Hue

It is hot and humid again. It should remain so for the rest of the trip as we move south. Note the 'feels like' on the photo below. 114! On top of that I have come down with a head and chest cold that is slowing me further.

I did manage to get out to visit the royal tombs in this ancient capital. Hue was the residence of the royal families over the past several centuries. Emperors spent money and time designing and building their tombs and completing those of their ancestors. The practice has filtered down to middle class families in this central area of the country. We were told that this is not the practice in the north. We visited Minh Mang and Tu Duc tombs. Tu Duc was the more fascinating.

Google has misdirected us on several occasions. Earlier in the trip it sent us through a riverbed and construction zone. In between tombs it sent us on a newly constructed and very narrow road with lots of overhanging branches and right angle curves. Not the best for a 19ft long step van. Phuc managed pretty well until we encountered a tuk tuk blocking the road with no driver around. A little clutch work and a bit of shoving from the peanut gallery got us underway again. Phuc was not amused.

As my cold deepened I spent the afternoon and evening resting. Nancy, Mary, and Don toured the Imperial Palace complex. We met for dinner at another highly rated restaurant featuring local dishes; Madam Thu. Night before we hit a less fancy but just as delicious place; The Hanh Restaurant.Read more