Friday, April 15, 2005
Hanoi
Our trip through the old de-militarized zone into North Vietnam was uneventful, to say the least. While our trip took us along portions of the now infamous "Ho Chi Minh Trail," all the signs of a war-torn country are long gone, and the landscape - while green - is comprised of nothing more than endless rice paddies stretching in all directions.
We spent several days in the central city of Hue (pronounced "Way"), about 90 km south of the demilitarized zone, where several fierce battles took place - not the least of which was the struggle for the massive citadel in the city center. Hue was (and still is) a major center for religious studies and has a history full of religious persecution and torture. Many of the monks who later lit themselves on fire in protest of the South Vietnemese policies were trained in the temples of Hue. Near the city rest some of Vietnam's ancient emperors whose "tombs" are acres and acres of beautiful gardens and a very distinct architectural syle (influenced by the ethnic Chinese).
After an overnight train ride, Katrina and I arrived in Hanoi - the old capitol of North Vietnam which is a living relic to the French occupation of the 18th and 19th centuries. However, Soviet-era architecture and statues are juxtaposed throughout the charming, European-style store fronts throughout the city. A large statue of Lenin took my back to my days in Russia, as did the mausoleum which, in the spirit of Lenin, houses the preserved body of "Uncle Ho" whom we saw with our own eyes. Strangely enough, Ho Chi Minh asked to be cremated in his will, but his followers failed to follow this last request.
One of the highlights of our entire trip through Southeast Asia was our boat trip through the majestic limestone formations in Halong Bay to the east (and just south of China). We spent 3 days and 2 nights touring around the bay, visitng caves, coves, and beaches. The landscape was absolutely amazing (as our pictures can attest in the Halong Bay album) and we were sad to have to leave - to get back to Thailand in time for our Summer English Camp.
We spent several days in the central city of Hue (pronounced "Way"), about 90 km south of the demilitarized zone, where several fierce battles took place - not the least of which was the struggle for the massive citadel in the city center. Hue was (and still is) a major center for religious studies and has a history full of religious persecution and torture. Many of the monks who later lit themselves on fire in protest of the South Vietnemese policies were trained in the temples of Hue. Near the city rest some of Vietnam's ancient emperors whose "tombs" are acres and acres of beautiful gardens and a very distinct architectural syle (influenced by the ethnic Chinese).
After an overnight train ride, Katrina and I arrived in Hanoi - the old capitol of North Vietnam which is a living relic to the French occupation of the 18th and 19th centuries. However, Soviet-era architecture and statues are juxtaposed throughout the charming, European-style store fronts throughout the city. A large statue of Lenin took my back to my days in Russia, as did the mausoleum which, in the spirit of Lenin, houses the preserved body of "Uncle Ho" whom we saw with our own eyes. Strangely enough, Ho Chi Minh asked to be cremated in his will, but his followers failed to follow this last request.
One of the highlights of our entire trip through Southeast Asia was our boat trip through the majestic limestone formations in Halong Bay to the east (and just south of China). We spent 3 days and 2 nights touring around the bay, visitng caves, coves, and beaches. The landscape was absolutely amazing (as our pictures can attest in the Halong Bay album) and we were sad to have to leave - to get back to Thailand in time for our Summer English Camp.
# posted by Doug Spencer : 7:32 AM
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