Imperial Hue

It was at the hub's insistence that we found ourselves booked on a private day trip to Hue. Hue is located approximately 2.5 hours away from Danang. 

What we had in mind were ancient palace buildings and quaint streets not unlike that of places such as Siem Reap and Angkor Wat.

But when the Toyota Lexus we were in took us through the 3 passes of the bay peninsula, the scenery took our breath away. It was as if we were transported to Europe. 

Leftover ramification of Vietnam's colonised past.

It was so beautiful it was the perfect setting for a wedding photo shoot.

We were obviously so in love with the scenery that the guide kept asking if we wanted to stop for photos. We couldn't say no.

And as usual, we travelled off the beaten track and found ourselves at Lang Co for a short pit top, for a good reason.

Lang Co town is a famous for producing quality oysters. The guide recommended that we give it a try. At US$4 per kilogram, the oysters were fresh and succulent. I had to admit, I was tempted to get another kilogram after we finished the half sashimi, half grilled portions.

It was noon when we finally arrived in Hue. The picture below is the entrance to the fortified palace.

Having visited the Forbidden City in Beijing, I wasn't as impressed with the ancient imperial palace of Hue. Apart from the scale and grandeur, it was in many aspects similar to the Forbidden City of China. Even the names of the various throne rooms were similar. That was certainly something that surprised me.

It took us a mere 30 - 45 mins to cover the palace grounds. It was unfortunate that a significant part of the palace was destroyed during the Vietnamese war in the last century. And up till now, not much was restored.

We proceeded to visit a pagoda and ended the day's visit at the royal tomb of the 12th emperor. This particular emperor was flamboyant by nature, loved fashion and the good life. His tomb was intricately decorated with elements from both culture of the East and West.

After so many years of travelling, the thing that excites me most are the unexpected surprises that come our way when we least expect it. When we first set off from the hotel lobby in the morning, we expected to explore only the Unesco Heritage Site of ancient Hue; by the time we ended the trip, I had fallen head over heels in love with Lang Co town.