#flathal #flatstanleyproject #vietnam
Việt Nam translates from the Vietnamese language as “people (or tribe) of the South”. Of the tribes of Imperial China, they were the southern tribe. The Vietnamese people broke away from China and united as one nation. Then the French came—their history has many periods of conflict, and fights to remain united as one people.
The Flat Friends embraced fun and modern marvels on our stop in Da Nang yesterday.
Today, in Hạ Long we focused on history and a natural wonder… amazing, tall rock formations in the harbor. Our guides helped us understand Vietnam’s centuries of history with China, their neighbor to the north.
We visited Ha Long on March 30th. Most of the time the date we visited doesn’t matter. However, in Ha Long we saw lots of decorations for a holiday they recently celebrated—VIETNAMESE NEW YEAR, Tết.
The red ribbons in the trees are tied on “with a prayer.” Often the person tying it on is wishing for good health, for themselves or a loved one. What would you wish for?
The two temples we visited were for a national hero. Alongside each was a place to worship Buddha also. Inside the temple grounds the city was a distant whisper. We were surrounded by peacefulness, and calm.
The Flat Friends wandered the grounds of Trần Quốc Nghiễn Temple, feeling separated from the city and the world beyond.
