Date: March 13, 2007
Location: Chan May (Hue), Vietnam
Next Port: Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand, March 16-17
Quick Summary: We spent a delightful day in Hue, about a 75-minute drive from the small port of Chan May.
Report: Good Morning Vietnam! Under a bright sun we arrived at the small port of Chan May around 7:00 a.m. We saw many small fishing boats in an isolated harbor surrounded by hazy mountains. The port is basically just one dock, although there are more under construction.
We enjoyed a welcoming party of Vietnamese musicians, singers and dancers in very colorful dress.
Our 8-1/2 hour full day tour of “Hue and the Perfume River” began with a very interesting drive through the countryside and many small villages. As we have found before on our voyage, this is another country of contrasts. Water buffaloes compete with scooters and small vehicles. Women with heavy loads suspended from poles walk by flat screen TV screens stacked up in cartons in front of small tin shack “stores.” Elaborate family shrines/temples stand in the middle of rice paddies and near homes that appear to be falling down.
We also passed by fishing villages and extensive fish farms.
On the outskirts of Hue, we stopped at Lang Minh Mang, the walled temple and burial grounds of the second of the 17 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty. It’s a beautifully serene spot. In the back of the temple is a walled mound in which somewhere the emperor and his treasures are buried. The exact tomb remains unmarked to this day.
As we continued into the city, we noticed more and more motor scooters. Bicycles are quickly being replaced and in a few years it will all probably be cars! We next visited the Thien Mu Pagoda – Heavenly Lady Pagoda – one of the most holy in all of Vietnam. It was also the hot bed of anti-government protests in the 1960s.
We clambered down the steps to get on a dual-hulled dragon boat for a ride up the Perfume River back into Hue. It was a cooling, fun ride. We noted water buffalo on the banks as well as lots of boats. Many of these long boats are permanent homes for whole families. We saw some boats tied up to the river bank and laundry hanging on clothes lines up the grassy slopes. The families fish from their boats and also collect sand in small scoops from the river bottom. The sand is offloaded and sold at points on the riverside where it is used to make building block bricks.
After a very pleasant ride with some opportunities to purchase “silk” pajamas, robes, scarves and other treasures on board, our dragon boat docked at the modern Century Riverside Hotel in Hue for a delicious Vietnamese buffet lunch. We’ve certainly enjoyed trying the variety of local dishes on such occasions. A group of local musicians and singers performed for us while we dined. Neither of us is a great fan of the local music….a little goes a long way.
After lunch we had a short ride to the Royal Citadel. This compound was built by Emperor Gia Long in 1804 and served 13 emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty after that. The moated citadel is comprised of three separate walled enclosures. The outer citadel is surrounded by a six-mile wall punctuated by 10 gates. We entered through the impressive Ngo Mon (Noon) Gate which has separate entrances for the emperor, his mandarins and the royal elephants. We proceeded to the Palace of the Supreme, which has been restored to its original grandeur with red and gold columns. We then walked further into the Forbidden Purple City where the emperor’s official functions were carried out. Next we entered the Imperial Enclosure. This citadel within a citadel was reserved for the private life of the emperors.
This magnificent imperial city was originally much larger than the remnants we see today. It contained many more tombs, pagodas and temples, lakes and lavishly gilded pavilions. Sadly, much was destroyed in the late 1800s and during the American (their name) War. More was destroyed later in a fire.
We drove back across the river into the city and visited the Dong Ba market, Hue’s oldest and largest. The front third was a “wet market” – fruits, vegetables and food stuffs – the rest was made up of two stories of narrow aisles and more goods than one could ever imagine.
We then had a 75-minute drive back to the port and again enjoyed watching the variety of life in the countryside. We saw a wedding procession as well as a funeral cortege. But our favorite sight along the side of the road – which we saw both in the morning and again in the afternoon – was a man standing on a water buffalo and waving to us on our bus.
Lan, a delightful 25-year old university graduate, was our tour guide. Karen estimated that she weighed 50 lbs. soaking wet! She also sang us a Vietnamese song on the way back to the ship – a tour guide first!
Though Hue is an important center for Buddhism and has hundreds of temples and pagodas, only about 20% of the population are Buddhists. Some 10% are Catholics and 10% practice other religions. But most importantly, 60% practice ancestor worship. Almost every home or store has a small ancestral shrine near the entry, plus a Temple of Family close by.
Our stop in Vietnam was truly inspirational. After hearing several lectures these past few days on the history and culture of the Vietnamese people, as well as reminders of the “American War,” it was encouraging to see the hope and determination to develop the country into a strong economic power. We are reminded of the tenacity and sense of purpose we observed in the refugees that came to the states in the 70’s. So many of the young people studied and worked to become some of the best students in our American schools.
We returned to the ship to enjoy a beautiful sunset as we set sail for our next port, Bangkok.
For dinner, we attended Latitudes for the first night of their Indian curry menu. Once again, the restaurant has been completely redecorated and the wait staff are wearing thematic costumes. We had a delightful evening.
Photos of our cruise are available at the web site:
picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise
Photos of our visit to Hue have been added.
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