The Lake of the Returned Sword.

Today I'll show the photos, that I made during my trip to Vietnam not with a mirror camera, but with a NIKON 1 AW1 compact camera. One evening I went to the Lake of the Returned Sword in Hanoi with my family. It is a natural reservoir located in the center of the Vietnamese capital.
Dragging a mirror camera and a tripod was too much for me and I took a small, spare camera with me. And for shooting them on a long exposure instead of a tripod, I used benches, fences trees and other stable objects, on which it was possible to put the camera.

While I show photos, I will tell a beautiful story-legend.

The history of the lake is linked with the name of Le Loi, a fisherman peasant, who later became a landowner and a king. Being a commoner, at the beginning of the XV century he headed the liberation movement, because in those days, Vietnam was occupied by the Chinese. If you believe the myth, to win the war, Le Loi was helped by a tortoise, who gave him a magic sword. After the end of the battle, the winner rolled on the watery surface. And now the giant tortoise came to the surface from the lake depths and asked for the sword to return. As Leo Loy gave up the reptilian weapon, the reservoir subsequently became known as the Lake of the Returned Sword. But the animal gave a promise that if the country is again in danger, it will give the sword to the new hero.

In the northern and southern parts of the reservoir, two small islets were hidden. The population believes that they are the head and body of a tortoise - the patroness of the Vietnamese people. In her honor on the territory of the southern island was built Turtle Tower, but not immediately after the victory of Le Loy, and much later - in 1886.

Historical chronicles tell that the construction of the tower the local official wished not so much to perpetuate the memory of the legendary reptile, but to bury it in secret from all the power of his father. By feng shui the place was favorable for this purpose. But the secret became obvious. Because of the outbreak of the scandal, the mandarin left his venture.

Ngocchon is the local name of the temple, connected to the shore by the Bridge of the Rising Sun. The design is visible from afar thanks to the bright red color. Later, to commemorate the memory of national heroes, the cult of Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism was added.