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Ha Noi
Smaller, quieter, greener and more dignified than Saigon, the nation's capital can sometimes look like a provincial French city. This, like most things in Vietnam, is changing fast as economic restrictions are lifted and old regulations are forgotten. Life (and traffic, unfortunately) is returning to the streets and shopping no longer means a trip to a dreary government department store. Still, the city remains quiet enough for cycling to be the ideal means of getting around and many hotels and cafes rent bicycles.
Places to visit include the fascinating One Pillar Pagoda. Sreaome enchanting lakes and temples, and . The mausoleum that was inaugurated in 1975 is the permanent memorial for Respected Uncle Ho, the founder of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It is 21 m high and in Vietnamese grey marble and granite. Like a lotus flower it was erected right at the historical place of Ba Dinh where President Ho Chi Minh declared the independence for Vietnam in 1945. The mausoleum is now a place of big interest that can not be missed. The Vietnamese always line up to visit him to show all good sentiments and respects to beloved Uncle Ho. Temple of literature was bulit in 1070, consecrated to Confucius and used as a school for princes, the temple of literature was considered as the first university of Vietnam in 1076. It is about 350m long and 70 m wide and surrounded by a vast wall of bricks. There are 5 yards inside. The middle entrance is for the king; one side entrance is for the civilian mandarins and the other for military ones. Behind the big door is the pavilion for poetic entertainment dated 1802. All the most educated people recited and composed poems and made literary comments. In front of the rectangular yard lined with 82 stone stelae carved with the names of the doctors of philosophy who passed the king's examination from 1498to 1787.T
he Hoan Kiem Lake & The Ngoc Son Temple are located in the heart of the city. Legends said that on the occasion of King Le Loi's relaxation trip by sampan on the lake after the victory over the Ming aggressors, a Golden Tortoise emerged to request him to return the holy sword given to him by the Sky God to protect the country against the enemy. This small lake is nicely bordered by age - old trees. In the extreme north is an islet accessible by a wooden bridge painted red namely The Huc. The small temple of Ngoc Son of 19th century is dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao, a hero against the Mongolians in the 13th century together with three genie: La To, the pioneer of medical career; Nguyen Van Xuong, the genie of literature; Tran Vu, the genie of martial arts. In the middle of the lake is the tortoise tower considered as the contemporary symbol of Ha Noi.Budget accommodation can be scarce in Ha Noi, especially between June and September, but many people rent rooms and with some searching you should find something. Whatever your budget, you'll pay more for accommodation in Hanoi than elsewhere in the country. Hanoi has plenty of domestic and international air connections, and is connected with Saigon by the Reunification Express train.
Hanoi Landscapes
Chu`a Mo^.t Co^.t Ho Hoan Kiem 1 Ho Hoan Kiem 2 Ho Hoan Kiem 3