Hanoi
Day Two - Vietnam - 2019
A long day exploring many of the Vietnamese capital’s best known sites (and best kept secrets!)
Map Credit: OpenStreetMap
Editorial Comment: Throughout this page, I use Vietnamese characters in the spellings of place names whenever possible; however, some Vietnamese characters are not compatible with some of the fonts used throughout this website, and -in those cases- I have used what I can determine to be the most common English language transliteration.
1. Tea Time
Vietnamese tea is generally served weaker than other nations’ teas, and is often accompanied by a mung bean cake.
After a long, long sleep, I awoke to catch a morning “walking” (really, van) tour of Hanoi, also arranged by Urban Adventures. Since a number of folks on the tour were staying at the same hotel as I was (the pleasant La Santé Hotel & Spa), the van picked us up rather than make us trek across Hanoi to the Opera House. A much appreciated boost! Our first stop was the pleasant blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Truong Xuan tea house. Here, we had some delicious tea, and it was a great way to meet those who would be joining me on my southbound tour which began later that evening.
2. Temple of Literature #1
The Temple of Literature is home to the Imperial Academy, Vietnam’s first university, which was established in 1076.
Next, we took the short walk over to the Temple of Literature, a complex built originally as a temple to Confucius in 1070. About six years later, the Imperial Academy -Vietnam’s first university- was built on the grounds, and the location quickly became the place of higher learning for Vietnam’s elites. The university stayed open well into the 18th century. Students would often study in the complex’s courtyards, where manicured gardens and large trees -such as the one above- provided serenity and tranquility. It is amazing that, even to this day, Hanoi becomes almost placid once you walk through the gates and onto the grounds.
3. Temple of Literature #2
In ancient Vietnam, the dragon represented power and the Emperor.
The Temple of Literature is divided into five courtyards - the second and third courtyards are separated by the Khue Van Pavillion, which is built on four stone pillars with intricate stone carvings.
4. Temple of Literature #3
The Khue Van Pavilion, built in 1805, has become a symbol of Hanoi, and is featured on the 100,000 Vietnamese dong bill.
Moving back through the Temple and into its third courtyard, our guide gave us a brief history lesson about the complex as a place of learning, and how so few achieved the status of mandarin in the Royal Court. The examinations had three phases - first, regional examinations would be held every three years to determine the top candidates; second, a national-level examination would be held at the complex to determine those who would achieve the status of doctor, and; third, the doctors would appear in the royal court for examination, and the top finisher would be given the very prestigious rank of first doctor. All doctors’ names would be engraved on stelae which would be displayed in the Temple of Literature in perpetuity. The examinations would gauge students on history, literature, and the teachings of Confucius.
5. Temple of Literature #4
An ornate dragon urn sits within the Temple of Literature. It is a Vietnamese belief that burning objects such as incense or even money will affect the affairs of those in the afterlife.
Making our way through the Temple, we got a brief lesson on joss paper and joss incense - basically, burning such things is a way of showing respect for those in the afterlife, and -the more that is burned- the better the afterlife of the deceased will become. Many urns -such as this one- are found throughout the Temple of Literature, and are of great significance to the Hanoian people.
6. Temple of Literature #5
While most of the markings in the Temple of Literature are in a form of Classical Chinese, most modern-day Vietnamese cannot read them despite veneration for them.
We next received a lesson on the Vietnamese language (the Temple of Literature truly was a place of learning!). Until the 19th century, Classical Chinese formed the basis for the Vietnamese alphabet. The French colonials, in an effort to root out Chinese influence in Vietnamese culture, decreed that the Classical Chinese alphabet be abandoned in favor of a modified Portuguese-based Latin font script codified by a missionary in the 17th century. This system carried over after the Vietnamese independence, and became the standard writing style of the Vietnamese people. The aforementioned doctoral examinations -some of which are on display in the Temple of Literature- are all, of course, in Classical Chinese, and our guide opined that only a small number of Vietnamese people would be able to read them today.
7. Temple of Literature #6
The teachings of Confucius had a profound influence over early Vietnamese imperial governance.
We next got a brief lesson on Confucius and his teachings. What I found interesting about this was the implication that, while the Communist Party in Vietnam controls the affairs of state, teachings of ancient philosophers such as Confucius still to some degree dictate how Vietnamese people conduct their personal lives.
8. Temple of Literature #7
Confucius had four main disciples: Mencius, Yan Hui, Zengzi, and Zisi; Mencius and Zengzi are depicted here.
Confucius’ four primary disciples -commonly referred to as the “Four Sages”- wrote many of the texts which propagated Confucius’ teachings to the Asian peoples.
