ASIA TRAVEL EXPERIENCE BLOG

Those spending time with the Tran Temple in the northern coast province of Nam Dinh either praying for good luck or merely admiring the fine ancient architecture of the ancestor worshiping structure should drop by an equally famous temple in Hung Yen Province on the way back to Hanoi.

Tran Temple, Nam Dinh Province

Seen as one of the most beautiful sites of Pho Hien (Hien Town) in Quang Trung ward, Hung Yen City, over 60 km southeast of downtown Hanoi, Mau Temple is dedicated to Lady Yang, the last queen of China’s Sung dynasty. Legend has it that in the 13th century, when the Yuan (Mongol) troops invaded China and other parts of Asia, Lady Yang and her servants fled to the south. But it was too late, so they jumped into the sea to indicate loyalty. Lady Yang’s body drifted to the estuary area of Pho Hien and was buried by local residents at the site of the current Mau Temple.

Like other sacred temples in Vietnam’s north, Mau Temple is always crowded by pilgrims from different parts of the country, particularly the north, who come to say a prayer and especially draw lots during the first three months of the lunar calendar. Worshippers say the temple is a place of marvelous things because the drawn lots, which are in the form of flat bamboo sticks, correctly foretell one’s future. This explains why almost all temple visitors are seen in good faith drawing one lot each after placing some money for merit on the altar in the back of the temple. The stick is then exchanged for a piece of paper with a prophecy written in Chinese, which can only be explained by someone who is much like a fortune teller.

Tay Phuong Pagoda, Hanoi

That’s all what for people who have faith in sortilege. For those wishing to view and appreciate the ancient architecture of the temple, it is highly recommended. What makes it different from other temples in the north, such as Tran Temple in Nam Dinh Province, is that a lake called Ban Nguyet (semicircle) is outside rather than inside the entrance of Mau Temple. Another special thing is a giant tree which is more than 700 years old. This tree forms an arch in front of the main worshiping place and makes the temple look even more divine. Legend has it that birds dropped seeds around the tomb of Lady Yang and one of the seeds grew into this huge tree, creating an excellent shade for the temple.

This temple is just one of the many relics which visitors can see when arriving in Pho Hien, including Van Mieu, Pho Pagoda, Chuong Pagoda, Tran Temple, and May Temple. There is a blend of the traditions of Chinese, Japanese and European people in Pho Hien since the town was formerly a busy port area frequented by merchant ships from abroad. Just one destination offers a host of places to drop by and admire.

ASW/SGT

Hang Dao is one of Hanoi’s busiest shopping streets with a host of shops selling silk, footwear and jewelry but the street is also home to a ­number of cultural attractions.

People often refer to Hang Gai as Hanoi’s “Silk Road”, but knowledgeable Hanoians know that Hang Dao is the capital’s original “Silk Road”. The “Dao” refers to the pink apricot blossoms, a symbol of the Lunar New Year. But in French times, the street was actually called Rue de la Soie, which means the “street of silk” in French.
So why “Hang Dao?” On the first and sixth days of the lunar month, you would find an open market flogging all kinds of silk products and other fabrics. As early as the 15th century, Hang Dao street was home to silk-dying guild from Hai Hung province, whose trademark was a deep lustrous pink colour – similar to the colour of pink apricot blossoms. Demand for silk in this special colour was always high and production was often outsourced to other guilds to meet demand.
In the 18th century, the range of colours was diversified – blood red products were popular, as were Chinese ink coloured ones. In the early 20th century Indian silk traders from Bombay arrived in the area. These Indian textile merchants opened shops for trading silk and wool products imported from the West until the mid-1960’s when Hanoi declined as a business centre because of the Vietnam-American war.
Today the quality and luxury of goods is not so consistent from shop to shop. But this is still one of the busiest shopping thoroughfares in the city.

