Booking Coordinator Courtney Ridgel visited Central Vietnam last May and relflects back on visiting the Thien Vien Truc Lam Bach Ma Pagoda:
The Pagoda is tucked into the White Horse Mountains
During college I studied Zen Buddhism through some of my coursework so I was thrilled to have the chance to visit the Thien Vien Truc Lam Bach Ma Pagoda. Zen Buddhism first came to Vietnam centuries ago, and was replaced by other forms of Buddhism in the 15th and 16th century. This branch of Buddhism is now making a come-back and the Truc Lam Bach Ma Pagoda was built in 2006.
To reach the pagoda, you must first journey across the lake
Located in Central Vietnam, this hidden gem lies nestled into the White Horse (“Bach Ma”) Mountains, so named for the clouds resembling herds of horses. Like something out of a legend, the temple sits on an island rising from the center of a man-made lake tucked into a valley.
Climbing a great number of stairs is believed to help clear the mind
One of the locals took us to the island in his small motorized boat where a group of nuns sat laughing and sharing stories. The journey across the water and trek up the long steps to the entrance is meant to clear your mind and wash away guilt. I found myself breathless, both from the views and from the deceptively long stairs.
Different halls house bells, drums, statues and other religious itemsBehind the main pagoda, dedicated to the Buddha, is a second pagoda, dedicated to the founded of Chan or Zen Buddhism, the monk Bodhidharma
Passing through the impressive gate at the top of the island, we passed into the peaceful garden-like setting with various halls and traditional pagodas, complete with temple bells and carved dragons. Inside, the halls are adorned with murals depicting the life of Buddha and the history of Zen Buddhism.
Dragons guard these sacred stepsLooking out at the main gate
Taking it all in, I just kept thinking, “I am so grateful to be here.” This pagoda will definitely remain a magical place in my memory.… Read more »
Jill Higson is a guest who traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia with Journeys Within over the holidays (you can see her itinerary here) and has blogged about her experiences to share with family, friends and future visitors. Here she discusses what it means to be respectful while traveling and how travelling with Journeys Within helped her give back…
In my global travels, it has always been a priority to give back to the people I encounter while respecting their values and traditions.
Beginning with the language, I tried to speak Vietnamese and Cambodian/Khmer saying “hello”, “good by”, “thank you” and “please” whenever possible. Unfortunately, my American pronunciationion got in the way, especially when saying “Aw-kaun” - thank you in Khmer!
I am grateful for each country’s people who tried to help me say the words right with patience and a smile on their face.
Befriending locales is the key to learning in a new country.
Shopping was another way to give back and I did plenty of that in both countries!
It was important for me on this trip to buy unique and handmade products that told a story and supported organizations that invest in the community and local businesses whenever possible.
Although was hard to resist the incredible shopping in the Twain Airport, with a Hello Kitty store and matching bathroom, I feel like the products I chose were more than souvenirs, but also a small way for me to support local endeavours.
Pisey is our source for all things silk and textiles in Siem Reap.
In Siem Riep, I had a wonderful time meeting and buying silk scarves from Pisey at stall 14 at the Old Market to negotiating and buying a local artist’s beautiful elephant painting from 12 year old girls at the night market(those youngsters drove a hard bargain!) to finding beauty and home gems at NGO based stores.
In Hanoi, with the help of my wonderful guide and new girlfriend, Linh,I supported family business, as I bought lacquer paintings of a farm land scene I had just experienced biking in the morning from two brothers at their gallery and then hand embroidered lotus flower and peacock napkins from two sisters.
Tom, Jill and Seng head out to see the Journeys Within Clean Water Project.
My last day in Siem Riep I experienced truly giving back to the people of Cambodia through the JWOC (Journeys Within Our Community) non-profit organization, started by Andrea and Brandon Davis 10 years ago. Tom, the Communications Director and Seng, Clean Water Program Manager took me out to see the wells JWOC had been repaired and built in a village by students, who had received scholarships to university for their work with JWOC.
There is still more work needed, with only 40% of Cambodia’s rural areas having access to clean water. From evaluating need to building wells to water safety training and follow up visits, the JWOC project I visited is a vital part of the long-term goal of universal clean water access. The Cambodian people’s health, economy and well-being depend on these wells and their clean water.
In Cambodia, villagers use the same water source for many purposed.
Seeing the wells and how people were using them first hand from cleaning fish, to making rice sake and more was eye opening and rewarding.
I finished the day at the JWOC Art Class, singing songs, playing games and making paper fish with 30 young students. They were quite the dancers and artistss! The JWOC staff and volunteers were kind and helpful with the children, as well as welcoming to me.
I left them with some beach balls, stickers and other fun goodies to enjoy at another time and hopefully remember me with the same fondness I will remember them.
Jill Higson is a guest who traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia with Journeys Within over the holidays (you can see her itinerary here) and has blogged about her experiences to share with family, friends and future visitors.Here she discusses her link with the dogs she met throughout her travels…
Dogs and more dogs were a major part of my trip!
The people of Vietnam and Cambodia love ‘man’s best friend’, as much as we love them in the U.S., despite the stories you might have heard.
Making friends with dogs on this trip, as well as on my previous global travels has always been a favorite pastime of mine. If you didn’t already know, I love dogs and they have always been a part of my life.
Some of my guides had dogs and shared their stories about them, as I also did about my beloved Bandit, who I still shed tears for three years after her passing. The dogs I came across on my trip were some of the cutest I have seen in my global travels throughout the years.
