Every Nook and Cranny: Indochina United States and Bahamas Book 5

By Faye Day

Every Nook and Cranny is a series of autobiographical travel guides touching on every continent, most countries, and hundreds of islands.

Travel with the author through steamy jungles and bird-filled tropical rainforests, from scorching deserts to the wilderness of Arctic regions, and from Stone Age tribes to the sophistication of the world’s most modern cities. Explore the ancient civilizations, and participate in amazing wildlife encounters.

The author’s personal experiences are related together with some historical facts, many interesting stories, adventurous episodes, and several amusing anecdotes. In-depth and descriptive passages are illustrated with hundreds of photographs that will enable readers to visualize and fully appreciate the text.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Oct 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781984500380

Faye Day

I wrote the books in response to many requests – and so that I could remember what I have done! At the age of 79 I am still backpacking and hope my stories prove an inspiration to others. Having been born and lived all my life in Australia, I have travelled it extensively, but it will come as a finale to my last book.

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Copyright © 2022 by Faye Day.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 10/14/2022

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DEDICATION

In memory of my son, Michael, who succumbed to his heroic battle with cancer on the 11th of May, 2020.

His outstanding achievements have left a remarkable legacy to the world of veterinary science.

CONTENTS

INDOCHINA 2004

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

LAOS

THAILAND

MYANMAR (BURMA)

UNITED STATES & The BAHAMAS 2005

BAHAMAS

INDOCHINA 2004

T o be perfectly frank, except for Angkor Wat, which I had waited a lifetime to see, I was not anticipating my trip to these countries with enthusiasm, having reached saturation point with Asia in the early years of travelling, but the reality was a revelation.

VIETNAM

Hanoi

M y first impressions on route to Hanoi from the airport, after finally organising transport, were positive. The most outstanding feature was the rows of tall (up to four storeys), narrow (the width of one room) and colourful houses known as nhà ống, often with a cupola on top.

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Hanoi housing

We passed banana plants, bicycles (one loaded with trays of eggs!) and cyclos (pedicabs), small shrines, fields of water hyacinth, and people in coolie hats working in paddies and ladling water from an irrigation canal, before entering an urban area where open-fronted shops sold all types of goods including lanterns, feather dusters and flowers. We came to a beautiful ancient walled pagoda and many, mostly dilapidated, colonial buildings with shutters but no modern structures. All was negotiated with much blowing of the horn. There were eight million motorcycles in Vietnam, and it took me a couple of days to acquire the confidence to cross the road! I was fortunate in obtaining an old but acceptable room for US$15 in the mini-hotel Đuc Thai (Golden Dragon), right in the center of the old district, with private facilities and wonderful carved furniture, the chairs inlaid with mother-of-pearl floral work. Breakfast next morning was only continental, with a thin smear of butter and jam, but the bread was very good. By coincidence, the hotel also purported to be the agent for Sinh Café, recommended in all guide books for organising tours, so together with the manager, I planned a comprehensive few days in and around Hanoi and further afield. However, as it transpired, this turned out to be a big mistake, which I shall explain later.

On a preliminary investigation of the city, I found a wide range of cooked foods prepared in the open-fronted shops and a man eating at a table beneath a tree that was managing to survive in this concrete jungle.

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an open-fronted food stall and street vendors

Bicycles were also used by mobile vendors, one carrying an array of potted plants, and the traditional method of toting baskets suspended at the end of a pole across the shoulders was evident everywhere, with melons, vegetables, and fruits that I did not recognise amongst the infinite variety of produce.

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the streets of Hanoi

In this manner, one woman bore two large platters with tomatoes, greens and several other items.

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a heavy load

I came across a lady wrapping bundles of incense or joss sticks, and a store with gaudy wooden objects arrayed on the pavement.

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wrapping incense sticks

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artefacts on the footpath

Plants in ceramic pots flanked a tiled porch roof with stucco decoration, which also appeared on a roof parapet, and the electricity wiring in the street was something to behold!

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beauty marred by wiring

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not pretty but interesting

On a first floor balcony overlooking the busy thoroughfare, I ate a meal served from a metal bowl placed over a type of brazier. I soon learned that the best value meal was a noodle soup called pho, which was concocted from a constantly boiling stock to which ingredients were added as requested; it cost less than one dollar for a large serve!

