Hoa Lu – The Ancient Capital of Vietnam

On January 14, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Vietnam11 Comments

Located about an hour south of Hanoi is Hoa Lu in the Ninh Binh Province. Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam in the 10th and 11th centuries. There are two temples on the site, one for the first emperor of Vietnam, Ninh Bo Linh, and the other temple is dedicated to the second emperor, Lê Hoàn. The two temples are very similar with the temple dedicated to Ninh Bo Linh being slightly more elaborate.

Inside the Temple Dedicated to Dinh Bo Linh

Temple of Đinh Tiên Hoàn is the temple dedicated to Ninh Bo Linh and is located on the grounds of former palace. Ninh Bo Linh defeated all of the other competing warlords to create the first imperial dynasty of Vietnam. The temple was built to face the river with the mountains behind it in order to create positive energy. As you enter the grounds of Hoa Lu, the Temple of Đinh Tiên Hoàn is to your left and the Temple of Lê Đại Hành is to your right.

The Temple of Lê Đại Hành is dedicated to Lê Hoàn who was the head of Ninh Bo Linh’s army. When Ninh Bo Linh died, his son, Dinh Toan, was only six years old, so Lê Hoàn was named as his regent. There was a rebellion to try and overthrow Lê Hoàn’s authority, but he successfully defeated those who attacked him and he officially took control of the country and created the second imperial dynasty of Vietnam. Lê Hoàn also married Ninh Bo Linh’s widow and had two sons of his own.

The history of Hoa Lu as the ancient capital of Vietnam is certainly quite interesting. Later, in the early 11th century, the capital of Vietnam was moved from Hoa Lu to what is now the city of Hanoi. Hoa Lu was the first stop on our tour of the Ninh Binh Province and we spent about two hours walking the grounds and visiting the temples.

Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple in Hanoi, Vietnam

On January 10, 2020January 13, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Vietnam5 Comments

Located in the heart of Hanoi’s old quarter is Hoan Kiem Lake or Lake of the Restored Sword. It is a popular place for locals and tourists to stroll around and enjoy the beautiful scenery in the otherwise hectic streets of Hanoi. There is a small, tree-filled island on the lake where the Ngoc Son Temple with a red bridge spanning from the shore to the island. There is another small island on the lake that is home to Turtle Tower, which is a focal point as you walk around the lake.

Artwork Representing the Return of the Sword

The lake gets its name from the legend of Emperor Lợi who received a magical sword in order to defeat the Chinese. After defeating the Chinese armies, a Golden Turtle God, Kim Qui, came to surface of the lake and asked Emperor Lợi to return the sword to the Dragon King who had given it to him. So Emperor Lợi gave Kim Qui the sword and renamed the lake Ho Hoan Kiem, which means Lake of the Restored Sword or Lake of the Returned Sword. Turtle Tower stands near the center of the lake to commemorate that event. There are still a small number of turtles in the lake although they are rarely seen.

Entrance Leading to the Island and the Temple

Ngoc Son Temple, or Pagoda, is mostly dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao who defeated the Mongolian armies of Emperor Kublai Khan in the 13th century. The name of the temple translates to Temple of the Jade Mountain and the island itself is called Jade Island. The is a nominal fee in order to go to the island and visit the temple and it is open from 8:00 to 17:00 daily. It is one of the most visited sites within Hanoi’s old quarter, so expect plenty of crowds.

During the week, the lake attracts tourists and locals alike in order to walk the tree-lined sidewalk that surrounds the lake. It is an oasis of tranquility in the otherwise bustling streets of the old quarter. On weekend nights, however, the streets around the lake are converted to walking streets with a market and stages with live music. People gather to play games, eat, listen to music, and generally have fun. It is very lively and very crowded with lots of families coming to enjoy the festivities.

Streets Converted Around the Lake on the Weekend

Our hotel was only a couple of blocks from Hoan Kiem Lake and we walked by it several times. Seeing it at sunset is quite beautiful as well, but it is worth visiting at any time of day. It is also worth paying the small entrance fee to see Ngoc Son Temple with its golden turtle statues and beautiful architecture. There are also a couple of touristy restaurants on the shore of the lake, which are worthwhile, but be sure to explore the old quarter and getting street food there as well.

The Food of Hanoi, Vietnam

On January 8, 2020January 9, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Food, Vietnam16 Comments

During our trip to Vietnam, we enjoyed a variety of wonderful meals with different types of food. There were plenty of seafood, pork, and beef dishes, including Bún Chả and Phở. We also had the opportunity to take a local cooking class, which was one of our favorite memories of our time in Hanoi. In addition to eating at several restaurants in Hanoi, we also took several day trips that allowed us to taste food from the countryside as well.

Bún Chả is a traditional Vietnamese dish that originated in Hanoi and is made with grilled pork and noodles with a dipping sauce. It is usually served with condiment bowls of minced garlic and sliced hot peppers that can be added to your individual taste. Fried spring rolls are also commonly served with Bún chả. We definitely enjoyed eating Bún Chả and even visited the Bun Cha Ta restaurant twice during our stay in Hanoi. Bún Chả was also one of the items that we learned to make during our cooking class and we’ll definitely be making it for ourselves at home.

Phở is a Vietnamese soup that is usually made of beef, broth, herbs and noodles, but it can be made with chicken or pork as well. Unlike Bún Chả where you don’t drink the broth, Phở is a soup and you eat the meat and noodles with chopsticks and use a spoon to eat the broth. Once again you can add hot peppers to your Phở in order to make it spicier, but add them slowly as they are very spicy. Our hotel recommended that Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su, which is in the old quarter near way were staying and based on the lines, it is extremely popular with locals and tourists alike.

Egg Coffee is another traditional Vietnamese item and something that we had a couple of times and also made during our cooking class. It is coffee that is made with egg yokes and condensed milk, which makes it rich and sweet. We also ate seafood at a restaurant on the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake as well as during our overnight cruise on Halong Bay. During our tour to Ninh Binh, we were treated to a meal with fried spring rolls and a stew made with goat, potatoes, and carrots. Goat was a traditional dish for the Ninh Binh Province. During our tour of Perfume Pagoda, we were treated to an overwhelming array of local dishes that included beef, pork, chicken, and vegetables.

Cooked Banana with Chocolate and Coconut

Obviously there are plenty of restaurants featuring western food, but we only ate at restaurants featuring local cuisine. Our chopstick skills definitely improved during our time in Vietnam as well since they were often the only utensils offered. We certainly enjoyed trying as much of the famous street food of Hanoi and the surrounding area as possible. We are definitely looking forward to recreating as many of the meals as we can in the upcoming months.