I have survived the 9 hours on the night train from Hanoi and arrived in Hue around 9.30am. The ride was ok, however, after sharing the cabin (4 beds) with a loud snorer, I didn’t sleep much. So I’d be happy to avoid night trains for a while. But you haven‘t done Vietnam without at least one night train trip. I can now tick it off the list now.
Looking forward to explore Hue and the Imperial City next.
The Imperial City
The Imperial City is a walled enclosure within the citadel of the city of Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, it is quite impressive to see.
Gia Long, the first king of the Nguyen Dynasty, funded its construction in 1802. The Nguyen rulers kept their position all the way until 1945. Sadly, most of the city has since been destroyed, with the Vietnam War causing much of the damage. A shame really!
Nonetheless, the massive complex is still a very impressive sight. It features hundreds of monuments and ruins, such as the Forbidden Purple City which was once the residence of the royal family. So much history in one spot and the second grand sight I have seen after Angkor Wat! But without the tourists. It was definitely a picturesque area to see.
The City
The Imperial City Hue in itself has really not much to offer. And after a near incident of food poisoning once again (due to the restaurant serving me very old and weird tasting meat), I was glad to leave Hue behind. However, if you liked Angkor Wat, then definitely make a stop here in Hue, to see the Imperial City in Vietnam.
With Christmas around the corner, and with rain forecasted for a week, I am now on my way to Da Nang and Hoi An. Let‘s see what the next towns will bring. My trip to Hue and the Imperial City was rather interesting but I am not sure what to think of Vietnam yet. Do I really like it?
Have a lovely Christmas xx
(post 72)
