Hue, Day 6

Today we visited 3 tombs, those of the 2^nd, 4^thand 12^th Kings of the Nguyen dynasty who all lived in the citadel during their reign. The first tomb we saw, that of the 4^th King, Tu Duc, was one of the few finished before his death and he used the large man made gardens, grounds and buildings as a holiday home. He had 104 wives and countless concubines, but no children.  He adopted his Nephews who then succeeded him to the throne. The grounds of the tomb are impressive, complete with a lake and small island where he hunted small game.  All 3 tombs were consistent as you approach the actual burial ground. There are statues of an elephant, horse and then the mandarins lined up in front of a small pavilion containing a stone tablet, this one the largest of the 3 we saw at 20-tonnes. Our guide told us it took them 4 years to transport this huge piece of marble to the tomb site. Then two obelisks stand before the tomb itself. 

Tu Duc is not actually buried under the tomb, the real site is secret, as with all the kings he was buried with treasure. In order to protect the treasure all the men who dug the grave and knew its exact location were killed.

The tomb of the 12^th King, Khai Dinh was very different. Set high on a hill accessed through beautiful red gates. The concrete construction is almost gothic and inside the tomb the walls and ceiling are completely covered in mosaic.  Many of the mosaics have personal significance, the time of his death fixed on a mosaic clock and a pair of glasses somewhere else on the wall. Some of the beautiful flower mosaics are actually made from the traditional soup spoons with the handles broken off. A gilt statue of Khai Dinh sits in the centre of the tomb with his body buried 18m below.

Look closely to see the lotus flower head made from soup spoons.

The final tomb we visited was built for Minh Mang and although planned during his reign it was actually built by his successor. Set within a beautiful and calm park surrounded by a forest. The tomb is reached via a bridge over a lake. His body is buried in a hill at the back of the enclosure accessible by two large gates which are only opened once a year on the anniversary of his death.

Hue, Day 5

A short domestic flight on Wednesday saw us arrive into the ancient capital of Hue in the afternoon. Taken straight out by our guide we wondered around the ancient citadel where the Nguyen dynasty reigned between 1802 to 1945. The movement of the capital to Hue, in central Vietnam, from Hanoi in the north, was taken to unite the north and south of Vietnam. Hue suffered raids by the French in 1885 and further trouble from the Americans in 1968. Eventually the capital returned back to Hanoi where it remains today. Currently, they are doing their best to restore the ancient citadel to some of its former glory. The two meter thick walls lead to beautiful buildings and grounds before another set of walls, buildings and finally a third set enclose the Forbidden City. You could easily explore this large area over a day or two. Sadly for us, as with much of this trip, we were just getting a taste before moving on.

Shrines to the 13 kings

After the citadel we visited the Thien Mu Pagoda, constructed in 1844. Set on a steep hill overlooking the Perfume River I think I will remember this Pagoda most for the monks that still live and work here.  They moved around their daily chores in the shadow of this beautiful place of worship. Next to the pagoda was a large bell, weighing around 2050kg, it is said that when it was rung for prayer it could be heard 10km away.

From the pagoda we boarded one of the little dragon boats to chug down the Perfume river whilst watching the sun set. Finally we were dropped at our hotel, a stunning French art deco building on the banks of the river. Here we enjoyed one of the best meals of the trip so far and soaked up the great atmosphere in this former governors house. Already this stunning hotel and this little city are on our list to re-visit.  A total contrast to Hanoi’s crazy, hectic atmosphere.

Halong Bay, Days 3 and 4

A three hour drive from Hanoi is the UNESCO site of Halong Bay. We spent 24 hours cruising round the beautiful limestone islets with some opportunities to swim and kayak. There were many boats on the bay, an unavoidable cost of tourism. We were fortunate enough to be upgraded to a boat with just 8 cabins. Apparently the boat we were supposed to be on had many Asian tourists and it was anticipated it may be a little noisy for our liking. Our room and bathroom were huge, complete with Jacuzzi bath, the service was great and the foot exceptional. All in all we had a lovely 24 hours cruising round and taking the opportunity to relax. Here the pictures say it all.

Hanoi Day 2

On Sunday we spend over an hour queuing to enter the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where we got to see the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh himself. The majority of visitors, around 90% according to our guide, were Vietnamese and many come to see his body every year.  We were surprised by this diligent pilgrimage, especially as you are herded past his body fairly quickly. Ho Chi Minh had requested a simple cremation, instead his body is preserver for all to see, the price of his success. He is deeply respected by the Vietnamese as a liberator from colonialism and for his communist ideology.

Next we headed to the temple of literature where Vietnams first University was established in 1076. Students spent many years studying here and examinations were set by the king himself. Anyone failing the examinations would have three generations of their family decapitated. In 1484 the Emperor ordered that stelae be erected to record the names, places of birth and achievements of exceptional scholars. 82 of these still stand, each with a turtle base, a sign of longevity. We saw many Vietnamese praying at the temple and presenting gifts to help them do well in their studies and even a graduation party having a celebratory picture. 

The Ethnology Museum showed us the customs and traditions of the many, many different Vietnamese tribes. Each has its own unique style of building houses, clothing and even burial ceremony’s. Many of the hills tribes still lead very simple lives and are very proud of their heritage and traditions. Also at the museum was a water puppet show where the puppeteers stand behind bamboo curtains waist high in water whilst a little band and singers tell the tale that is unfolding, this type of puppetry is unique to northern Vietnam. 

The Ngoc Son Temple is built on an island on Hoan Kiem Lake where a little red bridge connects it to the shore. On the island, in front of the temple, locals play Vietnamese Chess and look out over Turtle Tower which sits on a small island at the southern end. A stuffed lake turtle is proudly presented here, said to weigh 250kg, along with some ceramics and an ancient bell. The temple is dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao (who defeated the Mongols in the 13^th century) and the scholar Van Xuong.

We got even more in the thick of the traffic madness during the Cyclo Tour of the Old Quarter. Here the streets are narrow and congested and they are named after the items the shops sell, silk street, shoe street, etc.  Many of the building are narrow and distorted as the building tax is dependant on width. Locals sit by the roadside eating, drinking and playing a form of chess.

Hanoi Day 1

On Saturday we arrived into a blisteringly hot Hanoi and were transferred to our hotel. In the afternoon we decided to walk into the Old Quarter. I was skeptical after my recent walking attempts in Cambodia but we did in fact succeed. We passed by food stalls and men offering haircuts and shaves.  They had nailed mirrors to trees or walls and some offered a seat on a plastic chair. Chickens roamed freely beside the busy roads and angry dogs had us giving them a wide berth. The electricity cables bow and sag dangerously on overloaded poles and many of the buildings look ready to fall down.

The roads are incredibly noisy, smelly and dirty. Hanoi has a population of 9 million and I think they all own at least one scooter. These buzz down the street constantly and the odd car and truck too. The traffic lights seem to be more guidelines than rules and every vehicle just toots their horn and pushes their way through to where even it is they are heading. Crossing the road on foot requires eyes in the back of your head as the mopeds, cars and cyclist head straight for you with no inclination to slow down. 

All a little crazy and tiring, we were please to retreat to the relative calm of our hotel!