Vietnam: Hue

Looking back, we were very fortunate to have had such lovely weather for our first day in Hue. We arrived mid-afternoon after a beautiful train ride and got a room with a nice view before heading out to explore.

View of Hue.

The Hue city center itself is small and can be easily traversed by foot in a few hours. After setting our bags down, we walked along the Perfume River looking at the many offerings on display from the street vendors. Here, the main business appears to be relics from the Vietnam (American) War. We were surprised and concerned to see worn dog tags, old radios, engraved lighters and other supplies gathered together for sale. We asked one vendor where these things came from and he said someone went into the jungle and found them. Note: we specifically investigated the dog tags on the internet and learned that most, if not all, were likely manufactured by the Vietnamese after the Americans left the country (and their stamping machines/supplies remained). Regardless, it is a strange feeling to walk past such a collection, especially as an American.

For sale.

More for sale.

Continuing our stroll, we crossed over the Cau (bridge)Truong Tien hoping to catch the sunset. We did enjoy some nice lighting just before it went down, but I noted that we didn't watch it truly 'set', rather it disappeared behind large, hazy clouds of pollution leaving the sky a light gray for a long while before actually getting dark. Still, sunset is my favorite time of day and we had some fun watching it from the bridge while traffic hummed behind us.

Rush hour traffic over the bridge.

Sunset in Hue.

Goofing around.

Goofing around, part II.

We were lucky to have had that first afternoon of nice weather and walking around because after that we were met with the initial signs of an impending typhoon in addition to a feeling of travel weariness on my part. I'm not sure if that was a good combination or not because I woke up on the second day not at all in the mood for touring the sights. Looking out the window and seeing a gray, rainy day ahead didn't inspire me to fight those feelings so we had a satisfyingly mellow day. As Typhoon Nari approached Vietnam (specifically the area between Hue and Da Nang where we had just come from), the winds became stronger and the rains heavier. In those conditions, we didn't stray too far from the city center and rather than seeing the Imperial City or tombs of the emperors, we sampled local cuisine and reveled in the free beer with dinner specials.

The most famous dish of Hue:
bun bo Hue (noodle soup with beef, Hue style)

Not sure what it's called, but it was yummy!
Tofu, shrimp, veggies over rice.

"Fresh" beer means draught.
Free means yay!

While I do feel a bit bad for not seeing the typical sights in Hue, I have come to realize that one can't do it all. Surprise! But really, being a foreigner and tourist gets exhausting after a while (we're nearing the end of our third month on the road). Sometimes I need to stay away from the touts at the tourist attractions and sometimes I just don't feel like seeing any more temples. Sometimes all I want is to sit at a local food stall and ask for mot (one) of whatever dish they serve. When you're in Vietnam for the first time, everything is a new experience and I am just trying to soak it all in.