Circles in Time

' Time and tide wait for no man', yet it all depends on us how it moves ahead. 'Butterfly effect', they say. Going through daily events around the world, sometimes I wonder if we ever had any control over anything that happens. It is like we are doomed to make the same mistake over and over again since we always fail to see the bigger picture or we deliberately tune ourselves off from reason. If you know me well enough, you know I'm an optimist at heart. But, maybe it is the corona effect and this is cathartic for me...

Circles in Time

Forever Scored

Memories dull, Emotions swell

Only permanence

Sole soul knoll

Round and round all rhymes go

Wicked little gnomes do tarry

      Gnawing gnawing knowing…

 

Circle time,

Time, our stoic coach,

Stumbling neophytes

Round and round we go

Blissful herd of ignoramuses

Grazing high on Capital Sins

 

Merry souls would

Always scurry bury bury

Round and round go sacred carvings

Circles in time

Forever etched

On stones

Grave stories they tell

 

Circles in Time

mutable permanence

The ring, mandala, ensō,

Hecate’s Wheel

The same

Eternally unabating

Waltzing rhythms,

Energies synergies

 

We are everywhere

And nowhere

We learn unlearn

Our social memories fickle

Our existence,

Mere spec in time

Condemned to wallow in reprise?

Pic Source: https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-illustration-mandala-circle-decorative-spiritual-indian-symbol-lotus-flower-round-ornament-pattern-vector-illustration-image71462453 

Self

What is Self?

The capital ‘I’

That we hold on to, so dearly,

Is there any ‘real’ coherent self

That we vainly defend

Self is but

A will-o’-the-wisp

A receding wave that never comes back

A sandy desert which changes its contour every moment

A butterfly that eludes our grasp

A constant flux of ideas

A construct

To Fool……To Divide

The Man …….The Woman

The West...........……The East

The Master .....……The Slave

The White........……The Black

The Self…........….The Other

Self is not one, but many,

Self is, but not steady,

It evolves with every word we record,

Every structure we make,

Self is, but not...

# Constructs # Self # Identity # Language

@ Anu Maheshwari. First Published in 2006 in Panorama Magazine, A TakingITGlobal Publication. 

Love at First Sight...

I waited for you in earnest...

Stories I read, tales I spun in my dreams,

The love I felt growing each day in anticipation…

The day my eyes fell upon you; I knew…

Like a moth that flies towards the flame,

The snowflake that falls on your fingertips for warmth alone,

I forgot the world around

I leapt for you with all I had

Pure joy lifting me up, raising me above silly ruses…

Against aches that held me ransom to worldly values

All the love…only love…

Bliss… love… if this is what it is

Little the rest matters,

I will shine bright as the fading star that leaves the sky forlorn

again and again…

to set my eyes upon true love. 

This is what happens when you are away and alone from your love for far too long a time...the seemingly unending separation...memories build up, aches heighten your senses, and a familiar melody, a tune that resonates deep translate into words soon...

I love you...I miss you... 

Time to Learn; Unlearn and Relearn.

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Yoda

“Sometimes good choices are really bad ones, wrapped up in so much fear you can’t even see straight.” 

― Deb Caletti, The Secret Life of Prince Charming

At times, there is that momentary overwhelming feeling that everything around you is getting bigger and bigger and like Alice in Wonderland, there is nothing to do but drown in a pool of tears. The current scenario around the world raises some serious doubts about humanity and chances of our survival. So much doubt, fear, hopelessness, distrust, irreverence, and disgust piling up that I wonder at the size of the iceberg below! Although I do play the devil’s advocate, I am an eternal optimist. I sincerely believe that hope is the only thing that can get us through.    

Racism, prejudice, and bigotry exists in all forms everywhere.  I know we are knee deep in shit, but it will help us greatly if we can look at the stars and smile. Lot of people are sharpening their knives, ready to rise, rebel, and shout for what they believe in. And others fight prejudices wherever they see them in person. Although they don’t feel obliged to speak out online publicly, if they can help, they prefer to approach the individual personally. 