For the culture vultures
Hang Dao is also home to a number of cultural attractions. Perhaps the most famous is Bach Ho Temple at 47 Hang Bac. The temple worships ‘Bach Ma’ (The White Horse Genie). The Hoa Loc Temple at 90A Hang Dao was built by villagers from Binh Giang district (now in Hai Duong province) in honour of the village tutelary god, Trieu Xuong and his wife Kim Dung, the patron saints of dyers. Sadly the temple is obscured by the residential housing around the structure.
This area wasn’t always so densely populated. Previously, there was once a lake called Thai Cuc (also known as Hang Dao Lake) here but it disappeared in the middle of 19th century. The only evidence of its existence can be seen at Dong Lac Shrine at 31 Hang Bac street.
Dong Lac Temple at 38 Hang Dao was built in the 17th century in honour of Dieu Huyen, who first designed yem dao the traditional Vietnamese women’s undergarment. A yem dao is made from silk making it cool and comfortable in the Hanoi climate.
From 1955 to 2000, this temple was requisitioned by a trader who used the upper floor for his store. In February 2000, the temple changed hands again and now owned by the State, the bottom floor is a tourist destination while the upper floor is home to the headquarters of the Management Board of Hanoi Old Quarter.
The house at 10 Hang Dao used to be the Tonkin Free School (Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc), which was established in March 1907 by the renowned patriots Luong Van Can, Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh. This name refers to the movement of the same name, which aimed to forge an independent Vietnamese society by applying new theories from the West and Japan.
These scholars and intellectuals hoped to help Vietnam leave behind the backwardness of the feudal system and promote patriotism and educate the masses. They also hoped to popularise the modern Romanised-Vietnamese script Quoc Ngu in place of the Chinese Han-influenced-script Chu Nam. The scholars offered free lessons to anyone who wanted to learn. The school operated legally for several months before the French authorities closed it down in November, 1907.
Accommodation Seranade Hotel, 58 Hang Dao
The Serenade Hotel is considered one of the most stylish three-star hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Right in the centre of the city and within walking distance of Hoan Kiem lake, the location is ideal. The hotel features 45 graceful and tastefully decorated rooms. All bedrooms feature modern and comfort equipments. You can choose from Deluxe, Junior, City View, Serenade Suite. The staff is extremely professional enthusiastic and friendly, catering for your every need. Head to the Panorama Bar Café on the top floor and enjoy a stunning view of the city. The modern sauna and massage services are also excellent.
Night market
Hang Dao is now famous for being the main artery in Hanoi’s weekend night market. This relatively recent attraction has proved highly popular with locals and tourists. The market goes down Hang Dao street to Dong Xuan market.
The market is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 7pm. You can find handicrafts, souvenirs, clothes and food stalls selling traditional Hanoi dishes such as bun oc (Snails and tofu served in a broth on top of rice noodles) or Banh cuon (rice crepes filled with woodear mushrooms and pork).
Shopping
All along the street you will find shops selling jewelry, wristwatches and clothes. For watches you can find brands such as Cartier, Casio G-shock, Gucci, Longines, Movado, Omega, Patek Philippe and Vacheron.
Other distractions
At 51 Hang Dao you can have your portrait drawn by skilled artists, who really put great attention to little decisive details and capture the soul of the subject.
ASW/Timeout

There’s no better place to let the time roll away than on the waterfront .

Hoan Kiem Lake, which is the heart and soul of Hanoi, means “Lake of the Returned Sword”, in reference to the legend surrounding fifteenth century Vietnamese hero General Le Loi

Hanoi’s 20 lakes are renowned for bringing the city a sense of beauty and an old-world atmosphere.

As the capital continues to develop, with mega-shopping complexes and fast food chains popping up left and right, Hanoi’s lakes have retained their peace and quiet. Even those in the center of town are surrounded by old trees, parks, zoos or centuries’ old villages. Both lively and charming, the lakes give Hanoi its style and ensure that the bustling city with a quickly expanding population never seems too crowded.

Some say Hanoians owe their lifestyles, which exemplify an appreciation of history and culture, to the old capital’s lakes.

Jewel of the capital

“Proximity to water in a city is always a very nice thing to have,” said David Milliot, a former advisor from the European Union. “Lakes have a relaxing effect as they make city life less stressful. I like Hoan Kiem Lake because despite its central location, it is a spot of ancient, interesting history.”

Like most of the lakes in Hanoi, Hoan Kiem – lined with beautiful weeping willows in the center of town – has an alluring and mysterious legend that tells the history of its name.

Hoan Kiem Lake means “Lake of the Returned Sword”, in reference to the legend surrounding fifteenth century Vietnamese hero General Le Loi. After ten years of hard fighting (1418-1428), the Lam Son insurrectionists led by Le Loi swept the Chinese invaders out of the country, ending the Ming Dynasty’s 20 years of domination over Vietnam. Le Loi became a national hero, proclaiming himself King Le Thai To and establishing the Vietnamese capital in Thang Long, present-day Hanoi.

On a beautiful afternoon following the victory, the king and his entourage took out a dragon-shaped boat to enjoy the peace while cruising Luc Thuy (Green Water) Lake, which was located in the center of Thang Long. As the boat glided across the smooth surface of the lake, legend has it that a Golden Tortoise suddenly appeared, telling the king: “Your Majesty, the great work is completed. Would you please return the sacred sword to the King of the Sea?”

A peaceful morning in Hanoi. “In the morning, it’s great to take a walk on the nice, shaded sidewalks around Hoan Kiem Lake,” said David Milliot, a former advisor from the European Union.

The precious sword Le Loi used to fight the Chinese had been lent to him by the King of the Sea, according to the story. At the time the Tortoise spoke, the sword hung at the king’s waist. It then moved out of its sheath and flew toward the giant reptile. The tortoise took the sword in his mouth and dove under the water as a bright flash of lightning lit up the sky. Since then, Luc Thuy Lake has been called Lake of the Returned Sword or Sword Lake (Ho Guom) for short.

Hence, on a tiny island in the middle of the lake stands Thap Rua (Tortoise Tower), a centuries-old three-tiered pavilion in memory of the legendary tortoise. On another islet to the north, inside the fourteenth century Ngoc Son Temple, a giant preserved turtle encased in glass keeps the legend alive. Rua Tower and Ngoc Son Temple are some of Hanoi’s most-beautiful landmarks.

