Enchanting Perfume.

We left Hanoi at 8:00 AM Saturday on a two-hour journey to the river Yen, where we would embark for the Perfume Pagoda. The first 40 minutes of our drive was spent inching our way to Hanoi traffic. Then we hit the open country.

Very green and tranquil.

Not great roads, so it took us about an hour and a half to cover the 30 miles to our embarkation point.
Once we got there, we were offered various souvenirs and refreshments.

Including snake wine, which is distilled rice wine infused with, well, snakes.
Traditionally cobra, but I think this was the cheap stuff.

The rowboats for our journey were these sturdy steel numbers with unpadded metal seats.
But not to worry, the voyage would only last about an hour and a half each way.
We were very glad it wasn't the height of summer.

Balance is important for this part. Luckily, O. and Donna were up to the challenge.

The pagoda complex is located in a range of limestone mountains similar to the formations we saw in Ha Long Bay.

As we were rowed out of the canal to the main river, we could see

the mountains looming through the water haze.

David and Donna, our friends from Canada, arrived in Hanoi
about a week before we did. They are friends of Rick and Lynnea.

We draw near the mountains, thanks to our tireless rower. The Yen is a
beautiful setting, but the river bed in littered with cans and bottles and all manner of other trash.

But there are many beautiful details as well.

We saw many people fishing for crab, snails, and other river creatures.
This guy is using an electrical probe to stun the fish, which he then scoops up with a net.

Others are just using the river a their roadway.

And everywhere, there's construction work going on, so bricks are in demand.

Our back and butts were relieved when at last we pulled into the dock.

The temple complex is quite large, with many different structures.
They aren't nearly as old as they look. The French destroyed
most of the original buildings trying to root out
the Viet Minh who were based in these mountains.
Now the government is trying to restore and add to the complex as a tourist attraction.

But it's also a a functioning Buddhist temple, maintained by brown-robed monks.
About 55% of Vietnam is Buddhist. The Vietnamese variety includes elements of
ancestor worship, Taoism, and Confucianism.

As our guide said, "Buddhism has many flags."

The area is very serene. We were told that January through March is festival season, and people come here from all over Vietnam. During those months the place is jammed, but right now it is almost empty other than the monks and a few tourists.

We were especially taken by the many little decorative creatures adorning the various buildings.

Demon elephants on the door pulls at the main gate.

Some look almost Balinese.

Many roof-tip dragons, of course.

Even a little face under the eaves. Click to see it better.

Creatures in profusion.

Devil dogs.

And more dragons.

This, we were told, is the Vietnamese unicorn. Although it has at least six horns. Very Vietnamese.

There are many gods and goddesses, but most were in areas where photos are forbidden.

But we did see Kwan Yin.

And her guardians.

Much of the temple complex is being rebuilt or renovated, and tourist facilities are being added.

So of course where there is construction, there are construction workers

living on site in their plastic tarp dormitories.

They carry everything up the steep, stony paths to the construction sites on their backs.

Most aren't even wearing shoes.

We then took a cable car to the top of the mountain, thus avoiding an hour's hike, to see more temples.

And a spectacular view.

One temple is built deep in a gigantic limestone cavern.

No photos allowed inside, but here's the outer cave.

This part of the complex is inaccessible by truck, so all construction materials are carried in by hand.

Or they arrive by cable across the mountains, like these bags of sand.

We had a very late and much-needed lunch at this cavernous restaurant,
clearly built with the festival crowds in mind.

Late in the afternoon, as we drifted back downriver, accompanied bythe quiet put us all in a reflective mood.




All in all, it was a truly lovely day.

P.