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Tra
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Vietnam Mekong Delta 2019 |
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© John Holstein 2019 |
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| Tra Vinh is a relatively
small city in Vietnam's Mekong Delta region. With
its laid back attitude and soaring, dignified meranti tree-lined streets
just outside the commercial center, it is the most pleasant city I saw in
the Delta. But the meranti
aren't what drew me to Tra vinh; I visited Tra Vinh because it has the largest
number of Khmer temples in Vietnam. |
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Majestic
towering trees of the dipterocarp family line the streets on the periphery
of the commercial center. |
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| Bill was a resident
of Tra Vinh when I started considering it for a visit. These are his friends.
Here, Mr. Vang Minh Thuan, Billl's good friend, is treating us all to a
feast of great food and drink. Mr. Thuan (he says his name is pronounced
like 'tongue') also lent me one of his bicycles. Since there are no bicycle
renters in small, tourist-less Tra Vinh, I couldn't have gotten around all
the outlying temples if he hadn't lent me his bicycle. The ladies, from
left to right, are Cherry, Thin and Hang. |
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Chua
(Temple) Khmer Chim. Here are more photos
of Chua Khmer Chim. |
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Chua
Ang, another forest temple outside Tra Vinh. It was first built in the
tenth century, and restored in the nineteenth. Check out more photos here. |
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Chua
Khmer Phuong. You can see a few more views here. |
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| This character greets
visitors to Chua Phat Quang, a new temple a 30-minute bike ride outside
Tra Vinh. It's very new, apparently funded by Chinese-Vietnemese. (The "good
fortune Buddha" is the give-away.) I've never seen a fat Buddha quite
so jolly. As far as I know, this sect has a similar focus--getting wealthy--with
the "prosperity gospel" in the U.S.: you will get rich if you
become a generous donor. |
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| These people at
Chua Tinh Xa Ngoc Van, inside Tra Vinh, invited me to join them in their
post-service veggie hot pot lunch. It was superb, and, as a result, I spent
lots of time in both Tra Vinh and Can Tho searching out hot pot restaurants.
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Chua
Tinh Xa Ngoc Van, a truly unique temple, very simple, in a pleasant wooded
park. |
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The
very simple main (and only) prayer hall for Chua Tinh Xa Ngoc Va tells
me this temple serves a very busy lunch crowd. A monk was giving a talk
when I arrived. |
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| One of several statuaries
at Thai Buddhists' Wat Sam Rong Ek. Because the temple is so scrupulously
maintained, one would think it almost new, but it's one of Tra Vinh's oldest.
You can see more of this temple's similar beautifully crafted scenes from
the Buddha's life at this
website. Check out a few more views of this temple here. |
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