Vietnam. Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi

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When I last wrote I had just arrived in Hoi An. A book I have with me says its like walking into a museum piece and that about sums the place up. The old town sits on the Thu Bon River and is a Unesco world heritage site. It is unbeleable pretty or maybe quaint even twee. Its rammed ful of tourists and almost feels like a Disney version of Vietnam. Its nice enough in the day but really looks its best at night when all the shops, bars and restaurants have coloured chinese latterns hanging out side and the river is full of little paper rafts with candles on. Sounds like the sort of place i'd normally avoid like the plague but for all its slightly false feel I had a great time and stopped for the best part of a week.

I stopped in to a barbers one day for a shave (its generally cheaper than buying razor blades). After a good shave, no sweeny todd buisiness, the barber put on a head torch - some right heath robbinson afair that was plugged into the mains and looked like it might set fire to his head at any momment. Anyway out comes what looks like some medieval torture kit and he starts to delve about in my ears and pulling out all sorts of crap god knows where it was all coming from not an hour before i'd showered and cleaned them myself. Mind you it felt like he'd gone as far as my brain dread to think what damage he's done but at least i've got clean ears.

So after a week there it was a short 4 hour bus ride up the coast road to the much larger town of Hue. Its been getting a bit cooler as i've headed north which has made a nice change from the swelltering heat elsewhere but by the time i got to Hue it was positively chilly, barely 18c, and it rained one day. if i'd wanted rain and cold i could have saved myself alot of trouble and stayed at home.

Apart from some impressive royal tombs Hue's main claim to fame is its huge Citadel and within that the forbidden purple city where the emperor used to live many moons ago. Back then all the servants were eunuchs but now days they let you keep your bits when you come for a vist.

On a wander around the local market i picked up a knock off Rolex watch retail price $7500 to you sir only $18 bargain!! The trouble is its an automatic and so keeps perfect time in the day when my arms moving and then stops every night when i'm asleep so i wake up at 3am confused as to why its light and everyone else seems to have started the day. Jimbo i also bought you a knock off Zippo, if its as reliable as the watch you'l have to give up smoking mate.............

Having all sorts of problems with either laptop or internet so will post this now before it all goes up in smoke and finnish it off tomorrow.

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