worldaltem: Vung Tau, Vietnam March 17, 2018

Posting pictures has been challenging as the internet is so slow...

FACEBOOK Our port was Cai Mep International Terminal, Vietnam. We traveled to Vung Tau, an oceanside resort area. There were many beautiful views to enjoy today. We visited the Niet Ban Tinh Xa Pagoda with a large sleeping Buddha and other statues and adornments. Stopped by the White Palace/Villa Blanche, a colonial era mansion with period furnishings. Visited another fresh market with all kinds of interesting food stands.

Even though only 6.2 percent of the Vietnamese population consider themselves to be Catholic, one of the largest statues of Jesus in the world is in Vung Tau. Christ the King of Vung Tau is on Mount Nho, There are 800 steps to get to the base of the statue. The statue is 105 feet high and stands on a thirteen-foot platform. There is a spiral staircase inside the statue to climb up to a platform on his shoulders. If you look carefully at the picture, you can see people on his shoulders. Great views from this location. I did not take this picture and it’s a long story. I am thankful to Vlad, one of our crew that shared his picture with me. Our last stop, was at a beach which was very crowded with local people.

Monuments of Vung Tau Drove 1.5.hours.. Vung Tau is an oceanside resort area. Visited a pagoda with the sleeping Buddha and ocean views. Stopped by White Palace, a colonial era palace with period furniture and lovely ocean views. Monuments of Vung Tau features the largest Statue of Jesus in the world and takes 1000 steps to the top of the hill where the statue is located. We had twenty minutes, not enough time to go up and down. I went half way and stopped out of respect for my fellow travelers who would have been waiting for me on the bus. We saw many other monuments on our 500-step effort. One person out of 34 made it to the top. After that, we stopped at a beach for a cold drink, this beach was packed with locals. I'd rather have spent that time going to the top of Vung Tau.

Large sleeping Buddha in the background of the entry of the base of the temple.

View from the upper level of the Pagoda

Front of the upper level of the Pagoda.

Guard statue at the entry to the Pagoda

Crabs tied up at the market

Stopped at a local market and found a lot of fresh seafood for sale.

White Palace with a lovely ocean view.

Entry of the White Palace

Ocean view from the White Palace.

At the local market.

Vung Tau local market.

Vlad's picture. Vlad was a fit young man that ran to to top and climbed the statue in the twenty minutes we had at this top. I am grateful he shared his pictures with me and even sadder that I did not get to the top.