Some people around are quick to hurl abuses at the Chinese, coming out with strong convictions of conspiracy theories, of manufactured viruses, and the bullying at the borders (LAC in Ladakh, India). I believe it is important to be conscious of the language and speech we use in such circumstances.  The Chinese and the Chinese Govt are two different entities.  The actions of certain individuals, or groups, or governments cannot be used to stereotype an entire population of unique individuals. Government changes, people can change, boundaries can change, but is it worth losing our humanity over it? Economic decisions and overtures can also happen without the accompaniment of hate spewing posts and vitriol! Our armies and police and other defence agencies are there to take care of military aggressions and issues of law and order. Do we need to hurl stones at each other on top of that? What is our duty as citizens and human beings? Can’t we support our govt, armies, and police and at the same time be decent human beings to others on a personal level. Rhetoric of war is needed for the soldiers to motivate themselves and do their duty. Do we need it in our daily lives to kill time?

…

I believe reading, travelling, experiencing different cultures broadens our views and I don’t mean, just going places and looking at things as a tourist, disconnected from the surroundings loaded with superficial information about a place and the culture around. It requires empathy, that openness to accept what others are feeling and going through. I am not suggesting that we can all empathise and change the world today. It is easier said than done. What I am hoping for is that we take the first step to understand another human being, their opinions, and viewpoints and just accept that they have the right to feel so. No mocking, no jeering, no judgment, just plain old acceptance!

“never trust anyone

who says 

they do not see color. 

this means

to them,

you are invisible.”

― Nayyirah Waheed

 

Acceptance of all things; not just the obvious differences, but also something seemingly trivial, especially food choices, clothing, fashion, accent, mannerisms, etc.  At the same time, it is absolutely imperative to have a decent amount of self-esteem to begin with. A confident person would always be in a better position to respect and accommodate differences. A person who carries insecurities around in a rucksack will most likely paint everything around in a negative hue!

Covid 19 has confined us all in our ‘safe’ boxes. But I believe it is a chance to read, learn, and watch also. Perhaps learn a new language (it is easier now with so many apps like Lingodeer, memrise, etc). Check out different literatures, listen to songs in different languages, watch drama, documentaries, movies from around the world. Make online friends (following all rules of online safety) and discuss issues. Lot of stuff online is biased and hence it is important to read all possible perspectives to be somewhat informed about issues.  Even our search engines cannot be trusted. The information fed to you is deliberately skewed in the favour of the privileged few. A conscious effort to ignore the first prompts of the search engines has to be made in order to skim even the surface of pertinent issues. Basically, refrain from jumping onto the bandwagon of abuse and attack and have the diligence to patiently know more about things, issues, and people before uttering a single word or taking action.

#No Racism 

#No to Racist Stereotypes 

#No to Algorithms of Oppression ( search engines)

#Respect, acceptance and not just tolerance!

Life in the Time of Corona! (Revised)

“He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves.” ― Gabriel García Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera

I thought I was done with my rebirth on a sisters’ only voyage to Vietnam, where I felt all my senses come alive once again…I felt light and untethered; full of love and life and a yearning to roam free. But dear Mother Earth, saturated with mankind’s relentless rampage, also had similar realisation about the same time. She also yearned for freedom and rebirth and so the virulent Corona was unleashed upon us locking us down in our very own concrete cages. And while we, her petulant and selfish children are forced to reckon with her rage, most of us are also gaining deep insights on life and what is really important and basic to our lives. Stripped bare off our extravaganzas, we are ‘re’-learning and growing as we shed each layer of superfluous materialistic want.