The first morning, I was transferred by motorbike to the departure point for city sightseeing – scary stuff! The programme included visits to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (which was closed, the embalmed corpse having been sent to Russia for maintenance, as it was for three months each year!), the Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda (1049), and Hoan Kiem Lake, where the tour finished. Individually, I walked across the red wooden Huc (Rising Sun) Bridge (1885) to the 18th-century Ngoc Son Pagoda, its stone gateway flanked on the one hand by a large panel with high relief of clouds and storks in a pine tree, on the other by a fish and water lilies in a pond.

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Ngoc Son Pagoda

Garish green and yellow lions surmounted the pillars, and there were also reliefs of a white tiger (with long eyelashes!), a dragon, birds with exotic plumage, a turtle ‘walking’ on waves and, similarly occupied, a mythical beast with the body of a horse. The temple featured the usual filigree carving and appointments, with the addition of metal storks, a large metal bell, an array of weapons, and the red horse of Quan Cong, Chinese God of War, but it was not quite as ornate as some. One altar had gilded birds like the legendary phoenix* on each side, and elaborate embossing appeared under eaves.

Amongst the list of rules for visiting Ho Chi Minh’s Tomb was one forbidding hands in pockets! Two soldiers guarded the entrance, and tubs in front held miniature flowering trees like cherry or almond. A park opposite featured old topiary, ornamental rock like that from Lake Tai in China, and palms in flowerbeds. The Temple of Literature was dedicated to Confucius in order to honour scholars and men of literary accomplishment. Vietnam’s first university was established here in 1076 to educate sons of mandarins. Made up of five courtyards entered through an impressive arched gateway with the typical oriental curled corners, one contained a large pool, another, 82 stellae bearing the names of graduates, each one sitting on a stone tortoise. The twittering of many birds competed with traffic noises in the street. I was unexpectedly impressed by the mostly auspicious-red buildings, finding them inundated with gold, incense, artificial flowers, candles, and colourful images of deities. In this particular temple, tall metal storks also stood on the backs of tortoises, and in one courtyard I saw a red ceramic lion and large urns containing gnarled topiary trees.

*The phoenix is a symbol of immortality, a mythological bird that revives from its own ashes every 500 years.

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the Temple of Literature

The One Pillar Pagoda, built of wood on a single 1.25m-diameter stone column rising from a lily-covered lake, was designed to resemble a lotus blossom: the symbol of purity emerging out of a sea of sorrow. It was rebuilt after being destroyed by the French before quitting Hanoi in 1954. Inside, smoking joss sticks stood in front of a shrine flanked by blue-and-white porcelain vases and tall lidded containers. Multihued streamers could have been prayer flags.

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One Pillar Pagoda

Hoan Kiem Lake was also known as the Lake of the Recovered Sword, after a legend relating that whilst the emperor was boating on the lake a giant tortoise reared up, snatched the magical weapon given to him by the gods to defeat Chinese invaders, and restored it to the rightful owners. Arriving at the Ethnology Museum just before the Swedish queen was due, we took photographs of a reception committee made up of children, one of whom presented her with flowers, another a framed picture; I was amazed at the lack of security! As we followed in her wake, the children, their faces beaming, still formed a guard of honour and happily wished us ‘Good morning’!

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three smiling faces

Amongst the interesting exhibits, I saw statues including a strange smiling-faced figure, its belly distended, holding two fans, a beautiful inlaid box, garish animal masks, carved objects and images, figures in diverse ethnic dress, tribal jewellery, weapons, woven articles, ancient books, and small replicas of traditional housing.

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animal mask

Surrounded by a crude log fence topped with wooden effigies of primitive appearance, some in erotic poses, a tall structure bearing intricate designs could have been a memorial or grave.

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effigies in the Ethnology Museum

The oldest pagoda in Vietnam, sixth-century Tran Quoc (rebuilt in the 15th and 19th centuries) on Cayang Island in West Lake, made a stunning picture with its 11 tapering storeys reflected in the water.

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Tran Quoc Pagoda

The gateway was a fantastic affair, with ceramic decoration on top and a stucco tree with large flowers on the wall to the left; tiles and lanterns topped the wall each side.

