Hanoi Diary: Vietnam's Beautiful Peace
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Hoan Khiem Lake
Out of the blue, Tinky, our soon-to-be-four-year-old granddaughter popped this question, as she woke us up one bright morning. We were on our fourth day in Hanoi, Vietnam, babysitting her in the apartment that our daughter had leased for our two-month stay in Vietnam’s capital city this summer.
We had agreed to babysit the little one while her mom was on a cross-posting job assignment. It would be a great opportunity to bond with our granddaughter and give our son-in-law time to work on his projects.
We didn’t know we would be beleaguered by our granddaughter’s 1,000 whys as we went through our “apo”-stolate work (apo, meaning grandchild in Filipino). It didn’t matter that I had bought Junior National Geographic’s Why book to prepare us for our new job. Every minute spent with her was peppered not only with a why, but also with queries we did not know could come literally from the mouths of babes. Example, “What is government?”
In 1969, we were part of the student movement protesting in the streets of Manila. We joined marches and demonstrations against the Vietnam War. Fast forward to 2019, or 50 years later, and here we were, near downtown Hanoi, taking care of our future generation as she grows to face the realities of a post-war Vietnam.
It was an uncanny feeling. To be transported some 12,800 kilometers away to a country that faced the horrors and devastation of a war that killed or maimed thousands of people.
At university classes and teach-ins in the late ’60s, we learned about Agent Orange, the My Lai massacre, the U.S. bombing of countless cities, towns, and hamlets.
It was also part of our family lore: My own older brother, who had emigrated to the United States in the early ’60s as a medical doctor, was drafted and served with the U.S. Army medical corps.
Nonplussed, my husband explained to our granddaughter: “War is when people fight with other people on a big scale. To protect themselves from invaders. To keep their homes and families and loved ones safe from others.”
Our granddaughter kept mum, as if the words had sunk into her young mind and given clarity to her doubts and fears. She quickly changed gears and moved on to her concern of the day, preparing for summer camp!
Outside, in the sweltering heat, we traversed the narrow and winding streets of the Tay Ho (West Lake) district in Hanoi, soaking in the lush and verdant foliage and colors of trees, shrubs and hidden gardens and tiny corners nestling old crockery and pottery from 1,000 years of Vietnam’s history. Tay Ho is home to the largest freshwater lake in Hanoi, with some 18.6 kilometers of shoreline, as well as 20 well-kept pagodas and temples.
Our quest meant two months of walks along pockmarked streets that quickly flooded after sudden storms, passing by ancient, abandoned and joss stick-filled cemeteries, dodging motorbikes with (sometimes) helmetless drivers caroming from all corners with no sidewalks in sight.
Motorcycles in the streets of Vietnam
From the ruins of war the Vietnamese people have reconstructed a quaint, bountiful, and ravishing landscape that melds the old and the new, a past that would not be forgotten but remembered with honor and dignity in the various pagodas, temples, lakes, gardens, museums, buildings, and structures that now welcome intrepid and curious travelers from all over the world.
In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), the two cities we visited, we found how beauty exists not only in its own right, but also as part of life, function, and utility. Well, the beauty of the everyday, almost.
After we took our granddaughter to and from school each day, we had to the fill the time with explorations of our own. To traverse unknown roads, follow unbeaten paths, because we were strangers to this Southeast Asian country but eager to discover its many secrets and mysteries.
These were the places we had a close look at, lingered in, and observed with awe:
In Hanoi
1) The Temple of Literature (also known as Temple of Culture)
The Temple of Literature in Hanoi, Vietnam: a homage to Confucius and study.
Right in the heart of the city, this temple is a homage to Confucius and the sages of the ancient world, the founders of Vietnamese intellectual and spiritual life from more than 1,000 years ago. Built in 1070 and patterned after the temple at Qufu, Shandong, Confucius' birthplace, it contains the statues of Confucius and his four closest disciples. Vietnam’s first university or imperial academy was established within its grounds in 1076 to educate the country’s bureaucrats, nobles, and royalty.
The temple has preserved the early architectural styles of many dynasties. Its ancient trees and trimmed lawns with topiaries of animal zodiac signs gave respite to scholars of old, a place away from the bustle of the outside world.
Most intriguing were the stelae erected in 1484 (out of 116, some 82 still remain) of carved stone turtles with elaborate motifs to honor talent and encourage study. The turtle is one of the nation's four holy creatures and is a symbol of longevity and wisdom.
Address: Quoc Tu Giam Street, Dong Da District Hanoi
2) Ho Chi Minh’s House on Stilts
Ho Chi Minh’s House on Stilts in the Presidential Palace near Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Since the famous Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was closed for summer maintenance, we sought the next best museum to learn more about President Ho Chi Minh, the national hero of Vietnam: the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site near the Presidential Palace.
The eminent revolutionary soldier refused to stay in the Presidential Palace, preferring to live and work in this modest house from December 19, 1954, when the Vietnamese liberated themselves from their French colonizers, up to the day he died, on September 2, 1969.
On site: The historic stilt house as well as the surrounding carp ponds, climbing figs, and a pomelo orchard that leads to the nearby Hanoi Botanical Gardens.
Address: 1 Bac Thao, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
3) Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts
“Two Girls and a Boy,” oil painting by To Ngoc Van, Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts.
