April 25, 2014

 First and last full day in Hue. This city has wide streets with less traffic then Hanoi, making it easier to walk around and explore. It would be a nice place to live, especially on the south side of the river. The air was actually breezy today, with clear blue skies. I don’t know if it was the breeze but the humidity levels seemed way lower then I expected to find in central Vietnam. It’s more pleasant then Luang Prabang and I walked around the city from breakfast until late afternoon without accumulating intense amounts of body sweat. I splurged a little on a nicer hotel last night after I got off the train. I had been sitting in a warm train car with no food for over fourteen hours so I was ready for it. It’s the first time I’ve booked a hotel that was featured in Lonely Planet, and it was very apparent. I had forgotten what nice hotel rooms are like, with pristine sheets and towels and air-conditioned that cause you to pull up your covers at night. The television was a bonus too; I was able to watch an action film and BBC news for falling fast asleep until mid morning. They even keep the fridge stocked in the room, with horrid little snacks like Oreos and snickers and beer. I’ve been keeping away from the soda and sugar, opting for fresh fruit and vegetables. But I decided if I was staying in splendor I might as well treat myself to the whole nine yards.

Today I walked across the river to the Imperial Enclosure, spending several hours exploring the recently renovated buildings. It was originally built in 1804 by Emperor Gia Long. I loved the painted doors with the intricate details of dragons and flowers. It was also nice to walk around the beautifully manicured gardens with moats and ponds filled with lily pads. I sat in the shade of a tree in the garden for a while and read from my book. Recently an Irish guy I met at a guesthouse in Pai loaded my kindle with 250 bestsellers. It was a kind thing to do because now I am set for reading for the remainder of my trip. On big travel days, such as the train ride yesterday, I can finish an entire book. Hell, I might even read Fifty Shades of Grey since it’s there. I’ll probably hate it though. I finished up walking around then went through the gates and picked one of the many restaurants lining the streets for lunch. I ordered a rice noodle dish with sprouts, mint, lettuce, beef and a peanut sauce. This leads me to a confession. Let’s call it the rise and fall of a vegetarian in Southeast Asia. Thailand makes it glorious to be a vegetarian, with tofu in almost every dish it’s easy to cut out the meat. But Vietnamese food is another matter. The barbeque meats is where it’s at, and I will not refuse it. I can’t seem to get enough of Bun Cha, (barbeque pork) or Pho Bo (broth with noodles and beef). All my thoughts and ideals about vegetarianism are out the window at the moment, and I’m unsure when I’ll call them back. So I will be feasting for now! On to Hoi An tomorrow, where I hope to catch some sun and beach at Cham Islands. I decided to skip out on Phong Nha-Ke National Park because it’s a good 7 hours north of year.