Hanoi Hilton

Decided to get room service last night and split a dish of fried noodles with veggies. Got to sleep early and got lots of rest. The morning started out OK. We were the only ones at breakfast because it was after 9am. Gathered our stuff and headed out for the Hanoi Hilton (or Hoa Lo Prison) well within walking distance from the hotel.

It definitely felt strange being at a place that is so much a part of our own history. We got a kick out of seeing John McCain's flight suit hanging proudly.

This thought-provoking site is all that remains of the former Hoa Lo Prison, ironically nicknamed the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ by US POWs during the American War. Most exhibits relate to the prison’s use up to the mid-1950s, focusing on the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France. A gruesome relic is the ominous French guillotine, used to behead Vietnamese revolutionaries. There are also displays focusing on the American pilots who were incarcerated at Hoa Lo during the American War.

These include Pete Peterson (the first US ambassador to a unified Vietnam in 1995), and Senator John McCain (the Republican nominee for the US presidency in 2008). McCain’s flight suit is displayed, along with a photograph of Hanoi locals rescuing him from Truc Bach Lake after being shot down in 1967.

 The vast prison complex was built by the French in 1896. Originally intended to house around 450 inmates, records indicate that by the 1930s there were close to 2000 prisoners. Hoa Lo was never a very successful prison, and hundreds escaped its walls over the years – many squeezing out through sewer grates.

From the prison it was a short walk to the Women's Museum. This was extremely interesting and some very good exhibits. 

The Vietnamese Women’s Museum, in Hanoi, was founded by the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam in 1987 as an entity within the Viet Nam Women’s Union. The museum explores Viet Nam’s cultural diversity and women’s significant contributions to the nation’s development, culture and society. The Vietnamese Women’s Museum is a community repository of cultural and historical knowledge about Vietnamese women’s lives across the nation’s 54 ethnic community groups. The Museum is also a centre for cultural exchange with women from other nations with the goal of fostering ‘equality, development and peace’.
The permanent galleries feature three thematic displays:
Women in FamilyWomen in HistoryWomen’s FashionThe Museum’s collection features historical and contemporary objects which illustrate and reflect the lives and roles of Vietnamese women in society.

I was starting to lose my energy again. We stopped for a mango smoothie which was absolutely delicious. Then it was time to make our way back to the hotel. We took the route by the lake since we hadn't been down there yet. Hoan Kiem Lake - Lake of the Returned Sword - is a slice of some tranquility in the midst of chaos. Along the way, we ran into one of the many, many donut ladies. We had to buy some because I really wanted the picture.

Back in the room, I took a nap and Geoff went out to try to find something to remedy my stomach ills. The pharmacy was closed for lunch. I decided to look up herbal medicines, since we are in Asia after all. As it turns out there is an herbal street. In Vietnam most retail is organized by streets. All the hardware is sold in one place, eye glasses in another, etc. We are in the silk district of the old quarter. The old quarter is packed full of tiny streets and alleys loaded with vendors. Anyway, we wrote down my malady in Vietnamese.

I made some jasmine tea and had one of the little donuts. Started to feel better. It was time to venture out again. We want to see the water puppet show tomorrow afternoon and were told to get tickets a day in advance. Off we went, back down to the lake area. No problem getting tix for the 4:10 show. Now, we were in search of Lan Ong street for the herb. This is when one of the dedicated shoe shine repair guys practically ripped Geoff's shoe off of him and began sewing and gluing it together. Geoff didn't even know there was something wrong with the shoe. This kid went on and on sewing then cleaning - we would have still been there if we didn't pull the shoe away and said enough. G gave him some money and we pressed on.


Found our street and went into one of the herbal shops. It took some communication skills but we came away with an herb that needs to be brewed for tea. We checked with a couple of shops to make sure I got the right thing. We are going to brew it in the hot water maker tonight before bed. I should know if it worked by morning. Wish me luck.

Walking through the herb district, we came across a brush maker. He had lots of hand-made brushes. We watched him work for a while and then bought a few brushes for a special artist. Kept walking through the various streets of the Old Quarter and eventually made our way back to the room.

Thinking of pizza tonight - just to change things up a bit. There is one near the night market. We can go through that again when it is not raining. Looks like the sky might actually clear soon. 
Till tomorrow.

Next time... Last day in Nam