Good Friday

We have had several inquiries about how the Vietnamese celebrate Easter. Well, most of them don't know much about it. Even Martin had to be reminded about the weekend and what he knew about it--"Bunny," he said and nodded. But our hotel is two blocks from the Cathedral. We discovered it our first evening in Hanoi, a Sunday, when we went out to dinner and discovered Sunday mass was being broadcast outdoors and hundreds of people seemed to be celebrating mass in the square outside the church. The French were here a long time.

Now we walk past the Cathedral several times a day. Earlier today we walked by and photographed the Easter weekend banners that had been unfurled. There is a school nearby, as well, and the children play in the square today.

But later, in the evening at 5:30, we walked by to discover an entirely different scene. The photos below retell the old story as it was reenacted.

Meanwhile, as the passion played out, motorbikes, cars, taxis, and minibuses whizzed by, and pedestrians milled about. Most of the city just went about its business.