Travels in Vietnam

N 81    Danang   (   Part  1 )

 The distance from Hue to Danang is about 100 klms. So we decided to travel there in a hired van , a 10 seater like we always used the previous days.

We visited the Thien Mu pagoda which is just outside the city of Hue, on the bank of the Perfume river . It has 7 stories, and is the tallest  religious building in Vietnam. The  construction of this pagoda is said to begin in 1601 followed by renovations during the course of time.

After driving sometime we reached Minh Mang’s (reigned 1820 -1841 ) tomb. Upon entering the precincts we saw the usual figures of elephant, horses, and court officials first. Then the stele house, salutation court, temples, pavilions, and oh… I nearly forgot , the lakes.So comments were given that these were  things tombs of emperors cannot do without. Quite different from tombs of Burmese kings which were so simple and without lavishness.

When we were nearing Danang city we started to see wide expanse of  water which the driver told us is a bay. Before we reached the city we  had lunch of seafood at an open restaurant,  which had to be crossed by a long bridge . It took some more driving along the beach to get into the city. It may be about 3:00 pm when we finally reach Danang.

Because there was still time I told the driver to take us to Marble Mountain. On the way there he took us to a marble statue selling mall for a rest. The marble figures big and small on display there are amazing.  They are of different sizes and colours, of religious figures, of animals and also modern sculpture.The Vietnam handicraft of marble sculpture is amazing and impressing that I even have a desire to take one Buddha statue home. And about marble lots of marble are produced around here that the marble mountain we were going to visit got its name from it I thought.

And so we arrived at Marble Mountain. I heard that there are 5 marble mountains , but we were able to visit this  main one only. As there is an elevator  we use it to climb to the top.Coming out of the evevator we reached a landing with railings where we can take photos and watch the panoramic view which is amazing.We could see the city at the low level and also the expanse of water far away.

 After that  we set out to explore around. Most places are places of worship, of Buddhism, and Confusionism, and there also are caves, tunnels, grottoes filled with these religious figures. In some places there are depictions of Buddhist religion scene such as the scene of Buddha’s birth, and Bhuddha giving sermon at Sarnath carved in white marble. And to my surprise , in a nitche of a mountain surface I saw a big sitting Buddha stature which I had never seen before. Some of us went farther to look around but as the path goes to higher ground that I and my companion did not follow, but chose to go down the steps  we 

saw there. I made a mistake because the steps are steep and each step is high too. I dared not look down but with his assistance climbed down step by step .But my knees got pained until I changed the leg that step down first. I felt so much relieved when I reached the foot.