Day 7

 

Sunday May 12

Zoey Schentzel & Emilee Schuetz

After an adventure packed first few days, an additional small bit of sleep was much needed. But no fret, we had a city to explore and were on the bus by 8:30 am. We were bound for the Vietnam Women’s Museum, where we learned about the importance of women in Vietnamese culture. We spent a couple of hours there learning about the roles of women throughout history, family hierarchy, afterlife beliefs and traditions, fashion and lots more. Notably, 87% of women are Vietnamese. However, the museum highlights several other backgrounds. One thing that stood out was the traditions done for family members who have passed away. The Vietnamese believe that this life is temporary, but the afterlife is permanent and therefore they want their loved ones to be free, have their possessions, and unrestricted to roam. By burning imitations of the ancestor’s belongings, they will have them in the afterlife. For example, fake American money will be burned so their loved one could travel to the States. Paper houses or toy cars are also burned. Another tribute that stood out to many of us was the wall of women recognized by the government for their heroism, bravery or service; these women lost their husbands but did not remarry per the cultural tradition. We are grateful for visiting the women’s museum and I believe it is safe to say that we are all greatly amazed at the physical and mental strength women have shown in this country. We left the museum with a greater respect and encouragement to support women on the streets selling fruit, vegetables, meat, flowers, or artwork.

Women's Museum

Lunch was an adventure in itself, as we tried several street foods and walked the streets of Hanoi. Starting off, we had banh mi: a baguette filled with either pork or chicken, papaya salad, greens, and spicy mayo.  These are a staple in Vietnam so the trip wouldn’t have been complete without us enjoying a country novelty. The next food was similar to pho (pronounced fu), however it did not have broth. The dish contained rice noodles, chicken, papaya, crushed peanuts, chives, and cilantro. Additionally, we added garlic slices, vinegar, red chilis and juice of fresh limes. The flavors were vibrant but worked together beautifully to make a delicious bowl.

Bahn Mi

The third dish was steamed rice that was ground and cooked to make what could be compared to a crepe or rice paper. Inside was minced mushrooms and pork and then wrapped like a spring roll. The roll was served in a broth with chives. The roll was a different approach to rice but all the flavors were simply delicious. Again, I believe I speak on behalf of all to say I would be more than happy to eat any of the dishes again, especially the last two.

I cannot forget to mention my personal favorite, sugar cane juice. Sugar cane is pressed and juiced, resulting in a delightful, sweet, and refreshing treat – perfect for the hot and humid weather.

With full and happy bellies, we walked a few blocks to the original creators (1946) of the Vietnam famous egg coffee: fresh espresso coffee with sweet meringue. Using condensed milk, egg whites, and a little sugar, the barista whips together a meringue and beautifully pours it over the Vietnamese grown espresso.

Enjoying Egg Coffee

Our next stop was the “Hanoi Hilton” Prison, where only a third of the original prison is left. It was built in the mid-1800’s by the French as a prison for Vietnamese political prisoners.  About 65% of the remaining prison was dedicated to the French atrocities, and the last part was about the “war with the Americans”.  This tour really reinforced the old adage that “history is written by the winners”.  Conditions were terrible for all prisoners, regardless of what country they were from.  Pictures and stories about the late Senator John McCain and US Representative from SD Leo Thorness were among what we saw.  Representative Thorness was also a Jackrabbit alumni https://www.sdstate.edu/military-science/thorsness .  Much of the exhibits emphasized the sacrifices and suffering the Vietnamese were willing to endure to win the war.  There was also a section at the end talking about reconciliation, peace, and moving forward together.

Hanoi Hilton

We then watched a water puppet show that was very entertaining even though it was all in Vietnamese. Puppets were 2’ high and ranges from farmers to dragons to fish to soldiers, and were very colorful.  They were operated from the bottom underneath water by puppeteers behind a screen.  It was accompanied by live Vietnamese musicians. After the puppet show we got to have free time by Haon Kiem lake.  However, we had to wait for about 20 minutes because an incredible thunderstorm rolled in and the downpour caused streets to flood. Most of the group went to get massages, which was a big highlight, while the rest went to get some US food and do some shopping. The group that went to get food found this restaurant that had great wood fired pizza and refreshments. We all met up after that and went back to the hotel.

Water Puppet Show