Evening constitutional in Lenin Park

This photo was taken in mid-winter (January 2003) - hence the misty atmosphere, part-pollution, part-humidity. The park has since been renamed something memorable like "Hanoi Public Park", while the little square in front of the old citadel where the statue of Lenin still stands is now called "Lenin Park". For me, however, the name Lenin Park is still linked to the much larger green space in the southern part of the city centre. In the early 1990s, when I first went there, the Park was also home to the remains of a B52 bomber, but that has also been removed - possibly to preserve it from gradual demolition by souvenir hunters. (The B52 museum in Can Doi street is worth a visit - it also has a MIG fighter and various other interesting means of destruction). Otherwise, the Park has some fun rides for kids, a Chinese restaurant with a very good reputation (whenever I've tried to go there it has been closed!), open spaces for badminton, football and callisthenics, and a lake with a two kilometre diameter that is very popular with joggers and walkers. In fine weather the lake is also crowded with little boats, especially foot-powered paddle-wheelers. The park also has musak, broadcast from numerous loudspeakers hung around the trees. At night, when it is closed, it is also a major hangout for the city's working women.