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Nancy and Doug Trips
Nancy and Doug Trips

Nancy and Doug Trips

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”
Our lifelong travel bug has given us our most prized ‘possessions’ - the many memories from business and especially family trips.
 “Take only memories, leave only footprints.” En savoir plus🇨🇦British Columbia
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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    1Waiting area1

    Tamarind Spa

    6 avril 2024, Indonésie ☁️ 33 °C

    In the afternoon we took the hotel's shuttle back into Ubud to go to the Tamarind Spa for our mid-trip "tune up". What is interesting is that the Murni's Houses for tourists and Tamarind Spa was formerly the family's compound. It is typical of walled compounds we saw from the road during our travels. Traditionally, an extended family lives here with some houses, row houses and shared kitchen, living and temple area. Today it is a lovely tranquil setting for a spa.

    Doug had a pedicure and loved it; Nancy had a Balinese spice scrub, hair cream treatment (suffering after no conditioner at any hotel for a month!) and a manicure/pedicure. Cost was about $75 CDN for everything and care and sanitation was as good if not better than at home.

    While Nancy's treatment continued, Doug went back into the town centre for a haircut at a local barber shop and after that we met in the restaurant located above the shop and we had a very good Greek charcoal grilled dish called Kontosouvli before heading to a dance show

    We arrived in plenty of time for the Legong Dance show which we had purchased that afternoon. The seating area was almost sold out for the performance.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    1

    Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati Water Temple

    6 avril 2024, Indonésie ☁️ 33 °C

    Admission to this Hindu temple only gave access to the exterior and gardens, a lovely and peaceful atmosphere. You are required to put on the sarong and head dress no matter what you are wearing.

    Ubud Water Palace is built following the Balinese rules of Tri-mandala. The design of the palace consists of three mandala zones which are placed according to a sacred hierarchy. The three mandala zones are Nista mandala, Madya mandala and Utama mandala. What is special is its lotus pond and water garden, marking the outer area of the actual temple. Plumeria (frangipani) trees decorate the edges of the pond, while the straight bridge access is decorated with paras (volcanic tuff) sculptures of Hindu mythological figures. Access to the inner sanctum was closed, but is provided by three red-bricked kori agung gates.

    The nearby palace used to be the home of the royal family of Ubud. The palace was designed by Gusti Nyoman Lempad, a renowned art master. He was instructed by Sukawati royal family and began the construction of the palace in 1951 which got completed in 1952.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Murni's Warung - Meeting Point
    Murni's Warung - Meeting PointHeading off on the walkPlow the wet fieldsSeedlings are transplanted by handHarvestingHindu offering with burning incense outside the warung at 9 amOffering in the warung's lower levelTemples are everywhere in BaliGiant African SnailCicada

    Ubud Bird Walk

    5 avril 2024, Indonésie ☁️ 28 °C

    We were in Bali only four days and wanted to get some rest after our busy, hot tourist days in cities; thus Nancy had only scheduled one activity: the "Ubud Bird Walk" with a local Balinese woman named Su. On reviews, it indicated this walk would also provide local insights, information about medicinal plants and the rice farming with Subak irrigation. It would also would keep us off a typical "Bali highlights trip" on the roads. So instead of seeing the UNESCO famed Tegalalang Rice Terrace, tourist "swing" or Monkey Forest we met five others at Murni's Warung (a warung is a roadside restaurant) where we would have lunch. One couple from Holland had retired early and had been in Bali for seven months volunteering at a school for children with disabilities.

    Su is a woman in her 50s + and she had binoculars for all of us, we preordered lunch and were on our way by car to the start of our 3 hour walk. The walk took us up and down stairs, along the banks of rice fields and along the concrete edges of the Subak irrigation. Along the way were wonderful views, classic homes with thatched roofs, ducks, flora and fauna. She was enthusiastic and pointed out many things, most of which we don't recall the exact names of but we did get a lot of information and saw what is just beyond the weaving roads in Bali. It did require decent balance and tolerance for the morning heat and humidity; we were glad it was not raining as the stones in areas would have been slippery. Bali clearly is made of many ravines and rushing streams and community agriculture and temple water is organized with everyone's commitment to maintain the Subak water management system (a pulsed ecosystem developed in the 9th century to supply both the rice fields and temple).

