Arriving in Hue at 8.30 in the morning I joined Gilles and this time met also Douglas, an american working in Tanzania or something.. They have had their hotel arranged also so we were going our own way as they have got someone from the hotel picking up.
Well, my hotel wrote me an email yesterday that they were going to pick me up also... but awaiting 15 minutes, with all the taxi drivers calling up at you, asking the same question over and over again, could really drive you to your limits.
There was a Mr. Pho, owner of a coffee shop across the street. Of course I thought he was just like another guy trying to make some business with me (which is OK, it's how they make their living). Anyway, at the end he helped me a lot. So in return I bought a cup of house-wife made vietnamese coffee (it was good!), and after discovering and remembered the hotel name which I pretended to have forgotten, he actually called the hotel to tell them that they have someone waiting in the train station!!..
5 minutes, the hotel manager himself came on a motorbike (well, it wasn't that far actually, and considering how they drive motorbike in vietnam....). Turned out that they have mistakenly thought that I have already arrived!..
Never mind. He paid the taxi
I stayed at the Orchid Hotel, a fresh brand new hotel. Only 3.5 months old.
But hey, in Hue you could never really out of rooms.. there are hotels, guesthouses everywhere, in every corner..
At 10.30 we (me, Gilles, and Douglas) have already planned to meet up and to go to tour together.
Let's say that we didn't really finish it in one day. Booked the boat for US$12 (that's US$3 each) and we cruised the river on the boatman's boat. He seemed to live there, with his wife and a small baby sleeping in a really nice craddle...
We immediately didn't like the way he's doing his business. On the river, he came and showed us the lunch menu which we have to pay. After bargaining, the price was US$10 for the 3 of us. Not a bad deal actually and when he served it, it was good. Home made cooking. His wife cooked it on the boat while we were sailing. Anyway, the wife had to get off boat to the market to buy our lunch, douglas wanted to go with her. So did we, but the boatman didnt let us. Finally Douglas managed to get into a small boat which carried them to the market. On the boat, the boatman took out some items, statue, post cards, etc etc and tried to sell them to me and Gilles. Now we know why he didn't want to let us go..........
After the shoppers returned we continue our journey. First destination was the Thien Mu Pagoda.
One of the most famous pagoda in vietnam. Really chinese style pagoda. The next stop was supposed to be the Emperor Thu Duc Tomb. Now, he dropped us not really in the nearest boat pier to the Tomb but instead a place from which we HAVE TO take a motorbike. This is not gratis. It's 100.000 Dong each motorbike with driver. Hmmmmmm... After discussed, we were quite angry because we werent told to be like this, that we had had to take another bike etc etc, of which wouldn't have been any problem if they have told us before hand. Then we told the boatman to take us to the Minh Mang Tomb first, then Khai Dinh Tomb. After that, with motorbike to Tu Duc Tomb and just tell the boatman to go home. We just have had enough of him.
Last destination was planned to be the citadel of the Forbidden City of Hue.
Anyway, for the tombs (it's tombs day today), there were really beautiful. Minh Mang is a tomb complex which actually you dont get to see the tomb, but the natural surrounding was just too beautiful. Khai Dinh, on the other hand, was majestic, big, splendour.
Last is the greatest of all Imperial tombs. The Tu Duc, which is actually preceeded those two previous tombs. It was huge, and unfortunately we spent to much time here that we arrived too late in the cittadel. 10 minutes late.
It was a long ride on the motorbike from one tomb to another but it's a good ride in the middle of hills, nature.
For dinner we decided to a bit indulgement, so we picked this restaurant from the Lonely Planet. It was called the Y Thao Garden. Nice place in a house and serve their dishes (set menu only, US$8). One word only: It was marvellous... just perfect to end our day.
Gilles is leaving for Saigon tomorrow in the morning while Douglas in the afternoon.
I'll be staying 2 more nights just to not rushing. Might as well as going to cittadel tomorrow.
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