hue. vietnam. march 5th – 9th. 2009

An overnight train, quiet, relaxed. Sunrise over the beautiful landscape that is Vietnam. Cooler climates and in your face moto drivers greet us as we disembark from the train. A LONG stubborn walk towards the hotels. Exasperated by an environment that doesn’t give you a moment to breathe, think or get your bearings. Then something extraordinary, I leave Stephen with the packs and go in search of a room. We settle in to our temporary home here in Hue, a place in a small alley just off a main street. The burdens of travel seem to be weighing heavily at the moment and we are put off by the constant cajoling for a taxi ride or a room. That night we find a nice Japanese restaurant for a quiet meal and check out (photographer café) where we find info, beautiful photos and a hospitable host. Armed with a map, we wander the next day across the bridge to see the Forbidden Purple City and a different part of town. Then the next day another surprise, we bump in to Rik and Mirjam at lunch! We had made plans to meet them here, but this was an earlier than expected rendez-vous. We have been just missing each other through all of Cambodia and Vietnam and we finally co-ordinated a day together in the same city, we all part ways, Stephen and I wander and book a tour for the next day. Too early a start the next morning, larger than expected group and boat for the Perfume River boat tour. We keep to ourselves and do our best not to feel rushed. Visits to a pagoda, royal tombs and many photos later, we realize the ‘see as much as you can in as little time as possible’ is just not our thing, we could have spent all day at 1 tomb and on the water, a really enjoyable evening with Rik and Mirjam catching up on all of our travels since Tibet. We part ways again tomorrow, they for Laos, we to Hanoi. It was nice to see friends and escape the heat of the last couple of months, tomorrow we head further north, Hanoi.

laurel's hue photos on flickr

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