Advertisement
Published: November 10th 2007
Edit Blog Post
Emperor's Throne
Not much to say, just a cool sight in the dark. Monday, November 5th - Wednesday, November 7th:
Hue is small, peaceful city full of lakes, canals siuated along the Perfume River with a lush countryside full of pagodas, monasteries and royal mausoleums from the Nguyen dynasty . Located 45 km from the DMZ Hue was all but leveled in 1968 after the Tet Offensive when the city was reclaimed by the North Vietnamese and lost again after 25 days of fierce fighing. It took another 7 years before the NVA would liberate Hue. Remnants from the war can be found all over the countryside from abandoned bunkers, tunnels, trenches and unexploded ordinances.
My first day I spent walking the city and visiting the citadel - an imperial city surrounded by defensive walls and moats. Within the walls you can visit the royal palaces and pavilions. I was fortunate to catch a traditional Vietnamese music and dance concert including the famous fan and lantern dances as well as an interesting dance called the "Birth of the Unicorn".
Day Two I hired a driver, Mr. Loc, from my guesthouse to take me around Hue for the day. We visited Bunker Hill, the Japanese covered bridge, a few small villages, Uncle
Fan Dance
I stopped at a traditioanl music and dance concert in the Ancient Citadel for siome "culture". Ho Chi Minh's home (as a young boy), a few pagodas and Buddhist temples and the Tu Doc and Khai Dink mausoleums. Loc was an incredible tour guide and I enjoyed spending the day getting to know him. He shared many of his stories about his experience in the S. Vietnamese Airforce while fighting along side of the U.S. - the south are very proud of this - his family and insights into Vietnamese culture.
That evening I was walking down the street heading towards a bar to grab a bite when I was stopped by a man, wife and 4-year old son on a motor bike. He wanted to know if I spoke English and when i said yes and told him I was an American he was thrilled and wanted to buy me a beer and talk. I was the 1st American he met and he was overjoyed - we sat for 3 hours at an outdoor food stand and drank 20 beers ($8). His wife quickly became annoyed and left us to drink the night away. Vuang was his name and after 6 beers he had trouble holding his liquor and kept wanting to hug me
Lantern Dance
Traditional Vietnamese dance... and they do use real candles and not batteries in the lanterns. and high-five me. I eventually had to leave him - he was becoming quite overzealous and his English deteriated with each beer he finished. This shows you how friendly the people in Vietnam are and just how exhilirated they are to practice their English with an American. People stop you in the street continuously and just want to talk. They have a thirst for Western knowledge.
On Day Two Loc recommeded I vist Bach Ma located an hour outside of town so I solicited his chauffer services again for the day. Bach Ma is national forest with a mountain peak 1,450 meters above sea level. It was used as a strategic miltary base during the "American War" as it provided the only view from the China Sea across the DMZ and into Laos. At the base of the mountains there is tropical monsoon forest, above 900 meters it becomes a sub-tropical forest. There is a vast differerence in the climate; above 900m the temperature drops 20 degrees and the mountains is covered in a thick, moist and dense fog that surrounds you lie a cocoon. They refer to it as the 'dragon's breath'. Visibility drops to 7' making driving
Pagoda Window
Mustard yellow color is used even in the north. along a one-lane road with no railing a precarious and adventurous experience. My driver was racing around bends, talking on his mobile and trying to drink a Mountain Dew all at the same time. I planned my escape and moved closer to the door if we were to drop off the side!
I hiked for several hours throughout the forest with no other people in site - it was amazing to have this magical mountain all to myself. Trails were littered with small clear mountain springs, lazy pools and numerous waterfalls. Mosquitos the size of tangerines and leeches would jump from the foliage onto your skin bleeding you like like fat tics. I came to the Rhododendrum falls requiring a decent of 700 slippery steps covered in moss and wet leaves down a cliffside. At the bottom you look skywards to a magnificent waterafall cascading 600' towards you. I sat here for over an hour in awe - an undescribable feeling. And mostly resting for the exhausting climb back up the mountain.
As I met Loc at the bottom of the mountain the owner of the cafe asked that I sit with him and sample his rice wine.
Pickup Sticks
Hue is one of the main towns for manufacturing incense sticks. When I say manufacture... its a woman at a table rolling them by hand. It looks like white wine but goes down like Old Grandad whiskey. Burn baby burn! He kept filling my shot glass as we toasted "Yo" while he told me stories of his time in the service and showed me many of his war memorabilia... like his 6 amputated toes.
After a quick shower I head off to the train station to make my way to Ha Noi where I'll begin my 2-week volunteer program. Hue was a great city surrounded my beautiful mountains. I learrned a great deal by interacting with the locals who openly embrace Americans.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.047s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 8; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0258s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Keshia
non-member comment
Moth
I would have been screaming like a girl at the sight of that moth. Your photography is unbelievable. You should print post cards when you make it back stateside.