100s of thousands of US troops could defeat the determination to unify the country.

The "Presidential Palace"

The Formal Dining Room in Gold.  Gold is common in restaurants in Vietnam and it is supposed to stimulate appetite.

Despite its history, the building is a magnificent example of 1960s architecture

The Lavish Reception Room decorated in Vietnamese Lacquer

View from the Presidential Palace includes Vietnam's tallest building

And replicas of the Viet Cong tanks that stormed the palace

And the infamous gate

Replica of the US helicopter used to transport the South Vietnamese leaders and the red circles are where Viet Cong bombs landed.  The pilot of the plane that dropped the bombs became and Air Vietnam pilot.

Typewritera and Telex in the basement

After visiting the palace, we went to the Notre Dame cathedral whose ringing bells we can hear from our hotel room where mass was being conducted in English.  We then went to the Post Office which I found to be more impressive especially since Gustav Eiffel designed it!

The Post Office

Alot of wedding photos were taken in front of the office

The phone booth inside the Post Office

Interior of the Post Office

After that, it was a short visit to the local market, which both Sandra and I love but refrained on shopping as we were going to Danang and knew we would do a lot of shopping over there.

Scenes from the Market

Soft Shell Crabs

Snails?

Banana Blossom:  I've got to have my banana blossom salad!

Lotus Roots

Water Spinach

Luv the way the pineapples are carved

Men resting after shopping

We then left for Chinatown to go to an ornate Tao temple which was  quite an oasis to the hustle and bustle of the Chinatown section of HCM.  We learned from Khan that Vietnam experienced a huge influx of Chinese during the 17^th century so have integrated well into the Vietnamese society and is contributing tremendously to the economic growth of Vietnam.

On our way to Chinatown

The Gorgeous Temple, Home to Goddess of the Sea

Incense, including coiled incense hanging from the ceiling

Goddess of the Sea

These carvings survived the French War, American War and Chinese War

Sleeping Tuk Tuk driver and Khan to the left

We had a wonderful driver.  I can't imagine driving thru this traffic.

Our last stop was the museum of traditional medicine.  Off the beaten track, but highly recommended.  The building itself if magnificent and was created by a man who collected and preserved the ancient art of herbal medicine

Traditional Medicine

Sandra dispensing herbal medicine

We then headed back to the hotel as our tour ended but not after congratulating Khan as his wife gave birth to a healthy baby boy.  So we would be able to see him tomorrow,  but we really enjoyed his company.

Sandra and I then just took a bathroom break at our hotel, and headed out to do some window shopping.  I almost bought a 2000$ piece of artwork but backed out.  We then went out to the rooftop bar at the Rex hotel which played “lounge” music in the background but was nice.  I was amazed at the number of designer stores popping up in Vietnam.  Cartier, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, etc.  can all be found.  NO McDonald’s though!

The rest of the evening was spent at the ambassador lounge in the hotel where we enjoyed some wine and delicious snacks.

Old and New Saigon

View from Top of the Rex

A Day in Hanoi

 Sunday November 27, 2011

Malibu, California

80 degrees, Sunny, Dry and Windy

 

Beautiful day in Malibu today.  Unfortunately, I'm staying home nursing a cold that turned out to be a  sinus infection.  Spent over an hour driving around Malibu looking for a Neti pot (broke mine about a month ago) and can't find one!  The ayurvedic pharmacy will open tomorrow so hopefully they'll have one which will be a relief!

Anyhow, as I am homebound, I've loaded photos from a day tour of Hanoi I did with my manager last Saturday.  We had business meetings in Hanoi last week and since it was my manager's first time in Hanoi, I hired a guide to take us around.

It was my second time in Hanoi.  The first time was for vacation in November of 2007.  Fast forward to Nov of 2011 and wow! lots of changes!   First major impression was that there are ALOT more cars now than in 2007.   And the road from the airport to downtown Hanoi is all paved!   Also, where there were farms with water buffaloes roaming, now there are high rise apartments.   And the biggest shocker... shopping malls including highend shops like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and a real Apple store.   Everyone we met during our business meetings had an iphone and ipad (real ones).  iPhones are 900USD in Hanoi, but it's a status symbol.  Incredible!

But there were still some of old Hanoi left for which I was happy about.  We stayed at the Sheraton on West Lake which I recommend as you are away from the center of town.  It's a gorgeous and quiet neighborhood.  I wanted to stay at the new Intercontinental which is next door but the IBM rate was sold out. We were pleased, however,  with the resort like atmosphere of the Sheraton.  And we found out that real estate prices are sky rocketing in Hanoi and some homes on the lake go for over 10M$!!  It's quite fascinating to see the contrast. 

Few signs of the French occupation still left in Hanoi.  This street sign is typical French and the walls are old.  A rare sight in the high end West Lake area of Hanoi.

West Lake Hanoi

Chickens roaming outside the Sheraton resort

A side street off West Lake.  In between expensive homes are shacks where people live.  BUT, because the Vietnamese have pride, the neighborhood is clean whether its the rich or poor areas.

A "shack" where a family lives.  The white building behind the shack is the Intercontinental Hotel.

Another view of the West Lake

Locals living around West Lake playing early AM badmington.

Because there were so many cars, traffic and navigating the streets was pretty challenging.  We had a driver takes us around for our business meetings and for our tour. 

To get to the hotel, one has to take the main street out of Hanoi and make a left turn at this make shift roundabout.  Pretty crazy when you have cars, bicycles, scooters zipping by you in all directions.

