Journey highlights - Worship

Worship:

Fascinating to me everywhere I go are the places and practices of worship.  I'll detour almost anywhere to see a spectacular temple, to find a quiet mosque, visit a quirky church, or burn incense at a far-flung altar or shrine or cemetery. I don't understand at all the fervor of faith... but I revel in the reverent awe of untamed landscapes, full-throated expressions of culture and social identity, unfiltered fresh air, and naturally clean water. I'm in that growing category of folks who aren't quite atheist, somewhat animist, and a tad bit pagan - yet adamantly spiritual by experience, but a-religious in practice.  And so it's often to the places and celebrations of worship & reverence - where the bulk of humanity seeks internal peace, happiness & community - that I find myself drawn to wherever I go.

Here are some snapshots of a few side-treks and some too-quickly-passed-by places of faithful expression during this visit.  I include details (names, locations, etc.) where I recall or was aware, but some spots were simply surprise discoveries.

 Fun and bright, this Buddhist temple is right down the block from our hosts' house in the Binh Thanh District and the first I visited in the city.  I'm still impressed by the ornate dragon statues above the entryway and the typically immaculate care of the grounds by the resident monks. Saigon, Vietnam.

Tombs of south Vietnamese general Marshall Le Van Duyet and his wife.  A national folk and cultural hero, pilgrims during the new year Tet celebrations came here to assert oaths of good faiths and avow committments.  He's rather controversial in the political context of the modern Communist regime for his role in putting down the Tay Son rebellion and facilitating expansion of French colonial influence.  The temple grounds are relatively newly renovated (c.1937), and were very awesomely decorated for Tet.  Le Van Duyet Temple, Saigon, Vietnam.

While the light balance was off in the photo here, the arrangement of incense burner and alter is very typical. And I thought it looked cool. Saigon, Vietnam.

Super-sized young Buddha statue.  Saigon, Vietnam.

View from the roadside of a very pagoda in the seaside town of Mui Ne, Vietnam.  Despite the electrical lines, I still can't get over how awesome the roof is.

Spectacular statuary of a multi-eyed Buddha (look closely at the hands!) at the Linh An Pagoda.  Near Elephant Falls around Nam Ban, Vietnam.

Giant golden Buddha at a monastery atop a tall hill outside the city center.  Dalat, Vietnam.

Past, present, & future Buddha's.  Clandestine photo from outside during morning service. Linh An Pagoda.

Another variation on the eternal Buddha.  The wild variety of this image throughout China and Vietnam (and far beyond, I'm sure) inspires awe and a grand appreciation for the diversity of the culture here. Linh An Pagoda.

A stellar larger-than-life Buddha at Linh An Pagoda, flanked by a small army of Bodhisattva statues. 

An esoteric Buddha statue, at the Lamasery in Beijing.  Covered for a reason, this and the series of similar statues were at one time used to teach the young emporer the wonders and mystery of divine copulation.

Way old school.  Centuries-old statues that are still revered for their luck-imbuing reputation.  

Giant wooden Buddha statue inside the Lamasery, Beijing.

 Another esoteric Buddha statue, heralded by the 8 sacred symbols. Lamasery, Beijing, China. 

A proliferation of these colorful and festive cemetaries dotted the countryside all throughout Vietnam. Perhaps it was the time of year - just before Tet - but the buzz of activity, sounds, and smells makes me think the Vietnamese take on death is more a celebration of life. From the train, enroute to Saigon.

Rear-side view of Notre Dame Cathedral, downtown Saigon.

  

 

 And here, Notre Dame Cathedral from the front.  Another favorite shot. 

 Simple (when compared to many Buddhist temples) yet stunning entrance and central spire of the Saigon Central Mosque - c.1935.  Stopping in here for a few quiet moments amidst the hive of activity that is the downtown Dong Khoi district was like a cool breath of fresh air. 

Marvelous entrance to the Mariamman Hindu Temple, the only one still in active use in Saigon by the 60 or so Hindu's still here.  The interior was bedecked in similarly spectacular colors and images.

Chris, lighting some joss sticks just inside Mariamman Temple.  It is revered by many Vietnamese and ethnic Chinese and reputed to have strong healing energies.  The whole temple had a lively, healthy vibe - definitely worth a trek to check it out.

 Statue of the Hindu god Mahavishnu inside the temple, one of many continually and meticulously maintained by the Tamil Hindu's who run the temple.