When traveling, dogs are welcoming and friendly ambassadors in any country. With this said, whether you have experience with them or not, it is always important to proceed with caution when approaching a new four legged friend. Ask the owner, if you can pet them and then if given permission, pet them on their back in front tail (where they are not threatened) instead of putting your hand by their mouth to smell (and potentially bite) like most people believe is safe to do.
After taking the necessary steps, I couldn’t resist taking their photos alone, with me and even selfies, from the streets to the beaches to the markets!
Jill Higson is a guest who traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia with Journeys Within over the holidays (you can see her itinerary here) and has blogged about her experiences to share with family, friends and future visitors. Here she takes a look at the more spiritual side of Southeast Asia…
During my visit, it was definitely the high season at the major sites in both Vietnam and Cambodia. I shared the key photo opportunities with other travelers and even joined some thanks to the boys from South Korea at my favorite temple, Ta Prohm! Even with so many people, I felt the spirit and peacefulness of the temples from sunrise to sunset.
I prayed, meditated, lit candles and was moved to tears, all while being in awe of the beauty and uniqueness of each city’s place of worship, its history and unique architecture.
I also visited incredible palaces and museums honoring Vietnam’s previous government leaders and royalty. They were huge, from the size and number of buildings to their landscape with amazing gardens to walk through. My time in Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling capital, included a tour of the breath taking Ho Chi Mini Mausoleum and his house on stilts (he had an amazing car collection!) and pagodas including One Pillar and Tran Quoc Pagoda.
A surprise gem was a visit to the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum which provided a fascinating look at Vietnam’s artists and their influences with oil, silk, lacquer and folk paintings, along with Vietnamese artefacts and Buddhist statues. I took photos of every art piece that caught my eye which I had never done before. However, I was glad I did, as the gift shop did not offer a comprehensive coffee table book of the exhibitions (at least I got the oil on canvas art paintings post cards!)
Finally in Phnom Penh, the Royal Palace’s buildings were breathtaking even in the extreme heat. I enjoyed and was fascinated by the National Museum’s per-Angkorian and temple pieces, plus shrines to pray at throughout were special. It also had a lovely courtyard with lily ponds and a Buddhist statue which was perfect for further reflection and of course more photos!
Jill Higson is a guest who traveled to Vietnam and Cambodia with Journeys Within over the holidays (you can see her itinerary here) and has blogged about it to share her experience with family, friends and future visitors. Here she talks about her time in the busy metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City and her bond with guide Luc…
From motorbikes coming in every direction to pedicab and cab scams (which I fell for despite prior warning — that is what the heat and no sleep will do to you!), exploring Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest city, can seem overwhelming.
Traveling with Journeys Within Tour Company, I was fortunate to have Luc as my trusted guide for the majority of my time exploring this buzzing city. He kept me safe, while smiling and enjoying every minute we spent together. From racing around the city’s streets on a motorbike to gobbling down our favourite shrimp rolls at every restaurant to paddling down the countryside’s river in a sampan boat!
Jill and Luc hitting it off!
Being with someone new is never easy, especially in a foreign country and for two days. However, Luc’s kindness, easy going manner and humor, help put me at ease and start my journey off on the best note.
Our time together started in the evening with a private concert at the Truc Mai House, where stories were told by the beautiful and talented Mrs Ngo and her son using traditional Vietnamese instruments. After enjoying the performance, we even got to try the instruments and though we failed miserably at mastering this new talent, we had a good laugh!
A lesson in traditional Vietnamese music with Mrs Ngo and her son.
The show was followed by a delicious dinner of fried spring rolls (a popular food in Vietnam and served at most meals), rice and other tasty vegetables, sauces and all the extra condiment’s that accompany a traditional Southeast Asian meal.
Day two in the city was enjoyed from the back of a motorbike with Khiet as my driver and Luc by our side.
We stopped and saw some classic historical sites such as China Town’s bustling Binh Tay Market, where locals stop to shop and eat. We also took in the beautiful Holy Lady Temple, along with an Oriental Medicine Museum, local pagodas (tall, ornate buildings used for religious worship, with each floor having its own curved and decorated roof) and Notre-Dame Cathedral, where we congratulated a bride and groom after their wedding!
The only way to really see Saigon is by motto!
We ended the day with a traditional Vietnamese coffee (individually filtered by cup with thick cream added — a delicious treat that became a favorite drink of mine!) and drive along the Bach Day river side as the sun set.
After two days in the city, we drove 2 ½ hours out of the city to Cai Be Village in the Mekong Delta. We took a private traditional Vietnamese boat to explore the Cai Be Floating Market, one of the largest in the world. We watched rice paper and candies being made and of course got to sample them too. I got in the spirit of shopping and not only bought the homemade candies and honey, but some other non-handmade beauty products as well. The local hawkers made a killing from this New Yorker that day, who paid full price no less!
A quiet boat ride is the perfect way to relax after the busy streets of Saigon.
To recover Luc and I were rowed in a traditional sampan boat to a private lunch in a local garden house. We were treated to local dishes including Elephant Ear fish rolled in rice papers, pancakes and some exotic fruits and vegetables from the garden, all of which we enjoyed. Our host also celebrated doing a few shots of homemade Logan wine with Luc! It was a memorable and enjoyable day spent on land and water, one I won’t soon forget thanks to the bond I developed with my Vietnamese guide Luc.… Read more »
