Hanoi!
We get to the Old Quarter of Hanoi the following afternoon. This area is absolutely beautiful, with the colonial architecture and abundance of shops and restaurants. We stayed at the Silk Path Boutique hotel, which sits on the lake in the heart of the quarter.
We chose to dine early at a nearby restaurant called Quan An Ngon, which means "tasty food." Beside the food being, in fact, very tasty, the restaurant's design was pretty cool. Although modern, instead of having one kitchen, there were many small, traditional kitchens around the perimeter of the restaurant. One made sticky rice dishes. Another made soups. Noodles. Rolls and dips. Etc.
We had our dinner early so we could walk around Ho Guom lake.
At the north end, across The Huc bridge, is a small island with the Ngoc Son shrine. The shrine celebrates General Tan Hung Dao, Vietnam's greatest national hero. He won three wars against Chinese invaders. He is practically considered a saint. Always weaving ancient history with myth, the story goes that the general won his battles with the assistance of a giant turtle who inhabited the lake. The turtle gifted the general with a magical sword. (There is also a monument to the turtle on a small island in the middle of the lake. It is not accessible - look but don't touch!) So, I guess what they say is true: if a turtle is with you, who can stand against you?
