Hue - Day 4

Wednesday 16th April

We managed to get an extra hours sleep in this morning before we left on a bus at 7:50 am to pick up the students from the University.

We then headed to the first of two Imperial Tombs. It was quite an impressive site, built as the burial site for Emporer Kai Dinh on the Chau Chu mountain. He was the last Emporer of Vietnam only just under 100 years ago.

Kai Dings Tomb

The second Tomb we visited was a much larger area as it had served as a second Imperial city during the reign of the Emperor that is buried there. It was also much older and not in as good condition as the first tomb.

We spent about an hour at each place (which were about 15 minutes away from each other) before catching the bus back to the hotel for the standard mid-day break from 11-2. Tom, Scott and I were joined by Lachie for lunch at a place recommend by the hotel and others who had been there. I had 'Potato Wednesday' (an Edwards family tradition), which was not quite the same as home but still edible.

We picked up the students again and went on another bus tour, this time more planning focused than tourism focused. We saw where the city has planned a massive, massive expansion.  Evidently this development has failed so far probably because of the scale of the plan. They are expanding for more population than there already is in Hue!

Failed Development areas

Following this drive through we were lucky enough to visit a fishing village. The contrast of housing and conditions between the rich and the poor.

Fishing area

Since we were near the beach we visited an area by the sea that had been wiped out by a storm in 1999 and then rebuilt. We were able to go for a swim if we wanted. Most elected not to while some including myself decided to just dip our feet in.

At the beach

This was the last place to visit so we headed back to the hotel where we had a short debrief and about an hour to relax before a group of is went out for tea at 6:30.

Tomorrow is a whole day of studio work with the Hue Students.

- Nick