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the wall

As well as the hexagonal red brick pagoda, which held progressively smaller white Buddha images in niches on each face, the large paved area inside the enclosure contained several other shrines, one with coloured lanterns hanging from the turned-up corners, and blue-and-white tubs planted with conifers and palm trees. In front of one temple, a large metal urn held smoking joss sticks, and there was a huge rock formation harbouring plants. The open doors of the temples revealed several elaborate altars enveloped in ornate gilded filigree and holding many benign-faced figures, lidded containers, ornate lamps, framed photographs, vases of flowers, and one small image of a rearing horse.

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gilded filigree

One was endowed with so much gold that it dazzled with a brilliant radiance. Others had gilded relief and a large ceramic figure clothed entirely in gold, but most images, including a couple of temple guardians, were vibrantly coloured. A beautiful set of embossed wooden doors pictured birds in trees.

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embossed doors

Also in the courtyard, were white stone lanterns and old twisted bonsai trees, which complemented a large tree with a tangled root system.

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joss sticks, a stone lantern and bonsai

We entered a market where it was possible to sample preserved fruits, and I filmed a nearby congested street full of colourful lanterns (mostly red), multihued lengths of tinsel twinkling brightly in the sun, small balconies inundated with greenery – and a man smoking a bong.

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baskets and lanterns

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creating a green environment in the urban sprawl

Elaborate rooftops were adorned with ceramic features including a dragon, and I encountered some lovely paintings and a wall of hideous masks.

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it was all very old and tatty…

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…but there were surprising pockets of beauty

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Vietnamese art

Along the way, we had passed the disturbing sight of dogs, destined for someone’s dinner table, crammed into a cage on the back of a bike.

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I did not like to contemplate their fate

After the tour, I spent time wandering the old district, where I took numerous photographs of various sights and activities. A statue portraying three life-sized white images stood in a small square with neat gardens, a shop sold an amazing assortment of dried products, a woman was staggering under the weight of bananas suspended from a pole across one shoulder, a man was peeling and slicing green coconuts, and a lady squatted on the pavement, amongst bicycles and motor scooters, to fan corncobs over hot coals in a tin dish.

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coconuts on the pillion

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fanning corncobs

Another sat on a stool at a table, cutting a ham hock for a customer wearing the traditional ao dai: white trousers and a long red silk tunic.

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preparing a ham hock

I had to adjust quickly to the mêlée as I made slow progress back to my hotel; there were footpaths, but it was impossible to use them because they were obstructed with parked bikes and all sorts of paraphernalia! After a quick respite, I headed back to Hoan Kiem Lake in search of a shop selling Coca-Cola. On the return, it grew dark, and the scene changed dramatically; amongst the suicidal exodus of thousands of motorbikes, vendors set up food stalls selling pigs’ trotters and other interesting fare, which smelt good, but we had enjoyed a local lunch on the tour, and I hesitated to attempt their offerings.

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the mass exodus of bicycles

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there were food vendors everywhere

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…and small stalls

High reliefs of colourful warrior figures were lodged on walls enclosing a doorway, and people on bikes stopped to buy from roadside vendors sitting on the footpath, who were even selling different types of eggs.

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the ultimate in convenience shopping

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all did not appear appetising

I was informed the reason for the narrow buildings, which apparently extended a long way back, was the cost of land, which was sold by width and not square metres!

Next morning, a solitary bi-level three-arched gateway at the edge of the foggy lake made an attractive picture across the water.

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misty morning vista

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lovely river scene

I observed inlay work obviously depicting the One Pillar Pagoda, and other panels showed a man appearing to play a flute whilst riding a buffalo, people with loads across their shoulders crossing a bridge, others planting rice, and one ploughing with an ox in the vicinity of beautiful trees.

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inlay work

I took a tour to Hoa Lu, the ancient capital from AD 968 to 1010, situated in a valley surrounded by incredible limestone formations cloaked with patches of dense greenery, similar to Guilin in China.

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the countryside

Except for three lovely temples built on different levels on one of the mountains, little was left, but the scenery was awesome. It would have been even more stunning had the lotus at the foot been in bloom, but unfortunately the leaves were curled-up and brown.

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ramshackle buildings and brown lotus at the foot of towering cliffs

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gateway to the ancient capital

An incongruous tan ceramic lion stood outside mossy weathered stone walls overgrown with plants, and the inevitable dragon, also lichen-covered, made an appearance.

