Birds Flyin' High...: The Ancient City of Hué

On the sleeper train to Hué I met a lovely Irish girl called Siobhan and by chance we had booked into the same hotel. She told me of a recommendation she'd been given for a company called Le Family Riders who offer motorbike tours of the city and surrounding area. I'd already been thinking about doing something like this as motorbikes are so integral to the lifestyle here, plus I'd heard it was the best way to see Hué's major sights! I decided to check them out the next day.

That afternoon I went for a stroll on the South Bank and ended up taking a boat trip on the beautiful Perfume River, which runs through the city.

On the Perfume River... these pink flowers were found all over the city

The Thien Mu Pagoda

My young motorbike guide Ken arrived to pick me up the next morning. I'd been on the back of a motorbike in India but always with people I knew and trusted so I wasn't sure how safe I'd feel with a stranger. We didn't get off to a great start, having a minor collision with a cyclist about five minutes from the hotel (or rather, my foot collided with her front wheel - ouch!). Of course it was her error not ours, and luckily neither party was going very fast so no harm was done. Once we got out of the city, I started really enjoying myself. It's just such a great way to experience the real Vietnam, away from the tourist buses. We were able to get off the main roads and bump along the un-made country roads and take short-cuts along paths which were too narrow for cars. The wind was blowing in my face (cooling me down!) and I had a feeling of such freedom. It was brilliant.

We started off at the Thanh Toan Tile bridge out in the countryside, which offered a great glimpse into rural life, away from the well-trodden tourist trail.

Life on the river, beside the Thanh Toan Bridge

We next stopped at two huge, magnificent tombs, which were built to house the remains of the emperors Khai Dinh and Minh Mang. Khai Dinh's complex was black and imposing, whilst Minh Mang's was set in beautiful grounds with a lake, trees and parkland.

Tomb of Khai Dinh

Tomb of Minh Mang

Temple inside the Minh Mang complex

We also drove up to Vong Canh Hill for a beautiful view (from an American war bunker) before making a quick stop at Tu Hieu Pagoda. I was a bit too hot and drained to appreciate the latter so was happy to be told that the next stop was lunch!

View from Vong Canh Hill

Hué is celebrated as being the ancient capital of the Nguyen dynasty - the last ruling monarchs in South Vietnam. The Northern part of the city comprises a huge walled citadel, within which lies the Imperial City and I headed in here after lunch to look around. It was heavily bombed during the Vietnam War, so much of it is now in ruins - in particular the Forbidden Purple City, which was the private living quarters of the Emperors. However some parts have been beautifully restored.