Exploring Hue and then to Hanoi by Air

Events of Sunday, 3rd February 2013

After I returned to the Hotel Saigon Morin on Saturday evening, I pottered about uploading photographs and writing a very brief account of the day before having a relaxing bath and going to bed. I slept well and awoke to a dull, warm morning.

Breakfast in the courtyard of the Hotel Saigon Morin in Hue.

The hotel is very proud, and rightly so, of their buffet breakfasts, served in the open air in the courtyard surrounded by the white-painted hotel buildings. Most of the tables are provided with large umbrellas but they were not required against sun or rain as I took my meal.

After breakfast, I completed my packing and checked out for 9.0 a.m. Than and our driver picked me up and we drove to The Citadel. This was the Royal Palace until the last King abdicated. Then, during the Tet Offensive, the buildings were destroyed or damaged. Building work is going on to reconstruct the missing buildings.

Part of The Citadel in Hue.

Next, we drove out of the city to the famous Thien Mu pagoda situated on the river bank. There is a monastery here with, I think, around forty monks whom we saw eating lunch as we walked round the grounds.

The entrance to the Thien Mu pagoda.

We then boarded one of the 'Dragon Boats' which take tourists on the Perfume River for a very enjoyable private cruise back to the city.

The Dragon Boat which returned Than and Jan to Hue.

We left the boat and a short walk past large tourist hotels took us to the premises of a very modest cafe where we had an inexpensive tasty lunch. The cafe completely filled up whilst we were there. The owner of the cafe was clearly a friend of my guide Than.

In the afternoon, we drove into the countryside again to look at the tombs of two kings - Khai Dinh and Tu Duc.

The impressive entrance to thev Khai Dinh Tomb, near Hue.

The attractive setting of the Tu Duc Tomb includes an artificial lake.

Before the driver took me to Hue Airport for the evening flight to Hanoi, Than invited me to his home, where (like all Vietnamese) they were getting ready to celebrate the approaching New Year. There's a brief report on this visit here.

The flight to Hanoi was on time and uneventful. A car was waiting to take me to the Metropole Hotel (a Sofitel Legend hotel) near the centre of the city and, after uploading my pictures, I managed to get to bed a little after midnight.

I've put links below to my pictures.

My Pictures

Hotel Saigon Morin in Hue.
Around Hue.
The Citadel, Hue.
Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue.
Dragon Boat on the Perfume River.
Khai Dinh Tomb, Hue.
Tu Duc Tomb, Hue.
Hotel Metropole, Hanoi.

[Revised 4-Feb-2013, 25-Feb-2013, 20-Mar-2013]