I booked a one day tour with Trails of Indochina.  The same tour agency Sandra and I used when travelling through Cambodia and Laos.  I was very impressed with the agency then and they did not disappoint. Thao was our guide and she was fabulous!

Our first stop was to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum.  When I visited in 2007, Uncle Ho - as he is affectionately known by the Vietnamese - was going through "touch up" in Russia so could not go.  He wanted to be cremated  but the Communist partly at that time, wanted him embalmed and the "Soviet Union" built the mauseleum for the Vietnamese people.  Photos were not allowed and we also were not allowed to speak.  Many Vietnamese travel from all over to visit and see Uncle Ho. I found it to be surreal seeing him embalmed.  I also was suprised to see how tall he is (supposedly over 170cm).

The Mausoleum built by the Soviets

The Grounds

Vietnamese tourists dressed in the traditional outfits for the visit to see Uncle Ho

We then went to visit Uncle Ho's home.  If you don't know about him, you must read about him and the history of Vietnam.  This is a country that defeated the French, Americans and Chinese with very little resources except for the will of the people.  Their constitution is based on America's and one can't help but think what would have happened if America decided to not side with the French during the Indochine War.   I highly recommend the Pulitzer Prize winning book, Vietnam: A History by Stanley Karnow.

Ho Chi Minh's house:  Very simple.  Just two rooms but I beautiful view.

Ho Chi Minh's secretary's home.  Just two rooms but also access to a bunker.

The view that Ho Chi Minh had from his house.

Grapefruit trees dot the grounds.

Our next stop was the One Pillar Pagoda.  A Pagoda that is in a middle of a pond and stands on one pillar.  It was built in 1049 but the French destroyed it during the Indochine War.  It was rebuilt.  It is said that the King that time who did not have any children, dreamt about the Goddess of Compassion.  He then fell in love with a local girl who gave birth to the heir.  To show his gratitude, the King built this Pagoda for the Goddess of Compassion.  As you can see from the photo, way to crowded with tourists!

The One Pillar Pagoda.

An elderly Vietnamese man at the One Pillar Pagoda.

People lighting incense before vising the pagoda.

Next was the Temple of Literature, which is where Vietnam's first university was established.  Today it is mainly a Buddhist temple.  It was found in the 1000s where education based on Confucious' philosophies were taught.  We happened to be there during "Teacher's Day" so many Vietnamese college students were on the grounds all dressed up to get their photos taken.

Paper offerings of things relatives want to give to folks that have passed away.  (fake money, homes, food, etc).  The monks burn them on auspicious days to send the offerings to the dead.

One of the temples in the Temple of Literature.

Vietnamese students getting their photos taken on "Teacher's Day"

One of the guards at Temple of Literature.

Altar to Confucious and his disciples.

I believe this is the altar to the founder of the temple

A very old Banyan tree on the grounds

It was then time for lunch.  Thao made us reservations at Wild Orchid, probably the most beautiful restaurant in Hanoi.  I had a delicious banana blossom salad for lunch.

We ran into this cute boy inside the restaurant.

The Wild Orchid Restaurant

which is across the street from Hollywood! :))

My manager wanted to look at the helmets the people wear while riding their motorbikes.  They are similar to baseball helmets and come in many designs.  While he was looking at them, I took photos of the traffic....

The lady all covered up is wearing a special coat to protect her against sunlight.  Vietnamese ladies like many ladies in Asia do not like to get a tan.

A monk on a scooter. 

I didn't get a good shot, but there are two adults and 3 kids on the bike.  The woman is carrying a baby who was asleep (and she was pregnant).

Thao then dropped us off so we could take a tour of the French Quarter in a cyclo.  When I was there in 2007, cyclo's were everywhere but now they are only allowed to ride in certain areas because it can get dangerous with all the cars, etc.

Here we are, about to go on a cyclo tour! A cyclo is a bicycle with a carriage in front. 

We went by the Opera House

And by the Metropole Hotel where lots of wedding photos were being shot.

We went by a typical cafe, where beautiful birds were kept in cages.  I found out that the Vietnamese love birds and some men bring their birds to the cafe to "show off" how beautiful his bird sings.

Our cyclo "drivers"

Our last tourist spot was to go see a water puppet show.  Water Puppets originated in the deltas of the Red River in Northern Vietnam during the 11th century.  It's quite fascinating.  It's Vietnam's unique take on the ancient art of puppets.   The puppets are made of wood and lacquered.  Quite entertaining!

Water Puppets

For the finale, the puppeteers appear from behind the screen.

Our last stop was Hang Gai street, known for silk shops, art galleries, etc.  It's located in the old French Quarter so quite crazy and intense.  I believe my manager though enjoyed it as it's a shopping experience that does not exist anywhere else in the world.

Hang Gai, shopping street.

Although there is a KFC, no McDonalds or Starbucks could be found.

I was amazed at the electrical wiring system in Hanoi, the first time I came in 2007.  Although I hear the city government is working on putting the wires underground, it still scares me to see this while shopping.
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We got back to our hotel around 630pm grimy from the soot and dirt but had a great time.  We had our last dinner at Bobby Chin's which is close to the hotel and had our first taxi experience (it cost less than a dollar by the way).  I took a hot shower and crashed that night and the next day we were flying back home to California. 

I loved Vietnam in 2007 and love it more now.  It's a fascinating country.  I hope to visit again and this time visit Hue and Hoi An.  Anyone interested?

Me, by the largest drum in Vietnam.  Temple of Literature