One of the great benefits of
river cruising is that boats can anchor frequently at villages and small
ports, either to pick up provisions from the local market or let the
passengers take in an excursion or two.
Among
the highlights of Pandaw's excursions are water puppet performances,
ethnic dancing, a bird sanctuary, Buddhist and Taoist temples and visits
with local artisans and craftspeople.
We
see several sturdy stone Catholic churches as well, built during the
French colonial period. Visitors will invariably be welcomed to a
village home with an offering of green tea. Or, if it's evening, they
might tempt you with a splash of rice whiskey.
A unique feature of the houses
we see from the upper deck is that many of them have fake gables. From a
frontal view, it looks like another floor, but it's only a triangular
façade with nothing behind it, giving the appearance of small Buddhist
shrines atop the roofs. Almost every building has lightning rods,
sometimes four or even six, on the rooftop. They're shaped like spires,
which accentuates their pious appearance.
Another
unique characteristic of the northern Vietnamese is the custom of
burying loved ones in their paddy fields. Although the practice is now
banned, thousands of shrines and tombstones still pepper rice fields as
far as the eye can see.
Our
tour guide explains that the tradition is twofold: firstly, so that the
headstone acts a reminder to the family that you are still here, still
looking over the household; and secondly, as a warning to your family
never to sell this land.
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