17 Mar 2025 - Ninh Binh
Aboard the Anghor Pandaw. We set off at 9 am for a half hour bus ride to Thung Nham, One of North Vietnam‘s most famous tourist spots. We took a sampan here along the river and through three or four caves which were most impressive and low. In the countryside the river was surrounded by limestone Hills covered in forest, most picturesque . Our group had 10 Sampans in all with a local lady rowing the boat with her feet on the oars, a seemingly difficult task that they were very skilled in it. This wonderful trip lasted about an hour and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Though there was a bit of aggression from the rower at the end for a tip, on top of the tip that Pandaw had already paid.
Click on thumbnail photo below to get larger photo
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
After lunch back on the boat, we set out again in the coach to see a large Roman Catholic church which have been built in 1875 by the French in the form of a pagoda: we could not see any catholic architecture in it but was told that there had been some. There were also side churches and one of these indeed did look more like a traditional French church. The inside of the main church did resemble a Catholic Church, but with a distinct temple/Vietnamese style imposed upon it.
French shells damaged the roof in the war against the Viet Minh in 1953. And in 1972, the cathedral was bombed by the Americans, I have no idea why, resulting in the collapse of its entire west wall, the convents and two of the schools. But now, after restoration, there are not even tell-tale marks of this destruction
We then walked through this town, Phat Diem , before an interesting ride through Vietnamese villages back to where the boat was moored. As soon as we were all aboard the boat proceeded straining for the next 5+ hours to get to it mooring point after 10 P.m. after the normal happy hour cocktail and Tapas we had dinner with Marlow, an esteemed the viola player from the states who told us all about discovering his Mexican fathers family when he was in his 60s, so interesting. After dinner we watched the Quiet American, but I could not follow the diction on it so left before the end.
Click on thumbnail photo below to get larger photo
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |