SE Asia 2014 Day 6

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Breakfast at the hotel and on the bus. We are in Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam and one of its most important historical areas. The basic look and feel of the city is similar to Saigon, perhaps slightly more dilapidated. I would guess that there are more bicycles, even though they are still outnumbered by motorbikes. One interesting difference is the presence of many older buildings that are still in use, some from the colonial French period, some from the 19th-century Mang dynasty, and some even older. It is fascinating to see a relatively modern construction standing right next to a stone building right out of Indiana Jones.

As we leave the city and climb into the surrounding hills, we have a view of the broad Perfume River that flows through Hue to the sea. Here and there, ancient tombs of mandarins call out to us to come explore, but our destination is the tomb of Emperor Minh Mang. We enter through a courtyard guarded by statues of mandarins, horses and elephants, then explore the expansive grounds, gardens, buildings and artificial lakes. At the far end, we come to a final staircase and a final locked door, beyond which lies an immense artificial hill. Somewhere in there lies Emperor Mang.

Our next destination is the ancient Citadel. On the way, Ty provides background information. The Citadel is like a Russian matrushka doll: the Citadel itself encloses the Imperial City which in turn encloses the Forbidden Purple City. It was originally constructed in 1805 and vastly expanded later in the same century by Emperor Mang, whose tomb we have just visited.

We transfer to a smaller bus to negotiate the narrower roads leading to the Citadel. The bus traverses a moat and passes through the thick Citadel walls. We disembark and survey the site. There is a curious resemblance to Halifax's Citadel, but Hue's version is much larger. We enter the inner Citadel on foot via the Ngo Mon Gate on the south side.

The Imperial City covers a huge area. The ravages of time and war have reduced much of the site to faded glory or even outright ruin. But a massive reconstruction project is under way to restore the Imperial City to its former grandeur. Because of the symmetry of the layout, we frequently have the opportunity to see one building completely restored while its twin is awaiting restoration. Like the Forbidden City in Beijing, Hue's Imperial City was more and more exclusive the deeper one pushes into it. The final area, known as the Forbidden Purple City, was reserved exclusively for the emperor and his wife and concubines.

We walk straight through the entire site to the north side. It's another extremely hot day, and we do our best to avoid the full blare of the sun whenever possible. We reconnect with our guides and board the smaller bus. An excellent lunch is next in Hue's French quarter. We especially enjoy the rice patty topped with minced shrimp, baked in a banana leaf.

The next stop is the Thien Mu Pagoda, perched on a steep bluff overlooking the Perfume River. Violet elects to forego the climb up the steep, ancient steps, so I forge ahead. At the top is a tall hexagonal tower, flanked on either side by smaller structures holding enormous bronze bells. I get into a bit of trouble by coaxing one of them to sound a deep sonorous tone. The main ceremonial area is beyond, where worshippers burn incense sticks and pray. Behind is an expansive lawn and garden, featuring some lovely bunsai trees.

After retracing our steps, we descend to the river and board a dragon boat for an hour-long trip back to central Hue. There are a variety of souvenirs available for purchase and Violet buys some clothes for the kids, including something adorable for the grandson.

Our original (larger) bus takes us back to the hotel. About half our party opt for an optional rickshaw ride, but Violet and decline, since we had the experience in Beijing. Instead, we do laundry! Woo-hoo!

The restaurant for dinner is a 15-minute walk away. Travelling on foot even that far in the city is an interesting experience. The sidewalks suddenly disappear or turn into rubble, or a forest of parked motorbike blocks the way and you are forced to take your chances in the street. But, as I've previously noted, everyone understands the rules and cooperates, and so no one dies this night.

Dinner is good, although very similar to lunch. We spring for a nice Australian Pinot Grigio to celebrate another successful day. Back at the hotel, I have a chance to play the Yamaha grand piano in the lobby. It's in perfect tune, and I'm in heaven.

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