Temples and Ho Chi Minh (Day 3) Hanoi, Vietnam

We woke up pretty late as yesterday's trip to Halong Bay really took a toll on us. Since it was brunch, we decided to start at the Temple of Literature. Luckily KOTO was right across the road. A cab ride to this much-talked place from Old Quarters set us back around VND100,000.

KOTO  (Know One Teach One) is an non-profit restaurant and vocational training programme aimed at underprivileged children in Hanoi. It was started by an Australian of Korean-Vietnamese origin who address  the children concerns about needing skills in order to find a stable job. The children/teens are taught vocational skills and a chance to improve their English. I thought it would be a good way to spend lunch by giving something back to the community.

We were led upstairs to the 4th floor of the establishment but I don't think that it was conducive to have food on that level because we had a very low table. It made eating awkward. This floor would have been great for sipping coffee and dessert with the bean bags around and the ground floor to be kept solely for who wanted to have a meal.

Compared to other places where they proclaim that their staff speak English, I would say that KOTO did a fantastic job. The English used by the trainees is pretty good. You could see that the trainees were working hard at learning all they can.We ordered:

• Bun bo nam bo (  VND105,000 / USD5)
• Stir fry duck with rick ( VND135,000/USD6.50)
• Lavazza coffee

Bun Bo Nam Bo

Stir-fry duck rice

HY liked the bun bo nam bo here better than the one next to our hotel. The difference is that soup accompanied the bun bo nam bo so he felt the dish was more "juicy" (not sure if this is the right term). I guess he didn't like his noodles all stuck together in the dry version.

The duck rice was something different from the usual fare that we have been having. The bird's eye chili gave a bite to the dish and man, did I miss my chili. The duck was tender and succulent. Wish I had more rice though so that I could mix it up with the gravy.

After lunch we cross the street to the Temple of Literature. It is a Confucian temple as well as Vietnam's first university where the elite (royalty, ministers, nobels, etc.) came to learn the finer points of literature and poetry. Very much like Imperial examinations during the Chinese Song dynasty, candidates were required to pass regional exam, the national exam and then the final royal exam where the monarch would set the questions.

Main gate to the temple

The main gate opens up to 3 pathways and 5 courtyards. The main pathway is for the monarch while the left is for administrative ministers and the right for the military ministers.

One of the pathways for ministers

The first courtyard was built full with foliage for the ministers and scholars to relax. The second courtyard contains the "Constellation of Literature" pavilion. Inside the pavilion, there is a bronze bell which is rung on auspicious occasions. which opens up to Well of Heavenly Clarity. The water wasn't really clear when we were there. Quite murky. Maybe less pollution in the past equals to clear water?

Second Courtyard

Constellation of Literature opens to Well Heavenly Clarity

After these courtyards, rows of stone turtles with tablets on their backs will greet you. Names of all those who passed the royal exams were listed on these tablets. Turtles were chosen as they stood for longevity. The names are written in Chinese. One can't help but feel that the honour withstood the test of time even though bones may have turned to dust.


After the Stelae of Doctors, we arrived at the Fourth Courtyard where 2 ceremonial halls act as borders to the Fifth Courtyard. The ceremonial halls now house alters to Confucius and his disciples and also a small museum to showcase the inkwells and personal artifacts of past scholars. There is the obligatory gift shop in tourist attractions but we did not bother getting anything.

One of the alters within the fourth courtyard to Confucius and his disciples

One of the halls in the Fourth Courtyard

We did not manage to get to the Fifth Courtyard as more tourists were being dropped off by the tour buses and it was started to get cramped. Seems like this was a popular pre-wedding photo shoot spot. We saw at least 3 couples with brides in ao dai smiling under the hot sun.

Next stop was Ba Dinh Square where all things Ho Chi Minh resides. We were heading to the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh. I know it's creepy to go see an embalmed person but it would be an interesting experience. To enter HCM Mausoleum, one has to be appropriately dressed as a mark of respect, i.e no flip flops, cut-off jeans or tank tops.

Walking to HCM Mausoleum

When we reached the Mausoleum, there was a sign to state that it was closed for renovation and guards patrolled the perimeter. In other words HCM is sent to get his beauty touch-ups. It was quite disappointing actually because we checked with the hotel and they mentioned that he was in. Next best thing for us to do was to take the picture of the Mausoleum itself so show we were there!

The odd thing is that the guards are taller and buffer and the locals. I would guess they were handpicked to look imposing and fed well.

See the guards?

Around this complex there are other structures built in honour of HCM. The Ho Chi Minh Museum is southwest of the Mausoleum so we decided to head there to have a look. It was still closed for lunch when we arrived.

