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Published: October 16th 2006
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As promised (by the gentleman that had spoken to us on the train before it departed Hanoi), we were collected at the train station and taken to a hotel called the Thai Bingh II. It was modern (as are nearly all the hotels in Hue), was well located and we took a lovely room for ten dollars.
It was raining in Hue when we arrived and surprise, surprise we did not venture far on our first day. We only managed to get as far as the "Manadarin" restaurant at the end of the road. It is run by a local photographer, who gives you the opportunity to purchase prints at a very reasonable 20,000 VMD. We had an unimpressive dinner here and started to have a read through the tour literature that was spread about the place. For the previous twenty four hours we had become increasingly concerned about the amount of time we had inwhich to travel through Cambodia, Loas and to visit the Philippines and India before our departure to Australia. So, we decided that we needed to "speed up" our travels through Vietnam and therefore (possibly foolishly), booked ourselves onto a city tour for the next day
and another for the day after that to the Demilitarised Zone.
Neither Emma, nor I used to think that tours were a particularly good idea. However our recent travelling experiences had started to change our opinions. We had found that without joining the throng occasionally, we could not get to where you wanted to get to, or that it would cost a great deal more. So tour we did...........
First, the city tour. We were collected from our hotel and taken to the old citidel, we crossed the moat and entered passed the nine holy canons (not quite sure what makes them holy). Then through the main gate and up to the drum and bell tower. Then into the grounds to see the temples of the emperors ancestors. The bits that we got to see where the bits that had been reconstructed since the war. Unfortunately a lot of it is still being renovated, so we did not get to see as much of it as we would have liked. Our second stop was the emporers tombs; then off to the incents making village (emma had a go at making an incents stick and was very proud of
her creation); then after lunch more tombs and to finish the day; a dragon boat ride along the perfume river (which sounds far more exotic than it is).
The next morning, we got up at the crack of dawn, were driven about 200 yards to a petrol station forecourt and asked to wait for the coach that would take us on our tour. 30 mins later a coach with DMZ Tours written on the side pulls up and we join it. Our first stop of the day was the DMZ (de-militarized Zone) to see the 17th parallel that marks the point between North and South Vietnam and to see the hugh flagpole that was left after reunification (there used to be a bit of a competition between the Communists and the Americans, as to who had the biggest flagpole). Then we headed off to Vhin Moc to see the tunnels. The whole village resorted to living in these tunnels, because the Americans were bombing the area every day, because it was a part of the Ho Chi Min trail (the supply line fron the North to the South). Six children were born down in the tunnels during the war
and even though the tunnels are quite small, it was a lot safer than staying above ground. After the tunnels, we started on our return trip via "the rockpile" and Khe Sanh combat base where there is now a small museum and a couple of helicopters that are looking very sad for themselves.
When we had got back to Hue, we booked our coach tickets out to Hoi An and took a cyclo to the museum and Uncle Ho's house. Whilst we grabbed lunch a young man came over and asked us if we had considered taking a motobike to Hoi An, because it would take a more scenic route than the bus and you could stop whenever we wanted. So we threw away our coach tickets and booked two motobikes for the next morning.
In the morning, we came down to discover that it was not just raining but pouring down (to be honest we didn't think that the bike would turn up). However at 9:30 the two bikes arrived, we loaded on our packs, donned waterproof ponchos and climbed on. Within one minute of pulling away we were soaking wet and laughing at our situation (but
at least the rain was warm). During the journey we stop at a number of sights that we would have otherwise missed (including marble mountain), so all in all it was well worth it.
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Anne
non-member comment
Its only one small bit I need moved
There at last someone who can upstage me on the moving front at least I have never done it on a bicycle. Although I do concede that some of the items we have "moved" have been as "small" as that. Great blogs there is an itinerant travel writer waiting to bloom in these amazing pages you both send. Lots of love all well at home Love and Hugs