9. Temple of Literature #8
Many of the bonsai trees in the courtyard of the Temple of Literature are over 100 years old.
Overall, the Temple of Literature is a can’t-miss location in Hanoi. I greatly appreciated the history lessons taught to me by my guide, and I really felt I got a wonderful primer in Vietnamese history and culture. I would say if you have the chance to visit with a knowledgeable guide, definitely do so - it will add so much more depth and significance to your visit.
10. Hoa Lo Prison #1
Built in the late 19th century by French colonists, Hoa Lo is known prominently for its role as a prisoner-of-war camp during the Second Indochina War, known simply in the West as the Vietnam War and in Vietnam as the American War.
After the Temple of Literature, we took a short shuttle bus ride over to Hoa Lo prison. Much of the prison’s exhibits are focused on the French colonial period. Many political dissidents were housed here, and it became known as a place where many of the nascent ideas of the Communist Party of Vietnam were cultivated and cemented.
11. Hoa Lo Prison #2
Among Hoa Lo’s displays are those which depict the captivity conditions of Vietnamese political prisoners during the French colonial period.
The museum goes to great lengths to depict French treatment of Vietnamese prisoners as inhumane, going so far as to display a guillotine in the prison’s main courtyard. Living conditions are depicted graphically, and small prison cells are accessible to visitors. Despite its contemporary association with the U.S.-Vietnam war, very little of the prison’s museum is dedicated to the topic; however, where it is, great lengths are taken to contrast the claimed fair treatment of U.S. prisoners of war with the unfair treatment of the Vietnamese by the French.
I’m not going to point fingers and say that the point-of-view presented at Hoa Lo downplays the unfair treatment of U.S. military members while over-exaggerating the treatment by the French. What I will say is that, if you can move past the political bent, Hoa Lo serves as a reminder of how awful prisoner-of-war camps can be and should encourage us collectively to continually strive for better treatment of such persons.
12. Temple of the Jade Mountain #1
The Temple of the Jade Mountain gets its name from the Jade Islet upon which it sits on Hoan Kiem Lake.
After departing Hoa Loa, we made a brief stop at St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Owing to the fact that it was a Saturday, the church itself appeared shuttered, and hundreds of tourists and locals alike filed the small plaza at its front. I am not certain I could have taken a photograph showing the whole building if I wanted to. No worries, I’ll just have a memory.
Afterwards, we took the short walk around the west side of Hoan Kiem Lake to arrive at the Temple of the Jade Mountain. Speaking of no photographs: you’ll notice this page doesn’t have a picture of the super-famous and über-photographed Welcome Morning Sunlight Bridge. Much like St. Joseph’s Cathedral, there were dozens -perhaps even hundreds- of people milling about the bridge, and even a quick photograph would probably have been bombed by an errant pedestrian. No worries, though - I am fairly certain I will be back in Hanoi before too long, so I’ll get another chance.
13. Temple of the Jade Mountain #2
The Temple of the Jade Mountain honors Tran Hung Dao, a national hero who repulsed Mongol invasions during the 13th century.
The Temple of the Jade Mountain is a bit on the cozy side, but the interior is worth a visit if you are in the area (which you should be if you visit Hanoi!)
14. Cua Bac Church
The Cua Bac Church, built in 1932, is considered a great example of blended European-Vietnamese architecture.
After the Temple of the Jade Mountain, I -along with those in my group staying at my hotel- took a taxi back to our hotel. With still quite a lot of time before my main tour, I headed towards the western part of the city I had not yet explored. My primary goal was to visit the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, but along the way I discovered some interesting treasures, to include this scenic church.
15. Faded Façade
Thinking it the best way to not encourage the dark colored growth that forms on many of Vietnam’s buildings, the French painted many of its government buildings bright yellow.
Hanoi -like many places in Vietnam, I’d come to find out- is an architectural mix between older, colonial-era buildings and new constructions fueled by exponential financial growth. Much of the government area on the western side of town retains this older style - but I’ll short of saying it “preserves” it.
16. Military Operation Bunker #1
The Military Operation Bunker was constructed in 1965, abandoned in 1975, and finally renovated before opening to the public in 2017.
Having arrived at Thang Long (via a very hard-to-spot entrance - keep your eyes open or you’ll miss it!), I fought my way through the weekend crowds and came upon a very small sign indicating the presence of the “Military Operation Bunker”. I had previously known about D67 (see below), but I was unfamiliar with this location; in fact, I thought I was confusing the two. Nonetheless, I made my way down the extremely steep steps and through the bomb-resistant bunker door into a piece of history. This location was the place where the logistics of the U.S.-Vietnam war were carried out by the North Vietnamese.
