Ngu Xa Temple and Quan Thank Temple

Much of Hanoi is oriented around West Lake, 500 hectares (1,235 acres) in size with a shore length of 17 km (10.6 miles) and we walk the few blocks from the old town markets over to the lake.  Just to the  southeast of West Lake is Truc Bach Lake, a small area separated from West Lake by a narrow dike.  Truc Bach Lake is the site where John McCain landed when his plane was shot down during the war.

Truc Bach Lake

Just a block from Truc Bach Lake, we pass a Ngu Xa Temple, a small temple on the side street, and wander in.

Ngu Xa Temple

We exit the temple and continue walking toward West Lake, passing many people fishing in the lakes.

An afternoon fishing

At West Lake, we stop in at the Quan Thank Temple, a taoist temple dating back to the 11th century.  The temple's name means "Place of the Gods" and it is one of the four sacred temples of Hanoi, oriented in four different directions of the wind and worshipping four different Gods to protect the city.  Quan Thank is dedicated to Tran Vu, Deity of the North in Taoism, whose symbols of power are the serpent and the turtle.

Quan Thank Temple

Both temples were small, but delightful to visit.