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Hoa Lu, the ancient capital

The temples had lovely ornamental roofs and were again richly decorated inside. The topmost shrine was located in a natural cave with tangled roots above the entrance.

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shrine inside a cave

The panorama from here was inspiring. We were rowed, two to a boat, along a river running through the valley. Gliding under a small bridge, we passed banana plants, majestic peaks, massed water hyacinth, banks covered with feathery fronds of bamboo, and ducks, their quacking and the splash of oars the only sounds in this peaceful interlude.

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misty scene from the boat

We negotiated our way through a natural tunnel with stone hanging like stalactites from the low ceiling. White goats created a startling contrast to the sheer grey stone cliffs on which they were perched. In spite of the huge number of boats, which included those of vendors drawing alongside in hope of a sale, it was extremely relaxing – and cool!

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hawkers on the river

I was finding the humidity difficult to cope with. Located two hours from Hanoi, en route we had passed interesting scenarios of people working in paddies reflecting the stunning mountains and watering vegetable plots with cans, many dwellings with ponds for fish and enclosures for ducks, graves dispersed through the fields, and the distressing sight of cooked dogs on market stalls, their little bare tails sticking out! Before lunch, it rained very heavily, flooding the road in a short space of time but clearing quickly. Another fascinating sight was that of a bicycle laden with dozens of stacked clay pots, which extended at least four feet either side! On the way back, we passed a large cemetery with mausoleums like miniature pagodas.

Halong Bay

T hursday began a two-day trip to Halong Bay (Bay of the Descending Dragon), Vietnam’s second World Heritage Site. Covering an area of 1,500 square miles, it consisted of 3,000 thickly-vegetated rocky islands rising directly from the green Gulf of Tonkin in the South China Sea . The region had its own version of the Loch Ness Monster known as the Tarasque . After a rather uninteresting four-hour journey – except for peasants herding ducks, a farmer ploughing with a buffalo, a barber attending a customer seated in front of a mirror attached to a fence, and a stop to watch young women creating beautiful embroidered pictures (in black and white or colour), their nimble fingers rapidly stitching with great dexterity to produce exquisite flowers and tranquil sunlit scenes that literally glowed – we arrived in Halong City where we bordered the boat, our mini-cruise beginning with lunch.

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beautiful pictures created with embroidery

Again resembling Guilin, the scenery was quite spectacular: tall tors, one with a temple on the summit, rising vertically from the water. However, the misty conditions were a little disappointing, although they did give perspective to the photographs. The cloud cover also disguised the colour of the water.

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conditions were not conducive to good photography

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small boat dwarfed by its surroundings

I was surprised at the number of small communities actually living in colourful shacks on pontoons in the gulf, from one of which we purchased crabs, shrimps and fish selected from tanks for a meal. A vendor with fruits and vegetables displayed on the floor of his boat pulled alongside our vessel, and another had plastic bowls containing seafood such as octopi, huge prawns, and large, beautifully marked crabs.

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hawker Halong Bay style

We passed fishing boats – in one of which, as it rocked and pitched on the rough surface, a lady was struggling with washing strung from a mast – a couple of barges, and men rowing smaller craft, one standing to manipulate the oars whilst his companion hauled in a net.

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hanging the washing on calmer water

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pulling the net

We moored in a cove within sight of junks with striking red sails, and climbed a series of steps to a limestone grotto, one of the largest that I had ever seen, before moving on and anchoring for the night. Many of the varied formations were lit by different-coloured lights, and water on the floor reflected the rock, causing the light to ripple with marvellous effect. The walls supported scant plant life. Filmed from the cave, boats in the bay made an interesting subject, and a hanging lake was visible to one side. That evening, the sun peeping from under grey cloud created a pink path across the surface of the water – and I was grateful for the mosquito repellent!

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red sails in the sunset

The following day presented more of the same, before disembarking and partaking of a delicious lunch prior to the journey back to Hanoi, where I spent a pleasant few hours wandering the old city again.

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a more upmarket ‘restaurant’

I found an extensive market where food was prepared and eaten, and a covered section where people on motorbikes (with accompanying exhaust fumes!) further congested the narrow aisles as they made purchases. For sale were huge snails, squid, many types of prawns and fish, squirming eels, cuttlefish, floral bouquets, blackened eggs, vermicelli and packets of dried produce of unknown origin, lengths of intestines, meat (one butcher smoking the long pipe), and of course fruits (including the smelly durian) and vegetables.

