The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-06-06


mind one of Fontainebleau and Yer
sailles. 1t is likely that their build
ers were influenced by French officers
then in the employ Of the Annamese.
The later tombS are of native archi-
lecture. Both types are striking and
artistic, and make up one of the most
beautiful groups of royal tombs In
the world.
cambodia's Capital.
Strikingly different from Hue Is
PnOmpenh, capital Of Cambodia. 1t
lies on the route to the famous ruins
Of Angkor and is better known to
tourists than some of the larger cap
itals of Indo-China.
The palace of the kings Of Cam
bodia is not elaborate. The royal
dwelling place, In fact, is series OF
rather modest buildings, not richly
adorned without or within. Greatest
of the palace sights is life-size gold
statue of Buddha in room whose
floor is Of silver tiles.
Five or six hundred female retainers
occupy the royal colony, among whom
are the dancing girls. They, in their
golden gowns, royal jewels, and tiaras
that resemble miniature carved
steeples, have become famous for
their charm and grace.
Nearby is the Khmer museum with
collection of sculptured stones, i'm
plements of war and jewelry; the
weather-beaten royal pagoda, and an
ancient temple approached by a long
fight of steps with a stone railing
representing Maya, the sacred seven
headed cobra. Tails of the sacred
reptile adjoining the roofs of some of
Pnompenh's buildings reese m b e
crooked lightning rods on American
farm houses.
The one thoroughfare of Pnompenh
that has right to be called an ave
nue. leads from the palace to the pub
lie park. Two hotels bordering 1t
offer excellent accommodations for
small Eastern city save for their or
chestras that dispense impossible noe
turnal jazz. The rest of the street Is
cluttered up with open-front native
shops, some of which make an attempt
to duplicate French pastry. Now and
then through a vacant space one gets
glimpse of a garden spot block
or two in the background where
French colonial official lives in pala-
tial home amid broad lawns and
Towering trees.
Hanoi, the "Paris of Asia"
The administrative center Of all
French IndO-China, and the capital as
well of Tongking, Is Hanoi which
has been dubbed 1.-The Paris of Asia"
1t bears many of the earmarks of the
European capital.
A modern train brings you into
modern railway station at Hanoi.
There you may hail shiny new
French-made automobile with French
chauffeur. In tour Of the city you
ride along wide streets and bOulevards
bearing French names and pass I'M
posing French buildings, and spacious
parks where stroll French women and
men: some of the latter dressed In
the natty blue uniforms of the French
army.
In the business district, Partisan
gowns are displayed behind plate
glass show windows. French theater
fronts blaze with gaudy signs to at
tract patrons. Paris-like sidewalk
cafes invite passersby to imbibe their
favorite beverage while melodious
strains from a French orchestra filter
through the open windows of French
restaurant.
Now and then you bump over street
car tracks. You notice the absence
Of peculiar oriental city odors because
of Hanoi's modern sewage system;
YOU feel free to drink the city water
because of the excellent water supply
system; and at night the streets are
bathed in light from thousands OF
electric bulbs. The Botanical gardens
and Geological park are additional re-
minders of the French capital about
1000 miles away.
The French quarter is farthest from
the right bank Of the Red river on
which Hanoi lies about so miles from
the sea. A lake, surrounded by
promenades, separates this quarter
from the native quarter which begins
on the congested riverside. Once in
side the narrow byways of the native
quarter, it is easy to forget the west
ernized portion of the city. A few
centuries ago Hanoi was divided into
about 100 villages, each with its own
chief. Now its division appears only
according to the merchandise sold or
the trades at which the natives work.
Each street is jammed with human
ity. Shopkeepers disregard the bounds
Of their open-front shops and are
often found in the middle Of the street
pickering with prospective purchasers.
Soup vendors carrying small bells an
nounce their approach. Itinerant
photographers and fortune tellers
vocally make known their professional
skill. And added to these noises and
the ordinary chatter of groups OF
loiterers, is the yelling Of sweetmeat
vendors, and the noisy warnings OF
rickshaw boys who plunge through the
human mass. Wearers of conicai,
ampshade-shaped bamboo hats dodge
one another without damage to the
Leadgear. Some of the hats are tw"
feet in diameter.