![20170425_120651-_D5A8145 20170425_120651-_D5A8145](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/0639c47fbd3609672d174ed7308068b3/20170425_120651-_D5A8145-900x900.jpg)
After our zenity serenity float through Ninh Binh's grottoes we asked our guide to take us to the long-hunted spot that I had seen photos of months before. He added a bonus stop first, at the Hoa Lư temples. We learned from him a lot about these ancient spots, now just few ruins in a large cement park, but only a few tidbits of knowledge remain with me here, 3 months later.
![20170425_121309-_D5A8155 20170425_121309-_D5A8155](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/78dc3fca2b13905d8103e268324a05e3/20170425_121309-_D5A8155-900x900.jpg)
One was that one of the temples had shorter doors to signify that the army general who became emperor was not as high-ranking as the one who had died.
![20170425_122000-_D5A8178 20170425_122000-_D5A8178](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/8e48abd925e8bfe0e54db6360c3a9aab/20170425_122000-_D5A8178-900x900.jpg)
![20170425_123646-_D5A8194 20170425_123646-_D5A8194](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/d009dfc4ea8b95394f7cac702a0376a1/20170425_123646-_D5A8194-900x900.jpg)
Without making this the theme of the post, it was brutally hot and humid; walking among the temples with the incense rising felt even warmer that the temperature probably was. I stepped inside for the shade and loved walking by all the water features that have been maintained for thousands of years.
![20170425_121809-_D5A8173 20170425_121809-_D5A8173](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/3b28590cce4e9d3f3c1e4d85d883c3cc/20170425_121809-_D5A8173-900x900.jpg)
Another tidbit was that the unicorn is one of the 4 sacred spirit animals in Vietnam, but it is very different from the solo-horned imaginary creature of Western civilization. It supposedly combines features from horses, dragons and buffalo. Here he is!
The site of these ancient capitals was chosen because of the location surrounded by karsts. See what an ominous setting to invade it would be?
![20170425_120729-_D5A8151 20170425_120729-_D5A8151](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/95a1af5f8b37ff2a096949dd02f11539/20170425_120729-_D5A8151-900x900.jpg)
A few-minute drive away was the climb of the trip up the Hang Múa peak, where I was hoping for a clear view over the Red River delta and surrounding stone mountains. The day had been clear and slightly cooler, but by 1pm when we started the climb, the air itself was drenched.
![20170425_124520-_D5A8197 20170425_124520-_D5A8197](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/a39de8357c51906a654bbe59d1b9ded2/20170425_124520-_D5A8197-900x900.jpg)
It doesn't look high at all, and I suppose it really wasn't, but the 600ish steps I counted to the top were each steep and tall, and it took 30-40 minutes to ascend. You can see the basic route lined with white railing here
![20170425_130919-_D5A8221 20170425_130919-_D5A8221](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/ce86229f66b97e1220ca84d6be6a1979/20170425_130919-_D5A8221-900x900.jpg)
and look at these steps!
![20170425_131200-_D5A8225 20170425_131200-_D5A8225](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/2cf8aeb7facc18778bff490c8a10334c/20170425_131200-_D5A8225-900x900.jpg)
Just like the Marble Mountains, the cool limestone of the mountain was a bit damp and so each step needed to be cautious not to slip. And let me tell you, our hearts were a-thump-thumping (mine was, anyway).
![20170425_131429-_D5A8232 20170425_131429-_D5A8232](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/fef7f27cda11b67f011225cc6259a360/20170425_131429-_D5A8232-900x900.jpg)
The view all the way up was stunning with the brilliant green rice fields below and the towering sharp mountains ahead.
![20170425_132153-_D5A8250 20170425_132153-_D5A8250](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/f600ab5fb9f7464023cb70f8a7f445a7/20170425_132153-_D5A8250-900x900.jpg)
And I took plenty of breaks to take it in/calm my heart down. We didn't hike to this other peak because it was still under construction and closed.
![20170425_132306-_D5A8252-Pano 20170425_132306-_D5A8252-Pano](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/9b6889f8bbd25d851b63a9cb4b0b9110/20170425_132306-_D5A8252-Pano-900x900.jpg)
But it felt very Tolkien.
![20170425_132637-_D5A8278 20170425_132637-_D5A8278](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/1c2c116bd1989ffa6f7837e38df5efa3/20170425_132637-_D5A8278-900x900.jpg)
The sun came and went but just as we made it to the peak,
![20170425_132704-_D5A8285 20170425_132704-_D5A8285](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/0006802fbebb415e388aa1e9c65d390e/20170425_132704-_D5A8285-900x900.jpg)
it decided to blast us. Unlike all hills I've ever ascended, there was no breeze at the top and the stagnant air was just so incredibly different from anything I've felt.
![20170425_133022-_D5A8293 20170425_133022-_D5A8293](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/65ad9cdeea8bedd555b33133c8dff896/20170425_133022-_D5A8293-900x900.jpg)
If you look at the river far below, you'll see small dots of boats. These are the same boats we took when we visited Trang An!
![20170425_133954-_D5A8306 20170425_133954-_D5A8306](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/6e6d83e5462311025d95f5b42bb1272c/20170425_133954-_D5A8306-900x900.jpg)
This is the view I had hunted from my MacBook Air in Brooklyn and here it was; it felt like such a triumph, especially as we basically had the trail to ourselves.
![20170425_133828-_D5A8300 20170425_133828-_D5A8300](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/df7a4945b81c40ca7b2ec2cbd122028b/20170425_133828-_D5A8300-900x900.jpg)
![20170425_134412-_D5A8316 20170425_134412-_D5A8316](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/c6f64c242ad20afef0e1bd1fff95d935/20170425_134412-_D5A8316-900x900.jpg)
This lady stood at the top, providing shade but not really any cool. Without fail, the 10-15 other pilgrims we saw on the hike seemed surprised when they reached the top to find it hotter than below.
![20170425_135001-_D5A8338 20170425_135001-_D5A8338](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/495acde2cc0e6b9dddbd6162fdb35335/20170425_135001-_D5A8338-900x900.jpg)
![20170425_140228-_D5A8384 20170425_140228-_D5A8384](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/11bd666c05b2aebecef9cfdee3fbee1e/20170425_140228-_D5A8384-900x900.jpg)
After about 30 minutes at the top looking over the rows upon rows of mountains, I felt a bit faint and headed down, slowly,
![20170425_140450-_D5A8403 20170425_140450-_D5A8403](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/14f34c1eda79fd05fd53b2112783aadd/20170425_140450-_D5A8403-900x900.jpg)
slowly!
![20170425_140105-_D5A8372 20170425_140105-_D5A8372](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/996ebffa4dcbaa943d702172d8281fef/20170425_140105-_D5A8372-900x900.jpg)
But still, coming down beat going up.
![20170425_140259-_D5A8388 20170425_140259-_D5A8388](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/f2fccc8c3f2b505090973a2fc88a069b/20170425_140259-_D5A8388-900x900.jpg)
I've seen photos posted on travel sites of other times of the year, and I'm so happy we were there in this most perfect, luscious green season. We completely recommend it!
![20170425_140341-_D5A8394 20170425_140341-_D5A8394](https://media.walkandalie.com/images/a2271ccc8975df81662b9c6eb23f42d3/20170425_140341-_D5A8394-900x900.jpg)