Epic Caves!

You know how sometimes you witness something you know is "beautiful" while surrounded by over-enthusiastic people and aren't all that impressed? This is usually accompanied by a feeling of inadequacy and/or disappointment. Well, quite honestly, this is how I've always felt about caves. Until now. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not that I haven't found caves impressive or beautiful before, it's just that I've always felt somehow cheated or disappointed by them. I mean sure, we are all standing in some large hole in the ground where thousands of years of dripping water mixed with minerals has created all these awesome looking shapes... On an intellectual level I always felt that I should be impressed by it all but in reality I always felt somewhat damp and scared of bats and well, underwhelmed.

Therefore, it isn't surprising that based on my past experience with caves I didn't have too high hopes for my recent trip to Phuong Nha Caves National Park. I was looking forward to being out of the city and surrounded by mountains. I was also happy to read that one of the caves was only accessible by boat, and I've always enjoyed a boat ride in the Asian countryside. And a third perk was a lovely eco-trail on the way to the other cave where we would be able to stop for a quick swim. However, I have to say that all of this dimmed in the sight of Phuong Nga and Paradise caves. What a sight!

On the first day, A. and I visited Phuong Nga, the most famous cave. This was the one we accessed by boat. The sheer scope of this cave dwarfed any other that I had previously visited. A. was able to get some great pictures with her camera phone: (our digital cameras weren't up to stuff!)

After this visit, we agreed that just visiting this one cave had made the whole trip worth while. But it was really just the teaser.

Our second day was quite the adventure! We rented a manual motorbike which I was quite confident I could drive. I wasn't expecting the freak thunderstorm and shower that accompanied it. I also didn't consider that going up and down hills alone on a motorbike is completely different than when doing so which a second person on the back! Slow was the key and nobody got hurt. That is, until we arrived at the hotel and when getting off the bike I brushed up against a neighboring bike and got a little burn on a calf!

Anyways, we spent the morning driving to Paradise Cave. Stopping at the eco-trail along the way for a much needed swim -- before the storm hit it was at least 40 degrees out and sun was incredibly intense. Then, as we made our way on foot to the 500-step climb up to the cave the downpour started. On the plus side, it meant we were about to climb the steps without passing out from heat exhaustion. On the negative side, entering the cave wet made for a very cold visit... but to be honest, I barely noticed my body I was so astounded by my visual field.Thanks to the railings on our pathway, I was able to get some pretty great pictures:

Paradise Cave is the longest dry cave in the world. Only the first out out thirty one kilometers is accessible to the public, but even that one kilometer is incredible.

The mouth of the cave is tiny. You then go down a lot (probably the 500 you just climbed up) of stairs just to reach the bottom of the cave. I thought this was it, and had I been right, I still would have written this exact post, but there was more and more and more. I can't even describe the sheer scope of this cave, it just was. (Side note for my fellow Shambhalians: I now know what to imagine for my second step of Maitri practice.) Here is the view from the bottom of the stairs:

I want to end by sharing our final experience of the cave. On the way back to the mouth of the cave, at around the half way point, A. and I realized that we were the only people we could hear. Before that we had been surrounded by tour groups, and then somehow we were completely alone. My ears hurt from the complete and somehow very deep silence. We were transported into this completely foreign world and we were alone. That first sound of deep, deep, intense silence will remain with me.

Shopping Spree!

This week I went back to Hoi An for a shopping trip with A., my fellow volunteer from Thien Phuoc. Upon my last visit, the sheer number of shops made me slightly nauseous and I quickly retreated to the beautiful beaches that surround Hoi An. This time around, I had no such luck as the main reason for our visit to Hoi An was to shop. And did we ever! Quite honestly, shopping is exhausting so we split up our days as follows: in the morning we checked on the tailored clothes/shoes from the day before, then we spent the late morning/early afternoon at the beach (complete with amazing seafood lunches!), and then in the late afternoon -- once the sun was almost set -- more shopping! My tally:

• 3 dresses
• 1 skirt
• 5 pairs of earrings
• 1 sweater
• 7 rice paper paintings
• 2 pairs of Aladdin pants
• 3 pairs of sandals

All for about 100$! Not too bad... A. was just as productive and here is a picture of our combined loot:

This was my second big shopping indulgence, the first being Sapa. I received a few emails asking to see what I bought on that particular trip, so here it is:

Once A. and I got back to Hue, we celebrated by watching "Confessions of a Shopaholic" a painful and hilarious movie to watch, though very appropriate considering the circumstances. Most of these things are gifts without any particular owner as of yet, so if something catches your eye please let me know! Two weeks to my flight back to Canada, I can hardly wait! The weather's been ridiculously hot...

Everyday life in Thanh Tien

As my time in Vietnam quickly approaches it's end, I've started to look at and appreciate the little things. The parts of my day that are unremarkable to me now as they have become part of my everyday life. Those things that are paradoxically the most unique and special moments for their simplicity. It is rare to get a real, "authentic" look into another culture -- I hesitate to even use the word "authentic" because I usually steer clear of any restaurant or tour that claim to provide an "authentic experience". All that aside, I believe that my daily visits to Thanh Tien have become routine for the locals and as such I've been invited and have gotten to see a different Vietnam, one that is at times foreign even to Vietnamese people living in the city!

Here are a few everyday sights in Thanh Tien village. It's funny for me to think now with a little perspective that these things no longer make me pause.

These little shrines are everywhere, as a way to remember one's ancestors

Paper flower making has become part of my daily routine

Though I've become accustomed to seeing copious amount of meat,
I still cringe whenever I see the live ducks, chickens, and even dogs
at local markets.

Now here's a sight you can never tire of! The kids were shy with me at
first but have since realized that I am a complete pushover and always
ask me to carry them around!

Mr. Dan's pillow factory, always busy, always full to the brim with pillows!

When in doubt, try to communicate with music! This is my friend Yen's
little brother. At first he was too shy to eat in the same room as me, but
he has since warmed but considerably and had me doing advanced
calculus with him over the weekend.... yikes!

This one is for you mom: a part of getting your haircut here is getting
your ears cleaned! Long tweezers and cotton ball things that make you
shiver. Quite the experience!

Rice, rice, and more rice! And apparently insecticide that you can
handle with your bare hands and toss out on your crops to keep them healthy?

Mr. Loan's got style.

Day of the Dead celebrations: Catholic or Buddhist, no matter, you still
celebrate with some praying, lots of food, and copious amounts of beer.
The men and women sit at different tables and you eat and drink until you
fall asleep -- all before 1pm!

Before arriving here I truly thought that the the conical traditional
Vietnamese hats weren't worn anymore by everyday people. Wrong! Here's
a normal day, at a regular local market. When I wear one of these, everyone
speaks Vietnamese to me!

This tree was planted next to the shrine dedicated to the harvest gods for
luck. It's over 150 years old!

HEAT.

Today in Hue it's HOT. I mean like really, really hot. In the forties hot. I had to rent a motorbike to go to Thanh Tien today, the idea of going there by bicycle was too daunting. I felt a little wimpy about this until the following happened:

• Locals complained that it was hot out
• The water in my water bottle was warmer than my mouth: i.e. not refreshing.
• When I got back from the village and entered by hotel room, I was hit by cool air (to the point where I shivered!), when I looked at my alarm-clock-turned-thermometer it read 36 degrees!!

 

My strategy consisted of a light colored thin white long sleeved shirt, a lot of water, and getting what needed to be done as fast as possible so that I could escape to my "cool" hotel room. On the other hand, my friend Yen's strategy was vastly different, layer up and protect yourself from the sun: