We spent the concluding 2 days of our Vietnam trip inward Hanoi. After checking into our hotel, (this was a seven-different-hotels-in-nine-nights form of a trip), nosotros ready off on pes to detect the notorious Hoa Lo Prison, otherwise known every bit the "Hanoi Hilton".
I loved the beautiful, in addition to real colorful decorations for the upcoming holiday.
We learned that it was customary to decorate your domicile with a kumquat tree, or other flowering branch, for the lunar novel year. We saw these trees everywhere, including beingness transported on the dorsum of motorbikes!
This is the principal entrance to the prison. It was built inward 1896 yesteryear the French in addition to initially used to imprison Vietnamese revolutionaries, in addition to afterward American soldiers. Most of the master complex was destroyed, and the remaining buildings were turned into the museum.
The overstep of the prison theatre walls were covered inward thick shards of glass.
These are the huge doors into i of the chambers. The materials used at the time, were of the highest French standards. It was a piffling strange to come across fancy doorknobs, intricate woodwork, and beautiful dark in addition to white French tile floors in approximately of the rooms of a prison.
The bulk of the museum depicted the suffering on the purpose of the Vietnamese, during the French occupation. The prisoners were shackled inward a large room similar this, or held inward the same trend inward a person cell.
It was sobering to intend most the suffering that had occurred behind these walls.
The beautiful courtyards surrounding the prison theatre were such a foreign juxtaposition.
This was approximately sort of shrine to holler back the fallen.
Some Vietnamese prisoners escaped through this sewer grate, at i time. By looking at it, I'm non fifty-fifty certain how!
There were rows upon rows of pocket-sized cells.
And the infamous French guillotine.
So far, the entire museum had been most the horrible handling of the Vietnamese yesteryear the French. We were real curious to come across how the handling of American soldiers would live presented. At the real terminate of the museum, at that spot was i pocket-sized room dedicated to the wonderful handling of the Americans imprisoned there. This was supposedly John McCain's flying suit. (In an interview yesteryear him, he said that his flying adapt was cut from his body. Interesting.)
Alleged American prisoner beds.
And for the best purpose of all, inward the adjacent room were a serial of many photographs showing American soldiers engaged inward all sorts of joyful activities, including; enjoying a Christmas dinner, games of all kinds, sending in addition to receiving postal service from home, etc. Quite a dissimilar story from those told yesteryear the U.S. of A. POW's most the torture that occurred daily at the hands of the Vietnamese. (McCain also noted inward an interview, that he refused to get got purpose inward these types of propaganda pictures.) I also had to chuckle that the Vietnamese proudly claim the nickname "Hanoi Hilton" every bit proof that the accommodations were real nice. Apparently, sarcasm is lost inward translation!
Propaganda. This was a give-and-take my girls had non heard earlier in addition to Ella, especially, was fascinated with the concept. She asked questions for the balance of the solar daytime most life inward the prison theatre in addition to wanted to know what really happened. At the hotel that night, nosotros googled dissimilar prisoner of war accounts of the prison theatre in addition to she voraciously read everything I could find. We told her the takeaway message should be, don't get got anything yous take away heed or read at human face upwardly value, no affair the source. Always produce your ain investigation.
***
After the prison, nosotros continued to explore Hanoi. This cowboy seemed in addition to therefore Las Vegas, circa 1960, that I had to get got a picture!
Little cafes such every bit this, were ubiquitous inward Vietnam. Street nutrient was definitely live in addition to well!
Also, all over the streets, people were hanging out eating, in addition to visiting on these tiny piffling plastic stools. They fifty-fifty had them inward approximately restaurants.
More French architecture. This was St. Joseph's Cathedral, which is the oldest church building inward Hanoi, in addition to modeled after the gothic trend of Notre Dame inward Paris.
And the famous Hanoi Opera House, modeled after the Opera Garnier de Paris.
There was a lovely metropolis common inward the pump of the city, in addition to nosotros enjoyed strolling along the lake, on a beautiful Lord's Day afternoon.
But at the terminate of the day, no affair where nosotros travel, this is e'er the most requested activity.
Later that evening, nosotros were getting create for bed, in addition to nosotros heard a live band playing outside- again! We decided to become downward in addition to banking concern tally it out. It seemed to live approximately sort of vacation celebration happening on the steps of the opera house.
Suddenly, from out of nowhere, there was a large fire inward the crowd, only people were non running or acting alarmed inward whatsoever way. I was confused.
Then paramedics in addition to ambulances started rushing to the scene. Still no alert of whatsoever form with the crowd. In fact at that spot was nonetheless quite a jovial atmosphere.
Now firefighters are on the scene, too. What?!
Why were the armed forces nonetheless standing at that spot if something in addition to therefore serious was going on? So many questions.
Finally, nosotros works life a guy with pretty skillful English, in addition to asked him what was going on. He said that the metropolis was performing an emergency exercise, in addition to it was a routine event. Oh. Okay. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 real strange ending to an otherwise swell day! On to our concluding solar daytime inward Hanoi tomorrow....
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