Inside our lockdowns, everything comes to a standstill, the mundane takes over and all of us line up to carry out our tasks like bots.  For me personally, initial shock and disbelief gave way to frustration and fear and soon I was dry of motivation and ideas, but eventually, it dawned on me again that rebirth is a process and it needs to happen continually regardless of the circumstance. We need to find inspiration in the routine as well as the anomalous, and most importantly, document and realise our ideas and thoughts through a medium most comfortable to us. In this regard, a few things knocked on my gates;

First, national prejudices; times like these also bring out national prejudices where we indulge in branding countries and people and impose our own pre-conceived notions of various nationalities. Let us realise one thing; “You know nothing, Jon Snow[i]!” People are people…they are the same everywhere. We have different traditions, ways of expression and culture, etc., however, beneath the skin and all the external paraphernalia, we are the same bundle of differences and uniqueness. Governments and individuals are however unpredictable; the good are good and the morons are morons everywhere regardless of time and place. I urge people to stay away from generalising, fear mongering, and passing judgments without facts.

Second, Carpe Diem[ii]! A reminder that our lives are transient in nature (and even if it is not and we continue to live for centuries); why don’t we ‘let’ all love freely and ‘responsibly’ in the time we have here. Love is something that doesn’t come easy. Blessed are those who find love and realise what they have! Let us go beyond social taboos and let consenting adults find their happiness in each other regardless of gender, caste, creed, colour, religion, etc.

Third, love thyself; Rebirth, regeneration, rejuvenation, detoxification, call it whatever you want, without love for self, nothing matters, nothing makes sense. So, indulge in some self-growth and self-learning. Read, write, cook, dance, paint, garden, talk, just indulge your fancies and hobbies.

And now, I want to thank our Indian government for prompt and decisive actions in the face of such an invasion. Many people are ready with spears to poke and criticise and find loopholes, but I believe that this time, it was our own irresponsible citizens who were irreverent to government directives and broke the quarantine and spread the malaise( individuals who were stamped for home quarantine and who went ahead and travelled in the train and attended weddings and social events).If only they had followed the directions given at the airport, perhaps we could have avoided a lengthy lockdown today. There were of course a few who can be absolved as they were genuinely unaware of the seriousness of the situation and unwittingly infected all who came in contact. A big salute to our emergency and essential services and defence forces who are carrying out their duties and drills, preparing for all eventualities.

So, people out there, please act responsible! PLEASE! Let us bring this ill to a standstill!

---

[i] "You Know Nothing, Jon Snow" is a quote attributed to the Wildling character Ygritte from George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire.

[ii] Carpe diem is a Latin aphorism, from book 1 of the Roman poet Horace's work Odes (23 BC),which literally means "pluck the day," and was used by the Roman poet Horace to express the idea that we should enjoy life while we can. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carpe%20diem

Darkness to Light

Darkness or Light

In the darkness lies the secret to all that renews

The seeds of morrow, buried hopes that sprout wings

Although unseen, they need love, care, and faith

Without, they shrivel and wither…

 

All that wanes moves on,

Heralding a fresh start and,

We scamper, looking for refuge in the dust as it settles.

Nature’s “terrible beauty” or “trumpet of prophecy”

What is it that resounds around?

 

Oh, we hear, we hear,

Discern or otherwise

purblind or evolved

Our cages may leave us slow

Resistant to growth

Festering prejudices

We dig shallow graves for humanity…

Or

We shall overcome

As we draw strength from our roots,

we light for ancient wisdom

for universal brotherhood,

trust, and compassion.

 

And together we march…

Away from fear

Into the realm of hope…

Anu Maheshwari

Life in the Time of Corona!

“He allowed himself to be swayed by his conviction that human beings are not born once and for all on the day their mothers give birth to them, but that life obliges them over and over again to give birth to themselves.”

― Gabriel García Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera

I thought I was done with my rebirth in Vietnam, when I felt all my senses come alive once again…I felt light and untethered. But now that we are in lockdowns, and some of us dry of motivation and ideas, it dawned on me again that rebirth is a process and it needs to happen continually. We need to find inspiration in the routine, and most importantly document and realise our ideas and thoughts through a medium most comfortable to us.

