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Hue was Vietnam’s capital city for 150 years in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
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The capital was moved from Hanoi to Hue in 1802 during the Nguyen dynasty in an effort to unite northern and southern Vietnam. The building of the citadel commenced that year.
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The Imperial Enclosure is a citadel-within-a-citadel, housing the emperor’s residence and the main buildings of state within 6m-high walls.
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What’s left today is only a fraction of the original – the enclosure was badly bombed during the French and Vietnam Wars, and only 20 of its 148 buildings survived.
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Restoration and reconstruction of damaged buildings is ongoing.
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Hue
| 13 imagesThe train ride from Hoi An to Hue took about 4 hours. The ride itself was pretty unremarkable except maybe for the fresh eggs with embryos they were selling on board! These eggs with embryos are popular snacks in Vietnam. They can be either chicken eggs or duck eggs. I took one look and saw the foetuses inside the shells and wanted to vomit. I am Chinese, and have had some weird stuff, but this was too much for me.
Just as well the train ride was unremarkable for both Sophie and I were both pretty tired having tried to sleep in yet another hard bed the night before. Hard beds seem to be the norm in Southeast Asia. In the last 3.5 months, I have slept in maybe three truly comfortable beds. I am sure though, if I had been staying at the Westin or something the beds would for sure be soft and the pillows fluffy!
Most people come to Hue to see the Citadel, the royal residences, tempes, and royal tombs. While they certainly interest me, I am more keen to see the nearby war sites first and get the low-down from a knowledgeable guide and look forward to any personal stories that he might be able to enlighten me with. As a result, Sophie went exploring in Hue whilst I went to Dong Ha on the first day.
A Fish Called Wander 
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