    After lunch, we walked to Tamarind Spa to confirm out booking for the next day, then through Ubud to the Monkey Forest to catch the shuttle return to the Westin. Both of us have seen monkeys in Costa Rica and at Angkor recently and were less than keen to be surrounded by them. They were swinging from the overhead electric wires outside the Monkey Forest (they often inhabit large temples sites and are considered sacred by the local people). They acted like monkeys!....as we waited for the shuttle one jumped down onto a fellow traveler's backpack and took her sun visor. They know how to open packs and will nab anything shiny or if they think you have food. They feel threatened if you look them directly eye to eye or show your teeth in a smile, we were cautious around them and stayed out of trouble.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Penjor poles
    Penjor polesStaff making offerings even in this cafeBade under construction for royal funeralMonkey Forest Ticket officeSide entrance to Royal PalacePenjor in little village near hotelShops selling temple items for your gardensBali's version of Garden Gnomes !

    Ubud Town

    4 avril 2024, Indonésie ☁️ 30 °C

    Bali is very lush, tropical and humid; it is as you imagine when you think of an "island paradise". It is a large island with multiple beaches and sights that a tourist would be interested in seeing. The roads are narrow, and not designed for the volume of car and motorbike traffic that travels on it. Ubud is considered the cultural centre of the island, traffic is always slow through the town.

    There seems to be a temple on every block. As it is the Galungan holiday, home and street have Penjor poles everywhere. You are very aware of the deep religious and spiritual life the Balinese people lead; you witness this daily and everywhere; it is not something that has passed into history.

    There had been a death within the royal household February 2. Under construction was a high bamboo tower in preparation for the April 14th Ngaben or Pelebon (meaning turning into ashes), a cremation ceremony specifically held for a members of the royal household. All community members, 100 people at a time, will carry the the purpose built Bade which stands at over 25 meters high, Lembu (large bull), Naga Banda (symbolized Dragon) on their shoulders over a distance of 1 km. The funeral procession is to proceed from the Ubud Royal Palace to the cemetery at Dalem Puri Temple, Peliatan for cremation which will allow the spirit of the person to be released.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    1Love those coconuts!1Ah, western style luxury!Amazing breakfast buffet

    The Westin Resort and Spa

    3 avril 2024, Indonésie ☁️ 29 °C

    We had decided at this halfway point of the trip, some R&R recharging would be needed and picked the. Westin Ubud to cash in some of Doug's hard earned Marriott points. This was luxurious and we loved the extensive breakfast buffet every day which featured a lot of Balinese cuisine to try, the sambals were interesting (sauces, use of coconut, rice and chilis predominate). The room was large and elegantly furnished; a bit humid but otherwise a perfect treat! We enjoyed the view to the infinity pool overlooking a ravine and jungle setting; very spectacular. Mosquitos rarely just around dusk.

    We spent our first day catching up on the computer, talking to family by WhatsApp and Nancy had booked the Ubud Bird Walk the next day. It turned out that the establishment where we meet for the walk also had accommodation and a well rated spa that sterilized its instruments....we were both in need of a "tune up" at this mid way point so she sorted out the details and got us booked in.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur

    Leaving Saigon for Bali

    3 avril 2024, Vietnam ⛅ 27 °C

    MUSINGS ON SAIGON AND THE MEKONG
    Saigon and HCMC area is dynamic, modern and a "city that almost never sleeps". It has now embraced a market economy, it is city of contrasts and struggles for the smaller man who it seems puts in very long hours to making a living. The people of the Mekong are facing a rapidly changing life due to environmental change that threatens this extensive agricultural area. Similar to Cambodia, it is a country still recovering from war but a "that was then, this is now" attitude of resiliency and strong national identity prevails and this is a country on the upswing as long as there is political stability. Our accommodation in Saigon, although 2 star, had the best air con to date and the Bamboo Ecolodge was a very memorable experience. The Mekong tour was great and good value but remember to bring tip money!

