Hanoi - Vietnam Travel Information
Photos from Hanoi
The City of Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. When compared to the crowded Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi is more quiet and calm. The city has lakes, temples and shaded boulevards.
Hanoi's population is about 3 millions, and it is situated on the red river's banks - Song Hong.
Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum
Ho Chi Minh is the father of the Vietnamese communism, who led then country to freedom from colonialism, and is considered the father of modern Vietnam. His wish to be burnt after his death was not followed, and instead he was mummified and put in a huge concrete structure in the center of Hanoi.
The building is guarded by guards in uniforms, and the entrance is free. Many call the visit to the Mausoleum "the freak show" - it is indeed weird to watch "uncle Ho" lying in a glass coffin.
The presidential palace
The presidential palace was built during the years 1900-1906 and was used by the French general governor of India-china. After the French were kicked out of Vietnam, the Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh refused to live in this palace, and instead chose a humble wooden house. However, the house continues to be used for meeting and for hosting official representatives from foreign countries to this day.
The palace is built in a typical colonial French style.
Various temples
Hanoi is full of various and strange temples, and there is not enough room to write about them all.
Ngoc Son temple was built in the 18th century. The meaning of the name is the emerald mountain. The temple is situated on an island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake and the way there is on a wooden red bridge named The Lac (meaning the rising sun).
Another temple worthwhile mentioning is One Pillar Pagoda that was first built at 1049. Its Vietnamese name is Chua Mot Cot. The pagoda was built by a childless Caesar that dreamt that the goddess of Mercy gives him a child while she is sitting on a lotus flower. After that the Caesar married a peasant's daughter that he accidentally met and she gave birth to a baby boy. Therefore the Caesar built this temple that supposed to resemble the lotus flower.
