Day 7 - Hue

We spent the whole day in Hue (pronounced Hway) today. It was a good day, except that the weather closed in and it rained, and rained, and rained - all day!

Despite this we had a good day and did lots of things.



We had booked motor bikes in advance of knowing the weather, and we buzzed around the place on the bikes getting wetter (and colder) as we went along.

First up we took a boat up the Perfume River to visit a Buddhist temple (they seem to be called pagodas over here).





There was a "class" in session while we were there so that added a level of interest.

The temple is also famous for the head monk who drove himself to Saigon in 1963 and set himself on fire.

This was done to protest against a government policy to make the Catholic religion mandatory at the expense of all other religions. There is a very famous photo of this incident, taken by Malcolm W Browne, which won the 1963 World Press Photo of the Year. The car used by the monk is preserved (in not very good condition) in the temple.

Back on the bikes and off to a place where they make incense. It looks deceptively easy to make but is difficult at first. One person literally churns out thousands of sticks a day so clearly once you get good at it, it's not that difficult.

From the incense place we visited a burial tomb (with attached temple) to one of the kings.


A lot of the place has been destroyed but is being rebuilt under a UNESCO program. We didn't stay too long at this place because it was very wet at this point.


From the burial place we moved on to a convent run by Buddhist nuns. They served us a lavish, all vegetarian, lunch. A couple of the people on the trip professed it was one of the best meals they have ever had. I guess this means I do not have the DNA of a vegetarian.


We visited a bunker, initially built by the French and subsequently added to by the Americans.


The bunker is one of a series near the Perfume River. Apparently Hamburger Hill is located about 40km from the place we were.



We also visited a lady who makes the classic conical hat that is synonymous with Vietnam. Her mother died when she was little, she only has one arm, and her father was one of the first people killed in the Tet offensive. So her life has been difficult. She started making hats when she was 10 and now has a reputation for being one of the best in the business.




After that we had a ride in the countryside on the bikes. It was cold and wet but still fun.

The hot shower back in the hotel was most welcome though.



One thing that is very evident wherever we go is how much has been destroyed. And what is left is riddled with bullet holes. There are bullet holes everywhere, in everything.