Hue Hue

So pretty much straight after arriving in Hue I decided I loved it. There are some places I've travelled to in the world where I've had that instant reaction, Rome, New York, and good old Newcastle to name just a few. Sometimes I can't even really explain why I get that feeling it just happens. Here it's something about the greeness and the river and temples and general 'old' feeling the city has.

However, on my first day here I confess I didn't do much, I was pretty tired from another overnight journey, this time on the sleeper train and just when I had sorted myself out and decided to go out exploring it bucketed down and everyone who came back to the hostel looked pretty wet through and miserable so I stayed put. I met up with a girl who had been at my hostel in Hanoi and had some beers though, so the day wasn't a total loss.

We had both booked to do a city tour the following day as there is lots to see here in Hue but it is quite spread out. Another girl form our hostel Louise was also on the tour and we found ourselves at 8am on Easter Sunday (none of realising it was Easter Sunday) on a massive coach with the most enthusiastic tour guide 'Gerry' I have ever experienced. We saw many tombs of the Vietnamese kings, the first one we went to was very 'easy' according to Gerry, he had 500 concubines but only the one wife. We also saw some martial arts and had a brief stop at a incense village before a buffet lunch and onto the citadel. Mostly we just tried to avoid listening to Gerry and making sure we were back at the bus on time.

The Imperial City at Hue was once a huge site but sadly much of it was bombed during the Vietnamese War, however what does remain is impressive and they are restoring the ruins to their former glory. After the citadel it was back on the bus and our last stop of the day at a beautiful pagoda by the river. Of course lots of other tourists and photo ops, I have noticed that the Vietnamese like to take photos amongst the foliage, almost as if they are hiding. It entertains me greatly watching them so much so I might start taking my own photos this way.

Finally the tour was ending with a river cruise on the noisiest boat on the water but it was a nice way to end the day, well actually the beers later on were a nicer way. I'm getting quite fond of Vietnamese beer and who can complain at 50p a bottle.

Gerry in full flow

Minh Manh Tomb

12th king's Tomb

Hue Imperial City

Pagoda

Just like our noisey boat