The last day of our tour was entirely in Hanoi. We started off with a visit to the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam. It was founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, scholars and education in general. Initially the focus was on educating the elite. The gates entering the temple were wonderfully named. It was clear that education was important in this space.

Those who passed their exams had their accomplishments and names written in stone steles that were mounted on the backs of stone turtles. Turtle were thought to represent longevity and luck. Some of these monuments of accomplishment date back to the 14th Century.

Confucius and his best students are commemorated in the inner buildings. Confucius’s teachings form one of the three founding philosophies of Vietnamese culture, the other two are Taoism and Buddhism. Confucius influences can be seen in the deep respect the Vietnamese have for their parents and ancestors and education. Confucius promoted the “5 contestant virtues” of benevolence, righteousness, ritual/propriety, wisdom and trust.

While we were there, a group of high school aged youth arrived for teachings and a tour of the facility. Of course, many wanted to practice their English and take pictures with Dale.

There was an extraordinary sculpture garden at the temple reflecting the New Year of the Horse.

Our next stop after the Temple was the Women’s museum, a tribute to the contributions of women to Vietnamese society. The 4-story museum told the story of women’s roles and leadership during the wars of the 20th century. It also described and displayed the daily lives of families and in particular the cultural clothing of women from the 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam.

At this point we were ready for lunch and were once again whisked off for a delicious meal of local food. Sated we returned to the hotel for rest before our farewell dinner. Jane and I took the opportunity to get a pedicure.

Our tour ended after dinner. It was sad to part with this lovely group of folk. We were so lucky to have such a compatible group of companions. Everyone was game for whatever was thrown at us. People showed up on time and were respectful to each other. We had a lot of fun and many laughs along the way. Our group guide was phenomenal and we felt lucky to get led by someone who was so knowledgeable about cultures, faith practices, and politics of the 4 countries we explored.

We shift to our airB&B on Friday at noon. We have 4 more days in Hanoi to explore more of the city and what Dale experienced on his trips to Hanoi almost 10 years ago.