    We arrived at SGN airport by 0545h to find a quarter of the country checking in at the Vietjet counter and half of it lined up at passport control where there were not many officers working. It took us just under two hours to get to the gate. Doug survived four hours of knee pain due to seat spacing designed for the average Vietnamese person (average men 5 ft 3 in and women 4 ft 10 inches). Bali/Denpasar airport is very modern although the new immigration machines that scan the QR code from your prepaid Visa along with your passport seemed to work for some but not us. We were met by our prearranged Klook driver. The trip to Ubud (the "cultural centre of the island) took a surprising 1.5 hours, the two lane "highway" that dwindles down to one as you get closer to Ubud was never designed for the amount of traffic on it. We both felt again that our driver was unnecessarily aggressive, passing where we could see oncoming vehicles, getting rather close to motorcycles - sigh! even in idyllic Bali; why??    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    1Sidewalk is for parking. Walk on the streetNo idea how it all stays onEnd of school day parent pickupMany lanes to rear, or to basementPay parking entranceUnderground parkingFamily 'Minivan'Nothing you can't haul2-wheeled taxiA rare dedicated laneThink it's your sidewalk? Think again.The little ones tooThey start them young

    Vietnamese Motorscooter Culture

    3 avril 2024, Vietnam ⛅ 27 °C

    All countries are unique in their own way, but one feature of Vietnam that really stands out is the number of motorcycles in all cities and villages. They are used for commuting, shopping, delivery, taxis, 'trucking', family wagons with often two adults and two kids on one cycle, and stores where goods are sold, we even saw someone prepping up meat on a motorcycle mounted cutting board and then disappearing to deliver it to a small restaurant! We can't vouch for the accuracy, but our guide Tom had said 40% of the population owns a motorcycle. They are cheap - about 400-500 USD brand new for 50cc scooters. These don't require a license and can be driven by 16 year olds. The laws very much favor them too. They have the right of way over both cars and pedestrians, are allowed to turn on red lights and pedestrian green crossing lights, and can even drive on sidewalks if traffic is jammed. It is interesting to see people side saddle, wearing high heels, often fully shielded from the sun, a passenger covering up their head with a cloth if its raining and, typically, flip flops or open toed sandals while on a cycle.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Looking down at the tops of "Tiger Cages" from Côn Đảo PrisonIntroduction to the Display on US War CrimesAgent Orange

    War Remnants Museum

    2 avril 2024, Vietnam ☀️ 34 °C

    This sobering, thought provoking and sad museum about the Vietnam War, called the American War here. Although told from a Vietnamese perspective, there were presentations on the international resistance to the war, the GIs and Americans that opposed the war and war correspondents and photographers from a variety of countries that died in the call of duty with some of their last pictures taken. There are displays on Agent Orange's continuing effects as dioxin contamination affects children born in the early 2000's, war crimes, and the brutal prison system. A lot to think about and there were many people looking at the exhibits that you could tell were moved by the exhibition. While at the Museum coffee shop, we were approached by a man; likely in his 60s missing both hands, to buy a book, he had a selection of four all pertaining to the war. He told us that he lost both upper limbs from landmines following the end of the war. Unfortunately we could not give him the amount requested as we only had so much cash with us but he seemed happy enough to accept the amount offered. It all left both of us with the thought that governments and leaders of the day may think they are doing the right thing but the right thing is ultimately lost in the desire to win causing much loss and suffering ... "oh when will we ever learn" and John Lennon's "Imagine" come to mind and seem as appropriate now as when they were written.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Vietnam stopped three Mongol invasions

