HUẾ

 24th - 25th Dec 2022

The fortified entrance to the Citadel in Hue

Hue (pronounced Hweh, not Hooway as in the Geordie 'Howay the Lads') was for a time the Imperial Capital of Vietnam. The  Citadel was the extensive walled and moated compound housing the Vietnamese Emperors and Court from 1802 until 1945 when, after the occupying Japanese in WW2 had surrendered and amid much political chaos, the Viet Minh (Communist) Government prevailed. The Emperor, Bao Dai, abdicated and went to live in exile in France. Vietnam, along with the rest of Indo-China (Laos and Cambodia), was a French colony (apart from during the Jap occupation during WW2) from 1887 to 1954. After they (French) left, with their tails between their legs, the country was divided, following a treaty, The Geneva Accords, along the 17ºN latitude into two independent states, North and South Vietnam. The American saga followed.

I took a train from Nha Trang to Hue leaving at 12.18am on the 24th. It was a 13 hour journey and I had only booked a 'soft' seat. These old Viet trains travel at a max speed of 50mph, wobbly, somewhat noisily and almost begrudgingly, with many stops. OK, mistake, I should have booked a sleeper berth. The seats were quite comfortable and I had a row of two to myself. The Vietnamese can curl up and sleep soundly on anything, anywhere (including the cross-bar on a bicycle), but my creaking joints did not allow this. So, combined with a couple of voluble Vietnamese chaps laughing incessantly sitting behind me and unable to stretch out, I didn't get much kip.

After dawn, north beyond Da Nang, we passed high up along some spectacular cliffs overlooking the sea. On the flat ground thereafter were large areas of rice paddies (a bit like photo on left, but bigger) with many locals out working on them at first light. It looked very laborious, boring and hard work. Of course I failed to get any decent photos.

Right: Rather incongruously, there were some very elaborate Buddhist cemeteries located, seemingly at random, amongst these paddies, far away from any villages. My photo does not show some of the more impressively elaborate and vastly expensive  'shrines'. I later got an answer to this.

I have in fact done this rail journey before, from Saigon all the way to Hanoi and onwards, stopping off at Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue en-route, but I think it was before my 'blogging' days and have lost any photos from then. I expect my monitor and research team at  'OMPITA' will advise, as always.

We arrived in Hue at 1.30pm. Interestingly,  my ticket (bought the day before I left) was not inspected at any point from beginning to end. Left: The frontage of Hue station.

I then walked on to a comfortable little hotel/guest house called, quaintly, 'Hue Lovely Homestay' and had a good sleep followed by some eggs and bacon at a local café. It was another, by chance, amazingly good value and delightful place to stay. On the way there I walked past, on the southern main riverside road (Le Loi), a splendid and ostentatious hotel called 'La Residence' which was the former residence of the French Governor of Hue. I stayed there back in 1997, or was it 2011 (my memory is failing me)? I must have been much wealthier in those days!

The next day, it was Christmas Day apparently, I decided to have a wander around the Citadel. As said, I have done this before but have no photo evidence so will bore you with some now.

Right: This is a model of the walled and moated compound. I'm not sure if it is of the original or present day. I suspect a mixture. The problem is that the American forces (supporting the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam, the 'ARVN') bombed and shelled the place (as is their wont) during the Tet offensive by the North Vietnamese Peoples' Army of North Vietnam (PAVN) and their guerrilla fighters, the Viet Cong (VC), in 1968. There was fierce fighting in the Citadel and throughout Hue which started at the end of January 1968 and went on until September that year. Many of the original elaborate Imperial buildings were destroyed, as was much of Hue. So what we have now is a few original buildings, some reconstructed and much empty space.

Left: The last Emperor, Bao Dai (born Nguyen Vinn Thuy in 1913) with his wife, Princess Monique. He died in Paris in 1997 aged 83.

Right: The Emperor's official residence.

Left: Looking back over empty space towards the main entrance which originally was a series of 'halls'. Maybe these fell victim to US bombs.

Right: The original 'Royal Treasury' at the eastern side. It is in a very derelict state.

Left: Inside the large and elaborate Mieu Temple. A 'shoes off' venue where photography is prohibited.

Right: I think this was the Queen's private quarters.

Left: Inside the Royal Theatre. They still put on performances here.

Right: An elaborate archway.

Left: I'm not sure what this is. It had a stone sculpture of a lion or griffin inside. Perhaps it was the Royal Telephone Box.

Right: The 'Kien-Trung' Royal Palace at the far northern end. Presently undergoing restoration and hidden behind screens and scaffolding.

Left: Another Imperial building, I think called the Thai Hoa Hall at the southern end. 

I suppose the whole compound measures about 750m x 700m. 

There were many other buildings of various size and function, but that is enough!

Left: The nine 'dynastic' urns lined up on the forecourt of the temple. Each one represents a dynasty. They are one of the most valuable works of art in Hue, and indeed Vietnam (I read) and have UNESCO world heritage recognition.

Right: This sign was positioned near the entrance. I don't suppose it was there in 1968. A bit late now!

Left: A couple of well dressed locals who were happy to have their photo taken.

Right: A group posing outside the eastern gate. There were four gates, including the main one where you bought entry tickets (and audio guide if you wanted). The other three gates appeared to be open to the outside streets and unmanned. I can't think what there was to stop people coming in through these without paying.

There is a museum outside the compound which displays a few interesting items  taken from the Palace, such as this (left); the Imperial Throne.

Right: A 'palanquin' which, carried by eight bearers, was used to transport the Emperor around the compound. He probably had a gym somewhere to do some exercise.

Left: The Royal Bed ('scratcher'). It looked a bit on the 'firm' side, but as explained earlier the Vietnamese can sleep happily on anything.

Right: A pair of shoes, with wooden soles, as worn by one of the Queens. She must have had very small feet and they looked most uncomfortable.

Left: A ladies' Grand Royal Audience Gown. There were several of these elaborate garments on display.

That will do from the Citadel. 

Wandering around town I passed a clothes shop selling these Father Christmas outfits (right). They do take Christmas quite seriously and like to dress accordingly.

The 500m wide Huong River, more popularly known as the Perfume River, runs through the centre of the city and divides it north/south. The river  flows from an area which grew fragrant flowers and shrubs and the nice smell drifted down with it, hence the 'Perfume' soubriqué. It is crossed by four bridges. The oldest and most famous is the easternmost Truong Tien bridge (left), which carries pedestrians and vehicles. It is lit up with a changing display of coloured lights at night

On my previous visit to Hue I went on a day river cruise which stopped off at several elaborate pagodas and the tombs of deceased Emperors. It was interesting and amusing but I didn't want to do it again. Once you've seem one pagoda and/or tomb you've seen them all (but I've lost the photos of these so was slightly tempted). Right: One of the many variously sized and shaped tourist cruise boats.

Instead of doing more 'touristing' in Hue I decided to go on a visit to the wartime 'Dee Em Zee' (De-Militarised Zone) astride the 17ºN Lat, about 50 miles north of Hue.  The report to follow...eventually.