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buying offal

Tubs of live fish were aerated with hoses, and water sloshed to clean the footpath kept the road permanently wet, so that it was mucky walking. One lady was industriously chopping chicken with a hatchet, and women also sold roses and chrysanthemums from baskets on bicycles.

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there was plenty to satisfy my propensity for market photography

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chopping with a cleaver

Amongst it all was a shop selling gleaming brass articles. I had eight passport photographs taken for $2.50, and purchased an excellent meal of beef, noodles and vegetables for just over $1, before leaving the hotel for the night train to Sapa, a former hill station in the Haong Lien Mountains, close to the Chinese border.

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a market series

Sapa

F or the first time their organisation failed, because I had paid top price for a first class sleeper, only to be put in second; it was easy to see why first class was called ‘soft’! After arriving in Lao Cai at 5.30am and transferring past the muddy brown Red River , neat stepped rice terraces, jungle, mountains rising from the morning mist, wooden houses, ferns, bamboo and bananas, buffalo, pigs and chickens to Sapa in just under one hour, the rooms were, not surprisingly, unavailable. I had a good breakfast and was offered a nice room in another, newer hotel. Around 10.30am, and still misty, I met my guide and departed on a 15km six-hour trek that, whilst interesting, was hard going, trudging past stunning stepped terraces, above a stony river lined by the bending fronds of bamboo, and through minority villages, finishing up with two guides to help me!

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the stepped terraces and a community

Appearing self-sufficient, the villagers raised crops that included maize and vegetables, and tended buffalo, chickens, pigs and ducks, the latter observed in waterlogged stubble-filled paddies. I saw one horse. We encountered three different minority groups, one of which was adorned with silver bracelets, necklaces and colossal hoop earrings, and dressed predominantly in navy blue and white trimmed with a little embroidery.

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minority girls

Some carried colourful bags, and a few wore elaborate red headdresses, one with rows of red tassels hanging down her back in the manner of the Dao.

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minority headdress

Baskets (some loaded with wood) and children were carried on the back; even a young girl toted a load of timber as large as herself.

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minority people

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loads of wood

I saw only women, but they appeared happy and were quite friendly. A few were absorbed with embroidery, one exerted great concentration knotting together lengths of twine, and another sorted some leafy green product.

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sewing circle

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busy hands

As we crossed a rustic bridge, cloud descended into the valley.

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the rustic bridge

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misty highlands

Arriving at the end, the jeep designated to pick me up failed to materialize, so I requested a lift back with the last vehicle, which ran out of petrol! The road was the worst that I had ever experienced (even considering Ladakh!), but eventually we arrived back without further mishap. On Saturday nights I believe there was a ‘love market’ where young people searched for prospective partners, but the tradition was dying out.

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a study of interesting faces showing contemplative,

shy, bemused and concerned expressions

The following day began with breakfast at 6am then a trip to Bac Ha village for the Sunday market, one of the most colourful that I had seen. Called the Flower H’Mong (a tribe of the Montagnard), these people dressed in a riot of colour, utilising fabrics such as velvet augmented by embroidery and glitter, together with copious amounts of silver in the form of bracelets, necklaces and huge circular earrings. The full skirts were covered with a type of apron back and front, and the blouses had a decorated yoke; a couple were fringed with sequins. Brightly hued head scarves (many checked like tartan), leggings and embroidered bags completed the outfit.

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showing the back of the costume

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the market was a kaleidoscope of colour

Babies and baskets were again carried on the back.

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the big baskets were prevalent

I indulged my mania for markets by spending two hours strolling around, and acquired a passport pouch in exchange for an old jumper. The usual items were on display, including dried fish, unappetising speckled eggs, peeled pomelo, dried fungi, and tobacco, which both men and women were sampling in bongs, as well as many strange foods. Meat was displayed in the open alongside potatoes. A girl was chewing sugarcane, women were cutting it into lengths, and others were selecting and carrying long stalks. A lady held a sheaf of grain under one arm, another carried a large woven mat in the same way, and yet another was cooking cakes in boiling fat.

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an interesting purchase

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makeshift cooking arrangement

Puppies were for sale, and I dreaded to ponder their fate. There was an area devoted to the potent locally brewed corn liquor, an animal market, and a blacksmith working in the open to forge tools.

