Vietnam Part II - Hue

Before I start talking about our second destination in Vietnam, Hue, I want to talk a bit about how we are getting around Vietnam.

When we were in our last few days in Thailand, we realized that while we had booked all our accommodations in Vietnam… we had absolutely no idea how we were getting between any of them. Or how far apart they actually were.

We basically opened Google Maps, zoomed out, and said, “Sure, that order looks logical. South to North. Done.”

So I spent a few hours in Phuket panic-researching transport options and eventually booked buses between each stop. That’s when I discovered some of these “short transfers” were like nine hours. Nine. Oops.

When we showed up at the bus station in Hoi An, we were pleasantly surprised. The bus looked amazing. Not even in the same universe as Greyhound or Orleans Express back home. These seats were basically La-Z-Boys. Full recline. Leg rest. Even a massage feature. I’m not kidding.

The bus was spotless. You actually have to take your shoes off before getting on. At that point, I was thinking, “Four hours? I want twelve!”

Then we left.

One thing we hadn’t really mentioned yet about Vietnam is the honking. Everyone honks. All the time. Scooters. Cars. Trucks. Buses. There are intersections with no stop signs or lights, so honking is basically the traffic system.

Passing a scooter? Honk.
Someone near the curb? Honk.
Feeling emotional? Honk.
Someone else honked? Honk.
Ben Affleck walking on the sidewalk? Honk Honk!!

And not polite little beeps. I’m talking long, aggressive blasts.

So of course our bus driver was a proud participant in this national pastime. And the bus horn is loud. Like tsunami warning loud. And we’re sitting right at the front, so it feels like we’re inside the horn.

He also wasn't gentle with the pedals. Gas. GAS. Brake. BRAKE. GASSSS. No wait, brake again. Repeat for four hours. Add in very loud phone conversations shouted at maximum volume because apparently he thinks the other person needs to hear his actual voice, not the phone speaker.

By the end, I was genuinely nauseous. I have no idea how Teddy didn’t throw up. I was thrilled to get off that bus.

This also made me slightly nervous about our next ride, which is overnight and about nine hours. What could possibly go wrong? Stay tuned, more details on that coming in our next post.

Anyway, back to Hue.

It’s pronounced “Hway,” kind of like “way” but you actually pronounce the H. Think Hank Hill saying “what.”

We checked into our hotel and the room was beautiful. First thing I noticed though? The toilet paper. No cardboard tube in the middle. It just sits on two rollers in the dispenser. Why did they feel the need to reinvent the toilet paper roll?

On our first day we visited the Imperial City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s literally a city inside a city, with temples, palaces, and traditional Vietnamese architecture everywhere. And best of all? It was quiet, which is kind of rare and a pleasant surprise.

Afterward, we took a tuk-tuk back to the hotel. This one was basically a bike with a seat in the front and a guy pedalling behind us. It was cool… but I also felt slightly guilty being chauffeured around by someone doing cardio.

Hue used to be the capital of Vietnam, so there are tombs everywhere for former emperors. We picked one of the more impressive ones: the Tomb of Tu Duc. It’s basically an entire peaceful complex built for one dead guy. I told Teddy he better start planning because I’d like something similar one day.

Unfortunately, the main building was under construction, so we couldn’t see everything, but the grounds were still beautiful and calm.

We also noticed tons of people doing photo shoots. Apparently it’s common before Tet (Vietnamese New Year) to dress in traditional clothing and take photos. It definitely adds to the atmosphere.

A short walk down the road brought us to an incense-making village. Super picturesque. Bright bundles of incense laid out everywhere. I’m just glad they were making it and not burning it, because I hate the smell. I honestly think I prefer the smell of durian.

On our last day, I caught a cold and stayed in the hotel to recover, while Mylène took the kids to a mall with an indoor playground. It’s basically Hue’s version of Flying Squirrel. I'm glad I was sick and had to stay behind. Those who live in Ottawa and have kids and have been to Flying Squirrel will understand why.

They had a blast though, which is what matters. And I got a quiet room. Everyone wins (except maybe Mylène).