At 19:50 on 21st September, the train SE7 started to move away, taking us out of Hanoi station. Hong Nhung singer's voice coming through a train's loud speaker system made me vaguely sad. 'Dù có đi bốn phương trời, lòng vẫn nhớ về Hà Nội, Hà Nội của ta thủ đô yêu dấu, một thời đạn bom, một thời hòa bình' [No matter where I go, my heart is always towards Hanoi, my Hanoi, my beloved capital city, in wartime or peace time]. It seemed hearty words of good bye said to our group - staff and lecturers from Art culture Department who were on the journey of professional knowledge practice promising full of pleasure and usefulness.
How emotional it was at nights on the train, everybody of us seemed to sink deep in our own thoughts. Some were pensively thinking of busy days with many plans for new academic year, others were trying to inhale and enjoy the early autumn night's fresh air.
As for myself, I could understand myself more than anyone, I knew my sadness was because I missed Hanoi, where my most beloved people were subsiding into sleep.
Through long journey, train SE7 took us from province to province of our Fatherland. The first impresssion striking us when passing provinces in the Central was the way local people dressed. The weather was extremely hot with temprature outdoorsreaching 37oC to 38oC, but all of the local people were wearing pullovers or coats. Only when being fully aware of the hotsun of the Central, which had been long known for hot dry winds and white sand, could we understand the reasons for this phenomenon.
The train kept rushing ahead. We shared the mixing feeling of worrying, exciting and enjoying when it endeavored to pass over Haivan Gorge - one of the largest and most dangerous gorges in Vietnam. After a short time, the whole team cheered amazingly, when a long, romantic and poetic beach with white sand appeared in front of them. That was Langco Beach, the famous beach that is praised as 'more beautiful than a landscape painting.”
Feelings of worrying and exciting when the train endeavored to pass over Haivan Gorge
(photographer:Trịnh Thanh)
Cheered amazingly when seeing beautiful landscape of Langco Beach
(Photographer: Trinh Thanh)
At 12 a.m 22nd September, we arrived in Danang, the place which endowed with natural advantages in the middle of an area near three world culture heritages: Hue ancient Royal, Hoian ancient street and Myson holly land.
Danang, a wonderful city on theHan river, has a romantic turning bridge - the first turning bridge designed and built by a group of Vietnamese engineers and workers. At present, this is the only turning bridge in Vietnam. It is the pride of Vietnamese people and of Danang citizens.
The more time passed the more fresh air we hadgot from the graceful river. No one remembered when all the hardness and tiredness disappeared so happiness and excitement presented clearly on our faces. After more than 17 hours on the train, finally we passed over 764 km to arrive in a magnificent and luxurious city.
The turning bridge – The Han river
(Photographer: Trịnh Thanh)
The first stating place which we chose for the journey of professional knowledge practice was Hochiminh museum in Danang. Museum was at No1, Duy Tan Street, a solemn position in the city. There were two parts in the museum: The first place: Model area of Hochiminh piled house( designed in the manner of Hochiminh piled house’s plan in Hanoi) with garden, ponds ... outside creating open space to attract many tourists when visiting city; the second part of museum for exhibiting and introducing about life and national liberation revolution of Hochiminh world-culture celebrity. Especially, museum is presenting many precious exhibits showed immovable, loyal hearts of fellow-countrymen, cadres and soldiers at the fifth military region to respected uncle Ho. Each exhibit in the museum is also deeply featuring the deep attachment, altruistic, kind and generous heart of Uncle Ho to fellow country-men, cadres and soldiers at the fifth military region. Visiting Hochminh museum in Danang city, all of us took great interests in Uncle Ho's sacred but closed and full-emotional place.
Leaving Hochiminh museum, our group visited the Champa - Danang sculpture museum. At the Museum we recognized clearly that this is not only a special museum of Danang city but also a special museum in the world. At the present, nearly 2000 small, big exhibits are being stored in the museum in which 288 exhibits are being presented inside, 187 exhibits are being presented in the garden, more than 1200 exhibits are being stored in a ware house. Almost the sculpture works in the museum are original works designed by three materials: sandstone, terracotta, fired bronze with different art styles.
Danang –Champa sculpture is always the main tourist site attracting many foreign tourists
(Photographer: Trịnh Thanh)
Visiting Champa-danang sculpture museum, we were likely to relive the golden period of nation. Everybody was full of admiration, respects to artistic tallent and creative working abilities up to high standard of Cham in the past, religious samples and dim smiles presented the most extremely clear, lively and emotive.