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the animal market

I saw piles of chillies and nuts, and several women, obviously another minority group, dressed in black suits with red sashes and headgear.

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a different ethnic costume

A couple wore coolie hats. Women were indulging in the age-old occupation of gossiping, and there was a continual buzz of sound.

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faces bearing thoughtful and worried expressions

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negotiations

Two men were carrying furry animals like guinea pigs by the back legs, and saddled horses were tethered beside a wall. Others carried panniers or loads of wood, and large umbrellas added to the colour. Food stalls were set up here as well, with women cooking in blackened cauldrons.

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lunchtime

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a respite from shopping

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your guess is as good as mine!

Interestingly, it was not until 1952 that an H’mong writing system was created; previously, stories were passed down through ritual ceremonies and textile art.

Heading back to Sapa, we passed many rice terraces hugging the mountains, a man tilling the soil with a hoe and, along the valley floors, farms with working buffalo. I was shown a wonderful but decrepit old home, once occupied by a king, with a double stone staircase leading to the entrance.

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abandoned house of a former king

The interiors of two rural houses had dried goods in storage space under the unlined roof, accessed by ladder, and everything else – bed, brick oven and utensils – in one room below. Pages from the newspaper lined an adobe wall, and pumpkins sat on a ledge. Outside, women were engaged in beating a plant bearing clusters of small pods in order to release a type of pea. We stopped briefly at a small village, and I was amazed to find, down a tree-lined pathway, a glass cabinet full of white wedding dresses!

Hanoi

A t 8.30pm I boarded the train for the return to Hanoi, arriving before 5am. I shared a taxi with another couple back to the Đuc Thai Hotel, where we slept for two more hours on mattresses placed on the dining room floor (other guests were forced to eat elsewhere!), and spent most of the day arguing about a refund for our ‘first class’ passage. In between, we followed the walking tour set out in Lonely Planet, most of which I had seen previously, although a street containing shops creating carved plaques for headstones, some of which incorporated portraits, was interesting. Two men were employed vigorously polishing the finished items. It was hot, and people asleep in awkward positions made good subjects for pictures – one in a chair, another on the back of a motorcycle!

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a well-earned rest

I found a wonderful temple with a dragon wall in a garden setting, a beautiful gold-decorated screen, and a lot of red in its cluttered interior. Along with the blue-and-white ceramic jars and bowls holding massed flowers and burning joss sticks, it featured a golden umbrella, flashing lights, a resonating bell, an intricately carved and gilded sedan chair, and a row of weapons, including a spear and halberd such as I had observed in the Ngoc Son Pagoda and was to see frequently. As well as the idols, the stork and horse were present, as also was a tiger. The roofline was adorned with a lion, large yellow fish, and ornamental decoration.

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temple decoration

I filmed some ancient city gates, the street ablaze with red lanterns, and the warrior figures from my first foray in Hanoi, which were extremely colourful in the light of day and had flowers at their feet.

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wall decoration in a Hanoi street

Using a pair of scissors to cut some dried produce, a lady sat on a low stool on the footpath next to a store with strange items arrayed on platters outside. Hanging overhead were bags of dehydrated goods, including varieties of fungi (some as large as dinner plates), starfish, lizards, seahorses and bats! There was such a conglomeration of gleaming stainless steel utensils around one store front that they denied entry!

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a tinsmith

Another sold pottery. A bonsai tree stood outside a small shrine, and two attractive gateways featured colourful illustrations and stuccowork respectively; a boldly striped tiger lay beyond the former. With its twin square towers, St Joseph Cathedral (inaugurated 1886) would have done credit to Europe. In front was a statue on a pedestal and a beautiful bonsai, which was a mass of pink blossom.

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can you recognise any of the produce?

