In which I visit the capital, old.
December 10, 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.
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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.
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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…
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Hang Mua Peak
Returning from the river, the team enjoyed a spot of lunch before continuing on for some light mountain climbing.
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500 steps to the top of Hang Mua Peak!
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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.