Welcome in Hanoi

In the north of Vietnam

It was my second time traveling first to Hanoi and to the Halong Bay, then my first time to Sa Pa and Vietnamese highest point the Fansipan peak. As we walked along the street in Hanoi, we found that many local people start talking to us. It is a cultural norm there to make conversation with strangers. They might ask you where we're from and other general questions. It took a while to get used to …  (read more)
Altar to Confucius and his disciples

Altar to Confucius and his disciples

01 May 2016 357
Directly facing us a large red lacquered statue of Confucius as we entered the fifth courtyard from the previous Great House of Ceremonies.
Inside the park of The Temple of Literature

Inside the park of The Temple of Literature

01 May 2016 328
Well of Heavenly Clarity The flag shows four of five elements of Vietnam: Red for fire and the south Blue of black for water and the north Yellow for the earth and the center Green for wood and the east and the white which isn't shown on the flag its the meaning for metal and the west
In the courtyard of Quán Thánh Temple

In the courtyard of Quán Thánh Temple

01 May 2016 1 375
A small building in the courtyard of the famous Quán Thánh Temple in Hanoi Ba Dinh District. The temple scripture currently are written in ancient Chinese, due to Chinese rule over Vietnam for around a thousand years. During the 17th century, French missionaries began to write the Vietnamese language using Latin symbols.
Trán Vu statue in Quán Thánh Temple

Trán Vu statue in Quán Thánh Temple

01 May 2016 577
Because of the famous statue, Quán Thánh Temple was once wrongly named by the French as "Pagoda of the Big Buddha". But the giant bronze statue depicts Trán Vu as a deity with his two symbolic animals, the serpent and the turtle. This statue is measured 3.96 metres in height, weighs around 3,600 kilograms. Considered a masterpiece of Vietnamese bronze casting and sculpture, it is the second biggest bronze statue in Vietnam. Trán Vu is one of the higher-ranking Taoist deities. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements and capable of great magic.
Local visitors walk to Tran Quoc Pagoda

Local visitors walk to Tran Quoc Pagoda

01 May 2016 338
Local worshipers on the footbridge who come to the temple to pray. Its especially popular during the 1st month of the Lunar calendar.
Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi

Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi

01 May 2016 367
One of the nice sightseeing destination in Hanoi, where many Vietnamese and foreign worshippers came to celebrate. The complex is a cultural symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism.
Gate to the Presidential Palast Hanoi

Gate to the Presidential Palast Hanoi

01 May 2016 1 279
The palace hosts government meetings. But its not open to the public, although one may walk around the grounds for a fee. Doing this capture a guard was blowing his whistle in same moment.
Walk to Uncle Ho mausoleum

Walk to Uncle Ho mausoleum

01 May 2016 1 296
People walk to the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, in Vietnam lovingly called Uncle Ho. He passed away on 2nd of September 1969. The embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh is preserved in the cooled, central hall of the mausoleum, which is protected by a military honor guard.
National Assembly Building in Hanoi

National Assembly Building in Hanoi

01 May 2016 470
Opposite of the holy mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh stands the proud construction of the National Assembly of Vietnam. The National Assembly consisted of 500 elected deputies. Formerly, despite its many formal duties, the National Assembly existed mainly as a legislative arm of the Political Bureau (Politburo) of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
Honorable gardes at the mausoleum

Honorable gardes at the mausoleum

01 May 2016 374
White dressed uniform guards stand stiff and lifeless like waxworks in front of the main door to Uncle Ho's remnants which are presented in a glass case to the public daily from 09:00am to 11.00am.
Ho Chi Ming Mausoleum

Ho Chi Ming Mausoleum

01 May 2016 1 397
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a copy of Lenin's Mausoleum in Moscow. It is place the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh, the Vietminh leader and Chairman of the Communist Party of Vietnam from 1951 until his death in 1969.
One Pillar Pagoda Hanoi

One Pillar Pagoda Hanoi

01 May 2016 370
The One Pillar Pagoda is a rebuilted iconic Buddhist temple, originally erected in 1049, designed to resemble a lotus blossom.
Group of tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh park

Group of tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh park

01 May 2016 306
The Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh Museum ist the destination for all tourists visiting Hanoi. Here a group of Chinese tourists following the leader who is holding a banderol that nodody gets lost.
Little worshipper girl Hoa

Little worshipper girl Hoa

01 May 2016 2 1 630
The small girl came with her family to worship the holy place of the Tran Quoc Pagoda. Her name Hoa has the meaning of a flower blossom.
Cyclo driver in Hanoi

Cyclo driver in Hanoi

01 May 2016 311
A ride with the cyclo is an alternative to motor cylces. The guests sitting in front, so the driver is protected in case of frontal accidents (he he).
City View Cafe at Dinh Tiên Hoàng in Hanoi

City View Cafe at Dinh Tiên Hoàng in Hanoi

03 May 2016 1 1 399
From the excursion back in Hanoi the first address was the City View Cafe in the center of the city. Having visited Hanoi several times, I generally like to visit this Cafe on the 5th floor over looking Hoan Kiem Lake with a nice Bia Hoi. Sadly over the years I visited Vietnam I feel the standard of service has gone down hill due the mass tourism has spoiled the mentality of the locals.
Hoan Kiem Lake in center of Hanoi

Hoan Kiem Lake in center of Hanoi

03 May 2016 307
Hoan Kiem Lake its meaning "Lake of the Returned Sword" or "Lake of the Restored Sword". A lake in the historical center of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. The lake is one of the major scenic spots in the city and serves as a focal point for its public life. The Huc Bridge is well-known as “the bridge where light is absorbed”. Constructed mostly by fine wood and painted with the bright red color, The Huc Bridge is has an elegant beauty and sophisticated architectural features.
Gate to Ngoc Son Temple in Hanoi

Gate to Ngoc Son Temple in Hanoi

03 May 2016 277
The gates leading visitors to one of the main sightseeing point in Hanoi city. Meaning "Temple of the Jade Mountain", Hanoi's most visited temple sits on the small island in the northern part of Hoan Kiem Lake, connected to the lakeshore by an elegant scarlet bridge, constructed in classical Vietnamese style.
103 items in total