25 Sept 2012 ~ Hoan Kiem Lake Environs

Listening to:  Emiliani Torrini ~ White Rabbit (2011 Sucker Punch)


For any Grace Slick/White Rabbit fans, I found this to be a pretty good cover.

Supposedly when the French set foot in Hanoi in the latter part of the 19th century Hoan Kiem Lake was an unhealthy lagoon surrounded by huts. Today the lake is encircled by an attractive park. Here are some statues to be found.

 

 

The earth sculpture seems typically communist but I like the country of Vietnam outline as the forefront.

I especially am impressed with the topiary dragons.

A Socialist Realist statue stands at the intersection at the northern end of the lake.

Following up on the turtle comments from yesterday, the lake allegedly still contains some very large tortoises. My guidebook said one was captured in 1968 reputed to have weighed 500 lbs (250 kg).

Of course there is a Wikipedia entry for the Hoan Kiem Turtle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoan_Kiem_turtle