Hanoi

With the rains and floods in Hanoi finally subsiding, we are able to explore the city in more depth. The people are friendly as you walk by and the children laugh and point at the strange foreigners walking through their neighborhoods. The local street vendors hawk their wares, calling out to you from across the street “hello hello cheap food, good price!” Whether you’re looking for fresh fruit or a new cell phone, the Vietnamese are more than happy to accommodate you. Just walking up and down the street, the sounds and smells are enough to make you want to stay in this place forever. Dodging motorbikes, people trying to sell you hats or t-shirts, and children running past - laughing and playing soccer; this is the norm for Hanoi. You would never know that forty years ago this place was a war-torn country where Americans were feared and hated. Now all that remains are stories of mines occasionally being found and pictures of “Uncle Ho” smiling back at you.


As the sun sets, the lake near our hotel reflects the light with practiced bravado, head lights of passing cars shining off of it’s smooth surface while men sit on its edge casting their fishing lines into the water. The nights in Hanoi are even more of a spectacle as the locals come out and set up shop for the hungry passerby. With a culture this vibrant and alive it’s hard to imagine ever returning home to the good ole U.S. of A.


After a slight delay due to the excessive rain in Hanoi when we first arrived, we were taken on a tour of the major sites in the city. Our first stop was Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum. Unfortunately, it was under renovation and we were unable go inside to visit Uncle Ho as we had been able to see Chainman Mao in Beijing.

[Below: Hồ Chí Minh’s Mausoleum in Ba Ðình Square, the spot where Ho proclaimed the independence of Vietnam on 2 September 1945 in a speech that began with the words, “All men are created equal; they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights; among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”]


Nearby we saw the Presidential Palace as well Ho Chi Minh's home. The Palace is of old French architecture and was used from the time of the French colonial administration all the way through Ho Chi Minh's presidency.

[below: The Presidential Palace of Vietnam, built between 1900 and 1906 to house the French Governor-General of Indochina]


Ho's actual home was right next to the palace and is very humble. Our next stop was the Temple of Literature, a Confucian temple built about a thousand years ago. It was very reminiscent of China with its similar architecture and themes - not to mention that it is Confucian! It was later used as a university, and many students still visit to receive good luck before their exams.

Our next stop in Hanoi was the Vietnamese Army Museum, which had an abundance of wartime artifacts. The museum gave us first-hand knowledge of the war we are here to study. The museum was fully equipped with weapons, aircraft, ground vehicles, and other equipment that soldiers used during the last half century. Beginning with the 1st Indo-Chinese War (1946-1954) the museum had many artifacts and information about Vietnam’s victory over the French colonizers. There is a large scale model of the famous battle at Dien Bien Phu and there was a short movie clip that explained the historic Vietnamese victory in the region that finally broke the back of the French occupation. Outside the museum there were several aircraft that had been shot down during the “American War” (the Vietnamese term for what we call the “Vietnam War”). The museum had a bit of everything and shed light on the equipment and techniques that were used by the Vietnamese to counter American air attacks on North Vietnam.

[Below: American military equipment seized by the North Vietnamese in 1975 after the collapse of South Vietnam.]


A model of the elaborate tunnel systems used in the South showed how difficult it was for American troops, both in the air and on land, to find the enemy. The museum made what we are studying in class all the more interesting.

Although it rained throughout the day, the tour was a great experience and a nice introduction to Hanoi City.

We've all enjoyed getting to know Hanoi over the past week. The city has many districts to choose from so there is never a dull day. Many of the students have been wandering the streets and enjoying everything the city has to offer. The French colonial influence is still noticeable, from the sidewalk cafés to the bakeries full of fresh baguettes.

[Below: enjoying one of Hanoi’s innumerable sidewalk cafes.]


It is hard to believe there was a war here only a few decades ago because the people are so welcoming and warm. Often little kids will wave at us as we pass by and shout, “hello!” Many of the students have been enjoying the lake situated just a block behind our hotel. Truc Bach Lake is just a little northwest of downtown. Ironically, it also the lake that former presidential candidate John McCain was captured in after being shot down over Hanoi.

[below: the flight suit and parachute of U.S. Senator and Republican presidential nominee John McCain, preserved at the Hoa Lo Prison - better known to American prisoners of war, with more than a little irony, as the "Hanoi Hilton."]


The street bordering the lake has been really popular among the students because of its wide variety of places to drink and eat. From traditional “hot pot” Vietnamese restaurants to cafes serving up good coffee, butter, and cheese (largely unavailable to us back in Jinan…perhaps the Vietnamese have something to thank the French for, after all!). Our new favorite, however, is “Foodspot 45.” Its is a great place to enjoy some authentic Indian food at a very affordable price and you can either enjoy a meal watching the sunset over the lake or - if studying for one of our classes – you can also have their food delivered to the hotel. Although we have limited time here students are using it wisely: exploring the streets, enjoying the food, and soaking up the beauty of Hanoi.

A few of us how had the opportunity to travel about four or five kilometers from our hotel to the Old Quarter - an ideal section of town to observe architecture dating from the French colonial period. It's interesting that the Vietnamese people have decided to keep these buildings intact despite the fact that the French colonized their country for nearly a century. There are also a number of statues and monuments in and around the Old Quarter. Just a few blocks away from the Old Quarter is a lake called Hoan Kiem.


On the lake there is a Temple by the name of Ngoc Son and tourists can visit it for 10,000 (VND) Vietnamese Dong, which is equivalent to about 60 cents! It's a very nice place to sit down and relax for the day or just walk around and enjoy the day. If the sun goes down and it starts to get dark there are tons of night markets where you can find food or souvenirs. Usually they close down the street where the night market is located so that people can walk around freely without having to worry about all of the motor bikers!


- Dillon, Russell, Price, Andrew S., Nathan S., Elaine, Parkie