10/17: Da Nang: Fire Breathing and Water Spouting Dragon!

Saturday morning, October 23rd, we arranged to rent bikes from the hotel and ride into town and then to the Museum of Cham Sculpture. Da Nang is Vietnam's 4th largest city so bike riding there wasn't as easy as it had been in sleepy Hoi An.

Photos riding into Da Nang while taking photos one handed:

Glad that there were some lanes for slower moving vehicles.

Hope you haven't seen too much of Steven's posterior by now!

Aha - at last, the big lure for coming to Da Nang - the famous dragon bridge! 

A 'few' more photos of it follow below.

The dragon's head 

Haven't seen a skyline like this for many cities.

and the tail a lot farther on.

Just around the corner from the bridge was the Cham Museum; it was difficult to find as there was only a tiny English language sign in the corner of the mammoth Vietnamese one alerting us to where we were.

Several days ago while visiting Hoi An, we had taken a day trip to My Son to see the temples and shrines belonging to the Cham people. Knowing we were coming to Da Nang, we wanted to make sure we saw the world's largest display of their artifacts here at the museum.

The Cham people who had lived in the south central and central highlands areas of Vietnam were influenced by people from India, Java in Indonesia and Cambodia. The museum began in 1885 as a sculpture garden by a French resident living in Da Nang who had discovered the temples during his travels. The museum opened in 1919 but eventually doubled in size, was extensively remodeled and a new extension added in 2004. Currently there are 400 works in this unique collection of Cham sculpture excavated from My Son and other sites of Cham life.

Photos from Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture (it's current official name):

God of Creation and Destruction

Balarama, one of Vishu's avatars. His image was popular in India but occurred very late in Cham sculpture.

Most of the sculptures at the museum are sandstone but there are a few terracotta ones too.

A lintel showing court life excavated from My Son.

Seven Lingaa from the 10th to 11th centuries. This phallic sculpture is often referred to as the most prominent symbol of Shiva.

A bronze replica of the Bodhisattva (sp?) found accidentally by locals in 1978. She 'embodies the female aspect of compassion.'

Demigods Guarding the Gateway

This (replica?) Cham sculpture was excavated from the Dong Du'o'ng area, about 20kms from My Son, that was begun in 875. Despite some Indian, Chinese and other influences, the sculpture and architecture of Dong Du'o'ng displayed strong indigenous elements which created this unique and impressive style of Cham art.' Dong Du'o'ng was excavated in 1902 but was almost completely destroyed by the ravages of time and war.

This 7th to 8th century Holy Bull was located in the older section of the museum and totally open to the outside with all of its traffic and pollution. Wondered what the insurance policy was for this part of the museum?

Tenth century Buddhist Monks.

Titled God Guardian

Sea Monster above and Goddess below: These 2 almost completely intact Cham sculptures were excavated in 1989 from the Chien Don area after being discovered by Polish experts during an architectural expedition.

After having our full of Cham sculpture, we walked into the museum's souvenir shop where a number of items had been made at a vocation center for disabled children.

There were a number of shops in the same complex as the museum;  the one below had absolutely stunning hand embroidered pictures.

This one by far was our favorite and cost about $300. I was told that the landscape pictures take about a month to complete.

Back on our bikes again to see more of Da Nang:

Photos of the lovely marble sculptures on the riverfront:

Rode our bikes next to the market. Photos below of it:

You get a sense here, I think, of what I wrote about a while back about Asian markets with their very cramped stalls, one right after another.

Bolts of dress fabric. Figured if you can't find what you want here, it can't exist!

More shots of Steven's posterior as we headed back to the hotel across the river!

A few hours later we rode our bikes back to the river and parked them by the dragon's head so that we could finally see what we had been waiting for in Da Nang: the dragon bridge lit up at night!

Photos of nighttime downtown Da Nang and the Dragon Bridge:

The dragon kept changing colors while we awaited the 'Big Show.'

Shortly before 9, the bridge was closed to all except pedestrian traffic.

It was lots of fun being amid the almost exclusively local crowd waiting for the fun to begin. Just as with any large gathering of people waiting for a show to commence anywhere in the world, there were hawkers selling food and drinks galore, toys and cheap souvenirs - everyone wanting to separate you and your dong, i.e. the country's currency!

The show began with huge flames coming from the dragon's head,
just feet from where we stood. Each time the fire spouted, we felt the flames' heat and intensity! Glad we weren't able to be any closer.

Then, without warning, the dragon's head spewed water. We were so lucky we just happened to be on the right hand side of the bridge as everyone across the bridge from us got soaked to the bone. After the first burst of water, that side of the bridge emptied out immediately.

Yes it sure was a very touristy, perhaps even a little cheesy, sight but it was a hoot nonetheless!

Posted on 10/24 from Hanoi, Vietnam.