    Vietnam History Museum

    2 avril 2024, Vietnam ⛅ 31 °C

    The Vietnam History Museum is a nice piece of architecture influenced by French colonialism and opened in 1929; initially to showcase Asian art. It evolved over time to focus on Vietnam's history. It explores the country’s prehistoric times such as the Bronze Age (Đông Sơn civilization) the series of dynasties, invaders (Mongolia), Cham and Khmer culture, the Nguyen dynasties leading up until the French withdrawal from the country in 1954.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    City Hall
    City HallUncle Ho and City HallNotre Dame under renovationOur Lady of PeaceSaigon Central Post OfficeSaigon Central Post OfficePostcard away!Saigon Central Post OfficeWhat are they hoping to see?

    Saigon Sightseeing

    2 avril 2024, Vietnam ⛅ 31 °C

    We used the City Sightseeing Hop on Hop off bus as a way to navigate the congestion and avoid heat exhaustion and saw the main sights as well as two museums. We also stopped in at the historical post office and Nancy mailed a post card to Jan who loved picking them up and sorting out how to post them in Europe! We finished off the day with dinner at a rooftop bar just a block from our hotel as we had an early flight out the next day to Bali, Indonesia after 17 days in Vietnam.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur

    Mekong Cai Rang Floating Market

    1 avril 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 26 °C

    The next day we were at the wharf at 6 am to load on to the boat to take us to the floating market. The water level had dropped in the tributary (it is tidal influenced) so much that we were “stuck” and it took our cheerful rower lady time to get some water in the bailer to loosen the mud while we rocked the boat but we got underway. During the trip she remained standing while steering and making coconut leaf bracelets, crowns and flowers for us.

    Tom addressed the issue of environmental pollution with us. Due to the Mekong’s many tributaries and the instability of the shore line, standard garbage trucks can not get down to where people live so there is a build up in smaller waterways and we could see this. At one point, our captain lady had to cut a rubber glove and some clothing that was entangled around the propeller.

    Cai Rai market was as expected and there seemed to be slightly more boats selling things than tourists but far from the 200 boats that used to bob to trade wholesale produce here not so long ago. Some of the boats were tourist oriented (we bought excellent coffees) and one allowed us to disembark and sit on the boat/barge and order a plate of fruit. It was quite pleasant with a breeze and watching the other boats bob about. There was one more stop that involved seeing dried rice noodles being made along with various regional foods such as dried/cured tiny frogs but nothing that we could buy to support the locals.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur

    Bamboo Eco Village Resort

    31 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 34 °C

    We made our way by boat to our van pick up point and then drove a further hour into Can Tho where we were met by a golf cart who took us to the 17 bungalow Bamboo Eco Lodge. This was very nice and different accommodation although the air conditioning was suboptimal in the bamboo suite. They had recently opened a pool which was in tip top shape but we did not bring our bathing suits in our overnight bags - boo hoo! Dinner was quite good and we enjoyed the company of Tom and the 3 young women. The next day after going to the floating market, we explored the area by bicycle and tried our hand at making Vietnamese pancakes (Bahn Xeo). Then it was time for the long van ride back to Saigon.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur

    Cao Dai Temple

    31 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 32 °C

    Before we reached the delta proper, we made a brief stop at a temple.
    The Cao Dai religion is the 3rd most popular in Vietnam after Buddhism and Christianity. In 1919 Ngo Van Chieu received a communication from the supreme deity during a table-moving séance. Chieu became the prophet of the new religion, which was formally established in 1926. A Cao Dai army was established in 1943 during the Japanese occupation of Indochina. After the war the Cao Dai was an effective force in national politics; it first supported, then opposed, Premier Ngo Dinh Diem. In 1955–56 Diem disbanded the Cao Dai army and forced the sect’s pope, Pham Cong Tac, into exile. After the communist takeover in 1975, Cao Dai was reportedly repressed by the government.