At the present, the museum is one of main tourist sites of Danang City tourism. Many years ago, museum attracted a large number of pilgrims for going sightseeing, in which foreign tourists accounted for a considerable number.
On 23rd September, we arrived at new, fully-attracted place. There was originally ancient streets, lively museum, which was proclaimed the Hoian ancient streets – the world cultural heritage by UNESCO. The small town lying in Quangnam has ever witnessed two great cross- cultures in Vietnam history.
Stepping in ancient streets, we were very surprised at the isolated space of which ancient streets still accumulated in the ancient wooden houses , regardless of historical stream, being damaged by the time. Pagoda bridge, the row of ancient, 2-storey houses turning its back on the Hoai river, Quang dong, Phuckien meeting houses still remained quietly to give us chance of remembering the past time.
Lanterns in the ancient streets
(Photographer: Trịnh Thanh)
The group of professional knowledge practice takes photograph at Myson holly land
(Photographer: Thu Hà)
There were a lot of lanterns for sale with many colors: green, red, purple, yellow in Hoian ancient streets. The setting and local people not only had extradionary attraction for us but also attracted visitors’ attention, curiosity. In the early morning, Mykhe beach with clean tourist environment seemed to invite everybody. It took us 10 minutes to go to the beach by taxi. After breathing fresh air brought by sea wind, all of us were conscious of getting new passion to be entirely well prepared for long journey.
From Danang city center, having passed 70 km, we approached the Myson Holly land - the next tourist site of our journey. This was a group of many Champa temples, which lies quietly in the valley having 2 km in diameter. The sacrifices of the Champa Dynasty had been offered in Myson holly land and there were royals tombs of the Champa King or the King's close relatives in here as well. Myson holly land was considered as the main temple area of Hinduism in the south east Asia.
According to some researchers on ancient Cham tower, Cham's architectural art in Myson converged at many continuous styles. From the ancient style at the close of the VIIIth century to the VIIIth century, Hoa lai style from the VIII th century to the IX century, Myson style and transition between Myson and Binhdinh.
After finding out Myson ancient tower, many typical exhibits which were art- works having high culture-value, contributing to making the Vietnamese culture united in diversification were brought to Danang city to exhibit in Champa sculpture Museum. Having taken our leave of ancient Tower, we visited The Marble Mountains. The Marble Mountain 7 km to the south of Danang city center is on the smooth, large sand plot stretching from Mykhe beach to Tiensa Peninsula near the beach of Hoa Khue community, Thuy Son Hamlet, Hoa vang district. This range lying near the sea, close to river was given name by the Minhmang King, in which each mountain representing the universe-forming elements: Water, fire, wood, metal, and earth.
Coming here, we found out many historical, cultural imprints still deeply impressing on each monument of the Pagoda tower at the beginning of XIV, XV century. The historical relics such as the Tomb of Mother' General Tran Quang Dieu, NgocLan princess' temple( younger sister of Minh Mang King), written document of Nguyen dynasty' honors stored in TamThai pagoda, historical relics of revolutionary struggle like Chong mountain's underground passage, Tho cave, Kimson Mountain, Hell cave... all proved the Marble mountains to be imposing and legendary.
Play with ”Monkey” – Ton Ngo Khong| at the Marble Mountain
(Photographer: Thu Hà)
Before saying good bye to Danang city, getting over nearly 10 km, We arrived at Sontra peninsula, where the magnanimously historical vestige of the Vietnamese people was engraved. This peninsula is not only famous for the first place of Vietnam being faced with Frech colonialist's Rifles (1/9/1858) but also coming here, we clearly realized that Sontra peninsula is Danang's special privilege being given generously by nature.
With sea-rising shape, Sontra peninsula is compared with huge, solid screen preventing storms, considerably contributing to the continuous, active development of Danang.
Despite not wanting to leave, it’s time for us to finish the knowledge-widening journey. At 13.05 pm, 27th September 2008, the train SF2 took us out of Danang station. Not only for my part, all of us were reluctant to leave Danang city lying close to three world heritages thanks to being given a special privilege by nature. I knew that nobody was sad because we had an interesting and useful journey. The knowledge of history, cultural features of nation from time immemorial up to now in the beloved Central part of Vietnam - a stretch of land from early till night bending itself to shoulder two sides of country, which we got to know from our journey will be necessary for each staff, lecturer of Art- Culture department during their own teaching, official working and making progress.
At 6 o’clock on 28th September, 2008, after many-day journey, we arrived in Hanoi and tomorrow will be new working week with full of enthusiasm.
Translated by: MA Lê Thị Hiền