Very satisfactory day…

Hit a couple of museums, lunch and dinner were very good (pho of course), and a great after dinner walk around. Somewhere in there I had the most spectacular nap.

Here’s todays pictures…

Pretty close to my hostel is an (the only) original section of city gate

I was here pretty early, usually its crawling with tourists

Im constantly reminded of the ruling political party

There were blocks of folks selling fake flowers

This neighborhood is focused on building materials

I’m surprised and pleased that so many trees are left on the streets.

Looks fancy, right? Well, it’s a prison built by the French to brutally punish political prisoners in their occupation of Vietnam

An actual section of sewer that several prisoners escaped through

It doesn’t really show, but the concrete slab is angled backwards, so that when the prisoners passed waste it would run back up their bodies. Thanks, the French!

The actual guillotine that the French used to execute several men (and women (?)

A nice little courtyard with altar. A lot of the offerings were packs of cigarettes

Some of the prisoners that survived went on to become prominent party members

Now once the French left the country, the communist party took over the prison and used it for their own political prisoners, as well as American POWs. John McCain was held here I believe ?

This obviously well-used and maintained train track dead ends…

At this gate, we know its a government building bc it’s yellow. Mysterious!

This coffee was the first “real” Vietnamese coffee I’d had. Pretty good and less than a dollar, it was served room temperature.

The Fine Arts Museum, it’s on embassy row

Token exhibit of ceramics, not too shabby

A traveling exhibition of Japanese ceramics

It was a good representative section of functional and artisanal work

A temporary exhibit of contemporary lacquer paintings

This very old wood panel is in great shape. It must have been inside for most of its centuries

I’m not bagging on only the french. This very good woodcut references the Christmas Bombings, where the US bombed the crap out of northern vietnam. They got their own back, dont worry. The action was disastrous for the US. Lots of American B52s shot down, lots of dead soldiers. Since this is a government museum, there were lots of depictions of this subject matter.

Another pro-communist lacquer painting, this time good-natured uncle Ho playing with schoolchildren

Enough propaganda. This ridiculously cheap lunch was delicious. Some nameless fried fish bits, and oniony soupy noodles.

A lot of eating establishments have birds in cages in the trees

After my nap, I discovered that a bunch of streets had been closed off for some type of fair. The emergence of the little dog! Thank goodness. The pet situation had been looking grim. So many little dogs today!

A pretty good band was playing some hits. the froyo not as good

A popular spot for wedding photos. it’s a very nice shopping mall

Don’t you forget, you are in a communist country

Under this monstrosity is a classic French five story house.

They’re supposed to look like this…

Haussman is the architect who designed a lot of Paris.

This block was traditionally a silk manufacturing place. now they’re mostly concerned with separating you from your money

These guys were pretty good too. Kinda sounded latin

That’s all for today.

Bus Tour Day…

After a terrible night’s sleep, a day with a lot of sitting sounded good. The Duong Lam Ancient Village tour was leaving right then so I got in on that.

It was a typical bus tour with the obligatory stops at tourist shops, but otherwise was good. It got me out into the countryside; lots of water buffalos standing in fields.

The trip included waters and lunch, so I just rode along and enjoyed not having to decide anything.

At lunch, the ever-present Trump conversation was had. I kept trying to change the subject, but these folks really had questions to ask of an American. The other people on the tour were Singaporeans.

The tour ended and I had a forgettable bowl of pho for dinner. A pleasant walk around the neighborhood found me at the cathedral again. This time it was open, and some kind of music recital was happening. That was neat. On the way back to the hostel, the weekly night market was getting started.

I also found the party neighborhood. If I was 21, it would have been heaven. As it was, the only titillating discovery was the 24-hour nacho stand. That’s where I’m at these days lol.

Come to think about it, I actually walked a lot today.

Here’s todays pictures…

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of control on the quality of installation of the cable industry. This was the most controlled one I saw

They do it at this place the oooooolllllld fashioned way

In Hanoi and otherwise I guess, all the shops are grouped together. Over 1000 silk shops are in this village

If it’s a village, the village temple has the same name. The silk village temple

Our first choice pagoda was closed for renovations, so this was the one we went to. It was way out in the country, and let’s just say that the locals were surprised to see an American. This banyan tree is about 920 years old.

Vietnamese Buddhism sure is different from what I’ve seen before. The temples and structures are very humble and often in very poor repair.

This one just around the corner is in much better shape

Now we’re in the ancient village. It’s pretty old, but the important structures are all the old wooden houses

So all those white chips are drying radish slices. Just laying on the filthy filthy ground

The villagers are farmers, so this is an altar to a god of agriculture

Just as soon as I learn this language…I’ll know what this says

The original? city gate. It’s over 500 years old

Apparently the climate is hell on wooden structures. The government has actively started conservation.

Here we are at the first of 3 original wooden houses from chinese times. those pots are used to make soy sauce, and rice wine.

The people who live here now are only the second family to live here since the 1500’s

Here’s the courtyard and house of the 2nd house. They turned the compound into a restaurant.

Lunch was good. Pork meatballs, vegetables, spring rolls, rice, and chicken

The interior construction. Looks cold in winter, if such a thing exists here

Its tough to see, but these are clusters of graves, tombs specifically. When they get so old nobody remembers who’s buried there, the remains are dug up and reburied somewhere else so the land can be used to farm

Now we’re in a neighborhood of temple furniture builders. The guy in the background was carving wood with a chainsaw, in flip-flops.

This is the temple used by the market sellers. It’s closed bc the market is closed

This is the temple for the furniture makers.

The furniture makers in the sun dong neighborhood must be doing ok. They were making neighborhood improvements, and everyone we saw was pretty cheerful

Our last stop was another shop, this one selling lacquer ware. These are eggshells. duck only, please

Think of the tennis elbow. The polishing is done manually

Some of the intermediate steps in the production process

First Vietnam Day…

And I’m glad it’s finally here. I have wanted to see this place for a loooooooong time.

Tough day at the airport. Made a rookie mistake with a boarding pass, and almost missed a flight. Also had to use the atm inside the immigration area which is always expensive. Luckily the bus ride from the airport was a breeze, and only $1.40.

It’s just as chaotic and awesome as I’d hoped for. As I was walking from the bus stop, some one grabbed my feet and told me I needed a shine! I mean, I do, but still!

I had a nice walk around this lake (cough mosquito pond cough) and some dinner at a famous pho place.

For pictures see the Ha noi album I posted on Facebook.

See you cats later!

Nothing to share…

Because nothing happened today.

I rode the bus to Osaka for an early morning flight tomorrow. It was an ok bus ride. I had snacks.

Dinner was ok too.

That is all.