“In the morning, it’s great to take a walk on the nice, shaded sidewalks around Hoan Kiem Lake,” said Milliot. “It is so relaxing to feel the breeze coming from the center of the lake.”

Local legend still has it that if you’re lucky, you’ll see the grand old tortoise raise its head above water for a brief moment.

Local boon

Truc Bach Lake, a lake separated from West Lake (Hanoi’s largest watery body at 5.5 square kilometers) by the sliver of land that is Thanh Nien Road, has greatly influenced the life of local people. Truc Bach was part of West Lake until the 17th century when the inhabitants of the surrounding villages built a dyke cordoning off West Lake’s southeast corner in order to raise fish. During the reign of Lord Trinh Giang (1711-1762), Truc Lam Palace was built for worship and later was converted into a prison for prostitutes. These poor women were forced to weave silk, and despite their desperate situation, they took the work seriously. Their silk was so nice that it became famous throughout the capital as Truc (small bamboo) village silk.

On a walk around the lake, one can see many relics and sites of interest: Nghi Tam Village (birthplace of the famous poet Ba Huyen Thanh Quan), Kim Lien Pagoda with its unique architecture and Nhat Tan Village with its famous peach garden.

Daily life

Every day, thousands of Hanoians do their morning exercises, practice Tai Chi, play chess and perform break-dancing around the lakes. And if you are looking for a romantic date with someone special, a table at Highlands Coffee above West Lake is the perfect place to watch a magnificent sunset.

Strolling around any lake in the city gives a clear and vivid picture of daily life and it’s hard not to be affected by the ambience of the capital and the traits its people are known for: hard work, friendliness and a zest for life.

Be it a lone after-work cup of coffee, or a lazy Sunday meeting with friends, at Hanoi’s lakes and waterside cafes, watching the world simply pass by can be a mesmerizing experience.

ASW/TN

The salubrious Trang Tien in Hanoi is a wonderful promenade and one of the capital’s most fascinating streets in terms of architecture.

The Old Quarter of Hanoi is also sometimes referred to in Vietnamese as “36 streets” and local Hanoians often refer to Trang Tien as the 37th street. However, compared to the skinny and congested streets of the Old Quarter, Trang Tien is much wider and opulent thoroughfare replete with colonial buildings.

Its history is obviously tied to France’s colonial administration. But it existed before the French arrived. The original name of the street was Truong Tien in reference to the state mint which was established in 1808 under the Nguyen dynasty.

The mint was demolished in 1887 by the French colonial authorities who had grand plans for the capital of Tonkin, the French name for northern Vietnam. Looking down the 700-metre long road from Hoan Kiem lake you can see a colossal colonial icon in the shape of the Hanoi Opera House, a small-scale replica of Palais Garnier in Paris. Built in 1901, the Opera House is still one of the city’s most prominent landmarks.

The whole of Trang Tien street was originally built by the French for the French. It was to be a boulevard that wouldn’t look out of place in the heart of Paris. At the time the street was named Rue Paul Bert after the French zoologist, physiologist and politician, who was appointed resident-general of Annam and Tonkin in early 1886, and died of dysentery in Hanoi later that same year.

Shopping and ice-cream!

Trang Tien plaza, 24 Hai Ba Trung
For Hanoians, Trang Tien is now synonymous with shopping. In colonial times the French also came to the street to shop. Where once there was a department store called Gouda now there is a modern shopping mall, Trang Tien Plaza.

The plaza opened at the turn of the last century and was at the time the most modern commercial centre in Hanoi. Shoppers can find all sorts of brand names for clothes, footwear, sportswear, jewellery and accessories such as watches and sunglasses. During summer the plaza is always a bustling place as Hanoians look to escape the intense heat on the street.

Fashion shops
Trang Tien street is home to a number of fashion shops catering for both men and women. Phu Hung at 8, 14, 20 Trang Tien is well known for its tailor made suits. At 48 Trang Tien, Trang Tien Glasses you can pick some shades by Dunhill, Cartier, Lastes, Christian Dior, Calvin Klein, L’AMY or Gucci. You will also find a great selection of shirts, dresses, pants, coats and skirts for women in Nem at 60 Trang Tien.

Bookstores
Trang Tien is well known for being a haven for bookworms and has become the biggest and the busiest book-street in Hanoi. There are a number of large bookstores catering mostly to Vietnamese but you can find increasing amounts of English language books as well as newspapers and magazines. You can also find plenty of resources for studying Vietnamese.

Trang Tien Ice-cream, 35 Trang Tien
Trang Tien Ice Cream is an institution in Hanoi – on hot days you can see massive crowds outside the small outlet near the junction of Ngo Quyen- Trang Tien. You can find lots of delicious flavours such as green bean, chocolate or “com” (green rice flakes).