    Vietnam has a very diverse set of religions, mostly folk religions and ancestor worship, but also Confucianism, Buddhism (several types), Taoism, Christianity, Mother Goddess worship. This temple belongs to a sect that represents up to 4% of the population who practice Cao Dai "High Tower" (Taoist for supreme god), a modern (1929) Vietnamese religious universalist movement with a strongly nationalist political character. Cao Dai draws upon Confucianism, occult practices from Taoism, theories of karma and rebirth from Buddhism, and a hierarchical organization (including a pope) from Roman Catholicism. Its pantheon of saints includes such diverse figures as the Buddha, Confucius, Jesus Christ, Muhammed, Pericles, Julius Caesar, Joan of Arc, Victor Hugo, and Sun Yat-sen. In Cao Dai, God is represented as an eye in a triangle, a symbol that appears on the facades of the sect’s temples.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Rice fields tended by hand, many dotted with tombs of ancestors
    Rice fields tended by hand, many dotted with tombs of ancestorsReaching a branch of the MekongWater Hyacinth everywhereTropical fruit snack and folk singing on one islandSampan ride into small tributary of the Mekong RiverBaskets made of dried water hyacinthPopping rice in hot sandLunch spotSugar cane juice makingCheers / Prost.

    Mekong Tour Day 1

    31 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 30 °C

    Nancy really wanted to include the Mekong delta (pronounced "Maykong") Delta as she had heard so much about it growing up when the Vietnam War was still on. As the one day Mekong tours sounded like a lot of driving to get out to the delta and quite touristy being ferried about to various islands where the locals produce certain goods (honey, coconut candy, puffed rice, fruit growing), she decided on an overnight trip. This would take us into Vietnam’s sixth largest city, Can Tho, and to the last remaining floating market in Vietnam, Cai Rai. She was a bit skeptical about the floating market given that there is ongoing decline in these with the development of more efficient means of transport and marketing but rationalized that if such was the case, might as well see what remains before it is completely gone. We signed up for a 2 day "Mekong Delta and Cai Rai Floating Market tour" by a company called Joy Journeys (about $450 CDN).

    We were picked up exactly on time at 0730 hrs by our young guide Tom and driver Fung. We joined three pleasant young German women. We stopped at a service center after an hour and reached our first stop, Cao Dai Pagoda, after two hours. Along the way, Tom provided a lot of details about the area and answered a variety of questions we had about Vietnam in general.

    The first day had many changes in transport and experiences. On arrival at the Mekong river, we boarded a boat that took us across the Mekong and into the delta. We transferred to smaller 3 passenger sampans to navigate a tributary with a rower lady standing at the back with intermittent use of a motor to overcome currents that were too strong to row through. There are over 1000 tributaries that cut through much of the delta supporting small village communities. Then, back on the larger boat, which took us to various islands that specialized in the production of one product or another. We then did the typical Mekong delta activities, including a stop for lunch, which featured the deep-fried whole gourami fish. Our hostess removed the spine, flaked off the fish, and wrapped it with greens and rice paper to be dipped into fish sauce - it was tasty despite its looks!    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Starting point in front of Opera HouseCity Hall at nightLe Duan BlvdEaster Sunday at Huyen Si Church - Cho Dui ParishBen Tranh MarketStatue to Fighter of the Mongols Tran Hung Dao

    Double Decker Bus Night Tour

    30 mars 2024, Vietnam 🌙 31 °C

    Arriving in the afternoon, we decided the best way to get an orientation with the size of the downtown, the heat and busy traffic was a one hour circuit from the top of the double decker bus. It had cooled off by the time we got on at 6:15 and it was very enjoyable. Saigon is a developed city with lots of lighted decorations, some had been left up after the Lunar New Year.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Hue Airport is crazy empty
    Hue Airport is crazy emptyBen Tranh MarketNguyen Walking Street1Ho Chi Minh City Hall

    Travel to Ho Chi Minh City

    30 mars 2024, Vietnam ⛅ 30 °C

    Time to leave Hue, which we enjoyed our two days there, it is more our speed; less traffic and a lot of green space around the Perfume River.

