Today we saw Hue like a local, from the back of a motorbike. We each had a local guide who whizzed us from place to place taking in the historic sights.
Our first stop on the days tour was Thanh Toan an 18th century covered bridge leading on to the local village market.
On a nearby stream were paper waterlilies all in a line, which light up in the evening.
From there we travelled on to a 17th century Buddhist monastery at Thien Mu Pagonda and saw the car that belonged to Thich Quang Duc, the monk who self-immolated in 1963 in protest against the treatment of Buddhist by the South Vietnamese regime.
Arriving at the monastery we were struck by the beauty of the surrounding countryside as well as the heat of the day. Even though it was only 9am, it had already reached 34c.
The monastery was set up on the hill and is home to the monks who work, eat and pray. On one of the walls there was their daily routine listed, with a wake up time of 3.30am and an hours session of Kung Fu at 4am!
Within the temple a group of locals and a female monk were chanting and praying. It had a peaceful and relaxing feel and felt welcoming.
Despite the heat we had a walk around the beautiful gardens to marvel at the flowers and bonsai trees.
It was then time to get back on the motorbike and a quick stop at a local market selling incense sticks, where we each got the opportunity to make one with scented lemongrass.
We then visited the lake where the royal tomb of Emperor Tu Duc is buried, although the exact location remains a secret.
As the heat rose, we decided to take a rest under a Pagoda and enjoy the view of the lake and the locals coming and going.
Our last but one step, was lunch at a female monastery and a vegetarian feast. We both loved it and are becoming converts to this way of eating and living.
The motorcycle tour eventually ended back at the hotel around 1.30pm. Big thanks to our guides for a great experience.
After a relaxing afternoon catching up on sleep, we then met for an early evening walking tour of Hue. It’s been a hot day and despite it being 7pm the temperature on the large neon sign near our hotel showed 33c.
Hue is a pretty city with a really friendly feel to it. As part of our tour we headed to a local restaurant to try some sweet bean desserts. A slightly odd mix of foods from a western perspective, combining amongst other things a savoury pork with a sweet sugary coating of tapioca.
Some of the dishes looked like we were on an episode of I’m a Celebrity, with an eyeball styled dish which tasted a lot better than they first appeared.
After our tasting sensation of the sweet dishes, we took a wander along the river and sat and listened to some local singers alongside the locals and a bevy of their young children.
In the last 5yrs a new bridge has been constructed on the river and each night it’s lit by ever changing coloured lights. We managed to catch the silver and gold display.
We finally found our way to where the bars and restaurants were located and were enticed into a bar playing live music and were treated to free shots as we celebrated Christina’s 35th bday.
After a few more drinks at the bar, the desire for nourishment kicked in and we moved to a pizza restaurant close by for some comfort food.
Before we knew it, 11pm arrived and it was time to head back after an enjoyable night celebrating Christina’s bday in at least 3 bars and restaurants!
Another early start tomorrow as we get back on the road and head south by coach to the city of Hoi An.
@travellingwiththeateam 