Established in 1958, Trang Tien is now expanding with more outlets opening up throughout the city but Hanoians always prefer to head to the source. The ice cream is well known for its quality and taste but it’s also cheap so even those less well off can enjoy a scoop.

CULTURE VULTURES

The Workers’ Cinema, 42 Trang Tien
Currently being redeveloped for the the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi next year, the Workers’ Cinema was originally built in 1917 by the French colonial authorities and known as Eden cinema. After the capital was liberated in 1954, the cinema was renamed the Workers’ cinema. After it reopens the building will be used for art performances and exhibitions.

The National Museum of Vietnamese History, 1 Trang Tien
This museum once belonged to the Far East Research Institute of France. Today, the museum showcases Vietnam’s history with large displays of Dong Son-period bronze drums, Bat Trang ceramics, Shiva statue and vestiges of wars. The building was designed by the architect Ernest Hébrard and constructed in 1932.

It is considered a successful blend of French colonial and traditional Vietnamese architecture – a genre known as “Indochina architecture”. Hébrard created double walls and balconies to create a natural ventilation system and protect the interior from sunshine. The museum is open daily except for Mondays.

The Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien
The Hanoi Opera House is still a cultural centre for the capital and a frequent venue for classical concerts, operas and ballets as well as theatre performances.
The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, which first formed back in 1959, regularly plays concerts with guest conductors and musicians from around the world. Check out www.ticketvn.com for upcoming shows.

L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien
A cultural bridge between Vietnam and France, L’Espace is a reincarnation of Alliance Francaise, which was originally established in 1993. Funded by the French government, L’Espace ceaselessly promotes arts and culture with regular exhibitions, concerts and theatre performances. It also provides a space for the study of the French language with a multimedia library and modern study rooms.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD!

BBQ Chicken, 35 Trang TienTapping Vietnam’s growing demand for modern fast-food restaurants, the Korean-owned BBQ Chicken has opened numerous outlets across the capital city, competing toe-to-toe with the more internationally known KFC. The simple recipe of grilled chicken seems to be popular with the local palate.

HanoiHanoi Cafe & Restaurant,
43 Trang Tien
HanoiHanoi Café & Restaurant is both a culinary and a cultural space. Located in a French designed house you can find traditional Vietnamese and international cuisine as well as an art gallery, which highlights the work of some of the best Vietnamese contemporary artists.

GALLERIES

Green Palm Gallery, 15 Trang Tien
A mid- sized gallery, near the Hanoi Opera House, Green Palm displays the works of contemporary artists such as Bui Huu Hung, Dao Hai Phong and Nguyen Thanh Binh as well as work by lesser-known or emerging artists.

Adong Art Gallery, 61 Trang Tien
Established in 1998 this gallery showcases the work of several senior artists from Vietnam’s Fine Art Association, professors and lecturers from various fine art institutions as well as younger talents; an excellent starting point for anyone interested in discovering more about the multi-faceted art scene with a wide variety of styles on display. Art lovers should also check out Good Home Gallery and New Gallery at 21 Trang Tien, Thanh Mai Gallery at 11 or Viet Art Gallery at 18.

TO

Hanoi’s 1,000-year history is encapsulated in numerous relics of its glorious past that can be spotted now and then between its modern, often ungainly structures

“The king’s edict stops at the village gate.”

The old Vietnamese saying reflects the independence and self-containment that villages enjoyed in managing their own affairs.

The village gates that are still standing in the capital city of Hanoi as it prepares to celebrate its 1,000th anniversary this year may not be a bulwark anymore against all the impacts of a rapidly modernizing and globalizing world, but they still foster the feeling of community and now, tell the story of what made or makes those villages unique and special.

Village gates can be found in many places across Hanoi, dignified witnesses to the rampant urbanization of the last few decades that has thrown up several skyscrapers and imposing buildings.

But in contrast to the anonymity of these buildings, the gate at Tu Liem District’s Dong Ngac Commune is flanked by two pen brushes and a book, as it was once a village famous for outstanding academic performance, having 25 residents that passed the royal examinations.

Meanwhile, the gate in Huu Hoa Commune, Thanh Tri District, sports the time-stands-still look with a clock high up that stopped working a long time ago but has not been repaired.

At least 92 village gates were erected in the capital’s 12 districts, according to the book Cong lang Ha Noi xua va nay (Hanoi’s village gates: then and now) published by Vu Kiem Ninh in 2008.

These gates were part of many built during the 19th century when guild villages sprung up from Hanoi’s 36 original wards and two districts, Ninh wrote in his book.

Artist Quach Dong Phuong, who held a photo exhibition of village gates in the north, including Hanoi, several years ago, has said that most of the capital’s gates have been destroyed by negligence from local people.

From an aesthetic viewpoint, the gates were beautiful as they achieved the “golden ratio”, or good proportion, in architecture, although they were not very monumental, Phuong said.

In contrast to most village gates facing the indifference and ignorance of local residents as well as officials, O Quan Chuong, a gate built in 1749 as an entrance to the ancient Hanoi (then Thang Long) combined with observation stations and toll booths, is being preserved with funding from the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.

