Day 65 - Views from Around Hue

After making it go the Citadel and the pagoda, I did not really know what else to see in Hue but remembered a chat with a guy a few days ago and he mentioned a covered bridge similar to the one in Hoi An.

I made my way to the bridge and have been taking pictures around there in the morning, the landscape around Hue is quite nice and is probably even more interesting when the rice fields are green.

It is certainly worth going a bit outside and seeing the landscape and villages around if you have the time.

In the evening I went to the outskirts of Hue where they have a nice statue of a war hero in between the hills that are filled with gravestones. This is a very interesting sight so worth a trip out again, you also get a very nice view over Hue from the hill right next to the statue.

The evening was spent having drinks and chatting with friends I have met here after having some typical local dishes.

Day 64 - The Citadel

After not quite doing what I set out to do, I decided to try and do it again today. This time round there were no distractions but on my way to the pagoda I decided to turn round and leave the pagoda for another day and instead spent more time exploring the Citadel.

The Citadel is very interesting and despite the high entry price well worth seeing, just be aware of massive rip off prices for drinks or anything else you might want to buy while inside. Get your water bottles, snacks or anything before going in and don't buy anything at the shops inside.

The citadel itself has been mostly destroyed during fighting with the French and Americans so inside you have a mix of ruins, some buildings that survived the wars and completely restored buildings.

It is strange walking in between all of these buildings but it still gives a good idea of what it must have looked like before it got destroyed. The restored buildings are in very good order and look great as you would expect.
You can also see the restoration efforts ongoing while walking around so in a few years time this might all look close to what it once was.

The are is quite big but if you only care for the main restored places you can go through quick although I recommend wandering off a bit to see what the war has doe to this place.

After visiting the citadel, I have met a friend here and we drove to see the pagoda so I made it there afterall.

Day 63 - When It Pays Off to Stray from the Beaten Path

Waking up this morning, not only my cold was gone but also the sun was out, making for a great day.

I set off with the intention of going for a quick stroll around the market, the heading to the Citadel and ending at the Thien Mu Pagoda. It was still early in the day so this seemed like an easy task.

This was until I decided to stray from the path and check out some old derelict buildings near the river. While taking some pictures, two local kids showed me their full English knowledge of "Fuck You" after asking for money but I found it hilarious.

Walking further along the river in the opposite direction I should have been heading to follow what I set out doing, I bumped into Mr. Tri and his Easy Rider colleagues celebrating his birthday.
We started chatting and before I knew it, we were having beers and had a lot of fun so I forgot about my plan for the day and agreed to hang out with them a bit longer.

After some more celebrating, Mr. Tri took me to see some sights he liked around his neighbourhood and then dropped me off near the Citadel to take some pictures in the evening as it already gotten late.

I walked around Hue and along the river to take some more pictures and despite not having done what I actually set out to do, I had a great day which was a lot more interesting. Sometimes (actually always) it pays off to be open and jut go with the flow, you never now where it gets you but one thing is sure, you will learn something and experience even more.
Tomorrow is another day for sightseeing, should nothing else come in between.

Day 62 - An Off Day

The day started with sunshine but also a headache and turned grey and the headache into a on day cold. Guess with waking in and out between AC cooled rooms and the humid heat outside did catch me out.

I am not someone who cares too much about a cold so went out in the morning for a walk but decided it might be better to get some rest instead.

This is why I only took these 3 pictures today.

I am better though after the day rest and should be back as usual tomorrow. At least with the grey weather I did not miss out on much outside.

Day 61 - Grey Skies over Hue

After arriving two hours late in Hue, the weather decided to play a joke on me and provided a quick but heavy shower to remind me how it was the first time I arrived in Hue.

Lucky the rain did not last but the grey skies did so I decided to just take a easy relaxed stroll along the Perfume River and then the Citadel and old city.

The first time I got to Hue two years ago it was pouring it the whole day and in there was flooding in some parts of the town. While this was not nice, it made for some dramatic and interesting pictures. You can see them here.

This time with just the grey skies it was not as exciting but much more pleasant to walk around and see the city as I could not do last time.

The riverside, flooded last time round, was also much more lively and full with students hanging out and singing songs.
The good news is that the weather should improve even more in the coming days and I have more time to spend and see the city properly this time. Hue is a very interesting city and has a nice character and more laid back vibe than some other places. It is very touristy in places though.