<Hoa Lo Prison> held Vietnamese political prisoners during French rule and subsequently imprisoned U.S. pilots who’d been shot down during the Viet Nam War. American prisoners of war interned here sarcastically nicknamed Hoa Lo Prison the “Hanoi Hilton.” Exhibits include a guillotine, prison cells, artifacts (including the flight suit and parachute of U.S. Senator John McCain) and photographs. Ironically most of the Hoa Lo prison has been demolished to make way for new high-rise office buildings and a right next door to Hoa La prison a new luxurious Hilton Hotel. Our visit to Hoa Lo prison was a solemn departure from the wonderful experience at the Temple of Literature. If there is a Hell; Hoa Lo prison was hell. In my photos I tried to capture some of the horrors.
On our ride back to our hotel we passed a street filled one after another with camera shops. Once back at the hotel Gail said I should go to one of those camera shops and buy her an extra camera battery. So off I went exploring Hanoi. It is recommended to take a business card from the hotel. I did pass the beautiful Ha Noi Opera House. Located on August Revolution Square, the opera house was built by the French between 1901 and 1911. The beautiful Ha Noi Opera House is a smaller replica of the Palais Garnier in Paris. After a while I did find a camera shop street and a camera battery. The problem was getting back to the hotel. I had no idea but a good sense of direction. In Hanoi (as in most villages there are “MotoMen” - motor bike taxis. I told the MotoMan where I wanted to go but he did not speak English so I gave him the hotel business card. He shook his head, gave me a helmet and off we raced. When we passed Hoa Lo prison I knew we were going in the wrong direction. The hotel business card is in English and it was useless to the MotoMan. I pointed in the other direction. He had to another MotoMan for directions. Once at the hotel I gave him $1.
Day 2 June 4, 2012: –Ha Noi: -Tho Ha Village and Countryside
Tho Ha is located twenty miles north of Ha Noi, The roads are not as bad as I expected <Highway to Tho Ha> and a lot better than some we have traveled. The Nhu Nguyet River surrounds Tho Ha village. We drove for about one hour and needed to take a ferry across the Nhu River to reach the village of Tho Ha. This was what we call a discovery day. The <village of Tho Ha> was known for generations for the production of ceramics but now the main industries are making rice paper, pig farming and charcoal bricks for fuel. We met with Mr. Viet, a village elder, who was an officer in the North Vietnamese Army. Three members of our group were military who had served in Viet Nam. One was a helicopter pilot; one a marine and I was in the Air Force at Cam Ranh Bay. <Mr. Viet> welcomed us to his home and we drank rice wine to cement our friendship. Mr. Viet’s wife demonstrated how the rice paper is made on a hot flat iron skillet. Once cooked the round rice paper is placed on racks to dry. All over the village, in every available space, down alleys on roofs, the rice paper is out drying. Mr. Viet is also the village doctor or shaman and he showed us his assortment of remedies. I walked around the village and mingled with the friendly people. I admired the architecture and hard-working young men repairing the ornate walls of the Buddhist temple. We met with Grand-mother at the Temple who may have been 90+ years old. <Ride back to Ha Noi>
Day 3 June 5, 2012: -Travel to Ha Long Bay
After breakfast, we set off for Ha Long Bay - the Emerald Bay of Viet Nam—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Some of the roads to the bay are rough, but the journey offers beautiful views of the flat green countryside dotted with rice paddies and small villages. Our first stop is at <Hong Ngoc> vocational school. founded in 1996 by Mr. Doan Xuan Tiep The purpose is to provide vocational training and jobs to disabled people and those affected by Agent Orange (a toxic defoliant used by the United States during the Vietnam War.) More than 600 workers have been trained free of charge and have obtained stable jobs in companies with trades such as: embroidery, clothing, fine caving, lacquer ware, ceramic, gemstone and jewelry. The products being produced at Hong Ngoc, made by skillful hands of disable people; have been highly appreciated by customers from all over the world. These people are no longer burdens to their families and society; they are now the ones who are able to support themselves and their families.
We arrived in Ha Long in the early afternoon and transferred to the pier for our overnight cruise on a typical Junk. With its clear, emerald waters and mountains draped in velvety cloaks of vegetation, it’s little wonder that <Ha Long Bay> has been the inspiration for generations of Vietnamese poets. Across the Gulf of Tonkin near the Chinese border, this region translates to “the bay of the descending dragon.” There are more than 3,000 mountain islands, in Ha Long Bay, whose jagged profiles seem to rise out of nowhere. The western end of Ha Long Bay is a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region offers one of the most diverse ecosystems in Viet Nam, with lush forests and marine landscape showcasing steep spines of mountains, narrow valleys, cascading waterfalls, and golden beaches. Our vessel is called a junk, a wooden sailboat in the traditional Vietnamese style. We dropped anchor at an island pierced with surreal grottoes, then enjoyed lunch onboard ship. We resumed our cruise in the afternoon and enjoyed dinner on our boat, where we spent the night.
Viet Nam Photos Page 2