17. Military Operation Bunker #2
The bunker was the focal point for providing warning of incoming U.S. airstrikes in and around Hanoi.
Walking around the bunker, you get a sense for how complicated operations could be carried out with very simple equipment such as maps, grease pencils, and basic landline telephones.
18. Doan Mon #1
Doan Mon is the imposing main gate of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and one of the few original parts of the complex.
After departing the Military Operation Bunker, I rounded the corner and found a set of steps that led me up to a great overview of the Doan Mon. In 1810, the Nguyen Dynasty moved the capital from Hanoi to Hue, and the site was abandoned and -ultimately- systematically disassembled by the French and damaged by years of conflict.
19. Kính Thiên Palace
Kính Thiên Palace was the seat of power during Thang Long’s period as the Vietnamese capital; today, only the dragon adorned steps remain.
Moving around the corner, I passed the steps of Kính Thiên Palace. The French colonists destroyed the main part of the palace to establish their artillery headquarters. Later, the Vietnamese Military established their headquarters atop the Palace’s remains. I heard of an ambitious plan to restore the original Palace; however, I saw very little evidence of such an effort. Perhaps one day…
20. Thang Long Grounds
The grounds of Thang Long feature multiple gates and buildings dating from a variety of historical periods.
Thang Long is a very pleasant place to spend an afternoon in Hanoi - so much so, the peaceful gardens in the complex were filled with throngs taking wedding and graduation photos. At first, I attempted to scoot around the photographer’s frames to avoid bombing their photographs - a form of respect. However, after a while, this became unsustainable and as a result I probably appear in dozens of wedding and graduation photos!
21. D67 Bunker #1
The D67 Bunker (alternatively, Building D67) was built in 1967 for meetings of the North Vietnamese Politboro, Central Military Commission, the General Staff, and the Minister of Defense.
D67 will forever be known as the military target the United States military couldn’t take - and I just walked right in! What a fascinating place to visit, and so very surreal - it would be as if The Pentagon were to shut down and start allowing visitors to just walk around. Here, a large conference table serves as a who’s who from that period - for example, the closest chair belonged to Le Duc Tho, who is -to this day- the only person to have declined the Nobel Peace Prize.
22. D67 Bunker #2
Here, we see the desk of General Vo Nguyen Giap, the military mind of the North Vietnamese people during not only the U.S.-Vietnam War, but in the First Indochina War against the French, as well.
Rounding the corner, you see the office of General Giap, undoubtedly one of the greatest military logisiticians and planners of the 20th century.
23. D67 Bunker #3
The D67 Bunker -as the name suggests- has a prominent underground office complex where leaders could maintain continuity of operations during bombing raids.
Despite being basic and functional, a visit to this underground space is worth the trek down the long, steep concrete stairway used to access it. Much of the equipment here was left in situ to include the air handling equipment provided by -you guessed it!- the Soviet Union. My favorite thing, however, is the cat-adorned drink container at the center of the conference room table. To use The Pentagon analogy again - it would be like finding out the Joint Chiefs of Staff shared a He-Man Thermos.
24. Princess’ Palace
Originally built for queens and princesses, later Empires used the building for … well, let’s call them companions of the Emperor.
The Princess’ Palace at the rear of Thang Long is a small but interesting building. Be warned, however: the staircase used to access the upper floor is very narrow and very steep!
25. This Building Has a Secret….
The unassuming exterior of this building belies its true secret - this is the building that was built over the D67 Bunker.
Heading back towards the complex’s entrance, I was able to get a “clean” shot of the D67 Bunker building.
26. Doan Mon #2
Doan Mon was built by the Le Dynasty and restored by the Nguyen Dynasty.
Was no place more surrounded by crowds of proud graduates and spouses than the Doan Mon Gate. I did manage to snap a relatively person-free picture on my way out of the complex.
27. From the Past to the Future
The National Assembly Building can be seen from the top of Doan Mon Gate; its construction was completed in 2014.
The National Assembly Building’s construction was not without controversy. The old National Assembly Building -commonly known as “Ba Dinh Hall”- was demolished to make way for the new construction. This move faced opposition from a number of prominent Vietnamese, to include General Giap himself.
28. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is built on the square where, in 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared North Vietnam independent from France.
Walking back to my hotel, I took a brief detour past the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. I didn’t have enough time to stop by (or, for the matter, see the nearby One Pillar Pagoda). Nonetheless, I wanted to have enough time to pack my bags for the upcoming trip to Halong Bay. After a cozy family-style dinner at a nearby restaurant (apologies, the name of the place escapes me) and a few beers at the hotel afterwards (Bia Ha Noi, of course!), it was time to turn in.
