Leaving Hanoi -

It's time to check out of this comfy little homebase here in Hanoi, time to be moving south, to warmer climes - but not before a final bowl of the deliciously-fragrant chicken Pho they serve us for breakfast at Tomodachi House! This morning, it comes with the tiniest little oranges, super sweet and huddle up under their bright green leaves. We look everywhere in Hanoi for these cute little guys, and sadly only find standard size oranges. Boo. We will keep looking! We check out of our room after a lazy few hours, trying to waste as much time as possible, then stash our bags at reception and head out into Hanoi. Tonight, we will be taking the overnight train to Da Nang, and will have to occupy our time until ten o'clock. Here we go!

Since we haven't REALLY adventured further than the Hoan Kiem Lake area, we head a little further, aiming for the top tourist sights in Hanoi. First up is the Temple of Literature, a temple dedicated to the teaching on Confucius. Also the site of the first university of Vietnam, the students and disciples here learned the ways of being a gentleman and living a well-respected life. They wrote poems and essays, and were tested - the most prominent receiving their doctorate and having their names inscribed on large stellae. Presented on the backs of a turtle, there are 42 stellae on site, dating as far back as the 1100s, and all the was up to the 1700s, when the last tests of this temple were conducted.

The gardens leading up to the temple are a calming refuge from the busy streets and honking scooters outside. There are several small lakes in each courtyard leading up to the main complex, and the Mandarin-inspired architecture can be seen everywhere. Best thing? Watching people tossing coins onto the curved roof tiles from the second story of the main temple building. It's like a mad game of Vietnamese Plinko, where nobody wins!

Across the street from the temple of Literature, we spotted rows upon rows of paper lanterns floating on the breeze, and were drawn in to the Cultural and Artisanal Village surrounding Ho Van(Van Lake). Seemingly set up for kids, and need a LOT more animation(maybe because it's Monday?), the ring of bamboo houses offered glimpses into the culture of Vietnamese life, teaching us the symbolism behind much of the things we have been seeing on our travels thus far. We learned about the importance of food and share a meal with your ancestors. We learned about fishing, the traps uses and some techniques involved. We leaned about lanterns and incense, conical hats and dragonflies, and watched a family of cats run around among the displays. I can only imagine how much fun, how animated this place would be, with a guide in each of the bamboo houses, explaining the culture behind the displays.

Our next stop brought us to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, but not before walking through what seemed like the boulevard of Embassies. There was a guard in front of every gate, and the architecture and flags flying out front shouted their countries: Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, Spain, Morocco, Iran, and right next to the entrance of the Mausoleum complex, Canada! Go us with the prime location! A quick, though very lax, security check, and we found ourselves walking down the biggest boulevard EVER. In fact, it was so big that the Mausoleum was shrouded in a light haze, making it look like a painted maquette in and old-fashioned movie!


The mausoleum only being open in the morning, we contented ourselves with wandering through the complex area, filled with gardens and temples, a rather large museum(also closed), and guards in white suits who were a little too whistle-happy when anyone walked on the sidewalk. We spent quite a while just watching them panic every time a tourist got a little too close to that restricted area! Further along, we found a more relaxed area surrounding the one pillar temple, which actually IS in one pillar. We bought some fresh fruit from a vendor and relaxed on a bench in the shade. And that was enough for the mausoleum - it's big, and it's impressive to behold, but it really is just an over-sized tomb, and after open hours, that's ALL it is. Time to move on.

We killed a few hours sipping more delicious coffee at The Note Coffee, then eat what is supposed to be some of the best Pho in Hanoi(though I don't agree - maybe a close second!) and picking up a few last minute snacks and drinks. Tonight, we head to Danang via overnight train, in a 4-berth sleeper cabin. Comfortable, safe, and one of the cheapest ways to travel, plus we save on one night's hotel room! Time to be lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the train...