Bamboo Forest Meditation Park

Dalat, December 30^th 2009

Quoted from "Insight Guides Vietnam" :

This Zen-style Buddhist monastery was built in 1993 and has about 100 monks and 80 nuns in residence. The temple is famous because of its perfect feng shui placement, with Pin Haat Mountain behind and Quang Trung Reservoir below. Below the monastery is a picnic area with tables and chair that overlooks the tranquil reservoir. The artificial lake was created in 1980 and is now a recreational area with rowboats and canoes for rent.

This place was actually not in my itinerary. It was Mr. Vu's idea and I'm grateful for that. Although I'm not into temples, the scenery there was startling.

I asked a fellow tourist to take this picture for me. Actually I wanted a rather close up one in order to show how big the "ajisai" flowers behind me were.

Bamboo Forest, as it is called.

However, I think I found more pine trees than bamboo trees.

This is the reservoir built in 1980. At first I thought it was a natural lake, because it was so broad. From above I couldn't even see the other end of the lake.

Voila!

Is this Pin Haat Mountain mentioned just now in Insight Guides?

The one said to be in perfect feng shui placement with the monastery and the lake?

Yes, it is!!

I made tons of flower shots in Dalat City Flower Park, but did not see this flower. Mostly I keep my close up shots in my online gallery, but this time I can't hold not to show this off. Does the hanging shape remind you of something?

They call this tree "su". It's from "In Do" which means "Indonesia". Who brought the seed to Vietnam??