Took the night train, soft sleeper to Hanoi, quick reorganise before heading south on another night train to Da Nang and Hoi An. Originally a port town and the gateway to Cochin China over the centuries, Hoi An shows the influence of Japanese, Chinese and French culture. Now the main stay of the economy is tourism, especially tailored clothing. The area features beautiful white beaches, and the inevitable tourist resort style development. Flat countryside made biking a dream.
We attended a cooking class, got clothes made, Julie biked and Jo snorkeled.
We ate great food and relaxed, novel for us. Next step a bit of harder exercise and a bike ride up to Hue. Had a guide Tao and a driver Tong, biked up over the Hai Van Pass, 10 km 500 m altitude in 35+ degree heat. The 10km climb was oh so hot relieved by the spectacular views up and down the central coast. Two hours of hard work rewarded with 30 mins of freewheeling exhilarates down the other side. After picnic lunch under a bridge, watching fisher wives gamble and fishermen drinking beer, we set off on the bikes again north
towards Hue, down a dusty back road past ancient tombs and farming communities. The heat became too much for Jo, had to give up and retreat into the support van for the last 10km.
Hue and a piece of Vietnamese history. The Citadel is a 10km long, two metre wide stretch of wall and a moat that surrounds a significant area of the city. It was from here that the powerful 19th century emperors ruled the country. Inside the Citadel is the emperor's residence, "Forbidden Purple City." It has largely been decimated over the course of the four major Vietnamese wars of the 20th century, but reconstruction is being carried out.
We attended a cooking class, got clothes made, Julie biked and Jo snorkeled.
We ate great food and relaxed, novel for us. Next step a bit of harder exercise and a bike ride up to Hue. Had a guide Tao and a driver Tong, biked up over the Hai Van Pass, 10 km 500 m altitude in 35+ degree heat. The 10km climb was oh so hot relieved by the spectacular views up and down the central coast. Two hours of hard work rewarded with 30 mins of freewheeling exhilarates down the other side. After picnic lunch under a bridge, watching fisher wives gamble and fishermen drinking beer, we set off on the bikes again north
towards Hue, down a dusty back road past ancient tombs and farming communities. The heat became too much for Jo, had to give up and retreat into the support van for the last 10km.Hue and a piece of Vietnamese history. The Citadel is a 10km long, two metre wide stretch of wall and a moat that surrounds a significant area of the city. It was from here that the powerful 19th century emperors ruled the country. Inside the Citadel is the emperor's residence, "Forbidden Purple City." It has largely been decimated over the course of the four major Vietnamese wars of the 20th century, but reconstruction is being carried out.
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