Waiting game

There were quite a number of tourist and some familiar faces from our Halong Bay tour who turned up at the museum. All were disappointed from the "renovation" the Mausoleum was having.

At 1.30pm, the doors finally opened. Security is tight going in and there is a signboard which says no photography from a certain point onwards. The exhibits start from the top floor to the bottom and one has to climb a flight of stairs to the starting point. Definitely not handicapable friendly with no lifts in sight.

The museum is designed to showcase Ho Chi Minh as a man who transformed Vietnam, by bringing the visitors though each phase of his life. The Vietnam War occupies a large portion of the museum as well. AS we went through each exhibit, one could see that HCM really wanted the best for his country. However, the descriptions of the exhibits, especially the Vietnam War parts, were clearly propaganda-ish in nature. This museum really has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Ho Chi Minh bronze figure

Once done with the museum, we went to towards the Presidential Palace. On the way there, we passed the One-Pillar Pagoda.

One Pillar Pagoda

This pagoda was originally built by a king in 1049 but was destroyed when the French withdrew in 1954. It was immediately rebuilt after that. The pagoda was built to honor Kuan Ying (Goddess of Mercy) after the king received news that his wife bore him a son. Many worshipers queued to make offerings. It is said that the fertility rate of women wishing to be mothers increased after visiting this shrine.

Last stop in the Square is the Presidential Palace. The Palace used to be the Indochina's General Governor's Palace. The whole structure is painted mustard yellow. Maybe more "ong". When HCM took over, he refused to stay at the palace because it was linked to colonialism. He instead chose to stay at the servant's quarters behind the palace.


Although the interior of the palace is off limits to tourists, by paying a VND5,000 fee, we walked around the palace gardens, around a carp pond, to the stilt house that Ho Chi Minh used from 1958 to his death in 1969. To have a look at the stilt house, which had glass panels so that you can see in, tourists have to line up and follow a path which leads around the house.


We finished the whole tour by 4pm. That was fast right? The place isn't very big and honestly the tourist crowds were starting to get to us. Just in time too as we were advised to do souvenir shopping at Dong Xuan Market. Again, we decided to risk our lives by taking a cab. Luckily a Hanoi cab turned up and the cabbie was really nice. We even tipped him at the end of the trip to maybe try to instill the sense of "you don't have to scam people to get money" into the driver. Hope it worked.

In our rush, we did not take pictures of Dong Xuan. Luckily too because there was nothing much to shoot. It is like an oversized, poorly ventilated wet market, minus the wet part. I could probably buy the same things there as in Sg. Wang. Luckily we got some the day before on the way to Halong Bay. We ended up buying bargaining for some G7 Coffee (if you like coffee, this is a must do!) for the folks back home.

I would say that Dong Xuan is not a must on an itinerary. You won't miss much.

Carrying our big bag of coffee, we headed back to the hotel on foot, passing most of the Hangs of different specialties. We found a street that specialised in costumes and with Halloween around the corner, students thronged the shops to pick out a party outfit. We passed the blacksmith street, the paper offering street, herb street, nuts and bolt street. It was a very long walk but an interesting one at that.

When we finally got back, we took a short rest before heading for a simple dinner at a local coffee house.


We did a bit more shopping after that with HY going to the local convenience store to buy more coffee and I got myself a  Vietnamese coffee strainer for RM1.00. By now you can see I ❤ coffee.

Furry friends in a shop.

We got back early and left back for Malaysia early next morning.


And that's a wrap on my 4d3n DIY Hanoi trip with another UNESCO site checked off my list ^_^

Koto
Address: 59 Van Mieu St, Dong Da District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel: +84 4 37470337
Email:customerservice@koto.com.au
Opening Hours: Breakfast and lunch everyday. Dinner Tuesday-Sunday

Temple of Literature:
Opening Hours : Tuesday to Sunday. From April 15 to October 15, the Temple's operating hours 7:30am-5:30pm. The rest of the year,8am-5pm.
Fee: VND10,000VND. Children below 15 years of age are allowed in for free.

Ho Chi Minh Museum
Address: 3 Ngoc Ha Street, Hanoi Vietnam.
Opening Hours: Tues day to Thursdays and weekends. 8am -11am and 1.30pm - 4pm.
Tel:+84 4 8463752

One-Pillar Pagoda
Address: Ba Dinh Square
Opening Hours: 8am-5pm
Free of charge

Ho Chi Minh Presidential Palace
Address: No 1, Bach Thao, Ba Dinh, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel:+84 4 08044529/08043559/08043816
Opening Hours: 7.30am-11am and 1.30pm-4pm, except Monday and Friday afternoon.