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Thiên
Cung Grotto
It
is situated on the south-west side the bay, 4 km from the wharf
outside of Ha Long City. The way to Thiên Cung is a perilous one,
covered on both sides by thick forest. After entering a narrow
gate, the grotto’s 130-meter-long girth opens up. Getting in we
are more astonished in front of the very animated and splendid
beauty which is made from stalactite. On the east wall of the
grotto, there is a grandiose and imposing picture with characters
of tales.
Going out of
the Thiên Cung Grotto, we have a sensation of just watching a
unique, meticulous, interesting fine-art museum which is made by
nature, get out of the imagine,
ability and intellect of man.
This
grotto is recently discovered, one of the most beautiful grottoes
in Hạ Long Bay.
Legend
has it, that beautiful young lady named Mây (cloud), caught the
eye of the Dragon Prince and he fell in love with her. They were
betrothed, and their wedding lasted seven days and seven nights in
the very centre of the grotto.

In
honour of the wedding, small dragons flew about through the
stalactites and stalagmites, elephants danced together happily,
snakes twined themselves around trees and two stone lions danced
with their manes flowing in the wind. A large elephant, smartly
dressed, waited for the bride and the groom. The genies of the
south and north stars also came to attend the banquet, and the
atmosphere was definitely animated and lively. All these scenes
have been seemingly fossilized in the grotto.
In
the centre are four large pillars supporting the "roof of
heaven.” From the base to the top, many strange images seem to
live in the stone: birds, fish, flowers and even scenes of human
life. On the north wall of the grotto a group of fairies seem to
dance and sing in honour of the wedding. Under the immeasurably
high roof, stalactites make a natural stone curtain. Somewhere
there is the sound of a drum beating, but it is actually just the
noise made by the wind blowing through stone.
Arriving
at the last partition of the grotto, a natural gushing stream of
water babbles throughout the year. Here are three small ponds of
clear water. Legend has it, that this was where Mây bathed her
100 children, bringing them up wisely and happily into
adolescence. One path meanders out of the grotto; it was the way Mây,
together with 50 of her children, took to harvest new lands. The
50 remaining children, together with their father, were left to
build the native land. Left behind by the mother was the natural
stream described above.
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