Hanoi trip (Day 2)

Sorry friends..I took a bit more time to blog after day 1 in Hanoi.

Itinerary for day 2 trip was to Hou Lu, an ancient capital of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty and Tam Coc (Three Caves). Joanne and Pixie had decided not to join the rest of us due to exhaustion the previous day at the Perfume Pagoda.

I forgot to mention in the previous entry the hotel we were in was located in Old Quarter, a neighbourhood with more than 1000 years of history. The Old Quarter has that small-town atmosphere with the streets lined with shops and narrow alleyways. A majority of the street names in the Old Quarter start with the word "Hang" which means merchandise or shop. Our hotel is on Hang Non Street (Street of Hats). A couple of pictures of the Old Quarter.

Watching through the windows in the van, I see women in conical hats selling fruit and vegetables from baskets that hang from their shoulders.

And many motorbikes on the streets being one of the locals main transport. The motorcylists don't wear helmet and so are their pillions!!

Also, the locals enjoying their food at the sidewalks on low stools and tables.

We reached Hoa Lu after a two hours drive through the rural northern of Vietnam. First visit were to Vestige Temples of Dinh and Le. Dinh Temple was built in the shape of a Chinese character. Through the first entrance called Ngo Mon, there is a stone royal bed with Nghe (imaginary animals of the old times) standing on both sides.

Le Temple is almost the same as Dinh Temple in term of architectural design, except for some details.

After lunch, we proceed to see the Tam Coc or Three Caves. This area is better known as the "Dry Halong Bay" because of the many limestones formations that dot the area. Enormous limestone karsts jut out from the green rice fields that surrounds the Ngo Dong River provides an unusual landscape.

We were rowed down the river on boats which were made of thin aluminium. By simply extending the hands, I can touch the rich brown water.

Essentially, the boat trip took us along the river that passes through the three enormous caves that provide a brief respite from the intense summer heat. It took approximately three hours to go up and down the 6km river. Along the way, I witness the striking limestone karst formations that Tam Coc is famous for.

One of the three caves..

The local vendors on boat selling drinks and snacks.

The day ended with dinner at a decent Viatnamese restaurent, Hanoi Garden followed by watching the famous Water Puppet show at the Water Puppet Theater. The Water Puppet show was an entertaining one where water puppetry is performed in a pool of water with the water surface being the stage. The puppeteers stand behind a screen and control the puppets using long bamboo rods and string mechanism hidden beneath the water surface. A traditional Vietnamese orchestra provides background music accompaniment.