We woke to the pouring rain and gathered our ponchos ready to face the long day ahead. We took a 40 minute boat ride to the famous Thien Mu Pagoda, where we dove into the rich history of this vibrant country. We learnt about the traditional ways of the monks and the Buddhist culture. After looking around we were told a fascinating story of a monk who set himself on fire in protest against the government who were unfairly treating the Buddhist community.
After another short boat trip we visited the moated ruins of the Imperial Citadel. Here we had a look at what was left of the old royal grounds after most of it was destroyed by bombing in the Vietnam War. This heritage site was filled with constant information which we found very interesting such as the kings being able to have more than 100 wives. One particular king refused to use plates more than once so the plates were smashed and used in the architecture of the murals in the grounds.
After a well deserved lunch and a quick nap, we headed off to the Dong Ba market. We split into groups to explore the vast array of shops. After returning to the hotel we freshened up before our royal dinner. At dinner we were greeted with traditional costumes and goofy hats. We were sure to get many photo opportunities. We were dressed as royals with a king and queen (Darcy and Jolanda) and many princesses and princes.
We dined in luxury, accompanied by a live Vietnamese band. The band played brilliantly with instruments we had never heard before, including some tea cups. For some the experience wasn’t as enjoyable for they had burning mouths from eating a red, hot chilli pepper. When we got back to the hotel we were briefed with the exciting days ahead.
By Nat S and Jolanda B