In which I visit the capital, old.
Posted on 10th December 2023
Sunday’s activities included a trip out of the city, to Nimh Binh, a city in the red river delta, and also to Hue, the old capital from the mid 1700s to 1945.
This was a chance to see some of Vietnam’s natural beauty before being remanded to the hotel for a few days of talks.
This time I was not alone! I was joined by Susie (PhD Candidate), Simon (Senior Lecturer), Abi (centre administrator), and Nhung (local guide and colleague extraordinaire).
I particularly valued the time with Nhung as she patiently spent time helping me learning some rudimentary Vietnamese.
River Ride
The trip began with a car journey of a few hours, after which we stopped by a river to visit a cave system through which it flowed.
Simon and I were together on a boat along with a local who rowed the boat, both with hands, and feet! Other than an attempt at high-pressure sales of tourist trinkets, the ride was a beautiful chance to get some fresh air and see something of nature.
Joy of joys, on the side of the river I did manage to spot banana tress! I somehow always manage to fit at least a little banana tourism into every trip…
Hang Mua Peak
Returning from the river, the team enjoyed a spot of lunch before continuing on for some light mountain climbing.
500 steps to the top of Hang Mua Peak!
Rushing a little too fast and overestimating my fitness (degraded since a foot injury), I found myself light-headed and gasping for air near the stop. Slow and steady wins the race?
The views, while picturesque, to me, were secondary to the enjoyable experience of the climb up. This was despite the 30 degree heat and intense humidity.
The day was already drawing fast to a close, so we raced off to visit the old palace in Hue. With expansive landscaping, curated courtyards, and a small but cozy temple at the end, we all enjoyed our small adventure.
After a few hours back, we were all pretty exhausted, so had a quick dinner, and only I went off back into the city for a walk.