Michael Powell's Blog, page 32
August 30, 2017
The Cuisine of Hue
As the capital of Vietnam for 143 years, Hue had plenty of time to refine its cuisine to imperial standards. As a result, the city is today regarded as having the finest food in all Vietnam; many of the country’s most popular dishes originate here, and we could hardly wait to check them out.
Attention! Although we were able to track down some great meals, it must be said that the overall food scene in Hue disappointed us deeply. This city has given itself over to tourism of the worst kind, an...
August 28, 2017
The Thanh Toàn Bridge in Hue
The best day we had in Hue wasn’t spent visiting ancient tombs or forbidden cities, but a humble pedestrian bridge. Found in the village of Thủy Thanh, the tile-roofed Thanh Toàn Bridge was built in 1776, and a trip to see it makes for an excellent excursion from Hue.
By far the best way to reach Thủy Thanh is with bicycle. The picturesque journey of about five kilometers brings you along a canal, straight east until you reach the village. Bicycling was impossible for us, because I had injur...
August 27, 2017
The Abandoned Water Park of Thủy Tiên
Imperial tombs are not the only thing to see in the hilly, forested landscape to the west of Hue. An abandoned water park provides a totally different experience… although I suppose, Thủy Tiên is just a grave of another kind.
Normally, when visiting an abandoned attraction, you expect to be all alone. The word “abandoned” kind of demands it! And such places have provided us with some incredible memories, whether it was the shuttered Hotel Evropa in Macedonia, the Sunset Waters Resort in Cura...
August 25, 2017
The Tiger Arena and More Hue Tombs
Who would win between a gorilla and a cheetah? A cheetah and a giraffe? A giraffe and an elephant? An elephant and a tiger? Well, if you had been alive during Hue’s golden age, you’d know the answer to that last one, at least. We visited the arena where Tiger-Elephant death matches were a semi-regular occurrence.
And the winner was… the elephant! Almost always, the elephant was able to defeat the tiger in gladiatorial combat. Which was just the way the emperors wanted it. The elephant repres...
August 23, 2017
The Tombs of Minh Mạng and Khải Định
Hue’s golden days as Vietnam’s capital are firmly interred in the past. So it’s appropriate that some of the city’s most noteworthy sights are tombs. We’d be visiting four imperial tombs during our stay in the city, starting with two of the most impressive: the royal mausoleums of Minh Mạng and Khải Định.
The Tomb of Minh Mạng
Minh Mạng was the second emperor of the Nguyen Dynasty, reigning over Vietnam from 1820 to 1841. He was a strict, authoritarian ruler, with a firm belief in Confucian...
August 21, 2017
Hue’s Imperial City
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hue’s Imperial City was the seat of Vietnamese power for 143 years. Emperor Gia Long, first of the Nguyen Dynasty, decided to move the capital from Hanoi into the center of the country, and built its massive citadel along the banks of the Perfume River. Today, the Imperial City is mostly in ruins. But what fascinating ruins they are.
This complex is the Vietnamese version of Beijing’s Forbidden City, and its two square kilometers once contained 160 buildings, in...
August 19, 2017
Off to Hue Through the Hải Vân Pass
Of the entire 1600-kilometer train journey which unites North and South Vietnam, the most spectacular is the short segment connecting the cities of Danang and Hue, where the tracks climb over the Hải Vân Pass.
Historically, the Hải Vân Pass has been the physical barrier between the two halves of Vietnam. This is where the Annamite Mountain Range disappears into the sea, and it once marked the border between the ancient kingdoms of Champa and the Dai Viet. The mountain range also affects the...
August 17, 2017
Danang’s Sơn Trà Peninsula
A large and densely-forested peninsula jutting into the sea north of Danang, much of Sơn Trà is an officially-protected wildlife zone. Exploring the peninsula makes for an easy day trip from the city, provided you have your own motorbike. And if you keep your eyes peeled, you might just spot some of the peninsula’s most famous residents: the endangered Red Shanked Doucs.
The most auspicious of Sơn Trà’s sights (and its only crowded one) is the 67-meter tall statue of Avalokiteśvara, the Godd...
August 14, 2017
Danang’s Museum of Cham Sculpture
The world’s greatest collection of art from the ancient Kingdom of Champa is found in Danang’s Museum of Cham Sculpture. Dating from 1915, this museum is small but well-organized, with sandstone sculptures that provide a fascinating look into the history of Central Vietnam.
The Champa Kingdom lasted for about a thousand years, from 500 AD until their eventual capitulation to the northern Đại Việt in 1500. They were a sea-faring people, related culturally to India, and shared that country’s H...
August 10, 2017
Danang and the Dragon Bridge
Vietnam’s third-largest city might also be its most unassuming. Found between Saigon and Hanoi, Danang has none of the charm of its big brothers. But that’s not really the city’s fault. Danang was a major theater during the American War, because of its strategic location, and was almost completely destroyed.
We spent a few nights in Danang, at a hotel near the beach. We had been told that although this was a pleasant city to visit, we shouldn’t expect too much. And that’s about what we found...