    We took a Grab for the 15 km ride to Phu Bai airport.
    It is modern and was almost empty; fast to check-in and clear through security. The flight on VietJet to Ho Chi Minh City took about 1.5 hours and we called Grab to get in to the hotel. We found out it is fine to still call the central districts Saigon, the entire area and outlying districts however is referred to as HCMC).

    The Thien Hai is right in the middle of District 1 so we were able to head out and walk about a bit, seeing the long established Ben Tranh Market (hot and crowded) then over to the Opera House and a walk to for a beer and light meal at the Heart of Darkness Craft Brewery (Western prices; not great value!).

    HCMC is lively and modern and dynamic.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Very ornate decorations of glass, mosiac and paint1Emperor sitting a top his tomb to receive visitors in 20241Guardians of the emperor in the after life sans one

    Khai Dinh Tomb

    29 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 30 °C

    Emperor #12 had been educated in Europe and was an intelligent and progressive man but failed to bring any cohesion to either the Vietnamese people or the French. His son Bao Dai abdicated to Ho Chi Minh in 1945. Western architectural influence is clearly seen in the in the ceilings and crown molding in particular. It is much more austere, built of reinforced concrete and consisting of many steps and not set within a garden/forest setting like the other two Emperor tombs on the tourist "circuit" (only certain tombs are maintained). However, he sits atop his final resting place where people can come and see him; this seemed to Nancy to be more comforting than to be entombed behind a wall with a gate that is only opened once a year (Minh Mang tomb).En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Stele HouseTrung Minh Lake

    Minh Mang Tomb

    29 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 30 °C

    The second tomb on our circuit was that of Minh Mang who was the 2nd ruler of the Nguyen dynasty, from 1820 to 1840. He was one of the most successful emperors, having enlarged the country to its fullest size, and establishing most of the institutions and government functions despite his relatively short reign. This is why it draws plenty of Vietnamese tourists who admire him and history buffs.

    The tomb is a perfect combination between architecture and landscape, with magnificent buildings set among extremely pretty hills, lakes and gardens.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Tu Duc Tomb Entrance
    Tu Duc Tomb EntranceVillage with many incense storesLuu Khiem Lake and Thinh Kiem IslandThe TombThe Stele HouseLuu Khiem Lake and Thinh Kiem IslandThinh Kiem IslandKhiem Cung Gate

    Tu Duc Tomb

    29 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 28 °C

    Our next stop was the tomb of Emperor #4 Tu Duc. This was classical Vietnamese in style, and was used by the Emperor as a recreational area in his lifetime and then he and important people of his court were eventually laid to rest there.

    Tu Duc was the 4th emperor, of the Nguyen dynasty and ruled from 1847 to 1883, making his reign the longest of the Nguyen dynasty. The tomb was constructed from 1864 to 1867, to worship and bury Tu Duc (and later his first wife and one of his adopted sons). Tu Duc had more than 100 wives but was childless due to smallpox as a child. In this period, Vietnam faced the conquest of European colonists and missionaries. Tu Duc's treaties with the French, turned Vietnam into a colony in which French people half-controlled the central government.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur

    Thien Mu Pagoda

    29 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 26 °C

    The rain and thunderstorms of the evening before thankfully receeded by the time we left with a car and driver (45USD) arranged through the hotel. We did the typical tourist "circuit" of four of the historic sites outside of the city, beginning with the Thien Mu Pagoda, (namely Heaven Fairy Lady Pagoda),

    The name of the pagoda derives from a special legend: an old woman appeared on the hill where the pagoda stands today, telling local people that a Lord would come and build a Buddhist pagoda for the country’s prosperity.

