Day Trips from Hà Nội

Monitors can keep the layout, which phones may need to discombobulate.

Very large bell hanging in small four pillard building,valleys and mountains beyond. The great bell at the Định Hoá ATK (Safe Zone) three hours drive (130 klms) north off Hà Nội This page leaves Hà Nội to go on three favourite day trips out of the city. Rather as castles dominate the mind of tourists in Scotland, so temples and pagodas ride high in Vietnam. Temples are secular and dedicated to famous persons, pagodas are Buddhist centres, a distinction drawn on a previous page. Sites such as these are often complicated affairs involving many buildings spread out over considerable areas. Below, the photographs are from two temples both dedicated to Hồ Chí Minh, one to the north, the Định Hoá ATK, and one in the Ba Vì National Park to the west of Hà Nội. As is common in Vietnam both these sites make use of somewhat literary introductions, quotations or proverbs. After those the photographs are from what is probably Vietnam's most famous pagoda. At the time of the early spring festival it is inundated with around 40,000 visitors a day - over a million a year have been recorded. All have to arrive by boats, usually rowed by local women. First Site
The Định Hoá Security Zone (ATK).
Trees beside dirt road. The Định Hoá Security Zone is to the north of Ha Noi, and is where the Communist Party of Vietnam held a meeting in August 1945. Above, even today arriving at the meeting house is a low key affair Thatched wall-less building with engraved mounted black stone next to it. This is the (restored) pavilion where the original meetings to launch the campaign, to free Vietnam from French occupation, took place. The black stone says... Gold lettered black stone. Presumably because it was their land the Plaque is headed Tân Trào Family ..."Here, on August 16 and 17, 1945, the National Congress met to pass an order for a general uprising to win major policies of the Việt Minh, forming the National Committee for the Liberation of Vietnam, a provisional government led by comrades. Hồ Chí Minh as  president."

(Tourist Board Translation)
Altar with raised decking around it. Now the pavilion is a temple and so an altar with a raised platform has been placed in it Two story thatched building with camoflaged patterned walls. ATK administrative building Village across fields. Village by site Monumental staircase leading up banking to pillar with statues on top. That proverb is emblazoned on the hillside below the main modern temple shown in the photographs below. These stairs lead up to that level Banking with words in Vietnamese in white. On the hillside of the main ATK site is this proverb: "Drinking water - remember [its] source" The benefits we enjoy are due to the work of others Double roofed open sided building supported by pillars, hills beyond. And here is that temple. The whole site, which extends to many square kilometres, is generally known as the Định Hoá Safety Zone Paved area with steps and bell house. The bell, seen at the top of the page, stands beside the
main temple building
Large bell hanging in open pavillion, with log hanging next to it. The ATK bell, and its external wooden clapper
which is swung against it
Temple complex with gardens on plateau by hill. The temple complex with the bell left of centre Second Site
The Hồ Chí Minh Temple in
Ba Vì National Park.
Circular mock drum on end wall of building with raised map of Vietnam and rasied glden writing. On the end wall of the temple, a 'bronze drum' has this inscription in gold letters: "Vietnam is one, the Vietnamese people are one. Rivers may dry up, mountains may erode, but that truth never changes - President Hồ Chí Minh" Looking out onto balcony aera with trees in mist. The second of the two temples shown on this page is in Ba Vì National Park about 40 kilometres to the west of Hà Nội. The temple is situated high up the 1,200 metre (4,000 foot) hills that compose the park, and accordingly, is often shrouded in cloud, as it is in these photographs. Above, the courtyard with its muted trees Slightly misty interior shot of open sided temple. From inside the main room looking out on the courtyard... Slightly misty shot of altar in temple. ...and the temple's altar. Clouded by being in a cloud! Third Site
The Chùa Hương - Perfume Pagoda, to the south-west of Hà Nội.
River with treed karsts. This short artificial river - the Suối Yến (Yen Stream) - is more like a rather grand canal. It takes visitors, through a karst landscape, the three kilometres from embarkation at Yến village, to the site of the Chùa Hương (Perfume Pagoda) and its many associated buildings Bank of river with flowering lotuses. Transport along the lotus lined river is by metal rowing boats. Several can be seen in the distance... Rower with woman sitting opposite. ...These are rowed by woman, who are happy, as in this case, to rest and let customers have a shot Diagram with many photos of points of interest along styalised roads and rivers "Tourist Diagram - Perfume Pagoda". A complex site of many buildings
some only accessible by boat
Complex roof over two other roofs, garden border. A second layer of roofing sits on top of the junction of other roofs giving this heaped up appearance Decorated roof and eves giving overhanging porch. Being a pagoda, a Buddhist Centre, it has the relevant trappings - such as prayer flags hung from eves Large three layered roofed building with open pillared ground floor, lantern in foreground, gateway in distance. Ever upwards, two roofs now have another on top of them. Three roofs, on this building just in from the main entrance - seen beyond. Right, another view showing its postion on the steps with guardian lamps Corner of roof with styalised decoration and cracks between roofing stones. And familiar decorations on the roof corners, but here the dragons are stylised out of recognition Building with three tiered roof below steps with two lanterns. Veranda of house with plants and garden. A small house in the grounds with potted trees and a meal mat - go to a page on mat meals Four section door with relief carvings. Four-part folding doors with carved lower,
and vented upper, panels
Three tiered roofed building on pillars with open ground floor. Vietnamese architecture in flamboyant mood

Trailers... Summer's day by loch. Leaving behind intricate Vietnamese architecture, the next Picture Posting page is to take a leap around the world and back to southern Scotland and the Craik area. Large group of people sitting in tiered rows in front of house. The next page of the Mosaic Section is headed 'Surplus-labour'.
Or go to the contents Go to the contents of the Mosaic Section. of the Mosaic Section.
line
Saturday 19 October 2024 Murphy on duty ...guide to this site


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