We didn’t spend a lot of time in this historical city, and we found it to be rather overrun by tourists, without a whole lot to do. But we did manage to spend two days here, and took lots of pictures, so it’s time for a post.

Hue was the capital of French colonial Vietnam, and a center of action during the Vietnam war. The country was divided into North and South Vietnam right around Hue, and a lot of fighting took place around the area despite attempts to avoid it to protect the historical structures. The Imperial City, built by emperors during the Nguyen dynasty, remains despite heavy war damage, and it has been (and is still being) significantly restored, so we spent some time wandering around it.

 

 Entrance to the Citadel/Imperial city

    

Top of the entrance building

   

Ornate archway to get to some pagodas

 

Dragon art 

  

Emperor’s house

   

Love this mosaic from crushed pottery

       
Artistic designs for future reference

  
     

  
 So many gardens and buildings to walk through we eventually got bored of it, even though they are so beautiful! 

We ate at the same cafe for dinner twice in Hue because the food was so good, and they had a delicious sampling of central Vietnamese foods. My favorite was bun thit nuong, a bowl of rice noodles, lettuce, herbs, bean sprouts, grilled marinated pork strips, and spring roll, mixed together with a peanut sesame sauce. I could eat this every day!

   

Another favorite was banh kohai, pancakes of shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts rolled up in rice paper with herbs and lettuce and dipped into the peanut sesame sauce. 

  

The banana flower salad was good but not that exciting: 

  We also had Banh Beo, gelatinous rice circles topped with herbs, shrimp, and fish sauce and a Vietnamese chicken curry with beans in it (spicy and delicious), but these were on the night my camera and phone batteries were both dead
We also spent time in Hue watching Full Metal Jacket, which has Vietnam war scenes that were based in Hue.

Next stop, Phong Nha caves!