Now situated on the street of the same name, O Quan Chuong is the only gate of its kind to survive defensive wars against the French invasions and bombing campaigns by the US army.

Hanoi historian Hoang Dao Thuy said the city had 16 gates in total under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802- 1945) before the French domination.

Down to earth

According to historical documents, Thang Long was chosen as the capital of the Dai Viet Kingdom (now Vietnam) by King Ly Thai To, founder of the Ly Dynasty (1010-1225) in 1010.

It has remained the capital through the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties, but became the central city of northern Vietnam (Tran Bac Thanh) under the Nguyen Dynasty.

The full glory of Thang Long had not been revealed until 1998 when archaeologists found traces of Le Dynasty (1428-1788) architecture during excavation work on Cua Bac Street.

In 2000, they unearthed bases of palace columns from the Ly Dynasty, and several vestiges from the Le Dynasty around Hau Lau, an accommodation for Nguyen kings’ wives in Tran Bac Thanh, now in Ba Dinh District.

Two years later, excavation work to build a new national assembly building in Ba Dinh District’s Hoang Dieu Street led to the discovery of numerous vestiges from the Thang Long Citadel, part of a citadel system built in the 11th century.

The system was built with three ramparts: the Dai La Citadel, which acted as a defensive rampart with a complete dyke system, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and the Forbidden City, where the king and his royal family lived.

Tong Trung Tin, head of the Vietnam Institute of Archaeology, said studies of the site on Hoang Dieu Street found that architectural works under the Ly Dynasty in the Forbidden City had been zoned very properly and scientifically before being built.

Tin said they also unearthed works with hexagonal and octagonal foundations which were unique compared to other Asian imperial cities.

The Ly Dynasty’s roof tiles were found adorned with lotuses, phoenix birds, and dragons, whether they were curved or flat. He said this was different from other countries’ ancient imperial cities where only curved tiles were found elaborated with sacred animals and flowers.

Not very far from the Hoang Dieu site, archaeologists have discovered vestiges and a structure’s foundation at Ngoc Khanh Ward that has been identified as part of the Thap Tam Trai (13 farms) area, which functioned under the Ly Dynasty.

They have also found a column made of ironwood, 0.5 meters in diameter and 4.8 meters in length, at the bottom of the Ngoc Khanh Lake.

Archaeologist Do Van Ninh, former head of the Vietnam Institute of History, said the column was obviously from a big structure, believed to be from a school of martial arts under the Ly Dynasty, as they found thousands of weapons from the lake as well.

Present and beyond

While scientists are working around the clock to learn more about the ancient Thang Long, old structures are being ignored, and modern buildings and works are sprouting up like mushrooms around Hanoi.

In fact, Hanoians who once lived on narrow and long streets are now getting familiar with skyscrapers and giant structures like the US$1.5 billion-Keangnam Hanoi Landmark Tower, scheduled for completion on the occasion of the capital’s 1,000th anniversary this October.

The tower is expected to be the country’s highest building and the world’s 17th highest and 5th largest single structure once completed.

However, local architects are concerned that the capital is losing its identity to the rapid urbanization process.

Nguyen Truc Luyen, former chairman of the Vietnam Architecture Association, said Hanoi’s structure was basically a good mix of many factors like nature, architecture, and people’s lives, but now buildings and houses were springing up without proper management, destroying landscapes.

“Previously Hanoi prided itself on being a city with lots of greenery. But, now many trees are being logged, making Hanoi less [environmentally] friendly.”

The city now tends to crowd at the central district of My Dinh, where structures are being built on any empty land without any zoning plans, Luyen said.

On the other hand, “we have yet to establish architectural works of any real significance” over the past 50 years, except for structures like the headquarters of the Ministry of Planning and Investment, and Ba Dinh Square, according to Luyen.

Last November, the government basically agreed on a zoning plan for the capital by 2050 which aims to put its Old Quarter and streets under strict preservation and stop construction of buildings at the heart of the capital city. The plan is set to be made public on the 1,000th anniversary celebration to invite public feedback.

TN/ASW

hi all,

I just taken a wonderful trip to China including Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Beijing with just 5days including 1,5days traveling time.

it is not easy to find a suitable trip with all you need for just a short trip of 5days. I have looked through many forum to find out which is the best choice for my trip.

Firstly, Beijing – Xian and Beijing – Luoyang was in my list. As you see, time is limited but my demand for destinations is mush higher. After consulting and asking with many people on the web, i finally chosen trip to Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Beijing.

We booked seat on Vietnam airlines at promotion fare of only 190US$ for return Hanoi to Beijing.

The flight was on time and crew are very friendly with good choice of meal on board of the new A321. There was no point to complain about their service for my flight. A good starting. Arrived in Beijing T2, the first impression of China was very fast and friendly Immigration polices. They worked very quick to chop my passport with a smile. There are voting systems infont of each counter for us to evaluate their job and surely i have pressed the green button represent for the highest satisfactory.

Outside temperature was quite low at +1 oC even indoor was heated by aircond system. We could easily see the remaining snow on the house roofs and grass field.

