April 7, 8 & 9 Vietnam – Hanoi

We arrived in Vietnam on April 7^th in the late afternoon.  Too late to do much more than check in, relax a bit and then go to dinner.  I cannot speak for all, but I suspect that those of a certain age and above have some inner voice or feeling about Vietnam.  I was a teenager from 1968 until 1974 so I had my formative years at the height of what many here call the “American” war.  It is apparent, however, from our visit with the people here that Vietnam is a forward-looking country.  From a time when they could not grow enough food to feed their own, Vietnam is now a major exporter of rice and other agricultural products.  The people are friendly, they harbor no animosity, and those Americans, John McCain comes to mind, who have a greater claim on any negative feelings, have recognized that for the good of peace and prosperity, we need to move forward together.  More about that later.

Our first introduction to the energy on Vietnam was on the drive from the airport.  Our guide informed us that to drive in Hanoi you need three things; Good horn, Good brakes, Good luck.  Later on, he also related the story of the old man who came from the country to visit a family member in the hospital.  But he did not know where it was, so he asked a local, “how do I get to the hospital”?  To which the person replied; “if you close your eyes and step into the street you will find yourself there”.  We did manage to master the talent of crossing streets.  Go slow so the traffic can go around you.  So far it has worked.

Hanoi is a city in transition.  Of course, that is probably true for most of it’s history.  First established as a defensive citadel in the 8^th century, Hanoi has had at least 7 name changes.  Hanoi was established as the capital of the county in 1010 by King Ly Thai To.  Our first stop in Hanoi was at the mausoleum of Ho Chi Min.  A massive structure in a park like setting across from the parliament building.  It was Monday, so we could not go in, but usually there would be long lines to enter.  Nearby there are several buildings which were Ho’s residences while in Hanoi.  One of which, the Presidential palace, a French Colonial building is still used for state occasions.

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We then moved on to visit a couple of religious sites.  First was the One Pillared Pagoda, known as the Temple of Love.  It contains the statue of the Goddess of Mercy.  We then stopped at the Temple of Literature, a Confucian temple dating back to the 2^nd century and was the first university in Vietnam.  Here students would study for their civil service exams.  If they passed their name would be inscribed on a stale for that year.  Each stelae was placed on top of the image of a turtle, the symbol of longevity.  In years that were good, the nation was prosperous, the turtle would be robust and strong.  In years that were not so good, war or famine, the turtle would be weak or sickly.  The earliest stelae is from 1442.  While no longer a university, schools still bring their students here to celebrate their “moving up”.

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Later on, we toured some of the old town, winding through narrow streets visiting the various artisan workshops and food stalls.  You have to suspend any thought of western hygiene.

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We then visited the “Hanoi Hilton”.  Our guide told us if you say that to a taxi you are bound to be taken to the new Hilton Hotel rather than what we really wanted which was Hoa Lo Prison.  This is what is left of the prison first used by the French to house Vietnamese resistors against their rule and then used by the North to house American prisoners of war. Much of the original compound is gone to development of a luxury high rise.  What is left is a museum that focuses mainly on the French use of the prison and the Vietnamese resistance.  There are two rooms that show the use as a prison for American airmen, though it is clearly lacking in all the details.  There is also an ally with a special exhibition called the “Finding Memories” with pictures and stories of American POW’s who returned to reconcile their past. 

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Project Renew

We were able to join Chuck Searcy at a local coffee shop.  Mr. Searcy is a U.S. Army Veteran (1966-1969) who was stationed in Saigon during the war.  Returning to visit in 1991, Chuck told us of his fear of how he might be received and his surprise at the warm welcome of the people.  Working in intelligence during the war, Chuck recognized early on how wrong U.S. policy was, and now upon his return, he felt a deep sense of responsibility to help in the country’s recovery.  In 1995 Chuck returned again to help in the ongoing efforts with bomb removal and education.  Over the course of the Vietnam War, it is estimated that out of 8 million tons of munitions used by the U.S during the war, 10% failed to detonate on impact. This means that many unstable and dangerous munitions still lie just beneath the ground.  In cooperation with the Vietnamese group “Project Renew”, through education programs and coordinated response teams, they are working to clean up the unexploded ordinance and provide medical assistance to those who have been permanently injured.  For more information you can go to their web site:  Project Renew.

April 9 Trains

Our next day in Hanoi was unique and interesting.  We spent most of the day walking along the railroad tracks that run through the city.  The train built during the French Colonial period in 1881 employed many local workers who set up tents along the tracks.  As time passed these temporary quarters became more permanent residences, shops, cafes and restaurants.  As many have no certificate of ownership, the residences are hard to sell so they remain in families for generations, each adding on.  Some are simple but others are quite ornate.  We stopped at one of the shops to taste a local coffee concoction “egg coffee”.  This is an egg yolk mixed with condensed milk and coffee.  More like a custard and quite tasty.

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