Viet Nam, Day 1: Jesus and Confucius

The Temple of Nirvana, Vung Tau

Since I had spent 3 days in Ho Chi Minh City two years ago (with Yale), I decided not to take a 2+-hour bus ride from the way-far-away port into the city, which is landlocked. Instead, I signed up for ‘The Monuments of Vung Tau’ excursion. Vung Tau (population 1 million) is located on the South China Sea and has a semi-decent beach, so it was the only (or one of the only) in-country R&R spot for U.S. troops during the Viet Nam War. I had always wanted to visit the 120-foot tall Christ the King of Vung Tau, one of the world’s largest Jesus statues. Okay, I hadn’t, but it got me off the ship.

First of all, it was hot. Around 90. And Jesus was 1,000 steps up the mountain. If you wanted to go up inside him, it was another 100 steps into his shoulder. One of the ship’s bar staff did it all. Me? I took this picture in the gift shop. You’d think this Catholic shrine, which was full of visitors the day we were there, would have been better maintained: it was pretty shabby.

While Viet Nam is not, according to our guide, a particularly religious country — he said it’s 70% ‘free of religion’ — after Buddhism, Catholicism does still have a presence thanks to the French colonists, though many Catholics left after the French did, in 1954. There’s a Notre Dame Cathedral in downtown Saigon (made entirely of materials shipped in from France!), and other Catholic churches along the roadways, like this one near Vung Tau.

By the way, after the war the name was changed to Ho Chi Minh City... but may locals still refer to it as Saigon.

Next stop, the Niet Ban Tinh Xa Pagoda, a fairly sizeable temple complex squished into a neighborhood on a hillside facing the sea. It was begun in 1969 and completed in 1974. I saw other new temples under construction as we drove along highways. (Can the country really be 70% religion-free?) This one is called the Temple of Nirvana and also the Pagoda of the Long Lying Buddha — there is a giant reclined Buddha in the main sanctuary, with a monk.

This is a side entrance to the pagoda...

There were a few plantings around the complex, with statuary...

When the French were still in power, a Nguyen Dynasty (the last in Viet Nam:1802–1945) fortress was demolished so the Villa Blanche could be built as a retreat for the French Governor General. Completed in 1916, it has a very Graham Greene feel about it — especially the bedroom with the blue satin mamasan chairs...

The facade faces sunset on the South China Sea.

Saloon-style doors on upstairs lounges and bedrooms allow some privacy and, more important, airflow.

From the Villa Blanche grounds we could see this interesting building... the local government HQ. It appears to have a water slide on the roof.

Last on the day’s agenda was a brief respite in sling chairs at the local beach, where we were served BBQ potato chips in cans (No, thank you) and 333 brand beer in cans (NO! And if you’re given a straw without a wrapper, NO to that too!). At least three people on our ship collect sand from places around the world, so Tony was happy to scoop a little bit into a baggie. Being Saturday, the beach was full of families and teenagers. And Vikings.

Our guide, Viet, appeared to be in his 30s, so he was born after the war. He is the son of North Viet Namese farmers — he told us we could call him Viet or ‘Buffalo Boy,’ which I imagine had to do with growing up on a farm. He said his parents were ‘held back’ by 1,000-year-old Confucianism. After school, his father wanted him to go to South Korea to get a job. But Viet wanted to get an education. His father said No. He pleaded, and his father said, One year. Viet went to school in Saigon to study Tourism, and learned English. He told us he learned it ‘for free’ — at night he went out to the airport and talked to people. His parents still live in the North, but Viet met ‘Miss Saigon’ and lives in the South with his wife and son.

Viet said, Viet Nam lost 25 years to the Viet Nam war. The 1 million boat people who left were doctors, teachers, etc. Many left from this very city, Vung Tau. Japan recovered from WW II in 25 years, but after 45 years, Viet Nam is still trying to recover. But they are becoming, according to him, ‘a global people.’ He also alluded a couple times to their ‘democracy.’ Back in China, one guide had referred to a ‘Communist government and a socialist society.’

Viet Nam’s population is 93 million. And 55 million motorcycles or scooters. The roads are full of them, and bicycles... they have their own lane on the freeway. Which makes it easy for people to talk on their phone and text while they’re driving. More road shots with commentary in the next posting.