Okay, I have survived one month! I have climbed crazy vertical staircases on ancient temples, rocked in little boats on the Tonle Sap, said 'atay oh-kun' (no thankyou) to thousands of children trying to sell me everything from cigarette lighters, to fake lonely planet guides to kramar (Cambodian scarves), plunged into the Saigon traffic aboard a cylco on the way to the doctor for yet another bout of vomiting and diarrhoea, and witnessed the disturbing 'documentary' at the Cu Chi tunnels. I am now taking not one, not two, but three different kinds of anti-biotic (anti-malarials and to kill off the nasty intestinal amoeba that are causing me so much grief).
Yesterday, I ventured out on a bus tour that was advertised as Cu Chi tunnel visit and Cao Dai temple. After about an hour on the bus, we stopped at a 'relaxation break' (according to our guide for whom everything is 'very interesting'), which was basically a workplace for disabled people making laquer furniture and pictures... the adjoining shop was massive and terribly expensive. After our 'break', we drove for another hour to the Cao Dai temple. This place was
amazing, bright pastel colours adorn the walls and columns and the local practitioners all wear pure white - apart from a few men in yellow, red and blue, representing the three branches of the religion. The Cao Dai religion was founded in 1926 and encompasses aspects of Buddhism (Mahayana), Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam. We were able to stay for part of the midday ceremony... everyone sat on the floor and made partial prostrations while music, chanting and gongs filled the temple with sound. The energy was peaceful and I took some time to make my own devotions and prayers of thanks. I would have loved to have stayed for longer... particularly to have spoken with followers about their practice. But, back on the bus by 12.30,
we were ferried to our restaurant for lunch, then on to the Cu Chi tunnels.
Basically, the Viet Cong created a massive network of underground tunnels in order to maintain control of a large rural area. On the tour, we saw a kind of weird documentary, then looked at replications of the many traps the Viet Cong set for the Americans. These things were nasty, very nasty. As in the S21 museum, I felt stunned by the horrific ways human beings can treat each other. It was such a shock to the system following the openness and calm of the Cao Dai temple.
Following another long bus journey, we returned to Ho Chi Minh City, where I promptly had yet another spew. Went to a local restaurant where I forced down some potato soup then off to bed. Today I travel to Dalat by a local bus where I hope to find myself a motorcycle to spend some days in the hills!
Yesterday, I ventured out on a bus tour that was advertised as Cu Chi tunnel visit and Cao Dai temple. After about an hour on the bus, we stopped at a 'relaxation break' (according to our guide for whom everything is 'very interesting'), which was basically a workplace for disabled people making laquer furniture and pictures... the adjoining shop was massive and terribly expensive. After our 'break', we drove for another hour to the Cao Dai temple. This place was
amazing, bright pastel colours adorn the walls and columns and the local practitioners all wear pure white - apart from a few men in yellow, red and blue, representing the three branches of the religion. The Cao Dai religion was founded in 1926 and encompasses aspects of Buddhism (Mahayana), Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity and Islam. We were able to stay for part of the midday ceremony... everyone sat on the floor and made partial prostrations while music, chanting and gongs filled the temple with sound. The energy was peaceful and I took some time to make my own devotions and prayers of thanks. I would have loved to have stayed for longer... particularly to have spoken with followers about their practice. But, back on the bus by 12.30,we were ferried to our restaurant for lunch, then on to the Cu Chi tunnels.
Basically, the Viet Cong created a massive network of underground tunnels in order to maintain control of a large rural area. On the tour, we saw a kind of weird documentary, then looked at replications of the many traps the Viet Cong set for the Americans. These things were nasty, very nasty. As in the S21 museum, I felt stunned by the horrific ways human beings can treat each other. It was such a shock to the system following the openness and calm of the Cao Dai temple.
Following another long bus journey, we returned to Ho Chi Minh City, where I promptly had yet another spew. Went to a local restaurant where I forced down some potato soup then off to bed. Today I travel to Dalat by a local bus where I hope to find myself a motorcycle to spend some days in the hills!
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