Hue - Vietnam
6/20/05
Although we really wanted to stay longer in Hoi An we had to move on. We traveled to Hue in the morning and it was a somewhat short trip compared to what we have been doing lately; we arrived in Hue around 1 pm.
Hue has been one of Vietnam's main cultural, religious and educational centers.
When we were looking for information about tours in the city and we ended talking to an Easy Rider that convinced us to hire him to take us around in his motorbike.
We always avoid motorbikes due to the risk of accident and specially in our case, traveling abroad, it can be a real issue, but I have to admit, we see much more by bike than by tours.
We went first through little roads where cars can't even go. The first stop was the Tiger Arena, a Vietnamese version of the Coliseum. For mere fact of entertainment the emperor would put tigers to fight elephants. The last fight happened in 1904.
Then we drove to a incense making place where Angie was put to work.
Then we went to see one of the major highlights of Hue, the Tomb of the Emperor Tu Duc. This is a whole complex with his tomb and many other tombs for his concubines, wives, and other important people. The area also houses temples and palaces. All of It was built between 1864 and 1867.
The place is very peaceful and relaxing and was also used by the emperor while he was still alive.
Statues of soldiers guard his tomb.
This is the gate for his tomb. Tu Duc was also a poem writer and some of his poems can still be read from the gate walls.
The Emperor had 104 wives but no son (similar story to one of the Maharajas in India) and his tomb is the most famous one in Hue. There are other two tombs, meaning whole complexes like this, but for us, visiting one was enough.
After one and half hour wandering in the mausoleum we moved on to Vung Hill, a place with French and American Bunkers, left over from the wars, and also a place with a nice view of the Perfumed River. Unfortunately, we arrived there at the brink of a storm. The sky suddenly darkened and the wind was so strong that walking turn into a strength game against the wind. The water started to fall and we couldn't make a picture.
We ran to the bike and moved to The Buddhist Temple where we could hide from the strong rain.
After the rain stopped, we returned to the town.
6/21/05
The second day in Hue was slow; we walked to the Citadel where we spent most of the day.
On the way to the citadel we stopped over one of the bridges to observe the fishermen.
Hue was the Capital of South Vietnam in the 19th century and the Citadel was built in 1804. The style is from the French military architect Vauban, with a layer of bricks that is 2m thick and has 10 km of perimeter. The details though, are Chinese.
The imperial enclosure is in fact a citadel-within-a-citadel. In the imperial enclosure there are several palaces and the Forbidden Purple City, reserved solely for the personal use of the Emperor; the only servants allowed into this compound were eunuchs, who would pose no threat to the royal concubines.
At the Citadel, Angie bought a drink that she did not know yet. She sipped a little bit and for once she could not finish it because of the weird taste. We then realized it was made of a fungus and bird's nests!!!
We left at the end of the day to Hanoi.
Although we really wanted to stay longer in Hoi An we had to move on. We traveled to Hue in the morning and it was a somewhat short trip compared to what we have been doing lately; we arrived in Hue around 1 pm.
Hue has been one of Vietnam's main cultural, religious and educational centers.
When we were looking for information about tours in the city and we ended talking to an Easy Rider that convinced us to hire him to take us around in his motorbike.
We always avoid motorbikes due to the risk of accident and specially in our case, traveling abroad, it can be a real issue, but I have to admit, we see much more by bike than by tours.
We went first through little roads where cars can't even go. The first stop was the Tiger Arena, a Vietnamese version of the Coliseum. For mere fact of entertainment the emperor would put tigers to fight elephants. The last fight happened in 1904.
Then we drove to a incense making place where Angie was put to work.
Then we went to see one of the major highlights of Hue, the Tomb of the Emperor Tu Duc. This is a whole complex with his tomb and many other tombs for his concubines, wives, and other important people. The area also houses temples and palaces. All of It was built between 1864 and 1867.
The place is very peaceful and relaxing and was also used by the emperor while he was still alive.
Statues of soldiers guard his tomb.
This is the gate for his tomb. Tu Duc was also a poem writer and some of his poems can still be read from the gate walls.
The Emperor had 104 wives but no son (similar story to one of the Maharajas in India) and his tomb is the most famous one in Hue. There are other two tombs, meaning whole complexes like this, but for us, visiting one was enough.
After one and half hour wandering in the mausoleum we moved on to Vung Hill, a place with French and American Bunkers, left over from the wars, and also a place with a nice view of the Perfumed River. Unfortunately, we arrived there at the brink of a storm. The sky suddenly darkened and the wind was so strong that walking turn into a strength game against the wind. The water started to fall and we couldn't make a picture.
We ran to the bike and moved to The Buddhist Temple where we could hide from the strong rain.
After the rain stopped, we returned to the town.
6/21/05
The second day in Hue was slow; we walked to the Citadel where we spent most of the day.
On the way to the citadel we stopped over one of the bridges to observe the fishermen.
Hue was the Capital of South Vietnam in the 19th century and the Citadel was built in 1804. The style is from the French military architect Vauban, with a layer of bricks that is 2m thick and has 10 km of perimeter. The details though, are Chinese.
The imperial enclosure is in fact a citadel-within-a-citadel. In the imperial enclosure there are several palaces and the Forbidden Purple City, reserved solely for the personal use of the Emperor; the only servants allowed into this compound were eunuchs, who would pose no threat to the royal concubines.
At the Citadel, Angie bought a drink that she did not know yet. She sipped a little bit and for once she could not finish it because of the weird taste. We then realized it was made of a fungus and bird's nests!!!
We left at the end of the day to Hanoi.
posted by Adriano and Angie | 8:05 AM
2 Comments:
Oi Dadi, Angie
Passei apenas para deixar um oi, pois entrei para ver o contador, hehehe!!!
[]'s
Junior
Hey, guys
I'm reading your blog from time to time and it is clear you're enjoying every bit of this world travel. Good pictures, nice writing... Thanks for sharing it with us!
But today I wrote for a special reason: it's Angelique's birthday and I wish her the best! I hope you celebrate with a good tea - but not with leaves from that Clandestino's backyard "plant" :)
buzzi
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