Following the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum area, we headed to a place that made beautiful lacquer artworks...and bought one!
Next brief stop was a park right next to our hotel, where brides and grooms were being photographed day and night when we were there...a tradition in Hanoi. We joined in the fun and shot one couple, with their permission.
Our next stop was the "Hanoi Hilton" prison, built by the French in the late 1800s to house Vietnamese political prisoners...which would include any Vietnamese opposed to colonization. The prison, whose real name is Hai Lo, became famous (or infamous) during the Vietnam War for housing American POWs, including John McCain, whose flying suit is on display:
Of course, the prison-turned-museum emphasized the cruelty of the French to the Vietnamese during colonial days, and how well the US POWs were treated during the War...the latter rebutted by those that were "guests" there.
More in Part 3.
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