Vietnam: Hanoi Attractions

From the Temple of Literature, we started walking towards the One Pillar Pagoda. Of course, somehow, we got off track and found ourselves farther away then when we started. So we jumped in a cab, which tried to rip us off with a fast running meter. OD only gave the driver what he thought it should cost, while I tried to keep myself from arguing that we should just pay the full fare -- the driver took what we offered without a word, so it must have been enough.

After all the trouble of getting there, the One Pillar Pagoda was pretty much a disappointment. Afterall, it is just a small construction, though with great historical significance. It is supposed to look like a blossoming lotus, but OD thought the concrete steps leading up to it ruined the effect. As it is close by Ho Chi Minh Masoleum, I'd recommend just stopping by for a moment if you happen to be in the area. We skipped the Masoleum ourselves, leaving it to others to pay their respects to the embalmed Uncle Ho.

Our next destination was the Fine Arts Museum, not far from the Temple of Literature. We stopped in at the somewhat upscale cafe on the premises before heading in. The collection was on the smaller side, with quite a number of nationalistic war-themed pieces, but there were also some gems to appreciate. It was very quiet, with only a few other visitors. All in all, a pleasant way to spend an hour or two.

Like many tourists before us, we also attended the water puppet show. The theater is conveniently located right across the street from Hoan Kiem Lake. The puppets act on a stage of water, with the puppeteers standing in the water behind a screen. This unique form of puppetry originated in the flooded rice paddies and ponds of Northern Vietnam. The skits were short and while we couldn't understand the sung language, it was easy enough to get the gist. Personally, I enjoyed it, but for some reason OD was expecting more of a spectacle and involved storyline.