Times like these, everything comes to a standstill, the mundane takes over and all of us line up to carry out our tasks like bots.  Few things however knocked on my gates…

First, national prejudices; times like these also bring out national prejudices where we indulge in branding countries and people and impose our own pre-conceived notions of various nationalities. Let us realise one thing; “You know nothing, Jon Snow!” People are people…they are the same everywhere. We have different traditions, ways of expression and culture, etc., however, beneath the skin and all the external paraphernalia, we are the same bundle of differences and uniqueness.

Second, Carpe Diem! A reminder that our lives are transient in nature (and even if it is not and we continue to live for centuries); why don’t we ‘let’ [i] all love freely in the time we have here. Love is something that doesn’t come easy. Blessed are those who find love and realise what they have! Let us go beyond social taboos and let consenting adults find their happiness in each other regardless of gender[ii].

Third, love thyself; Rebirth, regeneration, rejuvenation, detoxification, call it whatever you want, without love for self, nothing matters, nothing makes sense.

And now, I want to thank our Indian government for prompt and decisive actions in the face of such an invasion. Many people are ready with spears to poke and criticise and find loopholes, but I believe that this time, it was our own irresponsible and selfish citizens who were irreverent to government directives and broke the quarantine and spread the malaise( individuals who were stamped for home quarantine and who went ahead and travelled in the train and attended weddings and social events and what not!). If only they had followed the directions given at the airport, we wouldn’t have been under lockdown today. The entire country is standing at the edge of a crisis because of a few selfish ignoramuses. There were of course a few who can be absolved as they were genuinely unaware of the seriousness of the situation and unwittingly infected all who came in contact.

People out there, please act responsible! PLEASE! Let us bring this ill to a standstill!

  

  

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[i] (it should not be up to us to have a say, but as a society, we unfortunately evolved like that. It is time to change that now)

[ii] Recommended Watch this week: Korean Movie: The King and the Clown

Vietnam: Day 7, Save the Best for Last!

Getting up on Day 7 brought a mixed bag of feelings…excitement for the grand finale tour we had planned, the distressing thought of saying adieu post that, being thankful for the journey that was, and the soft outpouring of love for an awaited reunion with our loved ones at the end of our sojourn… an olla podrida of emotions! Speaking of which, we dashed through our breakfast and packing and checking out formalities, so that we could head out for our last walkabout in Hanoi. We had our return flight in the evening so we decided to make the most of the morning and afternoon.

Once again, we relied on Grab to get to the Grand grey-granite Ho Chi Mausoleum at Ba Dinh Square straightaway. We landed there on some sort of public holiday (Lunar Calendar) as there was a huge queue and layered security at the entrance itself. We had gone to the square day before in the evening for a walk and it was quite pleasant and sans the tourist crowd, but we couldn’t enter the mausoleum and other areas at that hour. We did catch the change of guard ceremony and lot of cute young army dudes going about their evening routine run!!!

Anyways, we complied with all security requests and stood in line for our meeting with the very revered President Ho Chi Minh. And it was worth all the wait! It still gives me goose bumps! The President’s embalmed body inside the glass case looked so real and awe-inspiring. The resplendently decked military guard standing around him added to the recherché. We paid our respects to the man and his legacy in the few moments we were allowed in his presence.

View of the Stilt House from across the Carp Pond

Thereafter, we headed to check out Ho Chi Minh Museum, the Presidential Palace, and Uncle Ho’s collection of cars followed by his unassuming home, a traditional Vietnamese house built on Stilts still conserved with his humble belongings. It is said that the president chose to stay in the stilt house as opposed to the Presidential Palace in order to step away from the bitter memories of the French decadence and apathy symbolized by the Palace. The house is situated amidst a green well-stocked garden around a carp-pond. It was nice to have the company of little kindergarten munchkins following their teachers in queues learning about the great leader and being inspired at such a formative age.

