Nha Trang. The city of white sand and silver birds.
Nha Trang was, in my childhood, a seaside town romantic and blown by the maritime wind, reflecting in a limpid sea.
Today, Nha Trang is stained by high ugly buildings to accommodate massive tourism.
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I do not recognize my former Nha Trang so sweet and peaceful. Our house has been destroyed and the old little airport where our cessna landed, abandoned.
With heavy heart, I walk on the seaside once wild, today invaded by beer pubs, privatizing the beaches…
Help ... I have to flee from the center of Nha Trang to take refuge somewhere faraway, in the hearts of the countryside.
I therefore inquired for the visit of a pagoda off dowtown, known for fulfilling the wishes.
Not far, about ten kilometers from the exit of Nha Trang, we reached our aim by scooter.
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The pagoda is built on the old northern road, now a highway. We left the din of vehicles to enter the quiet sanctuary which, since it is the right hour, was plunged into the nap’s sleep.
The pagoda is eaten by the highway and its site is rather disappointing, on the side of a dense trafic.
I lighted few incenses and express my prayers: "May my steps lead me to a serene place where I could find my Nha Trang of yesteryear. "
We took the road back to the city when, after a few kilometers, a road on the right seems leading to a beautiful countryside. We decided to follow it. Indeed, this road took us away from Nha Trang to West, with some rice fields lying idle growing quietly.
Plunging his feet in the rice fields, a mountain on the left stands proudly and ... coiled in its flanks, a small pagoda under a series of cascades could be seen. I heard its sweet call.
The access path is not visible, I inquire with locals and soon we were on the road to the "Pagoda of the three sources."
The road cut through the rice fields and several small villages lost in the countryside, before hitting the feet of the mountain.
There, as traditional way, the thousand steps await us to level us up to the heights of tranquility. Patiently, we climbed them and patiently, our breath was refined. An inscription on a wall halfway: "May each step purifies your breath, may each step purifies your mind. "
Then finally, the pagoda opens its doors ... The hammering of the "coc", this fish carved in wood which sound rhythms the prayers, welcomes us. The gong resonates three times and the silence regains its rights, only lulled by the wind’s whisper in the giant leaves of the surrounding jungle, and the waterfalls.
I went to the altar, central place of worship where I’ve been offered incenses. I lighted them by reciting a mantra, heart in peace.
The monks' tea is, here, bitter ... it is more a medicine taken daily to prevent infectious diseases than a tea for pleasure taste. But his taste is refined and remains sweet in my palate ... I enjoyed deeply the moment. The monks are praying...
I recovered my Nha Trang. Quiet and innocent, warm and rocking. My childhood is here again.
We were invited to share lunch .... But I was already so nourished by this peace that everything is already complete, whole. I laid in the jungle breathe, in Buddha's loving gaze, in the heart of the Pagoda, in the murmur of waterfalls, in the chattering of the birds and from time to time, in the clear sound of a gong struck by a prayer. I am happy.
So, how could I not smile inside out ?
I remembered one important teaching of my Master though :"When your inner peace is strong, then, wherever you may stand, whomever you may be with, this peace may remains still and be shared around you. Real inner peace does not depend on any condition to exist."
When I returned to Nha Trang downtown,
Inner Peace was in my heart to share...
It is the 1st of January 2018.
It is said that all the events of the first day of the year tend to repeat themselves over the next 365 days ....
Happy New Year Everyone !
Let's share the fruit of our happiness !
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Nha Trang is a beautiful city. I have been there once and will certainly go there again! Thanks for the awesome photos.
thank your for your attention... In my childhood, Nha Trang WAS beautiful... Well, I guess everything changes and we have to go on and adapt ourselves.
I can only imagine how beautiful it was back in your childhood. I guess the place has become a bit too touristy and many things had changed. Nonetheless, I still find it a nice place to be in :)
If only I can get to see how it was like in the old days...
here it is, from a plane...
Wow. Brings back some weird distant memories. I went to Nha Trang back in 98' when I was 18. Vietnam must have changed a lot.
98 ? I went there at my very first return in my country after some 30 years away, on 97... yes, Nha Trang is really a misery now, for me... High buildings everwhere, just to be a futur Benidorm. But, well, Viet Nam is strong and her heart will not be stained. As my story, peace is unconditionnal in our heart when we found it for good. Thank you friend for your visit !
Yes I will be shocked when I eventually go back.
I could feel your pain in the transformation of Nha Trang,.....i may not have been there before, but I could imagine the happiness you painted when it hadn't been transformed back when you were young..... You know, that's what happens now a days, the beautiful places you once visited have now been distorted by modern era, we just have to live it it......
you are welcome back @tiloupsa
thank you so much for your sweet words, Alumhydro... yes, I do live with it now and the most important is the moment present, with all the magnificent memories which has built us back in time... let's make more beautiful memories to cherrish right now... and here, wherever we are.
Yea, you got the right spirit....... welcome back once again, I almost thought you'd never come back, lol...
These are very wise teachings from your master... I remember Osho also saying something about freedom in the sense that it is not about running away from something (because then you are still not free) but being able to accept things as they are and be okay with it. Same idea about inner peace being something that comes within rather than through external influences.
PLUSHZILLA ! How grateful I am when reading your words. Actually, I have post this text in order to illustrate what my Master taugh me and what Master Osho tried to spread out to be heard. Of course, even the farest voyage, even the most beautiful travel in the world is not worthy comparing to the trip of insight : For only this one can bring comprehension and freedom. I have hope that someone will react on the part of this text which is its main message... And I'm fulfilled you DID. So, again, thank you sooo much and BE HAPPY in the moment, which is the moment of eternity. Be happy forever on, Plushzilla !
Nha Trang - I visited this place recently on my travels and I didn't care for it much.. I went to Sailing club on the beach, and the highlight was probably the fresh fruit cocktails on the beach.
It felt like way too much of a party town though, so I didn't enjoy it.
I was shocked at how many shop signs and bars were in RUSSIAN! Thankfully, the rest of Vietnam remains untouched and still authentic!
yes... I have wrote my text by noting that mostly, Nha Trang has been destroyed by russian tourism. But did not dare to write it in my post. May be there are some russian steemers and they would not appreciate this. Anyhow, I was also chocked by that too... but vietnamese in Nha Trang working with tourists regain their smile when you say you are NOT russian tourist NOR chinese.... So, as I'm vietnamese, no relationnal problem ;-) found in my childhood's town. Keep on and thank you for your attention, dear traveller friend !