Around Hue

Thanh Toan Bridge

Today we splurged and hired a driver to take us to the surrounding Imperial sites of Hue.

Thanh Toan Bridge, strangely enough, is a covered bridge. Just like in Madison County, but with chopsticks. It is outside of the city. Hue is ready for growth and our driver took up out large 2 lane boulevards toward the fields of rice patties and beans. 

Market at Thanh Toan Bridge

We past many small, highly decorated shrines before reaching our destination, passing many bike riders as the land is so flat. The bridge is decorated in the same ceramic tile work, we have seen. Very odd to see in such a small town, but the bridge serves as a shrine as well as a bridge. A place to ask the Buddha to keep the water under the bridge, instead of your house.

View from the third terrace

Our second stop was Khai Dinh Tomb, the tomb of the last of the Nguyen Dynasty. The Emperor came to power in 1916 and was a student in Paris. His Tomb reflects his French sensibilities, or lack thereof, as it is so lavish he went on to tax his people 30% extra to pay for his final resting place.

The elaborate tomb

It was finished in 1931. Khai Dihn sits high on a hillside, overlooking a lush valley and waterway. There were 4 terraces to get to his tomb, consisting of 50-75 steps upward each. Ouch, my burning thighs. It was a spectacular work of art.

Close up of Mosaic work.

 Closer to the Perfume River was Ming Mang Tomb, which was much older (1830’s) with an Oriental flavor to the beautiful grounds and buildings. This Emperor used his land as his hunting residence and wanted to be buried there when he died, also giving his widow and concubines a safe place to live (they did not have to kill themselves after the death of the King - nice!) Not as elaborate as Khai Dinh, I liked it much, much better for its peaceful surroundings. 

Entryway to the Heavenly Gate

Inside the Receiving Chamber

Our final stop was the Perfume Pagoda, sitting on the riverbank with stairs leading up from the river below. It is the tallest Pagoda in Vietnam and continues to be a functioning Buddhist Shrine. 

 

One of the Holy Relics there quite affected The Monkey Man. It was a fabulous, 1950’s Turquoise Car, in pristine shape. This car belonged to the Venerable Thich Quang Phung, a monk who resided at the shrine. In 1963 he drove this car from the Pagoda to Saigon to protest the treatment of Buddhists under the communist regime during the American/Vietnam War. 

Guards at the gate

As soon as he arrived in Saigon he exited the car, assumed the Lotus Position and set himself on fire. He was the first of many Buddhist who saw this as the only way they could fight the war. Monkey and I both remembered this incidence and several others that followed. There are ghosts in this side of the world, where only the youngest have not known war.

This is our last night in Hue, to celebrate we had dinner and drinks at the top of the Imperial hotel, the tallest building in town, at the Skyview Lounge at sunset.

On the banks of the Perfume River

Entry gate to the Forbidden Purple City (not my photo)

Hue is known as the Imperial City of Vietnam and was its capital until 1947 before the last of Nguyen Emperors abdicated. Famous for its Royal Citadel which was built in the 1800’s and The Forbidden Purple City, were fashioned after the Chinese Forbidden City.

Dragon Boats on the Perfume River

Hue and the Imperial City were almost destroyed during the US’s TET offensive. During the Battle of Hue experienced  intense fighting lasting for a month. During their occupation, the communists executed thousands of people in the Massacre at Hue which had a profound effect on the US government and shocked the US public. U.S. public support for the war declined and the U.S. sought negotiations to end the war.

Ceramic Dragons on the Roof of the Imperial House

Hue is a Unesco Heritage Site and is the home of the first “western style” hospital built in 1894 which has 2094 beds.

Citadel's outer wall and first of 3 moats

Golden Dragon on the Pavilion of Emperors

Sorting chili's at family restaurant, pearls on like Barbara Bush

Student Sunday - Petals like Snow

The large old trees surrounding Ho Hoan Keim Lake are filled with white flowers and a riot of birds and butterflies. Spring is here and the grounds are covered with a plethora of color from the well planted flowers and shrubs. When a gentle wind passes, petals fall like snow from the trees. The ground has a fine dusting of white - a beautiful contrast to the reds, pinks and lavenders of the surrounding flower gardens.

Bridge to Green Jade Island

A goal of mine during these travels is to sketch every day and hopefully have time to do a detailed drawing once a week. Easier said than done but thus far, I have been able to keep up.  it can take up to 3 or 4 hours sitting in one place to produce the kind of work that I want

Harvey and I both thought an easy morning in the park with me drawing and he reading would be just the ticket for foot sore and weary travelers on a cool Sunday morning. Still being early, we found a bench near the Temple, with a view of Ngoc Son Temple and the arching red bridge surrounded by “snow trees.” Nothing could be more perfect.

Before I could make my first line in my notebook, I was approached by a young man named Matthew and his 3 friends. It’s funny. All the contacts we have made on our travels have approached me first and not Harvey. Matthew asked if we could become friends. My antenna goes up and I inquire, “what does that mean?” Matthew goes on to explain that they are all students and he would like to have an English conversation with me. He is a student of Literature and wants to become a high school teacher.  He states his job opportunities’ increase if he has, “English.”

Sunday Students

So begins my 2 hour conversations with all 4 of them. Why not? Thank goodness for all of my attempts to learn a language, as they all follow the same formula: Greetings, Names, Families, Weather and Studies. I added “what music do you like?” and “do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend”, which elicited giggles from both the boys and the girls. Tgoc (female) was a commerce student, had a boyfriend and liked Taylor Swift. Laura, was studying Human Resources, did not have boyfriend and liked Maroon 5. Hung (male) was a computer science student, no girlfriend and couldn’t stop giggling enough to answer the question about bands. 

Noc Son Temple Gates

Meanwhile Harvey has gathered his own posse of students and one old man, who turned out to be 80 years old, dressed to the 9’s, gold rings on his fingers and his own radio blaring Vietnamese music. He lived thru the American War and the French War. Regarding the wars, the students translated for him, “you must move on from the past and forgive in the future if one is to survive.”

Talking about Power Rangers

Finally, we ran everyone off, only to be ambushed by another child. I’m talking 6 or 7. She came up to me (again with the choosing me!) and began her English lesson, while dad sat across the way.

All together now, we all know the song, “A,B,C,D,E,F,G……..Tell me what you think of me.” She and I were filmed by all the passing tourists. I am glad I didn’t get any drawing done