Presidential Palace

Located inside the same complex is one of Hanoi’s most iconic images, One Pillar Pagoda, another architectural marvel. As the name suggests, it is a structure balancing itself on one single concrete foundation pillar in the middle of a tiny lotus pond connected by a bridge on one side.   

After the grand old Square and presidential complex, witness to all major historical turn of events, we headed towards the West Lake to offer prayers at the TrấnQuốc Pagoda, the oldest in Hanoi (dating back to the 6^th century) located on a small island making it one of the most scenic and serene locations. The pagoda gardens also have an Indian connection featuring the sacred Bodhi Tree (Peepal tree) donated by our first President, Shri Rajendra Prasad in the year 1959. This Pagoda is a definite must visit location in Hanoi.  

The Bodhi Tree

Nearby, we also have Quán Thánh Temple, meaning the ‘Place of the Gods’, a 11^th century temple dedicated to the Taoist god Xuan Wu, the ‘Dark Warrior’, who is especially revered by martial artists. People come to the temple to burn joss paper/ fake money, as an offering to the deceased family members for a comfortable after-life.

The entire area surrounding the West Lake is quite scenic and a pleasant place with fountains, park benches, large green cover, and cafes to relax and unwind, quite far-removed from the lively bustling cacophony of sounds and images of the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake.

To be continued…

P.S. All pictures courtesy myself and my sisters Ami & Vishaka.

Time Travel in Vietnam; Day 6

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way …”

(Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, Para.1, Line, 1)

These contradictions, dichotomies, iniquitousness, unfairness and the travesty of it all…and no, I don’t want to live anywhere but here where I am, in the age where I am. I am under no illusion that the grass is greener anywhere else. There are lot of things I would like to change and experience. However, I am not wistfully dreaming away.  A great loss, a lot of time wasted mulling over things that could be, and finally Vietnam has definitely taught me one thing …LIVE EACH DAY…one day at a time! We all have our dreams, calling, roles and responsibilities and even within our limitations we can do a lot, if only we wanted to…Nothing is less, nothing is more…it is what you want to do with/in your life that matters…

Day 6 in Vietnam. A beautiful blessed day, the entire city washed clean with rain, a light drizzle casting slight doubts on our walkabout; we decided to leap and skip the puddles and carry on. Our first stop was St Joseph's Cathedral right besides us. A catholic church built by the French modelled on Notre Dame De Paris.

After ‘confessing’ our plans to have unlimited fun, we made our way to the quirky old Hanoi Train Street. Albeit being Indians, we have seen all kinds of trains in all possible degrees of rubbernecking; nothing prepares us for the wild and whacky ways of the residents near this rail road. Straight out of science fiction, the train demands a momentary displacement of objects in the way and everything goes back to as it was seconds later. However, we could only imagine the scenario as the track seems to have been closed because of dangerous tourist and commercial activities on and near the railroad! But it is still worth a visit!

Moving ahead with our time travel, we forayed into 11^th century Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university and now more of a temple/shrine dedicated to Confucius. It is green, peaceful, and impressive and one can only visualize how young scholars at the Imperial Academy must have conducted their lives inside this boarding school of yore. Thanks to the Chinese and Korean historical dramas (Scarlet Heart Ryeo, Hwarang, etc), I could bring alive the scenes and breathe in the same aura. There is also a traditional handicraft expo (Ho Van Cultural Village) and a quaint café around a small lake opposite the Temple of literature.

After some hydration and refill there, we marched on to another Unesco Heritage site, the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. A grand enclosure of historical sites panned across three main structures. This place takes the longest to explore! My favourite was D67 Tunnel and House with its bomb shelters and sound proof bunkers where from 1954 to 1975, the People's Army of Vietnam, had its headquarters under General Giáp. There are also lot of exhibitions inside the Citadel and we got lucky to catch one displaying Vietnamese Folk Paintings. There is also a Vietnamese Military History Museum adjacent to the Citadel which we missed, but you can check it out, as I have heard it is quite insightful and features a collection of artefacts and aircrafts from various military campaigns.

