Working my way out of the Imperial Quarter I made my way around the Hanoi Train station. This was a strange deserted building absent of any passenger traffic. I had passed two pushy pineapple ladies on my way to the Military Museum and promised I would buy one on my way out. Now noticing me leaving they both rushed over. The first one in behind remembered I was her customer and pushed her way ahead of her friend. They had baby sized half pineapple and wanted 30,000 ($1.50) while I had been paying .50 cents for half a full size pineapple everywhere else. I told her 10,000 (.50 cents) and after lots of bartering, her telling me they are very sweet, me telling her I can buy a full size pineapple for $1, she reluctantly agreed. I declined the complimentary photo holding the baskets on my shoulder. The temple of literature was a few blocks over. It was easy to reach from the north side I was walking but it is all a walled compound with one entrance in the south. Along the east wall I was walking down were many calligraphy artists and painters set up with displays along the wall. Entrance was 20,000 ($1). The layout was similar to korean style temples and confucian academies, but this one was several centuries older. They had the similar tombstones at the front section with the large turtle at the base. Next was a square pond with doorway entrances along the midpoint of each side. I followed the central one at the north end heading further into the complex. This lead to a larger square compound of typical temple style with a building on each side. The large building at the north end was the main structure. This was a large painted wood log structure on the inside. There was a stairway leading to an upper floor. Here they had giant gold painted shrines of kings and infinity stacked buddhas like the earlier temples. It reminded me of the temples in Kyoto Japan. Now I needed to eat and there were not many food places around. Hanoi is a strange place. They dont have many food establishments or convenience type stores, which were both plentiful in HCMC. Eventually I did find a vendor with noodles and pointed that I only wanted the shrimps and no other meat. The noodles came to 30,000 ($1.50). I then passed by an abandoned rock type temple and a small street market. Next there was a more larger temple with a rear turret. You climbed the inner staircase to reach a midway shrine but the rear turret was closed. Then I came by the Ho Loa Prison. Entry was 20,000 ($1) and my book said this is where the french tortured resistance fighters in the 1950s. I wondered if this was the 'Hanoi Hilton' where american POWs like John McCain were held? I tried to ask the attendent but he kept asking for a ticket. I tried to say 'war' 'american' even 'hanoi hilton' but they only thing he seemed to understand was to start giving me directions how to get to the hilton hotel! So I decided not to go in if this wasnt the right place. There was then another more chinese style Chua Quan Su temple with lots of painted murals on building walls. This led me to the Cultural Palace a communist style institutional building and finally the Opera House a grand piece of french architecture at the end of the boulevard. I was now full circle back by the hostel so decided to rest up for a bit. I was too tired to goto the History Museum, Museum of the Revolution, and Korea Friendship House behind the Opera House. Somehow the noodles for lunch had done something as my stomach was churning. I suspect the water may have been off.