Friday, August 27, 2010

Lenin Saved my Life

So again I went map-less (it makes me standout even more if I look at it in the street, making me a "target" according to my mom) and this time I really got lost.  I was going to a place to eat and I knew where it was in relation to the temple of literature.  What I didn't know (until it was too late) was that I didn't know how to get to the temple of literature from where I was.

So after about an hour of wandering I finally saw someone who I recognized and walked home from there:  Some dude named Le-Nin.  Probably someone from the war or something =)  I bet instead of the US flag, Obama has like 5 of these around the White House.

Le-Nin Park is a bit small but very pretty.  A lot of people are there at night playing football (soccer), badminton, hacky-sack, and drifting toy cars.


It is weird that in this city there are beautiful spots of semi-peace and trees with a street full of motorbikes honking away just around the corner.

Across the street from Le Nin is the Hanoi flag tower.
Highland Coffee is like the Starbucks of Vietnam....

Di Tich Hoa Lo aka Hanoi Hilton (make sure to Click read more at the bottom)

For this post, I visit Hoa Lo, known in the US as Hanoi Hilton.  It cost 10000 VN (~55 cents) and I thought it was well worth it.  Built in 1896 by the French to house Vietnamese political prisoners and later on used by the Vietnamese for American soldiers, most of the prison has been demolished to make room for the Hanoi Towers, two large high risers (go figure).


However, a small portion was left over and turned into a museum.  Here is the intro sign (click to enlarge):


As you can imagine, it is not a happy place - this may have been augmented as it was raining the day I came.  There were also speakers throughout the prison playing dark, low, ominous music.

The original gate to the prison.
I will admit that these figurines scared the crap out of me.  Again, very dark and that MUSIC!
A European lady was sitting here - I don't think she knew it was a toilet.
Their legs were shackled

So yeah...this was a really scary area, around the corner is a room with a figurine in it.  A couple and I walked around the corner, she (of the couple) saw it and screamed, I screamed, and we all ran out.  Whatever, you weren't there.  Did you read the sign above?




The cells for females.

Yup, this is legit.  Pics of heads to the left.
Another scary hallway of jail cells.


A memorial 

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Mi Casa

Today I moved into my new place - it is on the third floor and a family lives on the bottom two floors.  Rent is cheap compared to the States and I get all the amenities to fit my "Western" lifestyle...like high speed internet that I am using right now...

If you would like my address to mail me money or good Tex-mex/Mexican food, email me.  Peanut butter too...I'm pretty sure there is peanut butter somewhere.

My shower, toilet, sink all-in-one combo.  Still getting used to this.
excuse the mess...
My view from the balcony

My dryer
Sign says Penthouse for Rent - Where I should have stayed...

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

BEEP BEEP + Temple of Literature

The next day I walked about a mile and crossed several streets like this:


And that was a low volume traffic.  I've been through worse.  At first it was really scary but now I somewhat like it.  It is like a challenge, a real life Frogger.

The thing that annoys me the most is the incessant honking.  I live off the street and I can still hear the honking from 7 am to 8 pm.  People honk for any reason, just to tell people their presence even though you see them, they honk when traffic slows down, when there is a red light, when people are on the sidewalk (yes they drive on the sidewalk)...argh.  One thing you have to learn is not to take anything personal.  Nhung, my guide from the University, told me that after a month, I should be able to ignore it.  Eh, we'll see.

Anyways I went to the oldest university in Vietnam, Van Mieu (Temple of Literature).  History lesson via picture (plus you see me taking the pic):

Click me for a bigger pic...

The Temple of Literature also cost 10000 dong and I thought it was better than Ngoc Son, the previous temple (the red bridge is free to stand and take pics and you are not missing much if you don't visit the Ngoc Son temple, in my opinion).

I also went across the street and went to the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts.  Cameras were not allowed and it cost 20000.  There were signs that advertised a temporary Brazilian Art exhibit but inside it said it wasn't coming until September which disappointed me.  The overall museum was pretty nice with ceramics, paintings (I saw the 10 courts of Hell), and "folksy" art (their words) which consisted of toys, clothes, and quilts from tribal communities in Vietnam.  Here is the outside:



So 1.50 for 2 tourist attractions...not bad...

Tourist Stuff

So I am blogging quite a lot - Since I don't meet with my university or the embassy until next week, I've been doing most of the tourist spots and trying to get a grasp of the city.  In theory, I should be a bit more busy once school starts and less a tourist...   =)

Don't tell my parents this (even though they are readers of this blog) but I kind of "freestyled" my way through these locations - Taxis in Vietnam (and most other countries) are not to be trusted, especially if you don't know the city.  They can take you in loops or to the wrong location and won't let you leave until you pay a large amount, etc.  So basically I just walked on the streets, no real map, and try to every once and awhile stop, look around, and memorize key locations so I could find my way back (A Samsung Mobile Ad with a very happy white family saved me) .  I also tried to only make one direction of turns and always knew at least what direction I need to go to get back to my hotel or a major landmark.  However, there were some moments where I really was lost (The Old Quarter is tightly packed with narrow streets and many vendors - Almost a maze). 

Anyways, I'll try to give a lot of pics...

So as my previous post alluded to, the largest attraction near my hotel (besides the Cathedral) is ho Hoan Kiem, or Lake of the Returned Sword/Sword-Restored Lake.  Legend has it that an Emperor gave a magical sword he used to defeat the Chinese to the Tortoise God in the pond.

Here is the Turtle Temple.  A theme I am trying with some photos is to contrast the old with the new, the socialism with capitalism.



The Post Office

My next stop was the Ngoc Son Temple in the same lake.  It has a pretty red bridge (which I really didn't take a picture of...) but here is a panoramic view that distorts the bridge.  Read the sign for info on the temple.


 
You may be thinking, "Geez Tony, this looks like a holy place.  Should you be taking pictures?"  Well, I thought the same thing but then I saw this:

 
I also paid to enter the Temple (10000 dong ~ 55 cents) so it is considered a tourist spot anyways.  Across the street from this ancient temple?
You have to admit, that is a very large KFC
Ummm...I wonder if they have a double down?  They don't, I checked.