When talking about this country, attention often focuses on Hanoi or Saigon as the predominant Vietnamese cities. Naturally, this is because they became the central loci of power during the famous north south conflict. Sat between, though is Hue, the former capital city. In geographic terms, having the capital here makes sense given its central location. But Hue is more than a has-been from a vaguely remembered imperial age. Look under the skin and you find it encapsulates as much about Vietnam as any of the other cities we have visited. Hue’s story tells of Vietnam’s ancient history, its feudal past, the French administration and, of course, some of the most poignant stories about the war. Today we learned about the formal strictures of Nguyen royal dynasty contrasting against the devastating intensity of the Tet Offensive.
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