    The beautiful pagoda was built in 1601 by Lord Hoang who was the governor of the province of Thuan Hoa (now known as Hue). According to the royal annals, Hoang was on a sightseeing trip and holiday to contemplate the seas and mountains of the local area when he passed by the hill, which is now the site of the Pagoda. On hearing the local legend, he had the pagoda constructed. The initial temple was a simple form of construction, but as time went by, it has been redeveloped and expanded with more intricate features. Later on, several kings of the Nguyen Dynasty such as Gia Long, Minh Mang, Thieu Tri and Thanh Thai, all had the pagoda restored.

    The most striking feature of the pagoda, Phuoc Duyen tower (initially called Tu Nhan tower), was erected in 1884 by King Thieu Tri, and has become the unofficial symbol of Hue. This octagonal tower has seven stories, and is dedicated to a Buddha who appeared in human form. It is the highest stupa in Vietnam. To the left of the tower is a pavilion sheltering an enormous bell. The bell, called Dai Hong Chung, was cast in 1710 by Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu. It is famous for the great size, which is 2.5m high. It is considered to be an outstanding achievement of 18th century bronze casting. To the right of the tower is a pavilion containing a stela dated from 1715. It is set on the back of a massive marble turtle, a symbol of longevity, and is 2.58 m high.

    Most noteworthy to us was the beautiful view of the Perfume River, the seven level pagoda set amidst lovely landscaped grounds. Very well tended and peaceful.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    LibraryMother gardenLarge vats where law breakers were boiled in oil

    Hue Imperial City

    28 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 27 °C

    called for a Grab to take us across the Perfume River to the Citadel, arriving just after opening. The admission included a personal tour by a guide who took us around a few of the stops on a very informative, short tour.

    Hue was the capital city during the 143 year long Nguyen dynasty, the first well defined imperial administrative and bureaucratic system of Vietnam. From 1803-1883 the Nguyen emperors ruled the unified Vietnamese state before French involvement which lasted until 1945. Listed as a World Heritage Site since 1993, the site of the Imperial City of Hue is a vast complex of monuments spread over 4 square kilometers. This is protected by three circles of impressive walls reinforced by 24 bastions with 10 intricately decorated gates. The Hue Citadel is just one aspect of what remains, within which are set the the Imperial City and the inside the purple walls the Forbidden City as well as administrative and military structures. 2,000 people with various roles worked within the walls to serve the emperor.

    Nguyen Anh ascended the throne of a newly unified Vietnam in 1789 and immediately proclaimed himself Emperor Gia Long. In 1804 construction began on the Imperial City of Hue with thousands of workers building the citadel and moat and imperial complex of buildings. The majority of the construction was completed during the reign of his son, Emperor #2, Minh Mang.

    The city suffered in 1947 when the Viet Minh seized the citadel. A French counter attack besieged the city and a 6-week battle destroyed many major buildings and the Imperial Palace was burned. Later, during the Battle of Hue in 1968, US troops were ordered to hold shelling the city because of its heritage.

    We then took the walk all the way back to our hotel for the rest of the afternoon.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Never too soon to learn motorcycles in Vietnam

    Hue

    27 mars 2024, Vietnam ⛅ 28 °C

    The Scarlett Boutique Hotel is just a block from the Perfume River in a lively "backpacker" part of town. Hue has many impressive buildings, nice parks along the river and is quite modern. Many interesting scenes you would not see at home such as carts of baguettes, parking lots for scooters in the local Big C mart and motorcycle footwear gear usually of flip flops or sandals.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur

    Train Trip To Hue

    27 mars 2024, Vietnam ☀️ 31 °C

    Left Hoi An at noon to catch our 1350h train out of Da Nang. Spectacular route along the coast, slowing to 5 km/h around the many curves high above the ocean and picking up to a maximum speed 67 km/h. The digital speed indicator at the front of the car was an amusing contrast to the 300km/h indicator on trains in Europe!

    The French built the train running from Saigon to Hanoi. It has never been upgraded; although we were in a car that apparently was new in 2018 it certainly didn't look like it ($4.50 per person for the 2.5 hr trip). Along the way aside from views over the South China Sea, we were both impressed by how mountainous the area was and how difficult it must of been to fight a war in this terrain. Rice fields, water buffalo, quintessential Viet rural villages along the way.

