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Quan Thanh Temple – protector of Hanoi
It’s amazing, the number of places that are there, waiting to be discovered when walking around Hanoi with no definite plan. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter in the evenings and you realise it is the same bridge you have seen written about in innumerable blogs, with its bright red lights. It’s on one such walk that I discovered Quan Thanh Temple. View of the entrance to Quan Thanh temple from the shrine A bit of history The Quan Thanh Temple, formerly known as Truch Vu Temple, is a temple that has been built to face the North. It is one of four sacred temples that were…
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A visit to Pasteur Street Brewing taproom in Hanoi
There is a revolution that has been slowly brewing in Vietnam since 2015. In a reverse of sorts, it’s been so contagious that it has finally spread from Ho Chi Minh City all the way to the Hanoi. Not to fret though. It’s a revolution of a different kind. Say ‘cheers’ to Pasteur Street Brewing taproom and their excellent selection of craft beers. The Coffee Porter and Jasmine IPA When I first visited Vietnam in 2007-8, there weren’t any craft beers available. At least none that I was aware of. To be honest, I wasn’t too aware of craft beer myself. It’s only in the last 10 odd years, on…
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Vietnam Military Museum
For those visitors who wish to understand a bit on Vietnam and its many wars for Independence, then a stop at the Vietnam Military Museum, or simply known as Military Museum is a must. It is Hanoi’s oldest museum. It opened its doors to the public on the 15th anniversary of the Vietnamese Army Day, in 1959 – a mere five years after they defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu. View of the B-52 wreckage in the courtyard A bit of history Vietnam’s history, especially the last century, has always been about fighting for independence. In the beginning, it was waging a war to get the French to leave…
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Temple of Literature
Hanoi is a fascinating city, with endless amount of history, culture and activities to keep you engaged through your stay. It can also be chaotic, with even the act of crossing a street being quite stressful. So, if you feel the urge to take a break and seek a peaceful spot as sanctuary, there is one – the ancient Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university. Lotus flowers in the well within the third courtyard A bit of history It is within the hallowed gates of the Temple of Literature that a generation of future kings, mandarins, generals and doctors trained under the watchful eyes of well-respected and informed teachers.…
