Hui - Vietnam 20th December 2014
We have a different guide now and we missed our last one as he was informed. It all became too clear the differences between the politics of each of our guides. This one was raised in the south bit had travelled to many countries.
It was very interesting for us to learnt that for all Vietnamese, China was now the enemy and this theme had run through all of the countries we had visited so far.
We had bought a book on the history of Vietnam but we were advised that it is only accurate regarding history up to the 20th century...after that, its party influence that are influencing things.
Whilst China payrolls many of these governments, it is the bribery and corruption that in endemic across Indochina, keeps the regimes in play although it is generally accepted that more parties will emerge one day if indeed they are not suppressed.
We learn that whilst we were all interested in the recent wars, for Vietnam, their peace only came in the last 15 years and nobody is particularly interested in the recent wars - China is the sharp focus.
Today we set out to explore Hue, the old Imperial Capital of Vietnam. First stop was Khai Dinh’s tomb for our morning exercise of 128 steps up to see the tomb. This was a more recent tomb, he was the second last emperor, and had the most fantastic ceramic mosaic work in the walls and pillars, very different to others we had visited.
The Citidel building - a 60 acre site where only one original building remains. Originally 3,000 people were emplyed hear just to service the king let alone the 70 concubines and 137 children....obviously no TV!!
We have a different guide now and we missed our last one as he was informed. It all became too clear the differences between the politics of each of our guides. This one was raised in the south bit had travelled to many countries.
It was very interesting for us to learnt that for all Vietnamese, China was now the enemy and this theme had run through all of the countries we had visited so far.
We had bought a book on the history of Vietnam but we were advised that it is only accurate regarding history up to the 20th century...after that, its party influence that are influencing things.
Whilst China payrolls many of these governments, it is the bribery and corruption that in endemic across Indochina, keeps the regimes in play although it is generally accepted that more parties will emerge one day if indeed they are not suppressed.
We learn that whilst we were all interested in the recent wars, for Vietnam, their peace only came in the last 15 years and nobody is particularly interested in the recent wars - China is the sharp focus.
Today we set out to explore Hue, the old Imperial Capital of Vietnam. First stop was Khai Dinh’s tomb for our morning exercise of 128 steps up to see the tomb. This was a more recent tomb, he was the second last emperor, and had the most fantastic ceramic mosaic work in the walls and pillars, very different to others we had visited.
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| Khai Dinh's Tomb |
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| A view of the 30 foot stone Buddha from across the valley and the statue of the King |
The Citidel building - a 60 acre site where only one original building remains. Originally 3,000 people were emplyed hear just to service the king let alone the 70 concubines and 137 children....obviously no TV!!
Then on to the Imperial City
which was built in the 1800’s and was just the most incredible size of site. The
Citadel housed everyone connected with the court and inside it, the Purple City
was where the King and the royal family lived. The whole site was badly bombed to destruction during the Vietnam war as the Vietcong used this site and much has been
destroyed but what is left shows the scale and style of what was
there.
After a very cultural morning,
things went downhill rapidly! From the Imperial City we took "cyclos" to the
local market and we found 4 very competitive cyclo drivers so it ended up like
Formula 1 off the grid at traffic lights jockeying for position with us hanging
on and culminated in a 4 abreast dash across 3 lanes of traffic to the market.
Steve obviously got the smallest one and after an hour of his driver hyperventilating, we tipped them and fell out.
One of life’s surreal experiences. It has to be said, they do look remarkably like prams, so we think we will invest in a set of these for our old age. It was like an outing from "one flew over the cuckoos nest".
Steve obviously got the smallest one and after an hour of his driver hyperventilating, we tipped them and fell out.
One of life’s surreal experiences. It has to be said, they do look remarkably like prams, so we think we will invest in a set of these for our old age. It was like an outing from "one flew over the cuckoos nest".
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| The Last of the Summer Wine |
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| Janette....a nutter behind you....!! |
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| Fake Money - for weddings |
A quick stop in downtown Hue for
coffee at the DMZ café which rapidly turned into more of a comedy farce. The staff there
were all wearing Xmas hats and putting up Xmas decorations so having asked where we
could get hats like theirs from, a waitress was dispatched to buy them for us
and we all wore them while having coffee with the staff ! As we were leaving the
dancing Santa had been plugged in so Paul had a little dance with him and a very
tiny waitress who thought he looked just like her in his hat
!
Below: Street life in Hui
Below: Street life in Hui
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| Hanoi Airport - its in there somewhere |
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| Hanoi and Vietnam generally is seriously developing and wealthy. Obviously, with so much Chinese control, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. |
On to the airport at Hue (which
used to be the American bomber base in central Vietnam) for our short flight to
Hanoi. The term Hui International must not be taken literally as its the size of a Scalextric track
We arrived in the dark in the
traffic and headed for the Old Quarter in Hanoi where our hotel is located.
The streets are madness and mayhem but the area is much older and less traffic than HCMC but more congested with people buying everything under the sun with the constant noise of horns and the most amazing sights and smells. (travel agents code for bloody polluted).
The streets are madness and mayhem but the area is much older and less traffic than HCMC but more congested with people buying everything under the sun with the constant noise of horns and the most amazing sights and smells. (travel agents code for bloody polluted).
We managed to find our way
through the rabbit warren streets to a really nice restaurant and wandered
back looking at all the little shops. Looks fascinating so far
!
One more day in Hanoi tomorrow and a food tasting tour of street food - Oh dear !!!
One more day in Hanoi tomorrow and a food tasting tour of street food - Oh dear !!!
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