Hoan Kiem Lake

Last night after a tasty meal we rode over to Hoan Kiem Lake, which is in the historic 'Old Quarter' area of Hanoi. Hoan Kiem Lake was originally called Luc Thuy Lake. According to Legend, a fisherman named Le Than caught a sword blade when drawing up his fishing net. He decided to offer it to his commanding general Le Loi. Afterwards, Le Loi found a handle fitting the blade, the sword never left his side during the ten years of resistance against Chinese Ming aggressors. After defeating the aggressors, he became King Le Thai To and returned home. One day, he took a cruise in the lake and suddenly, a giant turtle emerged and came towards him. The King withdrew his sword and and pointed it in the direction of the advancing turtle to alert his soldiers' attention. All of a sudden the turtle caught the sword betweeen its teeth, took it from the King's hand and submerged. The King thought that during the resistance against Ming aggressors, the turtle had offered him this sword to help him defeat the enemy and now that there was peace, the turtle appeared to take back the sword. King Le Thai To decided to rename Luc Thuy lake as Ho Hoan Kiem, Lake of Resorted Sword.

In the middle of the lake is Thap Rua, or Turtle Temple. The lake abounds in large turtles, aged a hundred years old plus. Locals say, when there are changes in weather, the turtles emerge or expose themselves at the foot of the Turtle Temple and if an onlooker spots one, they are assured good luck. We didn't see a turtle but we did enjoy the beautiful evening sitting by the lake watching the bats fly back and forth while drinking a cold glass of sugar cane juice.