At 7pm, I was transferred to the bus for Hué, which meant two nights without a room. I had become aware that there were many bogus agencies trading under the nom de plume of Sinh Café, and ours was one of the worst; ‘Sinh’ turning out to be the operative word and a very appropriate name! Arriving ill from Perth, and unable to procure a room at three hotels tried from the airport, I accepted a brochure for the Đuc Thai from the official information desk, assuming it to be recommended. Seeing it carried the Sinh Café logo, and because I was unwell, I made the mistake of not checking prices around town. I had booked an open bus ticket from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City on the understanding that it was a double-decker luxury VIP coach, with seating above and sleepers below; I was even shown an illustrated brochure! As it transpired, it was a total fabrication, no such bus existed, and I had paid $70 for a $20 fare! On trying to ring the café from Hué, they refused to talk to me, and the bus company would not refund my money without confirmation, even though I had receipts and a copy of the misleading pamphlet. It was all very unsatisfactory, and coloured my impressions of Vietnam to the extent that I no longer trusted anyone.

Hué

A fter a night on the train, followed by the 13-hour bus trip from hell, I arrived in Hué (lying on either side of the Perfume River ) very tired but found adequate accommodation at the terminus. I had not managed to absorb much on the journey, but did notice many elaborate graves like miniature temples in the fields, cows being herded along the verge, buffalos, fish ponds, some type of plant material (possibly cassava) spread beside the road to dry, a lotus pool, ducks, stacks of newly made tiles, wonderful roadside temples, palms, avocado trees, banana plants, bougainvillea, bamboo, sugarcane and the eternal rice, a green river with little wooden boats, fish traps, and mountains in the distance, all accompanied by incessant blowing of the horn, with no regard for passengers attempting to sleep! After checking in, I ate at a recommended restaurant where the owner had a gallery of excellent photographs for sale; taken over a lifetime, they included beautiful studies of faces and appealing moments capturing children and scenes from local life. A street artist was painting black and white portraits, a talent for which the Vietnamese seem to have a propensity, because I have seen them all over the world. I filmed more scenes in a busy market where, amongst vegetables and fruits from pumpkins to pineapples, I noticed a lady chopping meat. Presented in plastic bowls were leafy greens, capsicum, cucumber, chokos, shallots, tomatoes, limes, and many foodstuffs of which I could not hazard a guess. In a row of butchers, one displayed pigs’ trotters, anaemic-looking sausages, and unmentionable looking parts of the beast, which could have been liver. A flower stall made a welcome contrast. In order to visit the Imperial Tombs and temples, I arranged the hire of a motorbike with a driver for the following day (insisting on a helmet, which very few wore and they had trouble procuring!) and retired for an early night.

My first photograph next morning was of a fancy pagoda outside a stone building with delicate white columns and colourful ornamental dragons on the tiled roof. Both had crosses on top, which would indicate that they were Christian.

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Christian pagoda

Except for the heat, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience on the back of a bike. We started at 7.30am and did not finish until 4pm. First stop, in the village of Chau Chu, was the Tomb of Khai Dinh (completed 1923–31) entered via ornate gateways at the head of flights of stairs divided by immense dragon banisters. The first 36 steps led to a courtyard flanked by two pavilions, and another 26 steps were climbed to reach the Honour Courtyard paved with bat trang tiles. This contained rows of life-sized elephants, horses, both civil and military mandarins reminiscent if the warriors of Xian in China, and an octagonal Stele Pavilion.

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Tomb of Khai Dinh

This elaborate structure was also endowed with pop-eyed dragons: flanking steps, on the roof, above arches, and in deep relief on pillars.

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Stele Pavilion

Another three flights of stairs led to the main building, Thien Dinh, with a flowery façade and divided into three halls. The walls and ceiling were ornately embellished with more staring dragons, beautiful ceramic flowers, and images created with colourful pieces of broken porcelain and glass.

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ceramic relief

Murals represented the Four Seasons, Eight Precious Objects, and Eight Fairies. In the center, under a canopy, stood a gilded bronze statue of Khai Dinh dressed in elaborate regalia with a symbol of the sun behind.

Next, the Tomb of Minh Mang (1841–43), on Cam Ke Hill in An Bang village, on the west bank of the Perfume River, was set out on the same principal as that of Khai Dinh: a dragon staircase, Honour Courtyard, Stele Pavilion (Dinh Vuong) and, in this case, two temples.

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Honour Courtyard

The first, Sung An, was dedicated to the emperor and his mistress, the second, Minh Lau Pavilion, stood at the top of three terraces representing the powers of heaven, earth and water. The Fresh Air and Angling pavilions stood one each side of the latter across bridges, and the chirp of a bird added a tranquil aura.

