Life Around the Lake

Whenever I tell someone I live by Truc Bach Lake, they always comment on how nice the area is. I couldn't agree with it more. Some Hanoians still call this area a village. There are residents who have lived here for many, many years. It's also a popular area for foreigners. The apartments here are not cheap; most start at US$2,000.
If you recall in one of my earlier blogs, John McCain fell into this lake when he was shot down in 1967. Below are pictures of some activities around the lake.



Women doing Tai-Chi in the morning








A street vendor selling bananas on her bicycle. There are usually at least half a dozen such vendors in the morning, selling all kinds of tropical fruits: pineapples, dragon fruits, pomeloes, guavas, oranges (with a green skin), jackfruit, etc.







Another group of vendors selling flowers on the sidewalk. Vietnam grows a lot of flowers.








Someone selling porcelain plates, bowls, pots, etc.









Another group of vendors on the sidewalk selling vegetables and fruits. On my side of the road where I took this picture is a market with stalls selling meat and vegetables and other grocery items.








There is even a gym (sort of) by the lake. There are only 2 barbells. One of the bars is actually made of bamboo. I come here to lift weights after my run. It's no 24-Hr Fitness or LA Fitness but hey...it's free. There is a bunch of local guys who just hang out and chat in the morning.





Someone selling food. I think it's porridge.
In the evening, there are outdoor cafes' around the lake selling drinks. There are also many restaurants serving hot-pots in the evening.








Paddle boats shaped like swan. They are popular at night with young couples.








There are many restaurants and bars catering to foreigners around the lake. Here you see a pub







Where there is a lake, there is water. This guy is adding to the water level in the lake. Unfortunately, the locals dump all kinds of stuff into the lake. It's one of the most polluted lakes in Hanoi. In spite of that, there are people fishing in the lake. I hope they don't take it home for dinner or sell it.





To my American friends and family: Happy Thanksgiving!
Some of my friends in Vietnam have heard of Thanksgiving but of course, they don't celebrate it here. Some restaurants offer Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day but I don't think I miss turkey that much. But I miss the candied yam and pecan pie.

John McCain

You are probably wondering why I am writing about John McCain.
The first picture on the left is a plaque commemorating John McCain being shot down on October 26, 1967, and fell into the lake in the background. The lake is called Truc Bach Lake and it happens to be where my apartment is.
I either walk or run past this plaque almost every day. I didn't know about the John McCain connection until more than a month after I have lived here.





Here is another view of the lake.
My apartment is somewhere between the two tall apartments on the left and the tall apartment on the right.










Here is the entrance to Hoa Lo prison, popularly referred to as the "Hanoi Hilton." I don't know why it's called Maison Centrale on the front entrance. The prison is about 3 blocks from my office.
I think most people come here expecting to see a lot about John McCain. Well, there's actually very little mention of John McCain, maybe about 3 or 4 pictures. There is a room devoted to American pilots being imprisoned here during the Vietnam war.



The prison focusses more on Vietnamese insurgents fighting the French in the late 19th and early 20th century. It shows the tough conditions that the Vietnamese prisoners had to endure while they were imprisoned here.
The Vietnamese finally defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.
Today, only part of the prison remains and as you can see in the background, most of the old prison is occupied by a tall apartment and office building complex called Hanoi Towers.