The Princess Tower

Inside the Bunker

North Gate, Imperial Citadel

Thereafter, we took a Grab to a picture-perfect miracle garden[i] of sort, Thung lũng hoa Hồ Tây, a vast blooming landscaped flower garden on the banks of West Lake (Tay Ho District), Hanoi. Not much is written about it online. I just came across it while mapping my walkabout around the West Lake area in Hanoi. It is a must visit, but please be mindful of the flowering season. We went in Jan so could enjoy its splendour in full bloom. However, make sure you go there when it is nice and sunny, preferably before four in the evening to get perfect Instagram worthy clicks.

To be Continued…

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[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai_Miracle_Garden

Vietnam: Day 5, Hanoi, Sights & Sounds!

Saying Adieu to Ha long, a place ‘where the dragon descends’ is quite difficult to spell out here. The place infused me with exceptional amount of positive energy with its beautiful and peaceful vistas. It is not that I haven’t seen beautiful places before but most of them are often marred by some man-made disturbance or the memory of it, except perhaps most of Switzerland. Vietnam was also in the throes of such a tortured past, but the entire community chose to move ahead and build a peaceful home for their present. However, I believe it is unquestionably imperative to remember the past, as those who don’t, are condemned to repeat it.

The Vietnamese have also paid tribute to each of their fallen martyrs, as they were re-building their home. One such memorial is Hoa Lo Prison (Maison Centrale). The unnerving stillness of various life-like prison re-constructions can evoke a gamut of emotions subject to our views. The Vietnamese called the place Hoa Lo (Hell’s Hole) and the American POWs sarcastically referred to it as Hanoi Hilton. Although, the Americans would question the depiction of humane treatment of American POWs, I don’t think they have any right to question it. It was a gruesome place of torture and a stark reminder of the past as well as a warning to all those who rally for war and retribution at the slightest provocation! Recalling the memories of the place brings to my mind this beautifully stark poem penned by Ocean Vuong, a Vietnamese-American poet.

Kissing in Vietnamese By Ocean Vuong[i]

My grandmother kisses

as if bombs are bursting in the backyard,
where mint and jasmine lace their perfumes
through the kitchen window,
as if somewhere, a body is falling apart
and flames are making their way back
through the intricacies of a young boy’s thigh,
as if to walk out the door, your torso
would dance from exit wounds.
When my grandmother kisses, there would be
no flashy smooching, no western music
of pursed lips, she kisses as if to breathe
you inside her, nose pressed to cheek
so that your scent is relearned
and your sweat pearls into drops of gold
inside her lungs, as if while she holds you
death also, is clutching your wrist.
My grandmother kisses as if history
never ended, as if somewhere
a body is still
falling apart.

I have a habit of going off on a tangent catching a ride on every wisp of thought that strays across my mind. I think my mind oscillates betwixt dancing in a trance and struck Argus-eyed like a deer! 

Anyhow, next on our walking tour was the Vietnamese Women’s Museum[ii] a modern museum showcasing the ‘his’tory, culture, fashion style of Vietnamese women. It was interesting and quite informative with lot of videos and photo essays. We continued ahead straight into the heart of French Quarter of Hanoi, to the Hanoi Opera House. It transports you instantly to the old continent because of its French-inspired architecture. I have so far watched only one opera show till date and I remember it quite vividly, although not just for the performance! It was Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District[iii] at the Geneva Opera House; thought-provoking, mesmerizing, and a complete sensory delight! I was a studying back then and went there along with hundred odd fellow students with sponsored tickets. In the middle of a particularly poignant scene, there was a slip and a nip and one of us brilliant scholars couldn’t contain their inner imp and let out a tiny giggle! For a moment there was complete and utter silence as the stupefaction permeated our rows. And then it happened! Our herd of distinguished monkeys couldn’t contain it anymore and we all let out scattered squeals of amusement with the speed of toppling dominoes until, one of the elderly ladies sitting ahead admonished us with a stern shush! O Horror, horror, horror[iv] of it!