    Had the usual multiple offers from taxi drivers waiting for us on arrival, at 120,000 dong ($6). Doug declined, and Grab cost $2. Having contributed already to the economy through the scam the day before, Nancy felt only slightly stingy not supporting the taxi guys.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Tuongs Tailors, amazing customer processing and efficiency!Just slip in an "8" in front of the 500

    Tuong Tailor

    26 mars 2024, Vietnam ☀️ 29 °C

    Doug met Nancy back at the hotel as we had a final fitting at Tuong's tailor shop. We had decided that we would look into having a suit made here in preparation for Laura and Chris's wedding and ended up making four trips so it was one of the more significant 'sights ' of Hoi An, which is widely known for its tailors. On arrival, we were quickly whisked off by e-taxi and thus began the somewhat stressful task of ordering the suit. This particular business was amazingly busy and efficient. We are unsure of the business practice behind hotels sending referrals: we were told that the manager owner of our hotel is cousin to the business owner there and that we would get 30% off. It seemed though once there we actually were given 5% off? However, compared to having such a suit made in Canada it was reasonable to go ahead, along with a lot of other clientele from what we could see. Doug got a linen suit and navy blue cashmere pants, Nancy a dress and one pair of dressy black pants; each fitting happening at the appointed time in and out and you are done. No time for lollygagging!

    MUSINGS ON HOI AN

    Hoi An was a welcome relief from the traffic of our other destinations to date. It is an interesting mix of authentic, touristy, historical and (unlike Venice) alive with present residents. Its current residents likely are mostly employed in the tourism or tailoring sector. The Square Villa hotel was very well maintained and managed and of excellent value. Excellent service and attention to detail and our host even checked 3 competitive shipping costs for us to send our tailoring back to Toronto ($108 USD for 5 kg). We would recommend visiting here and there are interesting out trips that could be done...to the beach, fishing and rural villages that would give a good feel for the country of Vietnam if one wished to avoid the chaotic larger cities. However, as Hoi An runs largely on tourism, one needs to be alert for possible ways a tourist's wallet is emptied here. We were unsure if the hotel had received some financing back from the tailor for the referral as Tuongs was filled with Westerners and in retrospect they seemed to rush a bit through things. You need to bargain and know your reasonable price for the vendors (way overpaid for a hat!), and it was one time in Vietnam that we were really scammed (Nancy used a credit card for the first time to pay 500,000 dong. She asked for the receipt and the pleasant con artist pointed out the $500,000 but an additional VDN8 ($400 CDN) proceeded that and due to the spacing she missed it (see photo). Moral of story...insist on seeing the machine and look at the receipt very closely. Take any recommendations from your hotel be it for a tailor or a restaurant with a grain of salt, especially if you see it is extremely busy with "Westerners"...in that case, something is likely going on between your hotel and that business to increase both their profits.    En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur
    Sa Huynh burial jar 1st century bc

    Terracotta Park

    26 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 30 °C

    This tourist attraction is located in the Thanh Ha village and had a number of exhibits related to the pottery industry local to the area. There was a history museum, an art gallery, and demonstration workshops. There was also an interesting display of miniature reproductions of famous buildings from around the world. All set in attractive gardens. A pleasant use of an hour, and some knowledge gained.En savoir plus

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  • Nancy and Doug TripsSE Asia 2024Voyageur

    Thanh Ha Terracotta Village

    26 mars 2024, Vietnam ☁️ 30 °C

    Doug was interested in going to nearby Terra Cotta Museum and pottery village but Nancy wanted to walk more around the town and see if she could find some clothes that were cooler. He took a 5 minute Grab motorcycle ride from our hotel. The area was settled thousands of years ago due to the clay and sand deposits. The Cham civilization grew here, and trade in the pottery products began 2000 years ago. Today, this is a pleasant little riverfront village with multiple pottery workshops and stores.En savoir plus

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