I wonder now what my expectations were on my first visit to Hanoi. Was it to find remnants of French colonization, the stiff militaristic culture of one of the last remaining Communist countries, or the usual degenration to comercialism prevalent in the southern city, Ho Chi Minh?
It was already dark when I arrived on a domestic flight from Ho Chi Minh as Philippine Airlines doesn’t fly direct to Hanoi. Still, I found the Hanoi airport abuzz with passengers deplaning from different parts of the globe, some of them to attend the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) Tourism Forum (ATF) which was also the reason for my visit.
Don’t have much information about the city itself except what I could get from the Net. For one thing, it was only in 1985 that the Vietnamese authorities decided to open it to visitors. In fact, some parts of it are still limited, if not closed, to tourists the ancient Hanoi Citadel. Viewable only from the outside, this area is closed to the public.
A Study Of Contrasts
A city tour the following morning gave me a glimpse of the first of many seeming contradictions I encountered in Hanoi or what was once called Mang Long. On the one hand, some parts of the city especially the Old Quarter, are preserved like a medieval town, a kind of urban museum of the past thousand year old libraries and 19th century colonial buildings – unchanged by the passage of centuries.
On the other hand, this “museum” is a lively city of 3.4 million, attracting a big percentage of Vietnam’s close to 4M visitor arrivals seeking out its array of architectural, artistic, and historic treasures, with a host of modern, multi-storey 5 star hotels.
Hanoi is actually a city of many lakes. It is specked with 40 lakes that was once a part of the great Red River. In fact, the Thang Loi Hotel where I stayed lies between a lake and a rustic community of residential and commercial establishments that could have been there for decades. On the two mornings that I was there, I watched, from my balcony, workers from a nearby resort paddle their small wooden ca-noes to stores on the other side to buy pro-visions, thus saving time and effort.
Attractions
The city tour brought us to the Temple of Literature, formerly the first National University of Vietnam. Its campus includes Van Mieu, a 1,000- year-old temple to Confucius, and Quoc Tu Giam, a school which existed for more than 700 years and has letters and quotations carved in stone. It remains now as a series of four courtyards plus another structure, damaged during the French-Vietnamese war, undergoing restoration.
The lively chatter of curious tourists at the temple disappears at the more somber environment pervading at the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. Inspired by the sobriety of Lenin’s tomb, this granite edifice houses the remains of the country’s revered leader, and depicts the strict conservatism imposed on its citizens. Visitors are asked to behave respectfully. No shorts or sleeveless shirts are allowed and from the entrance gates all the way to the exit, an honor guard makes sure that no cameras of any kind are brought in, and no conversation or any forms of noise ensue. The guards will reprimand violators and it is wise not to be reprimanded in Vietnam.
The Presidential Palace and Ho Ch Minh’s residence is a cheerful site after the stiff atmosphere at the Mausoleum and the din of noisy tourists elbowing each other out for choice spots for taking pictures start again. Settled amid well tended gardens and carp ponds, Ho Chi Minh’s house is a symbol of Spartan elegance. Standing on stilts, it is bare of walls and has simple provisions but artistically designed period furniture. It is the Premiere’s statement of putting no importance to the majestic colonial palace built by the French in 1901.
Our last stop before lunch was the one-pillar pagoda. Standing on a single stone pillar beside the mausoleum, the pagoda is a smaller replica of the original 11th century wooden structure destroyed by the French in 1954.
Culture And Cuisine
During my short stay, I managed to go out with friends to try Vietnamese cuisine, and those were eye-openers. Honestly, it is difficult for me to remember the names of the dishes composed mainly of vermicelli, spring rolls, herbs and vegetables not common even in Vietnamese restaurants in Manila. I didn’t expect that it can be that varied I didn’t get bored even after several nights of eating out. I just can’t enjoy myself eating fusion cuisine when I can have the real thing just a few blocks away.
Vietnam’s population is majority under the 25-year-old bracket and the curiosity and passion to grow is felt everywhere. It may have that past of forced obedience but slowly, it is embracing the rest of the world through tourism. The students are more than willing to converse in English and the younger staff is kinder, more patient and more reasonable in answering complaints.
Hanoi is definitely more laid back than the party city of HCM, but it is this characteristic that will attract the more discerning traveler — the diversity, the lifestyle mix and contrasts.
No related posts.
Tags: asean tourism forum, domestic flight, french colonization, hanoi airport, ho chi minh, south east asian