Vietnam 2008

Monday24November

We return to the capital Hanoi where we can enjoy a free day to visit the city.

Phùng Hung Street

Two wheels for Vietnamese and four wheels for others... 

Hoan Kiem Lake at night.

KFC is also established in Vietnam!

Small restaurant where lots of cages are hanging from the ceiling.

So that the family knows prosperity, custom dictates that fake bills be burned in the street.

That's it, Camille assumes her star status! 

Tuesday25November

For this free day, we will visit the "temple of literature" passing by Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum.

Truc Bach Lake

Quan Thanh Temple

The police watch...

In front of the presidential palace. Move along, nothing to see!!!

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square.
Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969) is the founder of the democratic republic of Vietnam. He enabled his country to win the wars against the French and the Americans.
(He is really extremely respected, he was in photos in all the dwellings where we slept during the trek). His embalmed body is kept in this mausoleum.
In November the monument is closed to allow maintenance of the body, so we won't be able to see it.

Right photo: there I got whistled at by the police! Indeed, it is forbidden to cross the white line drawn in the middle of the square! 

A short vintage video of Ho Chi Minh's funeral on September 2, 1969.

The One Pillar Pagoda.

A small temple next to the pagoda.

The Ho Chi Minh Museum

Phew!!! But how do they find their way???  

The whole street is full of shops dedicated to DIYers!

Come on, I treat myself, another little series on two wheels!!!  

This intellectual and spiritual center brings together several buildings constructed from 1070 on the initiative of Emperor Ly Tong to venerate Confucius.

A small turtle walks among the lotus flowers.
Vietnam venerates this animal symbol of wisdom and longevity. The animal also represents the universe, the union of Heaven (the round and convex shell) and Earth (the square and flat belly).

On the 82 steles (15th century) surrounding the water basin are engraved the names of the laureates of the mandarin examinations of the time.

The beautiful tiles covering the buildings.

The last building is the Dai Bai Duong temple ("Great House of Ceremonies"). It is dedicated to Confucius.

On the right, water puppets (which we will find in Saigon!);

The turtle carries the crane symbol of "vigor".

This spiral-shaped incense stick is found in all temples.

Four 2-meter statues represent the disciples of Confucius, himself represented in the middle of the temple.

Finally, the last pavilion was built in honor of the Vietnamese teacher and poet Chu Van An (1292-1370).

The bronze statue (from 2003) represents Chu Van An.

Mandarin costume.

End of the visit to the Temple of Literature, now operation "Restaurant"!

Arfff! I was too fed up with all these balanced things!!! 

Saint Joseph Cathedral (1883).

We are leaving Hanoi to join the city of Hue. And this will be done in a sleeper car (13 hours of travel!).

The cabins are perfect. We will sleep well.

On the other hand, regarding the dining car, it's quite folkloric.
This is where the train staff travels... And it's very casual!

Who wants ba-ba-ba (the 333 local beer)???

And you better finish your soup!!! 

Too bad we'll finish the evening with rice alcohol!  

Contrary to appearances, Thierry is not imitating a Vietnamese.