Rendezvous after thirteen years- Hanoi and Siem Reap

Rendezvous after thirteen years- Hanoi and Siem Reap

Sun-Hoo Foo 符傳孝 (109-74-32) 1-2

January 20, 2019

Stepping in the Hotel Mövenpick(“picking seagull”), we know  Immediately we were here 13 years ago. The large circle glass window overlooking  the lobby and brilliant Chandeliers can not be mistaken. Dad was there with us. I decide to intertwine the past and present imageries. Those from the sweet distant memories are framed in burgundy, like a full flavor mesmerizing wine.

We were in the similar forward facing tricycles touring the old quarter of Hanoi, only now  in red color awning.

Our destiny was the same Vietnamese traditional water puppet show, only the audience are different.

This time,  we did not have time to visit the elegant curved red bridge of Hoam Kiem Lake(還劍湖Hái jiàn hú)。 The following photo is the “dragon gate” written on the top with red ink. The couplet from right to left  literally says : “.Brush and ink are the tools for great essays and the ability to pass the exam of Tang and Song is the ladder to prominence for the scholar.”

The mundane yet  inspiring couplet(對聯Duìlián) , black Han characters on white background, were the same.

For a moment 13 y ago when I first wandered into this setting, everysight seemed so familiar, I thought it was a proof of reincarnation,  since  I  could not possibly go to a communist country in my younger year. That must be Déjà vu. Only later did I recall  an incidence that a  Typhon diverted my CPA flight to Taipei and  landed  in Hanoi in the 70 during  my summer vacation to Brunei, and I had an unexpected mysterious tour of this unique lake and literature college.

CAIPA group posted at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The parliament in the background  was not there.  The bamboo bushes were more abundant then.

We were able to feed  the fish in the pound in Ho Chi Minh’s resident.  We were told the fish were sold to the local market in his time to supplement expense. It appeared we were looking at the same roots of the tree ( can’t remember what is the name of this tree). Wonder if the sticking “Buddha root” have grown at all.

Temple of Literature, was the first Vietnam’s University,built in the 11th century. 13 y ago  dad was astounded with the Stele (碑be)i and tried to decode the fading inscriptions.There were humongous amount of fish on the pound, Not sure it is there now.

Couplet on the wall: “One becomes immortal after excel in the minister exam (right)  and it is an esteemed honor looking out from the palace wall (left). There is now a fence to block the access.

I long to visit Angkor Wat again. It rained last time. We climbed up to the temple that lead to heaven, ran out of memory chip, I missed the iconic shot at sunset. This time the temple was closed for the holy day.and we were not allowed to climb up.

We were at “S-21” and also the killing field during the previous visit. This is a  dark history of Cambodia and the world. It is a reminder of how one could manipulate teens to result in such a despicable crime. A tower in the killing fields hold the skulls and remains of the innocent victims

And the butterflies in the serene green grass pits are the incarnation?

Dad  left us  4 years ago.  He was here enjoyed the time and company together in 2005. Sunrise , sunset.  The physical surroundings and the temples artifacts of the past glories remain。The great gushing Yangtze with piling waves flows towards the east, Away it carries gallant souls of the remote bygone days.-- BettyTseng (大江東去。浪淘盡。千古風流人物 )

and the following verses keep resurfacing in my mind.

去年今日此門中，人面桃花相映紅

人面不知何處去，桃花依舊笑春風

Last year in this villa on the same day,  
On blushed face the fine peach-blossoms portrayed.
Today, O You're gone, my Fair, but where, please?  
Peach-blossoms are still smiling in Spring breeze!

the Wall of a Southern Villa at the Capital    
-- by CUI HU (Tang Dynasty) -- Translated by Frank C Yue

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fX8fncivHR8QyvpE2BexTVKGnmfDy3lj01YAbrnTrVA/edit?usp=sharing