@ Hanoi Opera House 2020

@ Geneva Opera House 2007

Coming back to Vietnam, we moved on to Trang Tien Plaza overlooking the Hoan Kiem lake from the French side. The Plaza is a high-end shopping mall complete with all major luxury fashion brands. We just availed the washrooms and scampered! Then we headed around the lake to the iconic red-painted bridge over the lake (Cau The Huc / The Huc Bridge) and then across to Den Ngoc Son temple (Temple of the Jade Mountain). We didn’t go inside this temple as there was an entry fee. However, the place around the lake is quite tranquil and scenic and we rested on one of the benches nearby.

Inside the Plaza

After that, we zig-zagged across streets to the Ceramic Mosaic Mural Road[v], one of the longest of its kind. We covered only a short distance as the road adjacent was quite busy and noisy and we didn’t want to crash into anything while admiring the scenes along. The scenes are quite fascinating and varied from modern art to children’s painting and depictions of Vietnamese culture and history. The work culminates at the pier of Long Bien Bridge, another historic construction in Hanoi, but overly congested with traffic around the area[vi]. We walked across to Dong Xuan Market and adjoining streets and then made our way back to the Hoan Kiem lake area after dinner for a pleasant night time stroll.

Temples along the way 

Temples on the way

Preparations for a concert near the Lake area

Across the Jade Temple

To be continued…

P.S. I suggest entirely skipping the walk to Ceramic Mosaic Mural, Long Bien Bridge, Dong Xuan Market! Traffic is unsettling! Check out Sapa instead! We had originally planned the walk this way, but we finished very early and hence had lot of time on our hands. I suggest, you can take an overnight limousine bus ride to check out Sapa and come back to Hanoi same day.

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[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_Vuong

[ii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_Women%27s_Museum

[iii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Macbeth_of_the_Mtsensk_District_(opera)

[iv] https://www.azquotes.com/author/13382-William_Shakespeare/tag/horror

[v] We had originally planned the walk this way but we finished very early and hence had lot of time on our hands. I suggest, you can take an overnight limousine bus ride to check out Sapa and come back to Hanoi same day.

[vi] I suggest entirely skipping the walk to Ceramic Mosaic Mural, Long Bien Bridge, Dong Xuan Market! Traffic is unsettling! Check out Sapa instead!

Vietnam Day 4: Back to Hanoi! Shopping & Savouring!

We made our way back to Hanoi and had planned to spend the day checking out some famous Hanoi old quarter streets known for their wares; Hang Gai [i](Hemp / Silk Street), and Hang Dau [ii] (Bags and Shoes) in particular. Many of the streets are named after the wares they sell, there is a silver jewellery street, and one that sells only chocolates, one with wooden handmade products like combs, spoons, etc. I forgot the name of the street which sells chocolates but it is on the same street where the famous Bach Ma temple[iii] is located. Our day was exclusively set for shopping and indulging our taste buds. However, I will pool all our food and drink and shopping recommendations together here.  

We started with some street food right besides our homestay[iv] (Hanoi Old Quarter Homestay). We were recommended Bún Dậu Thập Cẩm and but maybe because the rice vermicelli noodle cake was served cold, the sausages and fried tofu were dripping oil and the shrimp paste was quite pungent …we didn’t enjoy it very much.

I suggest going for fresh grilled dishes with rice/rice noodles and side dishes, instead of fried ones.  We had a great time grilling our own food in one of those Korean style barbeque pavement joints( around the corner from our homestay) where we selected our own meat and veggies to be grilled and then had an exciting time listening to the sizzle on our stove grill and gobbling them down with chopsticks…We used chopsticks everywhere we went. It is easy and fun once you get the hang of it. This table top K Town grill experience is a must, especially for all my fellow crazy K Drama fans!

