Vu, our guide, wanted an early start this morning so that we could get ahead of the crowd and we were so grateful after we arrived that this UNESCO world heritage site. My Son, pronounced me son, is a series of Hindu temples. They were constructed of brick and we intended to honor the god and goddess of fertility. This particular site was probably chosen because it symbolically represented male and female reproductive organs. We arrived before busses and vans to watch a performance of Indian music and dances they strolled through the different temples. WE could actually go into the altar rooms of some of then and there were flowers and incense burners from the visitors the day before. This site was a hideout for the Viet Cong and many of the temples were destroyed by bombs and hand to hand combat. Some nevertheless survived and are being restored by UNESCO funds and Indian and Vietnamese funds. The German and POlish government are also heavily involved in the project. Women were working in a hut weaving on ancient style looms and recreating old designs for robes and other products. A new performance started and the music wafted among these ruins. We were cautioned to stay on the path because the possibility of live mines is very real in the area. Gorgeous butterflies, birds, flowers and other jungle plants had to fear of the danger, but again we were reminded of the damage war can bring to sacred sites. A bumpy ride brought us back to Hoi An and after lunch we went for a rest. The heat got to me today and I needed some extra rest. We are ready for the sun to go down so that we can again see the lovely lanterns of Hoi An.
