hue

It was Vietnam National Day when we arrived in Hue, so we visited the Citadel (Forbidden Purple City) as it was free! However, this meant that it was VERY busy, and adding that to the heat & tiredness meant I didn't enjoy this massive walled city as much as I could have. Some very cool architecture though. We watched the Miss Vietnam pageant on TV, which was pretty funny. The next morning walked around the town early to avoid the heat, saw the local market. Caught a boat across the Perfume River back to our hotel. Went to the beach, which was totally empty apart from shade huts & people trying to make us buy overpriced food. Was pretty nice & relaxing, although I think our taxi driver scammed us a bit, by taking us to his mate's section of the beach. When he dropped us off, he simply lay down & began watching TV with them! Tan took us for another cycle in the afternoon, which was great as always. Passed through small villages before reaching the open countryside. There was just green for miles either side of the road. A huge storm began building as we reached the middle of nowhere, was very eerie. Somehow we managed to ride around it and avoid getting drenched. Stopped at a poor village and gave some families basics like noodles & cooking oil, and schoolbooks & pens. Over 15km riding in total! On the Tuesday we went for a motorbike tour, which was great fun (I want a motorbike!). My driver was very helpful, pointing out things for me, like hospital, school, pagoda... dogs! Visited Tu Duc Tomb, where the King spent his holidays, before being buried there. Was a very extravagant complex! Went to a pagoda, and saw monks doing their twice daily chanting. We visited a village to see how conical hats are made (there is a secret picture in some of them) as well as incense. THEN, yet another overnight train!