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January, Ninh Binh to Phat Diem, 47km
Thu Huong Hotel 200,000VND
Catholicism was brought to Vietnam by Portuguese
traders and missionaries in the early-1500s, but grew to prominence under the
more robust preaching of the Jesuits who arrived in the 1700s. The church waxed
under French colonialism and waned under the communists. Today there are just
under six million Catholics in Vietnam, representing just under 7% of the
population, with 2228 parishes and 2668 priests. The population of the coastal
communities of north Vietnam is 95% Christian. All of which accounts for the
numerous churches and Christian graveyards we have seen in the last couple of
days. The Phat Diem cathedral, built in 1891, is a mix of Vietnamese and
European architecture. The cathedral is constructed predominantly of wood. The
16 pillars of the central nave are 11 metres high, each hewn from a single
tree. There are several other chapels within the complex, the stone chapel
being particularly attractive. In 1951, author Graham Greene watched a battle
between the French and Viet Minh from the bell tower and used the scene in his
novel, The Quiet American. We dined
unexpectedly well at the end of a dark alley, drawn down it by a lit sign on
the main road. The restaurant was dark, but when the family heard us on their
doorstep, midst excited chatter and giggles, they switched on the lights and
made us welcome. We grilled our own meat in a mixture of cooking oil and
butter. One does not encounter butter often in Asia, and what a difference it
makes to the flavour of marinated meat! Yum and Happy New Year.
Between Ninh Binh and Phat Diem
Between Ninh Binh and Phat Diem
Martyr
Phat Diem cathedral
Phat Diem cathedral
Phat Diem cathedral
Phat Diem cathedral
Phat Diem cathedral