Vietnam Trip Post 3 - Hue

infront of a Kung Fu centre in Hue 

We arrived in Hue by train and walked with Robyn and Trudy to the taxi stand, and were met by the guys on Harley Davidson who were taking Robyn and Trudy to Hoi An. They organized a taxi to take us to a hotel that they owned. We went up to the room to have a look, looked ok, then manager said actually they have no rooms available. "huuumm Uh why did you show us the room then?..." Went across the road to their sister hotel (Hong Thien Hotel), room available $12 dollars. It was to hot to walk around and look for another hotel so we booked it!." We Said goodbye to Robyn and Trudy and wished them luck on their bike journey.
The lady at our hotel offered to make us breakfast of fresh fruit and fried egg on a baguette which we gladly accepted. Then we went up to our room to try and shower off all the dirt from the train.

outside city wall @ Hue 

Next we decided to go for a walk and have a look around, we walked across the bridge towards the Imperial city, by the time we reached the first gate we were exhausted, it was really hot and the lack of sleep from the train ride the night before did not help. A cyclo driver came up to us, we decided to get a  ride after some serious negotiation.  Cyclos are not comfortable to ride in for 2 people one person has to sit behind of the other with their legs on each side of the person infront, maybe very romantic for couple  maybe not so good for 2 friends on hot day!  Our first request was to get some hats and water, it was hot.

The Cyclo, kicked driver out of his seat for awhile!

The cyclo driver gave us a tour around the outside walls of the imperial city, insisting we take photos in certain areas even if we didn't want to take them! He wasn't satisfied until we took a photo so we just did! We went to Ho Chi Minhs old house, some guard towers, then the cyclo dropped us off in front of the Imperial City. Paid are tickets and had a look around.

Truthfully we were a bit fed up with looking a historic things and just wanted to be at a beach at this point! So we decided to go to Hotel Saigon Morin for some Pina Coladas and snacks, the drinks were good the food not so. We had Hoi An pancakes with pork bean sprouts which were not very good, we had some amazing ones a few days later at Morning Glory in Hoi An. We had a few more drinks which cost about 3 times the amount of our hotel that night, and wondered back to our hotel stopping at a few more bars on the way.

our dinner

For dinner we had braised pork in clay pot with onion and red chilies. Loc Cake, which is steamed rice flour and shrimp that is rolled in banana leaves. Fresh spring rolls with glass noodles, mushrooms, cabbage, onion, tofu and carrot.  Pork rolls rice paper rolls which you rolled yourself with pork grilled on lemon grass, rice paper wraps, lettuce, cucumber and bean sprouts with peanut dipping sauce. I can't eat peanuts so they brought some Nuoc mam cham for me to dip the rolls in. After dinner we headed out for a few more drinks. Then back to the hotel. We called a driver and arranged to be picked up and driven to Hoi An the next morning. Then went to sleep on some very uncomfy beds.

baguette with chili omelet

We woke up and had omelets with chili, baguettes and fresh fruit for breakfast which was included in the price of our room. We went out walked around a bit, I bought a dress and then went back to the hotel to meet the driver.