Wednesday 4 October 2019
This hotel room has interesting water features. The shower curtain diverted water around the end of the bath and on to the floor while the air-conditioning unit (essential for us folks from below the 45th parallel) drips water after it has been on a while and ours was running all night.
Breakfast this morning, on the 11th floor provided a view of a “VinPearl” hotel nearby. VinPearl is a chain of hotels, resorts etc run by one of Vietnam’s billionaires. It seems that this one resembles a wafer, stuck in the ice-cream sundae of Hue.
Breakfast done, we assembled for a 10 minute walk to the “port” (on the river) where we boarded a “dragon-boat”. In NZ, this usually implies paddles and lots of shouting in time but this was diesel powered, wide enough to have two heads and no shouting (or timing of any sort) required.
There were some smaller ones too.
But we had the two-headed version.
We travelled about 30 minutes along the Perfume River to the Pagoda of the Celestial Lady. You might notice the difficulty capturing a clear view with many people there . Several of us were also targeted by two pick-pockets who were “working” as a pair but no-one had anything taken. We all became a bit hyper vigilant about our belongings though.
Our next stop (in the bus this time) was up a hill overlooking the Perfume River.
Not sure if you can see clearly but this was an outpost during the Vietnam/American war so there are several interconnecting concrete bunkers and a gun turret remaining in what was otherwise a very peaceful spot.
Next stop was the fourth king’s tomb. It turns out he wasn’t actually buried here because he was so afraid that this enemies would take revenge after his death by interfering with his remains... nonetheless, he had this large complex including pagoda and lake as well as the usual tomb arrangement of being inside four walls inside four walls (no I didn’t repeat myself by accident).
Next a short stop at a roadside store to see incense sticks and Vietnamese conical hats being made. The hats can be multi-purpose. Not only do they function well as sun protection, they can also be used as a relationship aid. Poetry or messages written or painted on rice-paper can be incorporated into the leaves on the hat and when given by a girl to a boy, the boy has the choice of “moving closer to the girl” or doing nothing; in which case the relationship goes nowhere.
AND ALL OF THIS IN 36 C HEAT!!!! (Although the locals generally don’t look Hot)
Lunch was a vegetarian meal at a local monastery and the food was really delicious although most of us were struggling to work up an appetite in the heat and seats near the fan were prime locations! The afternoon was then free to do as we wished (hence catching up on the blog while the heat of the day drops off a bit), short excursion outside for some independent shopping and then out this evening for a simple meal with a local family. Whew... what a day in Hue! Tomorrow its off to Hanoi.
This hotel room has interesting water features. The shower curtain diverted water around the end of the bath and on to the floor while the air-conditioning unit (essential for us folks from below the 45th parallel) drips water after it has been on a while and ours was running all night.
Breakfast this morning, on the 11th floor provided a view of a “VinPearl” hotel nearby. VinPearl is a chain of hotels, resorts etc run by one of Vietnam’s billionaires. It seems that this one resembles a wafer, stuck in the ice-cream sundae of Hue.
Breakfast done, we assembled for a 10 minute walk to the “port” (on the river) where we boarded a “dragon-boat”. In NZ, this usually implies paddles and lots of shouting in time but this was diesel powered, wide enough to have two heads and no shouting (or timing of any sort) required.
And behind the pagoda is a buddhist temple. This complex also contained the car used by the monk who travelled to Saigon in 1963 and set himself on fire (I think it was as a protest against the treatment of monks by the Government of the day). It’s quite a famous photo if you want to check it out online.
And a happy looking Buddha
Our next stop (in the bus this time) was up a hill overlooking the Perfume River.
Next stop was the fourth king’s tomb. It turns out he wasn’t actually buried here because he was so afraid that this enemies would take revenge after his death by interfering with his remains... nonetheless, he had this large complex including pagoda and lake as well as the usual tomb arrangement of being inside four walls inside four walls (no I didn’t repeat myself by accident).
Next a short stop at a roadside store to see incense sticks and Vietnamese conical hats being made. The hats can be multi-purpose. Not only do they function well as sun protection, they can also be used as a relationship aid. Poetry or messages written or painted on rice-paper can be incorporated into the leaves on the hat and when given by a girl to a boy, the boy has the choice of “moving closer to the girl” or doing nothing; in which case the relationship goes nowhere.
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| Rolling the incense past on the lemongrass stick |
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| Stitching the hat (right) , “ironing” the leaves (left) |
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| Dried Incense sticks displayed in technicolor |
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| Glenda giving the incense making a try |
Lunch was a vegetarian meal at a local monastery and the food was really delicious although most of us were struggling to work up an appetite in the heat and seats near the fan were prime locations! The afternoon was then free to do as we wished (hence catching up on the blog while the heat of the day drops off a bit), short excursion outside for some independent shopping and then out this evening for a simple meal with a local family. Whew... what a day in Hue! Tomorrow its off to Hanoi.
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