No Hue? Yes Hue!

Just in case you didn’t get the hilarious joke in the title to this post, it refers to the fact that Hue is pronounced “whey”. (I know, I just killed the joke. I apologise.)

My time in Hue was rainy. Rain, rain, and yet more rain. By this point, it was beginning to feel as though the weather in Vietnam was going to ruin my whole holiday. It was running off rooftops and the ends of our noses. It was washing clean the streets. It was leaving a grey haze over the whole city which spoiled our otherwise amazingly artistic photographs. And yet, it never dampened our spirits. Being the crazy cat that I am, I decided that this type of weather was perfect for a day of motorbiking around the city. And so I climbed on the back of a vehicle which I’m sure had seen better days and clung to my Vietnamese driver who seemed to find it hilarious that I had blonde hair, whooped a little whenever we left the ground due to his crazy driving and the fact that I was wearing a disgustingly purple poncho (hey, at least I made him laugh, unlike the rest of you with the lame title to this post).

I visited temple after temple and tomb after tomb. I stopped at a roadside workshop where they make conical hats and sticks of incense. I tried to convince myself that even though every inch of me was wet to the core, I was still euphoric. But there is one basic desire that this crazy cat cannot deny herself and that is food. As soon as hunger strikes it is the only thing I can think about. And luckily for me, my driver took me and a few of my friends to the most wonderful place I’ve ever been. Jamie Oliver’s it was not. But by that point, I would have eaten road kill if it had been served with a spring roll or two. However, this place was so humbling and peaceful, it was the most charming place I’ve ever eaten in.

It was a nunnery which also acts as an orphanage for young children. They are taught how to cook and given school lessons in the main building. Incidentally, some of them served us our lunch. And what a delicious lunch it was. I cannot tell you how generous the Vietnamese are with their portions. Much more generous than many Westernised countries I have visited. And as I have a big appetite I can appreciate this greatly. The other fantastic thing about our lunch was that it just kept on coming. Chicken noodle soup. Spring rolls and fresh salads. King prawns marinated in chilli and garlic. Stir fried pork and squid with jasmine rice. Fresh fruit. You’re drooling now, right? That wasn’t everything, but I can’t remember all that we had and I’m also ashamed to say that I took no photos of this delicious feast. I blame it on the delirium induced by near-starvation. All I can say is that never has a meal been so greatly received by so few. It really was the highlight of the day.

And then, even though we were just starting to thaw out and dry off, we had to wave goodbye to the lovely children and the people who ran the orphanage and set back off on our motorbikes. With our stomachs full we could once again appreciate everything that we were seeing. It really did hit home to me how much we take for granted back at home and how in even the most humble of surroundings a feast fit for a king can be produced.

I didn’t spend as long in Hue as I would have liked, or even indeed as long as I did in other places around the country, but in some ways, it was the most memorable. It has some funky backpacker bars for those looking for a little night time action. And of course, all of the historical sites make great fodder for any budding photographer. One word of warning though: if you can’t stand the rain, this city isn’t the Hue to go. (Sorry, I really don’t know what’s wrong with me. I just couldn’t resist).