Hue, Vietnam

On the morning of June 18th we traveled from Hoi An, Vietnam, to Hue, Vietnam by bus. The ride was beautiful, as we drove through the mountains and coast line.

Once arriving in Hue, and after getting settled in our new hotel, we set off to see the Imperial Tu Duc Tomb, built between 1864 and 1867. The tomb complex has a surrounding wall that encloses 30 acres of land containing a lake, temples and tombs. It’s very beautiful to walk around the complex.

Luu Khiem Lake is a small lake within the complex that was created from a small stream that ran through the tomb area. A small island was constructed in the middle of the lake for the Emperor, as he enjoyed boating on the lake and admiring the flowers, in addition to writing poems while sitting on the island.

 

We walked around the burial area and through the whole complex.

As I was walking through the complex I realized how much it reminded me of the temples I visited in Japan. There was one main difference though: the ones in Japan were much better kept and restored, while this temple, although beautiful, was not ageing as gracefully. It was sad for me to see how the beauty of the temple is being washed away slowly by Mother Nature, and I didn’t see any restoration work. A lot of the stones are cracking, or completely broken, and large areas are defaced. This temple was no doubt absolutely breathtaking many years ago, but I fear that in another 50 years there won’t be much left of it without the help of major restorations.

After the Tu Duc Tomb we made our way to the 7-storied Thien Mu Pagoda. It is the tallest pagoda in Vietnam, and was built in 1601.

To get back to our hotel we boarded a traditional Vietnamese Dragon Boat and cruised down the Perfume River. The weather was so hot, and we were tired from a day of touring, so cruising down the river was very relaxing.

The following morning we woke up early and hopped on cyclos. A cyclo is a bicycle with a seat in front, designed to carry one passenger plus the driver (who peddles behind).  We each got our own cyclo and driver to take us to the Imperial Citadel.

Riding in the cyclo was a very interesting experience. We rode on the road, alongside of motorbikes and cars! Crossing intersections was especially scary, as no one seems to obey the right of way. Everyone just charges through the intersection, swerving around each other in every direction!

Once we arrived at the Imperial Citadel I was very happy to be back on solid ground, and not surrounded by motorbikes on the busy streets!

The Imperial Citadel of Hue is a beautiful complex, enclosed within tall walls, and entered through the Ngo Mon Gate (the main entrance).  It was built in 1804 and it served as Vietnam’s capital until 1945.

Once you enter the main gate, there is a large pond with a bridge which used to be reserved for the emperor’s private use. The palace behind the pond (seen in the photo below) is the Thai Hoa Palace, which is used for official receptions and other important court ceremonies.

Hue was a beautiful city, and I really enjoyed my short time there. It was nice to do some sight seeing again, since we had been spending a lot of days relaxing at the beach and on boats (which of course is also amazing, as long as there’s balance).

I have also been feeling substantially better since my hospital visit 1.5 weeks ago! It was a long struggle but I think I have finally fully recovered from being sick. I’ve been eating a lot more, and my repertoire of different foods has increased dramatically. I am consuming all food groups now without problems (even seafood and alcohol). But after that experience I have been (and will continue to be) extra careful with water and food for the remainder of my trip to reduce the possibility of food poisoning again!

From Hue it was off to Hanoi, Vietnam and the famous Halong Bay!