<Hang Sung Sot> (Cave of the Surprises) Located on Bo Hon island it was discovered by the French, in 1901. The cave is immense. The cave’s ceiling is approximately 100 ft high. A 1650 ft paved passage makes it easy to navigate in the cave. The shapes of stalagmite and stalactite formations come alive when colored light is reflected from water pools inside the cave. These formations include a Buddha and a large tortoise, but the most well-known is a massive phallus in the cave's second chamber, which is lit by a pink spotlight.
Day 4 June 6, 2012: -Fly to Hue
After breakfast we bid adieu to our boat and crew and drove from <Ha Long to the Hanoi Airport> for our flight to Hué, located on the central coast of Viet Nam, north of Da Nang.
Huế rose to prominence as the capital of the Nguyen lords, a feudal dynasty which dominated much of southern Viet Nam from the 17th to the 19th century. <Hué> was the national capital until 1945, when Emperor Bảo Đại abdicated and a communist government was established in Hà Nội, in the north. While Bảo Đại was briefly proclaimed "Head of State" with the help of the returning French colonialists in 1949 (Neither the communists in the north nor the Vietnamese people acceptance him.) Bảo made his new capital Sài Gòn in the south. During the Vietnam War, Hué 's central location very near the border between the North and South put it in a vulnerable position. In the Tết Offensive of 1968 - the Battle of Hué, the city suffered considerable physical damage. Most damage came from American firepower and bombings on the historical buildings as well as the massacre at Hué committed by the communist forces. After the war's conclusion, many of the historic features of Hué were neglected because they were seen by the victorious Vietnamese Communist Party as “relics from the, Nguyen Dynasty, feudal regime" There has lately been a change of policy, and many historical areas of the city are currently being restored.
This evening we enjoyed a <water puppet show>, an art form in which puppets are suspended on sticks over water, directed by puppet masters who must sit semi-submerged for hours at a time. The tradition of water puppetry is at least 1,000 years old, originating with peasants in the Red River Delta of the north. The puppets, which the French called “the souls of the Vietnamese rice fields,” are made of the water-resistant fig-tree wood and depict villagers, farm animals, dragons, and soldiers. The theme of the plays depict the daily life of rural people, folklore, legends and the national history that are imparted from generation to generation.
Hué – Thien Mu Pagoda - Pagoda of Passion
Set between pine forest and Perfume River, Hué’s oldest Buddhist temple retains a noble beauty and a deep legacy of faith. The seven-story <Thien Mu Pagoda> is the unofficial symbol of Hué. Renowned for its opposition to colonialism in the ’30s and ’40s, Thien Mu Pagoda [www.Viet Nam.com/listing/thien-mu-pagoda-hue.html (Pagoda of the Celestial Lady) ] made world headlines monk Tchich Quang Duc from Thien Mu Pagoda traveled to Saigon to protest Buddhist discrimination imposed during the Diem regime in 1963. Tchich exited a car at a Sai Gon intersection, assumed the lotus position and set himself ablaze while fellow monks surrounded the area to protect his valor. Although his body was consumed by fire, his heart remained intact and now lies in the Reserve Bank of Viet Nam.
Monks still go about their daily lives in this historic monastic complex, built in seven tiers to symbolize the steps to enlightenment. The car that carried Tchich Quang Duc to his martyrdom is on display, along with a copy of the famous photograph that shocked the world. We viewed the octagonal pagoda and temple guardians. We also had the opportunity to talk with and observe the monks engaging in prayer, calligraphy or wood gathering, and contemplate the mystery of faith.
This afternoon we visited the Dieu Than Pagoda and shared <lunch with the nuns>.
Day 5 June 7, 2012: - Hué The Imperial City
Today we explored historic Hué, the former imperial capital, built by the first king of Nguyen Dynasty during a time recognized as the golden age of Viet Nam. For centuries, Hué has been a main cultural, religious, and educational center of Viet Nam. The <Imperial city of Hué> is a walled citadel surrounded by a moat and eleven stone gates. We toured the citadel, the Imperial Enclosure and its inner Forbidden Purple City, a private area reserved for the emperor.
This afternoon we visited children at the <Minh Tu Orphanage>. The orphanage was founded by three Buddhist nuns who literally found a baby on their doorstep. Now privately run and locally supported, the facility provides a home for almost 200 children (from new-born to late teens) and offers care and nurturing to the region’s youth. We bought the children games and toys and spent the afternoon with them playing games. The orphanage also receives support from Grand Circle Foundation.
Viet Nam Photos Page 3