Ninh Binh, Vietnam - Tam Coc - Day 5

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 Good Morning!

I am up early as usual enjoying my morning coffee and breakfast. 

After breakfast yesterday, I walked to the main street of Tam Coc and rented a motor scooter. Pretty reasonable. I contracted it for 2 days and I up paying 280,000 dong ($10.75 usd) for the rental.

I hopped on a headed towards Ninh Binh, stopping on the way to top off the petrol, about $3 usd.

It was about a 20 minute ride to central Ninh Binh. I had set my google maps for Hoa Lu Old Town, a neighborhood of Ninh Binh. This is a very festive area with a walking street running along the Tran An River. Lots of souvenier, snack, drink and fruit shops. Not so many toilets. It took me a bit to find that.




The Núi Kỳ Lân, Ky Lan Mountain is an imposing rock mountain at one end of the canal. There are 2 beautiful pagodas that make up the Hua Ky Lan (Unicorn Temple) 

There are a couple of magnificent pagoda near one end of the water. 




I didn't walk out to second pagoda, but I did go inside the first one at the base of the mountain. The interior walls are totally covered in intricate stone carved blocks with a buddist altar in the middle of the room. 
The ceiling was very high, probably over 60 ft. It was also intricately detailed.

I noticed that there were a lot of paddle boats with at a pier at the end of the canal. None of them out on the canal yet, but each one decorated with paper lanterns. Lanterns were also hung at the bridge to the mountain and along the walking street. I knew I had to come back later in the day to see the are after dark with all the lanterns lit up.

After about an hour looking around and enjoying a Vietnamese iced coffee, seated with a view of the length of the canal. I headed back to Tam Coc.

I passed by Tam Coc main street and headed back to the restaurant at the side of the rice paddy to get a light lunch. I ordered fried spring rolls and a Hanoi beer for a total of $3 usd. A totally peaceful view overlooking the rice paddy. I was in no rush to eat and leave.

Here is a link to a short video riding my motor bike back to Sunseekers Home Stay.  https://youtube.com/shorts/iIzkfxmWlWM

When I did leave, I headed back to Sunseekers home stay for a bit. The time back at the homestay also included a short nap.

Later I enjoyed converstation with a couple women from France and a guy from Germany. We covered all the usual topics, coming from, going to and now the other regular conversation includes the situation in Iran. That conflict has already altered my travel plans. I was planning to meet Keo in Laos, but was advised by his friends not to come to Laos because there was no fuel available which means no taxi and no bus serice. Laos trip cancelled. I will meet Keo in Thailand and the end of April.

Around 6 pm I decided it was time to head back to Ninh Binh.














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