We arrived in Nha Trang after a thoroughly unrestful overnight bus, checked into our hotel, and proceeded to sleep until 11:30, the latest we have slept since we have gotten to SEA. Nha Trang is a bustling beach town where the shopping comes directly to YOU in the form of sunglasses, photocopied books, cigarettes, exotic fruits, candy, holographic posters and sandwich hawkers. The Easy Riders will chase you down the street trying to sell you a tour. Still, it is full of life, fast paced, and fun.
As we strolled down the beach we saw a strange sight: 2 British soldiers in full redcoats and breeches, laughing and talking idly on the beach. We went up to them and realized they were travelers like us, and we learned that they had had these British Redcoat uniforms made for them in Hoi An. Andy and Oshin, from England, and Henrietta from Norway soon became our fast friends. We met them for drinks that night and decided to have a day together the next day, maybe go to Vinpearl land, the nearby amusement park.
The next day we set off on our adventure. On our way to meet "The Redcoats" as we decided to call them, we met Johnny, an incredibly friendly and cheerful Vietnamese man who speaks incredibly good English. We invited him along and the course of our lives was changed forever. He convinced us to rent motorbikes, only $7 per day. Travis bravely stepped up and took the handlebars, and Andy, Henrietta, Johnny, Travis and I were on our way to a spectacular day on 3 motorbikes. After only a few minutes, Travis was driving like he owned it (safely of course).
Johnny led us to some incredible Cham ruins, 3 temples that towered majestically over the city. These ruins looked like they were straight out of The Jungle Book, complete with Shiva-riding-elephant statues. Despite the fact that we were right in the middle of the city, the whole place had a mystical, exotic feel that made me want to eat chapatis with channa masala immediatley. As we strolled around we lazily washed our eyes over beautiful gardens with buddha statues, fountains, and exotic flowers. We stepped into the main temple and were greeted with a hollow drone, thick, sweet incense smoke, and an altar to some goddess overflowing with fruits and flowers. We looked up and the celing receded unfathomably far into blue black smoke.
We hopped back onto the bikes and followed Johnny through the city to an incredible pagoda. The sounds of children's joy filled the air, as there was a school nearby. The temple its self was stunning, adorned with dragons and golden emperors. We found bonsai trees and flowered vines around every corner. Up and up the steps behind the temple behind, unsure of what was there, but reassured by Johnny that it was worth the climb. We came upon a huge white reclining Buddha, obviously on the verge of enlightenment. On we climbed, dodging touts trying to sell us fans and toys at every step, and out of the forest emerged a huge sitting buddha! It must have been around 70 feet (20 meters) tall. It had been built during the American war to try to bring peace. We stood in front of it for a moment, sending our wishes for peace out into the universe.
Our stomachs were grumbling and we took a crazy back route to get back to the city. We rode through back streets where children cried "Hello!" to us as we passed as though we were famous, and sometimes we had to avoid cows in the road. We came to a river and we drove across a wooden bridge that was barely wide enough for 2 bikes to pass each other, and the railing was only a peice of rope. Travis navigated like a champ, and I exhaled my breath I had been holding as we rolled onto dry land again. We found an amazing vegetarian restaurant and munched out on some noodle-tofu soup as we watched it begin to pour down rain. As luck would have it, the rain stopped just as we were finishing our meal. We went over to the nearby market and bought some tasty fruits to snack on, and took them to the beach, where we lazed on chairs with carrot juice, bananas, grapes, and star apples.
Johnny left us then to go to work, Henrietta to take a nap, poor tired girl, and Travis, Andi and I had an hour before we had to give the motorbikes back, and so we decided to explore. We rode down the beach feeling free and happy. We passed a closed amusement park, many, many topiaries and palm trees, and came to a shipping yard, as well as the cable car to Vinpearl Land (which we did not end up going to) and rode through a very swanky apartment complex. There was a guard there but he wasn't doing a very good job since he let us in!
All in all, it was an incredible day. We got to some interesting places with the help of our new friend, Johnny. It's so amazing and special to have one of the locals show you around, and only hope for friendship and some English practice in return. We will always have Johnny close to our heart, that kind and wonderful man!
Before the Buddha was born into this world as Shakyamuni, he was a bodhisattva in the Tushita heaven (home of the contented gods). His name there was Shvetaketu ("White Banner"). From here he witnessed the dark ages engulfing the human realm, leading to its spiritual impoverishment. Moved to compassion like a true bodhisattva, he vowed to manifest himself in the sentient world and relieve people from their sufferings.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/history/buddha.htm