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mythical lion and pavilion at the Tomb of Minh Mang

The courtyard was accessed by three gates: the Great Red Gate flanked by Left and Right Red Gates. In this tomb, the temple and pavilion contained a lot of red (with gold accents) on their pillars, walls and ceiling. The large Tkung Minh Ho (Lake of Impeccable Clarity) held deep pink lotus flowers and was crossed by three bridges; as was often the case, the central one (Cau Trung Dao, constructed of marble) for use only by the emperor. There were neat terraced gardens, and the sepulchre was in a circular enclosure symbolising the sun. Crossing the river by ferry, I observed many fishing boats and a white statue rearing above treetops. On the opposite shore, I was surprised to find two workers riding an elephant, and another crossed the road in front of us.

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working elephant

Also on the same principal, the Tomb of Thieu Tri (1848), located in rural surroundings, appealed to me tremendously because it was deserted and unrestored; in fact, I souvenired two colourful shards from remnants of decoration. The gardens did not appear as well maintained. A mythical lion-like creature, such as seen at the previous tomb, resided under a canopy near the entrance, and there were two free-standing towers.

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Tomb of Thieu Tri

Along the way we paused for numerous pictures of elaborate gates, small shrines, tombs, and temples inundated with lions and dragons, one of the latter containing a colourful rendition of the fabled horse-like creature seen in the Ngoc Son Pagoda in Hanoi.

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ancient tombs

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temple embellishment

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mythical horse-like creature

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temple mural

In front of another was a comprehensive bonsai garden. Amongst the many Buddha images of a small temple with distinct Thai characteristics, one reclining on a high pedestal sequestered amongst trees outside the compound was larger-than-life and pure white. We set out to visit Tu Hieu Pagoda in time to witness the yellow-robed barefoot monks reciting prayers accompanied only by gongs, which I found very interesting.

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monks chanting

Leaving here, at the suggestion of my ‘chauffeur’ I stopped in a café opposite for lunch, but it was not particularly nice and tourist prices prevailed. We passed a rack of colourful incense sticks, and I photographed the making of others, which were spread on the road to dry, before finally arriving at the Tomb of Tu Doc (1864–7). Located within the extensive grounds, Luu Khiem Lake contained tiny Tinh Khiem Island, where the emperor used to hunt small game. At the edge of the lake, Du Khiem Boat Landing was overlooked by Xung Khiem Pavilion, where he sat with his concubines to recite or compose poetry.

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Xung Khiem Pavilion

Used during his lifetime, the tomb featured lovely gilt-framed paintings and a red and gold throne flanked by golden-yellow umbrellas and surrounded by sparkling golden dragons on deep-red fixtures.

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Tomb of Tu Doc

Dragons also surmounted walls and were an addition to the usual courtyard elephants, horses, and mandarins, although the latter were diminutive, created to be shorter than the emperor who was very small!

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Honour Courtyard

Also exhibiting worn floral murals, the Stele Pavilion contained a stone tablet weighing approximately twenty tons; the largest in Vietnam, it took four years to transport from Thanh Hoa. By comparison with those seen earlier, the two free-standing towers were elaborate, and symbolised the emperor’s power. The site also housed a Theater, Minh Khiem Duong, 1866. There were gnarled old trees, an ancient red brick wall, and a panel with a lovely circular stucco design, but the entire complex was severely weathered, and weeds grew on some rooftops and steps.

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gateway at Tomb of Tu Doc

Tu Doc ruled from 1848–83, the longest reign of the Nguyen Dynasty, but although he had 104 wives and countless concubines he left no heir. Interestingly, the emperor was never interred here; because of the danger of grave robbers, the site of his burial, along with great treasure, was unknown, every one of the 200 servants who buried the king having been beheaded! From here, there were stunning views of the river, and the putt, putt, putt of a barge was the only sound to break the stillness. We proceeded to Nam Gaio (Temple of Heaven), of which nothing remained but the terraces. I filmed a couple of garish shrines behind a barbed wire fence, yet another temple with copious dragons, a modern-looking pagoda with a stark white statue and dragon pillars, and a market under tarpaulins in front of ancient columns. The next venue, Thien Mu Pagoda (founded 1601), was covered in scaffolding but contained 12 gaudy wooden temple guards (with real facial hair!) similar to Hindu deities. Some were smiling, others angry; one held a scroll, others weapons, and a couple had their right foot on an animal image.

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