Following the perfume...

Perfume Pagoda
Chua Huong (Perfume pagoda) is located in Huong son (Perfume mountain) 70 km southwest of Hanoi. Chua Huong is not one temple but a cluster of temples and shrines.
Huong Tich temple was built during the reign of Le Chinh Hoa (1680-1705), by a monk who happened on the site on his way to search for enlightenment. Other shrines and temples were later built in this area to take advantage of the beautiful scenery in this area.
The uniqueness of Huong Son is that the mountains, river and forest appear like an oasis for buddhists in the middle of the great plains of northern Vietnam.

So guess what..? Miguelito went to check it out...


Rice padies on the way
2 hours drive , about 60km from Hanoi, early morning.












Most people choose to use row boats on Yen Vi river, which is by far the more romantic and scenic route to Chua Huong.
Chua Huong is famous for the annual pilgrimage of Buddhists. Every year, between February and March, on the first month after the first moon of the Vietnamese calendar, Chua Huong festival draws hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country. The festival is also a very popular place for young couples to meet and it is also a place where many budding romances are formed. During this time of the year, Ben Duc is packed with thousands of row boats used for shuttling visitors.

Jumping on the boat and go!

Is is an amazing sight: countless vietnamese people filling up these long boats rowing on the same direction: The sacrate pagoda. Our boat seemed to be the only boat with white people on. People would stare at us an one or two took pictures of us! lol. I felt like an animal in the zoo being looked at.
Xin Chaoooooo!!
They would smile and laugh at us and the most brave would try to comunicate with 'Hellooooo'' or maybe more like: 'Élôôôô!' with their funny accent. To what the whities would reply with: 'Xin Chao!'

Met Maggie, Tasmanian 49 year old friend, who I clicked the most with out of the whole bunch. She is buddhist for 25 years and gave me a few good tips about buddhism. Don't think i'm gonna follow it though... Ain't dressn' those goans, honey! With all respect...

hats...







The scenic river views on the way






























Hmmm... hungry yet? What about your pet for lunch..? Cat. D-licious...





Perhaps turtle..? We used to pet these!! Remember? Everybody has had one! I could take them all home!






So, what else one the menu..?




Oh Dear...












There's a wide variety, perhaps you fancy a bit of the tasty old Dog!!










Once off the boat, one has 2 options to get to the top and reach the sacrate cave: cable car or a 4km climb through a steep path up the bushy mountain, 1001 stairs sided by vendor stalls: food, clothes or gifts to the buddha.

Most people in the group decided to take the easy 10min ride on the cable car...
I think that one can only feel the essence of the event and the place if one walks amongst the local smelly... i mean, sorry... smiley people... and was not very happy to go by cable car. As soon as a mention it to Maggie, she didn't hesitate: 'I was thinking the same, lets walk up!'
Out of the 16 people in the group, 5 decided to walk and Miguelito was one of them, sided by great Maggie!!!

offerings to their budha







The five resilients!








Pelgrims...







































They kept asking me to take their picture so they could see themselfs on the camera afterwards. And was funny to see them laugh of themselves on the camera screen. They'd say 'Elôôô'. I'd say 'Olááá'.










Into the grotto































And on the way back (this time by cable car because the guide was rushing us down), time for a quick check on Thien Tru Temple. Just a quick check because the guide kept rushing us back. Tosser!

With Lui, the aprentice for guide, who helped me bargain for a good deal on some souvenirs...























Parking jam on arrival.
Indeed, a few boats...







This a special place! Felt good to see it on pelgrimage time...
Perfume Pagoda, because as we aproach it from the river one can sense the odour...