Vietnam-Hot ol' Hue

Yesterday, after getting off the sleeper bus, I sat in a cafe for a long time by a hostel where I actually had a night for free (as part of buying the bus ticket at the previous hostel). I sat there and used their wifi and stayed pretty cool with the fans.

I decided not to stay at the free hostel, as I don't think anything is free-so I booked another hostel just a twenty minute or so walk away (it was about $3.00 per night-so not a big deal).

I got there-and was able to check my stuff in early and decided to explore the city, once in the heat.

Hue is a pretty city with a river that runs right through the town. I walked about 20 minutes to a large market, which was called the Bong Da Market, it was a standard market, but much bigger, with ladies selling fruit, butchers cutting meat, and the usual stuff. I had lunch, of chicken of some type, and a cold sugar cane type of drink. I also was suckered into buying a new watch, new shoes, and a new shirt. I needed the new watch, because my watch broke which was my fault for putting it into water when I went swimming. The new shoes I didn't need but they we're $4.00. The new shirt I didn't need but it was bamboo, and the woman showing it to me pressed under her boobs to demonstrate I needed a new shirt so I bought it. It was $8 so more than I liked to spend but I learned later it was actually pretty comfortable.

After the market, I walked over to the Imperial Palace. First, some people who said they whose shirts said English Tour Guide started to ask me questions-rather a whole group of people, like my name, where I was from, etc. They didn't seem to be proficient enough to be tour guides, but I enjoyed talking to the group of them. I learned they generally all come from families with 1 sibling, and they like Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga, but don't know other singers like Justin Timberlake, Maroone Five or Bruno Mars, (or said they don't know).

After sitting with them-I entered the Imperial Palace, which is huge-this was the Capital of Vietnam from 1802 to 1945, with different governors. It was similar in design to the Imperial Palace in Beijing, as they we're both huge. The difference is that while the one in Beijing is postcard picture perfect, the Imperial Palace in Hue was still largely a work in progress. The palace was largely destroyed during the Vietnam war-so many parts we're uneven, the grass was unkept, and large empty spaces stood stilll-for that reason it was sort of neat, and not too crowded either

I looked at that for a few hours-then took the long walk back to the hostel, and went to bed after dinner.