Tạm Biệt Hà Nội (Goodbye Hanoi)

At the Hanoi Opera House.

Leaving Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum.

Hanoi transit buses

At the Dong Xuan market.

Street posters that uphold the revolutionary past.

St Joseph's Cathedral whose bells I could hear from my hotel room.

Wave of scooters waiting for the green light on Tran Phu Street

At Van Mieu or the Temple of Literature.

Scooter mania in Hanoi's downtown district of Hoan Kiem.

The park around Hoan Kiem Lake is Hanoi's major downtown green space.

Hanoi up close

Up on Perfume Mountain

Aluminum sampans on the Yen River, Perfume Mountain.

Pilgrims on the Yen River on the way to Perfume Mountain.

A profusion of stalls greet the arriving pilgrims at the foot of the Perfume Mountain.

   

On the steps of Thien Tru Pagoda, Perfume Mountain.

A lifetime is written into this pilgrim's face, Perfume Mountain.

Pilgrims at Thien Tru Pagoda, Perfume Mountain.

Seller at the foot of Perfume Mountain.

Praying at Thien Tru Pagoda, Perfume Mountain.

Praying at Thien Tru Pagoda, Perfume Mountain.

This pilgrim asked to have his picture taken, Perfume Mountain.

On the gondola up to Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

The descent into Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

In the front of the Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Pilgrims at the back of the Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Pilgrims gazing off at the altar, at the back of the Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Leaving the back of the Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Monk at Huong Tich Cave, Perfume Mountain.

Homeward bound on the Yen River, Perfume Mountain.

THE TOUR began at 8 am. A group of us mostly foreigners, left Hanoi in a small Hyundai bus and travelled for 60 kilometres southwest. Upon arrival at a busy village, we were herded into aluminum sampans manned by two oarsmen, for a four kilometre paddle up the Yen River. Our boat was one of hundreds on the river that day, during this festival time that took us to the foot of the Mountain of Perfume Traces (or Perfume Mountain). According to my guidebook this outing was taking us to one of Vietnam's most beautiful places. Thanks to good timing we were also present for the main pilgrimage season here at Chua Huong, when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, make their way up the mountain, along a pilgrimage route to the Huong Tich cave. This longest lasting festival in all of Vietnam, begins officially on February 15 (on the lunar calendar), but the season actually runs from the middle of January to the middle of March, which happened to coincide with our visit.

Chua Huong (or Perfume Temple or Pagoda) is actually a vast complex of Buddhist temples. Our first stop was the Thien Tru Pagoda (or the Inner Shrine) at the top of a steep avenue covered with flagstones when there weren't flights of steps. Stalls lined the route, with everything from traditional remedies and sesame sweets through to cheap toys and of course all kinds of Buddhist souvenirs. Not only on the river but here at the temple, the devotion, joy and mild euphoria of the crowds of pilgrims, from all walks of life, became the defining feature of this day. In fact, the Perfume Pagoda outing was becoming one of the most pleasurable moments for me, here in Vietnam. Devotional music, clouds of incense and cascades of muted light created an atmosphere that was both absorbing and energizing.

Unlike most of the pilgrims, we visitors left the temple to have lunch before boarding the Swiss built gondola which whisked us quickly up to a ridge line, high above steep jungle clad mountain sides. Once on top, there was another profusion of stalls and pilgrim activity, before we descended the steps into the Huong Tich Cave. Now, what a spectacle this was! A long flight of steps, in two stages, led down into a huge opening festooned with prayer flags, where crowds milled, and incense drifted up into the tropical forest. Once at the bottom recent arrivals followed a passage that passed stalagmites before another shorter flight of steps appeared. Here in the furthest recesses of the shrine and cave, pilgrims prayed and gazed in utter devotion at the altars before them, here in the dim light.

Soon it was time to leave this magical spot, high up on the mountain, and return to modern life and the hustle of Hanoi.

