If you ask me what I remember the most about Hue, then it is “Com Hen” (rice cooked with fresh water oyster). It is really delicious and cheap, can you imagine, it cost only 7,000 VND for a bowl? And of course, I didn’t come to Hue to try “Com Hen”, I love that city because of its historic and architectural values in houses, city and bridge.
Hue ancient city had witnessed many changes in Vietnamese history. Along with king tombs, Hue forbidden citadel reflects the skillfulness of Vietnam artisans. While the structure of Hue capital follows Chinese style, the decorations are the distinctive feature that makes Hue different from what was built in China.
Slowly walking around the buildings, reading historical information, taking photos whenever you like, they are all things I love when travelling alone.
There are musicians who play a short piece of Hue traditional music – Nha Nhac Cung Dinh Hue whenever tourists show up. If you are lucky enough to step into the alley when there are no other tourists, like me (in the above image, they just started play as I walked in). I did feel special and royal…?…?…? What is more in Hue Citadel? White lotus.
The next day, I went to a road trip by motorbike (It cost me 100,000VND), started from Thien Mu Pagoda to Tu Duc Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb, and Minh Mang Tomb. They are 3 must-visit tombs in Hue, although there are 4 more tombs but those 3 tombs are distinctive. If I had had time and strength, I would have visited all 7 tombs).
Thiem Mu Pagoda, One of the most famous Buddhist pagoda in Vietnam. The Pagoda lies beside Perfume river, therefore, it’s always windy and cool there.
Tu Duc Tomb – the resting palace for a romantic king. Before this palace turned into eternal house for Tu Duc King, it had been used as a vacation spot of the King, where he stayed to refresh himself. Behind the lake is a small theater in which traditional music shows are performed daily roundly from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.
Khai Dinh King loved French style, so his tomb looks like a castle rising above a mountain. All the wall decoration were made from potsherds and the roof is painted with the dragon.
Located 12km from the center, Minh Mang tomb was designed to reflect Forbidden Citadel. While other tombs are invisible for tourists to see, the Minh Mang tomb only opens once a year to worship his death. (Not the whole complex, his real tomb is behind this door).
Truong Tien or Trang Tien Bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel, was built from 1897-1899 to connect 2 sides of Perfume river.
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