Paul Jefferyes

This was a real treat, and we had no idea about this place before we found it.

It was an interesting little spot on the map so I thought we should check it out, and the ride there next to the river was beautiful, I kept thinking we were going to miss the temple because I wasn't sure what to expect or if it was behind a few buildings but when we got there it was obvious, you couldn't miss it. Apparently, the pagoda that's built there is seven stories high and is the tallest religious building in Vietnam. And that's according to Wikipedia so there. Fact.

The vibe within the temple grounds was really something else, I can't quite describe it very well, but something about the place just had a lot of energy. The monks were doing some chanting in the central temple behind the pagoda and were obviously devout and dedicated to their spirituality. I videoed a small clip of their sound and may have added a tiny bit of quiet beatboxing because these guys were tight and I can't help myself when I get in tune with things sometimes..

The grounds were beautifully maintained and lovingly cared for, with a hundred bonzai style trees kept in the courtyard, I may have had a little hay fever that day because when I sneezed accidentally, Jack said he "saw" it land. I'm not sure if he heard it as well, but in his words "Middle of a temple and you just blow a torrent of snot all over the floor"
So yeah, that was gross, and hopefully not too disrespectful. Sorry Buddha!

Anyways, at the back was a prayer pedestal that we all put our incense into for good luck with our bikes and the onward journey.

Now I know it sounds weird but there definitely was a powerful aura to the place, I couldn't put my finger on it but for some reason, it felt like the place was blessed, and when we walked around and came to the old Austin motor, it clicked.
The car was beautiful, a classic, sky blue paint, and tucked away to the side of the main temple, it looked kind of out of place for Vietnam, like it should be in a Hollywood museum for Elvis, but it was under a roof parked on display as a relic here,
There was a photo up on the side which explained why it was here, and then it hit me. This was the car in which Thich Quang Duc was driven to his self-immolation in Saigon in 1963 against the Diem regime. It was the first of a series of self-immolations by members of the Buddhist clergy in the country, which brought the plight of Buddhists to the attention of the international community, which is why I recognised the photo. I'd seen it before but hadn't thought to find it here. It was also the rage against the machine album cover! The devotion of that man had a huge impact on the world. I've been doing a little more research on it and even John F. Kennedy at the time said in reference to that photograph: "No news picture in history has generated so much emotion around the world as that one."

A beautiful and historic place that I definitely recommend you go to if you ever get the chance to head to this great city.Read more