Here is the text to a song about Perfume Mountain, from long ago:

Delights of Huong Son

Standing sky high, in the land of Buddhas

Huong Son is a real wonder we have long wished to see

With the sight of mountains covered with clouds

This is undoubtedly "The most beautiful grotto of all"

Looking up, we can notice a beautiful picture

Brocaded with sparkling stones rich in colours

The cave is so deep, glittering in the moonlight

The entrance path with abrupt turns is so high.  

At the snake restaurant

Cobra on the restaurant floor, Le Mat snake village, Long Binh District, East Hanoi

Meeting the Cobra, Le Mat snake village, Hanoi outskirts.

Cobra close-up (making do with my short lens that is), Le Mat snake village, Hanoi outskirts.

Meet your potential entree!

Cobra with the restaurant manager on his cell.

A LONG TAXI RIDE took me over the Red River and into Long Bien District, where I was finally dropped off at a large restaurant, down a narrow lane. I had arrived in the village of Le Mat, well known for it's long tradition of catching and serving up snakes for dinner. Nowadays, as there there are no longer any reptiles left to be caught, families breed them for the growing restaurant trade and the newly rich. The establishment I visited looked like something out of the Nguyen court. Ornate wood carved panels, large porcelain pieces and heavy traditional furniture graced these sumptious surroundings.

As this was the midway point between my breakfast and lunch I was not too interested to sample reptilian delights stretched out over numerous courses. In fact, given the somewhat frightening subject matter, I just wanted get my pictures and go! The result are these not especially well taken photos.

So why the trip out to Le Mat to look at a snake? A certain fascination I suppose, stretching all the way back to childhood. Before the trip I was aware of the snake village and so it joined the list of assorted trip things to do. In the end I got to meet my cobra.






This posting is in progress

Hanoi for the food-inclined

A food stall near my hotel that served hugely popular pork meat skewers, Hanoi.

Pork meat skewer food stall in the lane around the corner from my hotel, Hanoi.

Hole-in-wall place near my hotel,  that serves a plate of food for 20,000 dong ($1.00), Hanoi.

Spring rolls and pork meat balls in soup, near Dong Xuan market, Hanoi.

Popular for meat pies, pork skewers and spring rolls a block from the hotel, Ly Quoc Su Road, Hanoi

The exquisite beef and vegetable salad, at KOTO  Restaurant, Van Mieu Street, Hanoi.

Pho Bo soup (Spicey Beef and Noodle) Hue style, at the KOTO restaurant, Van Mieu Street, Hanoi.

Classic Beef Noodle Hanoi style Pho soup, Ly Quoc Su Road, Hanoi

Divine chocolate cake with industrial strength Lipton's tea at Joma Cafe on Ly Quoc Su Road, Hanoi.

FOOD IN HANOI ran the gamut from street fare to the elegant. Often times with the former, one sat on tiny plastic stools. For sidewalk fare one typically hunkered down over a bowl of steaming Phở bò (Beef noodle soup) or Bún gà (Rice Vermicelli noodles with chicken) or even Spring rolls, but there were a myriad of other choices available, all over the city. These ubiquitous food stalls and hole-in-the-walls, were located on streets and in back lanes. Here you can jostle and rub shoulders with the Hanoians. 

Of course, with no contacts here, I was dependent on the guidebook and what I stumbled across here in city. Apart from the legendary street food, there are some winning dishes from tourist restaurants and other establishments too. KOTO with delicious food, was actually a training restaurant for under-privileged young people. The beef and vegetable salad was an absolute stand out. For the homesick tourist Joma, a block from my hotel, provided porridge with yoghurt and maple syrup. There were also excellent brownies but marginal Naniamo bars and bagels. It will come as no surprise that one of the owners was Canadian.

Not sure if this link will work but here is some added info:
http://www.vietvisiontravel.com/vietnam/Travel_guide/hanoi_city/street_food/