12 Months in Hanoi: Canoes and Cable Cars

10 adults + 1 adorable little girl ventured to the Perfume Pagoda on Saturday ... many thanks to Nathalie and LaMont and Daraca and Damien for inviting me on the day trip they'd planned for visiting family members!!

According to Lonely Planet, the Perfume Pagoda ... "is a striking complex of pagodas and Buddhist shrines built into the karst cliffs of Huong Tich Mountain (Mountain of the Fragrant Traces)." The better description comes from the Government of Vietnam's state-sanctioned Tourist Guidebook: "Huong Tich Grotto is the most beautiful and famous of the grottoes in the area. It was discovered more than 2,000 years ago. When Lord Trinh Sam visited the grotto in the 18th century, he wrote five Chinese characters on the entrance in calligraphy: Nam Thien De Nhat Dong, meaning 'the most beautiful grotto under the Southern skies.' In the middle of the grotto is a statue of Bodhisattva Kuanin ... Many Vietnamese visit the Perfume Pagoda to implore Buddha for happiness and good luck, as well as to immerse themselves in the beauties of nature."

So the 11 of us ... me, Nathalie, LaMont, Monae, LaMont's mom Sylvia, Daraca, Damien, Damien's mum Pamela, and his grandmum Kathleen, and friends Kate and Zach ... piled into a "16 passenger van" (NOT 16 Western passengers - it was a tight fit) and enjoyed the 2 hour trip to the Perfume Pagoda. We took a 1.5 hour canoe ride to the entrance to the temple, and slid our way (extremely slippery) through the temples. THEN ... we took a cable car ... (that's right - a freaking CABLE CAR in BFE Vietnam) ... to the top of one of the karst mountains, and went spelunking (I love that word) to see the Temple in the cave.

Quite honestly, friends in Hanoi had warned me about the Perfume Pagoda - too many people, it's so hot, not worth going, blah blah blah ... it was AMAZING. It was a perfect day trip from Hanoi, though I could see where it'd be "challenging" with a gajillion people pushing their way up the (millions of) steps and causing traffic jams on the river.

We lucked out with great weather (hot and sticky, but it wasn't sunny so that kept the temps pretty good for middle of summer in Vietnam) and no crowds. We timed it perfectly, and had a great day doing it ... HIGHLY recommend the Perfume Pagoda to anyone venturing to Vietnam!

And of course - pictures!!

We made it! Kate, Zach, Sylvia, Monae and Daraca with our
trusty steed

Canoes and the view

Ready to get this party started!!

Cruisin'

Purple trash bags (aka ponchos) are the height of sophistication

Serious flooding on the river - the top part of the pagoda

Pamela, Kathleen and Dar enjoying the cruise!

More flooding - shop/restaurant underwater

The view!

Pagoda!

More Pagoda!

Nat and Monae exploring the 1st set of Pagodas

Friends!

Fierce

Cheeseball

Altar in one of the temples

LaMont and Monae checking out the temples

Prayer flags!

Me and Dar pre-Cable Car

I imagine myself saying something like "SERIOUSLY??? A cable car?"
Also known as ... sheer terror ...

... until I was fine and posed with Damien

Sylvia and Daraca being fearless - lovin' the cable car ride
(to be fair - the view was AMAZING)

Weird fertility dolls - supposed to bless you with a boy ...

... up close and personal ... Huh.

Nat getting ready to head down to the cave temple

View from the steps leading to the cave

Me and Damien making our way to the temple

Bells!

Home boy is welding in flip flops. On the top of a mountain. Having
carried those ridiculously heavy poles to the top of said mountain.
Good god we have it easy.