The Beijing airport is quite easy to use then we reached to domestic departure hall quickly without any difficulty to connect flight to Shanghai with China Eastern Air. The ticket for this sector we booked with Elong company at around 720RMB per including all tax. Flight on time , too. All crew girls were very cute but 1 of them seems not so polite when she did not talk any thing but pulled the headphone (which supplied on aircraft) off my head when flight took off. I did not think it was necessary to remove this headphones as it was given by them and for the audio source provided by the airlines, not by personal ipod. Food was good and seat was big enough for a good sleep on 3 hours flight.

Shanghai night was not so cold. Waiting for taxi here is a nightmare with very long queue. All the taxi there are very old Volkswagen and non of driver can speak English or any language other then Chinese.

We reached the Oriental TV tower at 10pm and failed catching the last SIC bus for the night tour then had to take taxi to get around the city before leaving for station to get training to Suzhou at 11h51pm.

The railway station was good and easy to use but the toilet was very dirty and did not have any piece of paper. Train departs extremely on time and quite smooth even the seat was not really comfortable and may cause back pain for long journey. There were many local person invited us to buy many thing from massage, tour, guide, car….in thier mother language dispite we could not understand what they were saying. We checked in hotel at around 12h20am. New Century was a good hotel and its location is perfect.

first day ends with a tired trip and quickly brought us to deep sleep.

Suzhou morning is not so cold, just around 12oC and clear sky. There are not many taxi in this small town and we chose bike (50RMB for 1 bike with driver) instead of taxi for your tour even bargained price is higher than taxi fee. The whole day trip including all spots and bus station transfer. The drivers were very friendly and dedicated working without asking us to cut itinerary nor to complain anything. They sometimes also invited us to shop silk and pearl at their contracted shops but we did not take it.

Suzhou Caml Garden (CangLangTing Garden)

Entrance

there is evident show that the citizens here are very rich when they fire fireworks during the daytime for event such as New Shop opening ceremony.

Tiger Hill is a must visit place in Suzhou

Panmen Gate (simplified Chinese: 盘门; traditional Chinese: 盤門; pinyin: pánmén) is a famous historical landmark in Suzhou, China. It is located on the south-west corner of the Main Canal or encircling canal of Suzhou. Originally built during the Warring States Period in the state of Wu, historians estimate it to be around 2,500 years old.

we continue with the cruise trip along the Canals. this is a great amazing trip with all the typical images of Suzhou can be found here include ancient arch stone bridge, grey roofed house and lots of red lanterns. This is surely the best part of tour

and the front street which used to be the busy commercial center in the past

it’d better to have 1 and half day to visit all site in Suzhou. however, our time budget limited so we had to move to Hangzhou by bus in the afternoon of same day.

The Suzhou bus station is very clean and neat. securitymen is patrolling around. Buses are double decker and very on time and seat is quite comfortable for a sleep.

there is only 1 issues is the information board is all in Chinese so it will be very hard to find the right journey if you can not speak Chinese.

we reached Hangzhou after 2 hours. Very on time. Friendship is 4star hotel locate just walk walking step to the lake and lots of hi-brand shops. Facilities are excellent.

The first thing we must do is to get ticket for the show Impression West Lake. We got shock when hotel staff informed fully booked. She called to the show and informed we may only have change to get first class seats at 600RMb per but finally got us normal seat at 220rmb each at not a good corner. normally, if you pre book via hotel you can get a discount up to 20rmb each.

Hangzhou is a sub-provincial city located in the Yangtze River Delta in the People’s Republic of China, and the capital of Zhejiang (浙江) province. Located 180 kilometres (112 mi) southwest of Shanghai. The city is famous for its landscape and tea as well as for the silk path.

there are some free water musical show on the lake, however, the Impression WL show is not in the center, around 2km away. The show can be compared with opening ceremory of Olympic Beijing with about 300 artists on the surface of the lake

Hangzhou is also famous for fresh water hairy crab available in the spring season

You have 2 options for the cruise tour on the WL.

Either Dragon Boat sharing with group @40Rmb/per or small wooden rowing board @180rmb/for 4 per.

we took 2nd options for more romantic and have chance to enjoy captain singing . he is also a local tour guide.

West Lake is not only famous for its picturesque landscape, it is also associated with many scholars, national heroes and revolutionary martyrs, thus embracing many aspects of Chinese culture. In addition, many ancient buildings, stone caves and engraved tablets in surrounding areas are among the most cherished national treasures of China, with significant artistic value.

it is recommended to visit WL in the early morning or at dawn. However, the foggy may cause your picture not clear.

Leifeng Pagoda was originally built on Leifeng Mountain, in front of Jingci Temple at the foot of Rihui Peak of Nanping Mountain on the southern bank of the West Lake. Leifeng Pagoda was originally built on the peak in the Wuyue Period. It used to be a landmark scenic spot of the West Lake. However, it was destroyed by Japanese troop in the war.

today temple is newly built 1999-2002 on its basement

panoramic view from Leifeng tower

and inside

finished visiting Leifeng, we moved to Lingyin temple complex. this is a huge complex of temples on the mountains. Lingyin is a Zen temple, which meaning “Hide the Spirit”

there are 2 options to reach the temple: Walking up the hill or by electricity car. We choose car by paying 8rmb each. There are lot of Longting tea farm along the way.

Entrance fee to this complex is quite expensive, 45Rmn/per, however, we had to pay extra 30Rmb to visit the LingYin temple.   . actually, you dont have time after visit this temple then the 45Rmb is a waste. this is the richesh temple in China

this temple was a small monastery since 328BC until rebuilt to big temple during 907-978 with 9 multi storey building, 18 pavilions, 72 halls with over 1300 rooms and 300o monks. this temple is also famous for the in-mountain carving buddhas.

The Hangzhou tour brought us lots of sense and impression and ended with Longting tea on the lake bank.

Hangzhou airprort is small but very nice and easy to use but almost no shopping.

we arrived Beijing at around 11pm. the first impression but terrified was taxi driver kept speed at 100kph in the foggy night. Dong Jiao Minxing Hotel location is perfect but can not be ranked at 4* in fact. Beijing hotel is a better choice.

Beijing is a big city so we rent a private car instead of  taxi. Fee is 600Rmb for a 4 seat car services from 6am-6pm  and price drop to 300Rmb only if we accept to stop at some shopping points. The car is a very old VW   with malfunction keys. Tour started at 6am and we reach Ba Da Ling wall at 7h45am. Freezing cold.

Badaling is a quite preserved part of Great Wall even it was not in the original look which make convenience for tourists.

The local Gov seems so smart to annouce “not to be a hero if you can not reach top of Great Wall”. He he, it is not so hard to be a hero with this peak

Ke ke. after reaching to top, look down to see other trying to climb.

believing i was a hero until got shock with other peak

finally, the highest point conquered after 90mins climbing

down the wall just took 5mins by cable car   so easy.

Time limits, we immediately moved to Ming’s tombs. Journey tool 45mins without traffic.

Ming”s tombs is 13tomb of Ming’s Emperors (1368-1644), 50km away from Beijing center. welcome visitors by dragon at main entrance

down the tombs…to say Hello, ah sorry, to say “Ni hao” to dead people

some white marble thrones

and here the King and Queen inside the coffins

Tomb is boring to visit but the Museum outside is a must visit place with lots of things

Peach garden outside but no fruit during this season.

Finish visiting Tombs. Bonus picture with “bottom telecom”. something seems missing from this bottom?

really exhausted but still have Summer Palace to visit in the day. We immediately moved to Summe Palace. it was a so misty day and could not see anything afar from you just only 100m.

many lions and dragons at the entrance

Summer Palace is a park of 290,ooo sqm, west Beijing. this park use to be place famous entertainment park for many Chinese reigns.

What is it?

come closer…

and closer, a big bridge

with lot of stone lion-dogs

and a bronze ox to “block” the blood. The KanLong King himself composed the script on the ox.

and corridors

this is Kunming Lake and the building afar is Buddish Incense Pavillian

this so long corridor lead to the said pavillian

Hanoi, the city of almost 1,000 years, boasts ancient temples, pagodas and splendid landscapes in harmony with the luxury hotels and restaurants of the developing time. Among all this, the ancient quarter of Hanoi with its narrow streets holding old houses and traditional craft villages, seems to be the most attractive site in Hanoi.

Locals do not know exactly why foreign tourists like visiting the old streets. Some say because they are located in the center of the city, some say because of the 18th and 19th century French architecture. However, there is more to it. Tourists can enjoy things that are available only there. Those things are sidewalk beer and pipe tobacco.
The area is rather small but always jubilant as foreign tourists and sidewalk beer shops appear almost everywhere.

Sidewalk beer shops have no tables, just some small chairs for people to sit and place their mugs and enjoy a pipe of tobacco. The pipes, usually made of bamboo or clay, typically consist of a small chamber (the bowl) for the combustion of the tobacco to be smoked and a thin stem (shank) that ends in a mouthpiece (the bit). Pipes can range from the very simple machine-made briar pipe to highly-prized handmade and artful implements created by
renowned pipe makers which are often expensive collector’s items.

The buzz created by the harsh tobacco and the icy crisp beer more than offsets the cold of winter in Hanoi. Moreover, while enjoying beer and tobacco on the sidewalk, tourists can discover the daily life of the residents, busy and bustling.

Beer at sidewalk shops is just VND3,000 so it is not a luxury beer with a fragrant flavor but it has its own rustic and simple flavor that tourists cannot find anywhere else. “Traveling is to explore distinct things, different from home, that is why I like sidewalk beer,” said a tourist in Hanoi.

Hanoi is getting colder and colder as winter comes and this is an ideal time to enjoy sidewalk beer together with pipe tobacco. Why not take a tour of the ancient streets and experience these exotic flavors to remember Hanoi forever?

