Archives for 2012

Lost in translation.

A very interesting site in Hanoi to visit is the Hoa Lo Prison. I didn’t take too many photos because really, it’s kind of an eerie place. Before visiting I only had a vague idea of the prison. I knew it was where American prisoners of war were kept, but that’s about it. Turns out, before the Vietnamese used the prison to jail the Americans, the French used the prison to jail the Vietnamese.

Built in the late 1880s while Vietnam was under French rule, the prison was used to detain Vietnamese political prisoners. Naturally, the Vietnamese people wished to govern themselves and to be free of foreign powers. The French did everything possible to prevent that from happening. Torture, executions, and miserable living conditions were the norm. For example, the prison was built to hold 600 prisoners but in 1954 (when France withdrew) it held 2,000.

The displays at Hoa Lo Prison are quite somber…that is until you get to the American side.

The Vietnamese are eager to show how well American prisoners were treated during the Vietnam War. There are photos of Christmas parties and cheerful artwork made by prisoners displayed on the wall. You’d think they were having a pretty good time. A video even stated that the prisoners were so well cared for at the prison that they gave it the nickname, “Hanoi Hilton.” I think sarcasm must get lost in translation.

I will admit to being really confused. Although I’m not a Vietnam War scholar, I learned enough during high school history class and the McCain campaign to know it wasn’t all ping pong and dance parties for the POWs. When we returned to our hotel room a quick Google search confirmed what we already suspected. It was actually a pretty nasty place.

Visiting the Hoa Lo Prison was a good reminder for me that there are many different perspectives to history.

xo, jill

Reading is sexy.

After lunching at KOTO, we crossed the street to the Temple of Literature. The temple was first built in 1070 and is dedicated to Confucius and scholars. In addition, the Temple of Literature was the first university in Vietnam. It focused on training princes and other talented men with the focus on benefiting the country.

The next stop on our sightseeing itinerary: the Hanoi Hilton.

xo, jill

First pretty, then informative, and followed by delicious.

After visiting Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house we strolled over to another popular spot, the One Pillar Pagoda. I didn’t know this at the time but the temple was built in 1049 by the Emperor to demonstrate gratitude over the birth of a son. I just thought it was pretty.

Next we walked over to the Ho Chi Minh museum, which details the country’s struggle against foreign powers.

Tip: Go upstairs! We started on the main floor and quickly grew a little bored reading newspaper clippings and journal entries. Luckily, Mike made us climb the stairs to where the interesting exhibits reside. From now on I might just start visiting the second floor of museums first. (The interesting bits at the Gandhi museum are upstairs too.)

By this time we were ready for some lunch. We grabbed a taxi (that completely overcharged us) and went to KOTO, a not-for-profit restaurant. KOTO’s mission is to reach out to young people in poverty and teach them useful culinary skills. (KOTO stands for “Know One, Teach One.”) I highly recommend visitors to Hanoi eat at KOTO. Not only is their mission very noble, the food was delicious.

xo, jill

“Uncle Ho’s Stilt House”

On our third day in Hanoi it seemed about time to do some proper sightseeing and get acquainted with Mr. Ho Chi Minh. Our first stop was at his mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh requested to be cremated with his ashes spread across Vietnam but the exact opposite happened. His body was embalmed and is on display inside the mausoleum. Really. Unfortunately, (or fortunately?), we visited on Monday when the mausoleum is closed to visitors.

Next we passed by the European architecture of the Presidential Palace on our way to Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house.

The stilt house is said to be where Ho Chi Minh lived from 1958 until his death in 1969. The house is very simple with only two rooms and no toilet. The area underneath the house served as a conference room and reception hall. Realistically, Ho Chi Minh probably didn’t live here during the war. When you consider how heavily the area was targeted by American bombs, it just wouldn’t be smart.

Nonetheless, it’s still a charming place.

xo, jill

with puppets.

On Christmas morning we took the opportunity to sleep in a bit. Someone (me) was feeling a bit grumpy and homesick so the day got off to a rough start. Anyone else get caught off guard by homesickness? You think you’re doing fine and then suddenly realize where all the sourness is coming from? Fortunately, the rest of the day was much more pleasant.

We stopped into a nearby bakery for a few Christmas treats. I had the chocolate pie I had been craving the night before and Mike had his first of many gingerbread men. Then we were off to the water puppet show.

Water puppet shows are a very popular attraction in Hanoi. The practice originated in the 11th century in villages around northern Vietnam. The puppets are controlled by long sticks under water with the puppeteers hidden behind a screen. To the audience it appears as if the puppets are moving over the water independently.

The puppeteers came out for applause.

Tickets need to be purchased at least a day in advance and are available in first or second class seating arrangements. The show is relatively short, about an hour, and worth the $5 admission.

Big chunks of our day and evening were spent tracking down a suitable internet set up to web chat with our families. It took forever to find a computer with Skype, a camera, and a microphone. Plus, our families are in different time zones so we required multiple visits to the internet “cafe” (just three computers on a landing). Of course, all the fuss was definitely worth getting to see and talk to loved ones.

We also visited the night market where we entered a little booth to make this holiday greeting.

(Don’t get too excited. “Marry” is just a misspelling. We’ve no big news to share.)

xo, jill

…for the perfect meal, of course!

Our goal on Christmas Eve was to find the perfect meal. We didn’t want to eat Vietnamese food. We wanted to eat Christmas food. And there had better be some mashed potatoes!

We got a few leads from our hotel and blogs of places that serve Christmas dinners and went out to explore. Unfortunately, most places were serving a very expensive ($40+)* set menu featuring lots and lots of meat. Not so good for me.

The search was long but it really wasn’t too bad. All around us the Christmas spirit in the city was beginning to grow. Finally, we found a place (about a block from our hotel, so basically right where we started!) that was just right. We sat outside (brr!) on a balcony overlooking the church. A huge crowd of people had gathered to listen to Christmas music and see the Nativity.

It was interesting to note how the Vietnamese people celebrated Christmas. For us, we’d be inside celebrating with our families on Christmas Eve. In contrast, the Vietnamese people took to the streets in large groups with their friends. They also have a habit of dressing up small children as Santa Claus. Loved it.

After dinner we shared an apple pie dessert and some pretty yucky hot chocolate. We took another walk around the neighborhood and then we settled in for a movie in our cozy room.

xo, jill

*Remember, you can eat in Vietnam for pennies.