Back to Ru Cha Mangrove Forest in an Autumn Day

Ru Cha Mangrove Forest is not far from Hue City. It takes me about 20 minutes by motorbike to get there. Therefore, when I want to find a quiet moment for my mind, I will go there.
I do not remember how many times I have been there, sometimes with my wife, sometimes with my friends and clients, and sometimes with my small family. However, this back to Ru Cha Mangrove Forest alone was because of this painting.

My acrylic painting of Ru Cha mangrove forest with a watch tower behind

I painted this last September from my memory of this beautiful forest. Ru Cha is a forest of "Cha" mangrove which create a green space in middle of fields and a lagoon. The local people earn for living from the Tam Giang lagoon, because seafood is so abundant in this area. When I was painting, an eager forced me to go there to deep my soul in a authentic beauty of nature.

Indeed, Ru Cha mangrove forest treated me well by its autumn beauty. The green of leaves and yellow of fall with Cha flowers created a miracle of color. I was breath taken by the view from the watch tower. The watch tower is always my favorite spot in this destination. Sweeping my eyes around to the far lagoon where the farmers and fishermen were working on little boats, I am wonder if they were enjoying this beauty of fall or they were so busy thinking of money and a hard life.

Ru Cha mangrove forest in autumn

In the middle of Ru Cha, there is an old Temple of Holy Mother. According to the folk tale, an incense bowl of Holy Mother from Hon Chen Temple was flowed and stuck in the forest in a flood. Local people built this temple in the forest to worship Holy Mother - Mother of Land. Local people respect and worship this so they always head down walking by the temple.

Temple of Holy Mother
Photo credit

Walking though the narrow muddy path, I missed the old days visiting here with my wife. We had a great time not worrying about busy life. We were so free like birds standing on the watch tower to enjoy the fresh air and think of our future. I wondered how to be back to those days. "Time flies like an arrows" and we are useless to hold it back. The good time will nourish our souls like mangrove burst into green with nutritious salty mud.

My wife in Ru Cha Mangrove Forest - a great memory with her

Views from watch tower

Keep riding my bike around the area of lagoon, it is so large because Tam Giang lagoon is the largest lagoon in Southeast Asia. I saw more water coconuts and young mangroves were newly grown by local authorities. It is a part of project to preserve Tam Giang lagoon for local livelihood. In 2015 to 2020, I was a member of translation team and a interpreter for the project. It thrived my love to this gorgeous land and I appreciate the opportunity to help my hometown.

Newly grown water coconuts and mangroves in wetland

I arrived the area of Quang Dien District, about 1 hour from Ru Cha but still in the lagoon. I hope you can imagine how large it is. The riding treated me well and it was worth to spend a day roaming around. The trip alone around beautiful wetland was a fantastic leisure for my heart which belongs to nature and nomad.

The Moon on sunset

The sunset welcome me to a glory moment of a day when I saw the moon on sunset. Standing in front of water to wait for the last sun light of a day and dipping in the dark was quite a great experience to me. Back to Ru Cha mangrove forest! Back to good memories! Back to the inner peace which created ME!

Glory of a day!

@tungphong
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