 Cho Quan Church, in downtown Saigon.  I liked the angles & lines in one, with streamers and flags laid out for the Tet holiday...

 ..but one of the coolest things at Cho Quan Church is the liberal use of neon lighting around the iconography sprinkled all over the church grounds.  Here, a grotto dedicated to the Virgin. 

The photos laid out heretofore are taken with an Olympus Stylus 1050 SW 

 
These works by Tim Paez are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

Saigon - not the Little one.

30 January - 5 February, 2011
Saigon, Vietnam.

Rice paddies along the way south from Hanoi, rather early into the 36-hour train ride.

Large, crater-like ponds... I'm not sure of their origin, but the landscape and region correspond to a violent history.

Closer to Saigon on the coastal approach between Hue and Danang, we were greeted by this wide expanse of warm, well-protected bays.

Truly, the end of the line. Behind Chris converges the terminus of what, in whole, is often billed as the Reunification Express. Its over 1,726km of track links North with South, and is the entirety of the Hanoi-Saigon rail line.

So, honestly, I'm not sure if to use Saigon, or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Who you ask, and how you beseech the answer, is likely to yield varying advice - and even then it may totally depend on where you are when you ask.
Truthfully, I prefer Saigon - and apparently the roots to that name run slightly deeper than those of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Regardless, the respect for the man who is the inspiration for the contemporary nomenclature remains great, and I am inclined to conclude it is rightfully deserved.  He and others led the first post-industrial peasants revolution in Southeast Asia - in the context of a in increasingly interdependent and quickly modernizing, global capitalist economy, dominated by the West - and his reputation here and abroad stands rather sustained.

Serious, all over the world; but here, aggressive public stance.

Hardy travel compatriots enjoying a meal break from the heat. Yup, mist spray.

The unsung heroes of Saigon - street sweepers, after 11pm, attack refuse with abandon.

We spent nearly a week here, during the major national and cultural holiday of the year. We were graced with stern, local advice for foreigners that greatly enhanced our stay, and intensely enjoyed the esteemed company of all members of my very good friends' family (the invitation was extended from his grandmothers household!!!). I still feel like the surface was barely scratched, and it retained through my stay a lush, explosive sheen of celebratory cheer!

Ostentatious, colonial architecture, clearly Western. Presumably French...?

Peace. Solidarity. Friendship. Cooperation. Development. & Tanks. War Remnants Museum.

I dream about buildings and city blocks that look sport this motif in the U.S. One day...

Notre Dame cathedral & Mary.

Elaborate mosaic of glass and ceramic plates. Le Van Duyet Temple.

We were fortunate in Saigon at this time for another reason - we arrived during a major national holiday celebration in one of the capitol city's major parks. At Cong Vien Van Hoa park, in the center of the city, we found a massive, green public space converted into a showground for exhibits of Vietnam's plethora of natural and cultural treasures. Flowers, bonsai, gems, birds, fish, butterflies, handicrafts, art, sculptures, and more were on display across acres and acres, showcasing among the best of 2010's pieces.

Butterfly tent at the New Year's fair. Cong Vien Van Hoa Park.

A favorite photo, came out so crisp.. Cong Vien Van Hoa Park.

Hedgerow and flowers dragon, easily +35 ft. long. Cong Vien Van Hoa Park.

Elaborate sculptures using local foodstuff - chilis, peppers, fruits, nuts, & flowers. And this was a basic one... Cong Vien Van Hoa Park.

Year of the Cat, a rotating homage in flowers. Easily 15 feet tall. Cong Vien Van Hoa Park.

Plagued with nauseous nicotine withdrawl and something akin to delayed cabin fever from the train, didn't visit the People's Committee Building and the nearby holiday night fair/markets. Chris K., photog.

Traditional ethnic weaving, employing an ingenious array of rope&pulleys, and such deft motions as to nearly render me hypnotized.

The pace is far from breakneck. Food must be approached with caution. And learning the local driving etiquette is more like taking instructions to etch-a-sketch a Hieronomys Bosch painting with your hands behind your back - to quote Jim Bruer's Brian, in Half Baked (1998), it's "fuckin' impossible, man". Which is all exactly what contributes to its all-pervasive sensation of being at all times both a beautifully gritty and harshly serene, while remaining a consistently dynamic city of world-class cultural richness and depth.

Moments into the Year of the Cat, sharing in cheer.