Hanoi: Tran Quoc Pagoda, One Pillar Pagoda and Temple of Literature

After breakfast at the hotel, we crossed the Old Quarter heading north. There are always sidewalks on larger streets, but these are usually parked with mopeds or Vietnamese sit on small stools with food around the food stalls. So we have no choice but to walk on the street. After a while you realize from the sore throat how bad the air is here. No wonder the locals are all walking around with face masks.

Tran Quoc Pagoda

Our first destination today was the Tran Quoc Pagoda on a small island on West Lake. This Buddhist temple consists of a Bodhi tree under which several Buddha statues sit.

Hanoi Botanical Garden

From there we went to the Hanoi Botanical Gardens. Here we encountered a familiar picture again: wedding couples at a photo shoot. We had the impression that the organization is very professional. The check-in takes place sequentially at the common makeup station with catering and then each couple is assigned their own photographer.

One Pillar Pagoda and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

From the botanical garden we came to the government and diplomatic district of Hanoi. The One Pillar Pagoda is also located here. The shape of the pagoda resembles a lotus flower. A street further we found the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. This is the largest memorial to the former Vietnamese leader in Hanoi. It is also possible to visit the mausoleum from the inside, but today (Monday) all museums in Hanoi are closed. So we only had the view of the bulky magnificent building.

Lunch at the Vietnam Military Museum

Around 2pm we had lunch at Highland Coffee at the Vietnam Military Museum. Here we tried a Vietnamese soup (Pho) for the first time. We ordered Pho Ga and Pho Bo. These are noodle soups with chicken (Ga) or pork (Bo). The base consists of noodles, onions and chives, then meat or fish is added, depending on the order. For dinner we drank a mocha and a delicious fresh iced tea (smoothie) with mango. The only thing that bothered us was that the waiter always stood by while we were eating and looked at us the whole time. We paid 251000 Dong (about 8.60 EUR) for two people. Certainly twice or even three times as much as in a roadside cookshop. But we could sit here and everything makes a more hygienic impression.

Literaturtempel

On our way to the Temple of Literature, we theorized that the shops on a street here in Hanoi are sorted by goods. So there is the street with paints, with tools or even with shops for mannequins. The Temple of Literature is a larger temple complex with several small parks and ponds. Today we were also able to experience a photo session of several Vietnamese young people.

Night at Hoan Kiem Lake

Before we went back to the hotel, we bought Vietnamese beer and mit say (dried jackfruit) in the supermarket. When you shake it in the bag, it sounds like Lego. The taste is fruity but not exactly defined for us, maybe a bit like mango.

Are you still looking for a suitable hotel in Hanoi?

You can find a hotel that suits your budget through the various online travel agencies such as Agoda,Booking.com,ebookers.de,Expedia,Hotels.com,lastminute.de, opodo, otel.com or Venere.com.

After sunset we took pictures at Hoan Kiem Lake at night.