The country's primary art museum provides a sumptuous feast of Vietnamese fine arts from a range of historical periods, from prehistoric times to the present.
Every floor is a treasure trove of magnificent art, including lacquer and ceramic. The 20th century art exhibit, in particular, showcases social-realist art and folk narratives depicting love of country, martyrdom, and military strategy.
Although some of the works on exhibit are replicas of original works that were destroyed during the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the current display of 2,000 art objects (of the 20,000 in their collection) cannot but impress.
Address: 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi
4) The Thang Long Water Puppet Theater
The Thang Long Water Puppet Theater near Hoan Kiem Lake, Old Quarter, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Our granddaughter wanted to see the Water Puppet Theater the moment we began telling her about the puppets. It topped even going to the nearby Tini World at the Lion Mall in Tay Ho.
Established in 1969 from an art troupe of nine actors and actresses who graduated from Hanoi College of Art, the Hang Long Water Puppet Theater has since grown and performed this traditional Vietnam art daily, with about 500 performances every year.
A water puppet performance includes depictions of the daily life of Vietnamese peasants—from cultivating rice, tending buffalo, or catching fish to communal entertainment such as swimming contests and dragon dancing, as well as re-enactments of folk legends.
No need for translators here. No sooner had we settled into our seats when we observed our granddaughter quickly following the storyline, mesmerized by the combination of music, song, word, and movement. Lighting and sound effects, including the occasional explosion of firecrackers, made her gasp in excitement.
Performances every afternoon: 15:00, 16:10, 17:20, 18:30, 20:00.
Address: 57B Dinh Tien Hoang Street, near Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
5) Museum of Vietnamese Literature
A gallery of old typewriters used by writers during the wars for national liberation and reunification.
Reopened just this February, the Museum of Vietnamese Literature is located in the Tay Ho district, five kilometers away from downtown Hanoi. The building was once home to the Quang Ba Writing College.
On the day we were there, though—a Monday—only the three of us, my husband, myself and our granddaughter, were visiting, but the museum curator promptly opened the museum doors for us.
As she turned on the lights, we were floored by the life-sized dioramas of how writers worked in ancient times. One shows a mentor teaching his young wards their first written words while another diorama features writers inside their writing grass huts, quietly absorbed in thought, perhaps pondering their next masterpiece to share with the world.
Books and manuscripts, including writing implements and personal effects illumine Vietnam’s literary past. The typewriter exhibit on the third floor gives a quick intro to life before the computer, with its gallery of rusty Remingtons, Smith Coronas, Underwoods, and printers circa 1960s.
Outside, in the courtyard, life-sized sculptures of writers—from the ancient times to the 19th century—appear to bask in the sun and their glory as in days of old.
Alas, for our granddaughter, even with the veritable feast for the eyes, the heat was too much, as she kept tugging me to move faster, “Lola (Grandma), you are so s-l-o-w!” We had to dash her off quickly to the vegan buffet restaurant across the museum to feast on brown rice (her favorite), beans and carrots, and some watermelon and fresh lime juice.
Address: Ngo 275 Au Co, Tay Ho, Hanoi
In Ho Chi Minh City
Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens
In Ho Chi Minh City: Established in 1865, the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens are Vietnam's largest, and the 8th oldest zoo in the world.
With only a few days to stay in Ho Chi Minh City, we chose to visit the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens right in the heart of this bustling metropolis.
While other visitors would rank the zoo as one of the worst they had visited, we found our early morning foray to be a pleasant experience, with plenty of time for our granddaughter to observe the elephants and antelopes and other animals in their habitat.
Even the ride around the zoo was a treat, providing us with some soothing breezes as we passed the various gardens devoted to the rare flora and fauna of Vietnam.
Had we more time, we could have stayed the whole day and camped under the shady trees. The washrooms were clean and the grounds were kept trim by attentive staff.
To have a zoo and botanical gardens inside the city is a blessing for local Vietnamese who could bring their family for outings in the park. And a boon for visitors like us with young children in tow who could only sightsee on a short leash.
At the end of our visit, we couldn’t help but gift our little charge with a fish bubble squirt for her good behavior: no fuss and complaints, just plain joy in the moment.
“Mom, that’s a dolphin, not a fish,” our daughter promptly corrected me when we got home.
Address: 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem, Ben Nghe, Quan 1, Ho Chi Minh City
Other places to visit:
Vietnamese Women’s Museum (VWM)
Opened in 1995, Vietnamese Women’s Museum is a gender museum that showcases the historical and cultural heritages of Vietnamese women and their struggles to attain equality, development, and peace. Exhibits include stories about Vietnamese women through rituals and customs in marriage, childbirth, and family as well as their recollections of war and the challenges and problems facing them at present.
Address: 36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
http://www.baotangphunu.org.vn/
Traditional House
Built at the end of the 19th century, the house was lived in successively by shopkeepers until 1945, when a family bought it to sell Chinese medicine. Ma May Street was once part of two streets along the banks of the Red River, where rattan and bamboo products and votive candles were sold. The house is typical of the old architecture in the Old Quarter.
Address: 87 Ma May, Old Quarter, Hanoi
www.hanoiancientquarter.gov.vn
Hoa Lo Prison
A prison built by the French in late 19th century and maintained till the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
Address: 1 Hoa Lo, Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Patty RIvera
Patty Rivera is a poet and writer in Toronto.
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