SGT

Temple of Literature (Vietnamese: Văn Miếu (文廟)), known as “pagode des Corbeaux” during the period of French colonisation, is a temple of Confucius in Vietnam. Although several Văn Miếu can be found throughout Vietnam, the most prominent and famous is that situated in the city of Hanoi, which also functioned as Vietnam’s first university. It is featured on the back of the one hundred thousand Vietnamese đồng banknote.

The landmark was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple. Only parts of the Văn Miếu complex date back to the earliest period, although much of the architecture dates to the Lý (1010 – 1225) and Trần (1225 – 1400) Dynasties.

In 1076 Vietnam’s first university, the Quốc Tử Giám (國子監) or Imperial Academy, was established within the temple to educate Vietnam’s bureaucrats, nobles, royalty and other members of the elite. The university functioned for more than 700 years, from 1076 to 1779. Given the extreme difficulty of the doctor laureate tests, few students passed final examinations. The list of names engraved on the stone stele every year during this period is very small. The stele records 2,313 students graduating as doctor laureats.^[1]

Emperor Lê Thánh Tông established the tradition, dating back to 1484, of carving the names of the laureates of the university on stone steles that were placed on top of stone tortoises. Of the 116 steles corresponding to the examinations held between 1142 and 1778, only 82 remain.

Description of Văn Miếu

According to the book the Complete History of the Great Viet, “In the autumn of the year Canh Tuat, the second year of Than Vu (1070), in the 8th lunar month, during the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong, the Temple of Literature was built. The statues of Confucius, his four best disciples: Yan Hui (Nhan Uyên), Zengzi (Tăng Sâm), Zisi (Tử Tư), and Mencius (Mạnh Tử), as well as the Duke of Zhou (Chu Công), were carved and 72 other statues of Confucian scholars were painted. Ceremonies were dedicated to them in each of the four seasons. The Crown Princess studied here.”

This ancient Confucian sanctuary is now considered one of Hanoi’s finest historical sites. The temple is based on Confucius’ birthplace at Qufu in the Chinese province of Shandong. It consists of five courtyards lined out in order, entrance to the first, via the impressive twin-tiered Văn Miếu gate, leads to three pathways that run the length of the complex.

The centre path was reserved for the king, the one to its left for administrative Mandarins and the one to its right for military Mandarins. The first two courtyards are peaceful havens of ancient trees and well-trimmed lawns where scholars could relax away from the bustle of the city outside the thick stone walls.

Entrance to the third courtyard is through the dominating Khuê Văn Các (constellation of literature), a large pavilion built in 1802. Central to this courtyard is the Thien Quang Tinh (“Well Of Heavenly Clarity”), either side of which stand two great halls which house the true treasures of the temple. These are 82 stones steles. Another 34 are believed to have been lost over the years. They sit upon stone turtles and are inscribed with the names and birth places of 1306 men who were awarded doctorates from the triennial examinations held here at the Quốc Tử Giám (“Imperial Academy”) between 1484 and 1780, after which the capital was moved to Huế.

The fourth courtyard is bordered on either side by great pavilions which once contained altars of 72 of Confucius’ greatest students but now contain offices, a gift shop and a small museum displaying ink wells, pens, books and personal artifacts belonging to some of the students that studied here through the years. At the far end of the courtyard is the altar with statues of Confucius and his four closest disciples. The fifth courtyard contained the Quốc Tử Giám, Vietnam’s first university, founded in 1076 by King Ly Can Duc, but this was destroyed by French bombing in 1947.

The complex has undergone much restoration work, most recently in 1920 and again in 1954, but remains one of the few remaining examples of later Lý Dynasty (1009-1225) architecture within easy walking distance of Ba Dinh square.

From Wikipedia

Hoan Kiem Lake (Vietnamese: Hồ Hoàn Kiếm, meaning “Lake of the Returned Sword” or “Lake of the Restored Sword”, also known as Hồ Gươm – Sword Lake) is 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.

According to the legend, emperor Le Loi handed a magic sword called Heaven’s Will which brought him victory in his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty back to the Golden Turtle God (Kim Qui) in the lake and hence gave it its present name (the lake was formerly known as “Luc Thuy” meaning “Green Water”). The Tortoise Tower (Thap Rua) standing on a small island near the center of lake is linked to the legend.

Large soft-shell turtles, either of the species Rafetus swinhoei or a separate species named Rafetus leloii in honor of the emperor, have been sighted in the lake. The species is critically endangered and the number of individuals in the lake is unclear.

Near the northern shore of the lake lies Jade Island on which the Ngoc Son Temple (Jade Mountain Temple) stands. The temple was erected in the 18th century. It honors the 13-century military leader Tran Hung Dao who distinguished himself in the fight against the Yuan Dynasty, Van Xuong, a scholar, and Nguyen Van Sieu, a Confucian master and famous writer in charge of repairs made to the temple in 1864. Jade Island is connected to the shore by the wooden red-painted Huc Bridge (The Huc, meaning Morning Sunlight Bridge).

From Wikipedia