Park and Ride

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I spent the weekend visiting various parks and temples. The weather was warm and sunny, but as is always the case with the risk of sudden and heavy rain. I find myself constantly remembering where the nearest shelter is, just in case the sky opens up.

The first park I went to was very pretty. Open and green, with a temple dedicated to the Huong King in the middle. The temple itself was quite small, but ornately decorated (pictures to come, I promise).

Later I went to Binh Quoai country park. This is quite a way out of the city, but it was nice to be away from the noise and into the fresh air. Unfortunately with fresh air comes insects, and with them insect bites. For some reason they decided to feast on me leaving everybody else in my group alone, I guess the western blood must be appealing to them. I discovered 15 bites in all, but they are recovering nicely now.

The park itself was very peaceful. Surrounded by fishing lakes, there is the opportunity to take a boat out onto the lake. Unfortunately, with the weather being so unpredictable we decided this was not a good idea and decided instead just to enjoy the peace and quiet. At night there is a buffet on offer which gives you the chance to try many traditional foods of Vietnam. This gets very busy though so I did not stay long enough to sample all of the dishes.

Binh Quoai is very popular for wedding photos. Everywhere I went there seemed to be a couple and their entourage posing for the next batch of photos. Some were in traditional Vietnamese dress while others opted for the white dress (and white suit for men). They were all well co-ordinated, making sure they did not turn up at the same location at the same time. I fear if this were to happen, at least one of the couples would end up in the lake.

The thing I noticed during the weekend was the sense of family and tradition. Whilst working hard all week, the weekend is about spending time with the family. All the parks had various groups playing games together. There is still a charm about the people as well, keeping up with the traditions of their heritage. I wonder though that as children become teenagers, with the strong influences of the west whether this will become lost with time. I hope for now that they manage to keep the natural beauty of the country as it would be all to easy to become spoiled like Thailand.

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