FIONA MACLEOD

We have now left the hot sticky town of Saigon and took a long long bus ride up to Bat Nha (prajna) monastery. It is the most fantatastic place up in the Highlands, looking out over to hills, greenery everywhere. the natural beauty is stunning and the buildings are so marvellous ; we all just feel we never want to leave and that this is heaven on Earth. there is a huge new meditation hall, airy and full of light. Unlike other Vietnamese pagodas where everything is so kitshy (Sunset Boulevard Gigantic Bouddhas with rainbow fluorescent halos) here the sculptures, engravings and archetecture is so delicate. We spent one morning there with Thay giving the vietnamese poetical oracle readings (always so surprising) and now we are in european Dalat even higher up in the Highlands for three days of visiting pagodas here. Once again we were given a fantatic meal, although we are slowly learning not to eat the green salads and other non cooked food.

Travelling with the sangha means lots of patience, waiting around, not quite knowing what is happening next and the plans change rapidly but we are all so supportive of each other, such an international group and such fun, such laughter, such silence that life is still an experience of joy in each moment. Sending you this joy now from vietnam.