Local Must Sees

 Quan , the guide finally took us to see some local sights.

The Dong Xuan Market

 A wholesale market, the place caters to the needs of tourists and locals by providing goods ranging from dried prawns, cinnamon sticks to shoes, clothes, dining wares and lotus seeds. It is a place where locals exchange ideas and sales but there was really nothing much to buy.

It was just the experience of being there.

 Of course, after so many hours of here and there, it is a pleasure to ease ourselves.

But to my surprise the rest room has a different set up.

Some toilet seats are arranged outside doors neatly. At first I wondered if I had entered erroneously but no.

The womenfolk here are used to doing their businesses on them without qualms; not behind closed doors.

As I exited from my room, I could not turn my eyes away from the pretty ladies who sat in a row; doing their small and big businesses casually. What a sight.

 We were told that Hanoi 's Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre presents the longest puppet show int he world. Everyone, locals and foreigners alike gathered eagerly to see what the show had to offer.

 So, the show began with a group of local ladies voicing their renditions in high pitches. I could not understand anything but to make my own conclusions. Basically they must be trying to relate the local way of survival from fishing to planting. They added some legends as we witnessed depictions of the dragon. Very refreshingly different and entertaining . I even saw some moving their bodies to the tune of the music and songs rendered.

 These are the puppets that were used to create tales on the stage. To know that they are able to catch the hearts of the audience made me examine them closely and conclude that we need to smell flowers in life.

 Next, we trudged to the Temple of Literature; being the oldest university in the country. Apparently, the earliest scholars had their examinations here hundreds of years ago. To be enlisted in the imperial service, the candidates needed to pass scholarly exams. With the right brains, the country will be ruled wisely. However, in schools today, I believe most who are not academically inclined should opt for vocational studies. The students would be better prepared for the real world. Even the smartest brains need to be street wise and vocationally practical to be of effect anywhere.

 That's being scholarly...

 They say tortoises boast of longevity and ripe old age. So there are so many of them; more than 50 and each carried a tablet which related the history of a particular scholar.So if you are keen to know any of the scholars, read on.

 They caught my heart. At a tender age, they are taught to learn. Learn, learn, learn. 

Maybe they should only play. It may make them more wholesome.

The grounds have stores that sell all sorts of souvenirs, but the Terra cotta tiles attract me most. It reminded me of the kitchen at home. There tiles are produced in abundance here and are sold at very reasonable prices; unlike back home. Vietnam with its rich clay supply, produces competitive bricks and tiles for world markets.

 The step is often depicted in Chinese homes. It is so that everyone in the house has opportunities to be elevated? To be better all the time? I don't know. But again I look at the old Terra cotta tiles with interest.

 The Mausoleum houses the body of the much revered figure of Vietnam; Ho Chi Minh. We had to display the highest respect as we entered the building. No hand phones, no cameras and you have to be decently dressed to allow admittance.You have to observe complete silence too. So we walked in an orderly manner and witnessed the well-preserved body of the leader. Quan told us that the hero remained single till his last days and had very few relatives. His life was spent trying to help the lot of the people of Vietnam. 

With the local visits, so ends the trip to Hanoi.

We have enough of South East Asian lands for the moments. 

But good to see how our neighbours go through life.