Christmas in Hanoi

Metropole Staff ©aesta1 All rights reserved.

Little did I know that the Vietnamese also celebrate Christmas maybe not with the religious meaning except for a few Christians in the country but for the other symbols like Santa, jingles, poinsettias, Christmas trees and parties.

Hanoi was full of Christmas symbols and shopping streets selling Christmas ornaments were busy. We even managed to get a turkey, some dried cranberries at prices beyond what they're worth but the spirit was there and we enjoyed ourselves.

We had a great Christmas lunch at the Metropole, a gift from our son's family, and it was sumptuous with a local choir in Santa costumes.

Metropole ©aesta1 All rights reserved.

Other Interesting Posts on Hanoi:

Tour West Lake in an Enviro Buggy

One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi

One Pillar Pagoda ©aesta1 All rights reserved.

Last weekend we decided to check out the One Pillar Pagoda here in Hanoi. It is touted as one of the two iconic temples in Vietnam. The other temple is the Perfume Pagoda.

An old Buddhist temple, the Old Pillar Pagoda is still a place for Vietnamese to make offering and pray.It is often crowded as it is just beside another popular attraction, the Ho Chi Minh Memorial.

This pagoda was built by King Ly Thai Tho who ruled in 1028-1054. King Ly Thai Tho according to court records was childless but one day he dreamt of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara who handed him a baby son. He immediately married a peasant girl who bore him a son so in gratitude for this gift, he built this temple in the middle of the lotus pond akin to what he dreamt.

Offering at One Pillar Pagoda ©aesta1 All rights reserved.

Other Interesting Posts on Hanoi:

Tour West Lake in an Enviro Buggy