For a quick bite while shopping, you can try Banh Xeo (Crispy Pancake) Vietnamese omelette loaded with all the goodies you can think of! One must savour steaming hot Banh Bao [v] (easily available in any of the street food joints) and Salty Cheese Buns at King Roti [vi] (Really yum…melts in your mouth!). The liquid nitrogen infused cereal balls also known as Dragon's Breath are also a fun treat if you want some great videos of vapours escaping your nose and mouth! It tastes okay and we were fine after eating. However, do not indulge little kids just to be on the safe side.

Dragon's Breath Candy

                                                   

For lunch, you can try Noodle & Roll. They have a great menu to choose from including vegan options. We went there twice as it was right behind our alley and was quite cheap. We got to finally try fresh Vietnamese Spring rolls (Goi Cuon) and they immediately registered into our favourite food list along with Bun Bo Nam Bo and grilled meat on lettuce wraps! Many a times we have had Bánh mì (Vietnamese Bread Sandwich with choice of fillings) for an early lunch. Make sure, you have it at a street joint popular with locals and tourists and fresh and hot. It is a safe bet and fills you up for all the walking around.

For dinner, the quintessential Vietnamese Pho is a must try, although you can get it everywhere throughout the day. If you want to eat at a good restaurant with a decently priced menu, I highly recommend Gecko[viii] . Must try their Fish/Veg options in lemongrass flavoured tangy sauce with a side of rice and Cinnamon and Honey tea for a drink. We could never try any of the high-end restaurants as we would always grab a quick bite of something while roaming around and then would not be hungry enough for a proper fine-dining experience! We also missed out Cha Ca La Vong, Vietnamese turmeric fish with dill and noodles. I suggest you don’t miss it… and try it when you are there!

Dinner @ Gecko

The coffee lovers can try all sorts of coffee here. I personally liked the cold versions of Vietnamese coffee and make sure you load yourself with the Vietnamese instant coffee sachets for a steaming cuppa wherever you go! My sisters tried Vietnamese local beer and found it quite light and breezy. There are all sorts of international fast food joints around the Hoan Kiem Lake area, but we avoided them like plague to save space for local cuisine at all times. Best decision ever!

The entire Old Quarter is a shopper’s delight. It has all sorts of bric-a-brac and is a lucky treasure hunt sort of experience overall. We got some nice bargains for good fancy bags, shoes, clothes, and souvenirs. The Hang Gai street tailors promise you a customised outfit in 24 hours at a good bargain. We can buy the Vietnamese traditional costume Áo dài[ix] for just around (250000 VND/ 773 Rupees/ 11 $), or you can get it custom made in pure silk for around Rs 4000/- (55 $).

The Hanoi Night Market area (personal favourite) is lively during the day also with shops where you can drive a hard bargain and come out smiling ear to ear! Beautiful dresses, shoes, trinkets, caps, hats, silk scarves and shawls, you name it …and the place’s got it! Every minute we had, after our walking sight seeing tours, we headed straight to Old Quarter to explore a new street each evening. The Dong Xuan Market is a whole sale market, you can skip it unless you are looking for some good quality leather bags (good copies).  

The French Quarter is mostly a high-end shopping area with elegant French architecture and wide-open spaces and roads, a complete opposite of the Old Quarter, but showcasing another part of Hanoi history and lifestyle. Do try Mochi Ice-cream at Kem Trang Tien, while checking out the Trang Tien Plaza. We didn’t buy anything inside the plaza but it provides the cleanest place for a toilet break in the area!

To be continued…

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[i] https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/shopping/hang-gai-street/

[ii] https://www.vietnamonline.com/maps/hanoi/hang-dau-street.html

[iii] Closed for renovation when we were there!

[iv] https://www.booking.com/hotel/vn/hanoi-old-quarter-homestay.en-gb.html

[v] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bánh_bao

[vi] https://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant_Review-g293924-d9767745-Reviews-King_Roti-Hanoi.html  

[vii] https://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurant_Review-g293924-d2095487-Reviews-Gecko_Restaurant_89_hang_Bo-Hanoi.html

[viii] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Áo_dài