As the capital of Vietnam for 143 years, Hue had plenty of time to refine its cuisine to imperial standards. As a result, the city is today regarded as having the finest food in all Vietnam; many of the country’s most popular dishes originate here, and we could hardly wait to check them out.
The best day we had in Hue wasn’t spent visiting ancient tombs or forbidden cities, but a humble pedestrian bridge. Found in the village of Thủy Thanh, the tile-roofed Thanh Toàn Bridge was built in 1776, and a trip to see it makes for an excellent excursion from Hue.
Who would win between a gorilla and a cheetah? A cheetah and a giraffe? A giraffe and an elephant? An elephant and a tiger? Well, if you had been alive during Hue’s golden age, you’d know the answer to that last one, at least. We visited the arena where Tiger-Elephant death matches were a semi-regular occurrence.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hue’s Imperial City was the seat of Vietnamese power for 143 years. Emperor Gia Long, first of the Nguyen Dynasty, decided to move the capital from Hanoi into the center of the country, and built its massive citadel along the banks of the Perfume River. Today, the Imperial City is mostly in ruins. But what fascinating ruins they are.
Of the entire 1600-kilometer train journey which unites North and South Vietnam, the most spectacular is the short segment connecting the cities of Danang and Hue, where the tracks climb over the Hải Vân Pass.
When we said goodbye to Hanoi, it wasn’t merely the end of another 91 day adventure. We were putting an end to six months in Vietnam. That is a serious chunk of time, and it really affected us. While packing our suitcases, our emotions were all over the place; there was both sadness and contentment, relief and regret, fulfillment and pride. I guess we were just feeling.
In seven years on the road, Jürgen and I had never once used our travel insurance. With all the adventures we’ve had, from an encounter with quicksand in Bolivia to paragliding in Macedonia, that’s a great track record. But in Vietnam, the streak came to a definitive end.
Established by the Lý Dynasty in the 11th century, and used as a command base throughout the American War of the 1970s, the Citadel of Hanoi was the seat of Vietnamese power for nearly a thousand years. Visiting the citadel provides glimpses into various periods of the country’s complex history.
