Ninh Binh, Vietnam - Tam Coc - Day 4

I started today like so many others on this travel adventure, with no plan for the day other than updating this blog, drinking coffee and having some breakfast. Typically, I am the first to get up in the morning in most places I stay. 

As others started to wake up, I had completed my blogging for the day and joined in conversations with other travellers. A guy from France, another for England and another from Vietnam. The converstation always touches on a few main topics: Where are you from? How long are you travelling? Where were you before arriving here? Where are you heading to next? and What is your plan for today?

Vietnam is a long narrow country running primarily north and south, so travellers are from here either heading north towards Hanoi or south toward Ho Chi Minh City, Saigon.

Even after our conversation I hadn't yet decided what to do for the day. I packed up my computer, filled my water bottle, picked up my backpack and started walking away from the main strip into the rice fields direction. I had only been walking about 10 or 15 minutes when the Vietnamese guy, Ming, pulls up beside me with his motor bike and says, "Hop on, I will take you around". I didn't take a picture of us on the motor bike. Here the sight was nothing unusual, for most people, It may have looked a little strange. Ming in front with  a backpack hung in front over his chest, then me with my backpack on my back and finally, his travel bag which was actually a food delivery box strapped on the back. 

After a few attempts with AI, this is the closest it came to recreating the look. My bag was actually behind me between me and eats delivery box and his backpack on the front was much larger. Use your imagination to complete the picture.

We headed further into the valley for a ways, but then Ming decided it was better to turn around and head a nearby pagoda complex, Đền Vối.

Đền Vối. has tree pagodas. We walked across a small bridge over a lotus flower filled stream to the first temple. The lady sitting next to the stream is setup making fried somethings, probably rice based cakes.

The old guy is me, the younger guy is Ming.

We continued across the bridge to the first pagoda.

As with the river boat trip, these pagodas are not built as tourist attractions, they are much older some hundreds of years old. They are however open to the public and have become attractions for the tourist in Vietnam.

In Vietnamese, a pagoda is called “chùa”, and it refers specifically to a Buddhist place of worship. Pagodas are sacred spaces where monks and nuns live, chant sutras, and perform Buddhist rituals. They are open to the public for prayer, meditation, and offerings.

The pagodas range in size and decor quite a bit. This complex had 3 pagodas but supplemented by several smaller rooms withs smaller alters.

These are sacred spaces and signs request respecting respect to buddist tradition. To go into the pagodas, you must first remove your shoes and hats, have on long pants or skirts that cover your knees and pictures are not allowed inside the pagoda.

 More often than not, you will see people offering respect and prayers inside and out of the pagodas.

We walked up to the first pagoda and then a little further up the mountain side to the second pagoda. 

The pagodas are designed to fit in natural caves and crevices in the mountain. This picture is taken having walked a little past the 2nd pagoda showing how the pagoda is designed an built without doing major modification to the existing rock structure.

The next and last pagoda in this complex was much higher with many more unevenly spaced and sized steps. For me, not worth the risk of a falling. We started back down.

On the way out there were several sign boards illustrating karma. Actions and the resulting consequences. If you expand the image you may be able to see the English translations for each illustration.

Before heading back to the home stay. We stopped along the main strip to get something to eat. I got Vietnamese chicken curry with rice, Ming had a fried rice dish. I also had a passion fruit drink, Ming chose a mixed fruit drink similar to a mojito without the alcohol. Oops, no pictures.

After, Ming dropped my off at the home stay and he continued north to his next destination, about a 4 hour drive.

As for me, I took a nap.