Day Ten - Train to Hanoi

We boarded the train in Hue. It was an early departure at 05:30. We didn't get coffee or the breakfast the hotel promised to have for us to take and go. So here we sit, an hour into a fifteen hour train ride. We have Vietnamese television to keep us company but nothing is subtitled or dubbed.

Martha is journaling, I'm bored. But the other passengers are fun to watch.

Update: We're just south of Haifong now. Another hour and half to go. Update two: We're now 20 minutes from the center of Hanoi. Next up, shower, food and alcohol.

More later

Martha's Notes:

After our miserable knees on the first train, and the mold and no sleep on the second, Chuck tried to convince me to take a plane from Hue to Hanoi.  He even got the travel person at the hotel to get us flight costs and information.  

At lunch, we talked to the young waitress and told her we were taking the trains, and she seemed really enthused that we would get to see more of Vietnam than just the cities.  So I got stubborn, and Chuck caved.  We took the third train as planned.  

The hotel didn't have breakfast to go, as they had promised us, but they did have a cab waiting at 4:30 am.  Yawn.  We ended up buying instant noodles and snacks on the train to get us through the day.  

This was by far the best train trip of the three.  People got off and on frequently, and we got to see and talk to different people along the way.

There were three high school teachers from Australia that were backpacking Vietnam.   There was a 20 to 30 year old man behind us who was Vietnamese and spoke English with a British accent, as he had been studying in Europe.  He and his wife had their 18 month old son with them, and the little boy ran up and down the aisles in the train car, and then drooled down the back of my seat!  It was Sunday again, so as the day got later, we saw more professionals that looked like they were heading back to the city after the weekend.  

The train ride took us through the countryside where I spent hours trying to get a decent photo of a water buffalo.  I managed a few good shots of the farmers in their fields, harvesting rice by hand.  It's amazing what a contrast this country is:   the cities with WiFi everywhere and skyscrapers being built, while the farmers are still working with water buffalo and hand drawn carts.  Despite the long sitting and the smells (and cockroaches) on the train, I am glad we didn't miss seeing this!

At this point in our travels, I did a little health check, as getting sick on the trip was a little of a concern.  I was feeling good, other than the sinus crap from the previous train ride.  Chuck had some digestive upset that started after our trip to the Mekong and lasted for a while.  He was also dealing with a kidney stone and pulled muscles in his legs.  So, he was probably in a little pain, which may explain the crankiness I noticed a couple days before.  

Vital Statistics

Date - Sunday, September 27

High Temperature - 95 degrees, Heat Factor 112 degrees

Hours on the Train - 14.5

Miles on the Train - about 450

Day Nine - Part C - Emperor's Tomb

There were several tombs devoted to Minh Mang. This one was built on a hillside. It's 127 steps up to tomb. It was very ornate with billions of mosaic filled inlaid onto too walls. These were so carefully done that appear to be 3D.

Day Nine - Part B - Minh Mang Tomb and Forbidden Purple City

Minh Mạng (25 May 1791 – 20 January 1841; born Nguyễn Phúc Đảm, also known as Nguyễn Phúc Kiểu) was the second emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty of Vietnam, reigning from 14 February 1820 until his death, on 20 January 1841. 

Emperors were given three names. His birth name, the name given to him when he ascended to emporer and the name given to him at the time of his death (Minh Mang).

Nguyễn Phúc Kiểu was the fourth son of Emperor Gia Long, whose eldest son, Crown Prince Cảnh, had died in 1801. He was well known for his opposition to French involvement in Vietnam and his rigid Confucian orthodoxy.

As Gia Long aged, he took on a more isolationist foreign policy, and as a result favored Minh Mạng, especially for his outlook. Minh Mạng pursued a sceptical policy to Christian missionaries, often trying to inhibit their activities by administrative means, and later by explicitly banning proselytisation. His crackdowns led to negative European sentiment towards
and fomented discontent at home and abroad which further antagonised Western attitudes towards Vietnam. As a result of his Confucian conservatism, Minh Mạng allowed little innovation in Vietnamese society, and in time its military in particular became antiquated. He restricted trade and exchange with Western powers. At home he strengthened the central administration and had to contend with several rebellions. The most serious came in 1833 when southern Vietnam revolted, leading to a civil war lasting a year. This was further deepened by an invasion into the same area by Siamese forces who had attempted to retake Cambodia from Vietnam. After a long struggle, his forces managed to regain control.

(Wikipedia)

Day Nine - Part A - The Heavenly Lady Pagoda

Today we went to the Heavenly Lady Pagoda one the shores of the Perfume River, the tomb of Minh Mang , Thien Dinh tomb and finally to the Citadel.

The Heavenly Lady Pagoda or Thiên Mụ Pagoda is a historic temple in the city of Huế in Vietnam. Its pagoda has seven stories and is the tallest religious building in Vietnam. The temple is often the subject of folk rhymes and ca dao about Huế, such is its iconic status and association with the city.It is regarded as the unofficial symbol of the former imperial capital.

The pagoda sits on the Hà Khê hill, in the ward of Hương Long in Huế. It is around 3 km from the Citadel of Huế constructed by the Nguyễn Dynasty and sits on the northern bank of the Perfume River.

(Wikipedia)

Martha's Notes:

We took a boat ride on the river to get to the Pagoda.  Our guide for this day was Mr. Huy.  (Pronounced Wee).  So we had "Huy from Hue."  He was a very knowledgeable young man, and gave us a history lesson and a half.  He, too, chatted with Chuck about how the war had affected the Vietnamese people, and how glad he was that Chuck had returned.  He talked about one of his friends who had served during the war and was now at retirement age.  His friend's experiences had left him afraid, so instead of traveling and exploring in his retirement, he remained home alone.  

I didn't take many notes about the tours today, so I'll let Chuck's notes and the pictures do the talking.  Overall, it was a great day, although the heat got to us again!

Vital Statistics

Date - Saturday, September 26

High Temperature - 97 degrees, Heat Factor - 112 degrees

Miles Walked - 4.4 miles