Hue, Vietnam

Date: January 28, 2019
Location: Hue, Vietnam

We spent January 27, 2019 at sea traveling to the Chan My, Vietnam port. The local people set up a celebration as the ship was the first one to visit in 2019.

It was raining out but the shore excursion we booked still happened.

The shore excursion was named Imperial Hue. We traveled by bus to Hue, Vietnam. It was just under 2 hours to get to Hue. Our first stop was at Thien Mu Pagoda.

In front of the pagoda is Phuoc Dien Tower, built in 1844. The tower is seven stories high and is regarded as the unofficial symbol of the city. Each level is dedicated to a different Buddha.

In a building next to the tower is a large marble turtle that is the symbol of longevity.

It is said to be good luck to touch the head of the turtle.

In the pagoda looking towards the tower.

The area also has a garden.

At the back of the complex is a cemetery.

After Thien Mu Pagoda we went to the Imperial City. There are three walls. The first one surrounds the citadel and also has a moat.

Inside the citadel within another wall is the Imperial City.

Inside the Imperial City there is another wall around the Purple Forbidden City. The Purple Forbidden City was where the imperial family lived and was the most restricted area.

This is inside the Royal Theater.

We then stopped at a store and there was an area where people were making hats.

The tour included lunch. During lunch, a band played some local music.

After lunch we went to the Tomb of Tu Duc. The first section is the temple area.

It is very beautiful with a lake.

This is Hoa Khiem Temple where Emperor Tu Duc and his wife were worshipped.

Emperor Tu Duc ruled from 1848 – 1883. He had over 100 wives but no children. Tu Duc planned his tomb and oversaw it being built from 1864 – 1867.

Leading up to the Stele Pavilion in the photo above is Honor Courtyard. In the courtyard is a guard of elephants, horses, and small guards. The emperor was 5 feet tall and the guards needed to be shorter than him.

The Stele Pavilion is a 20-tonne stone tablet that Tu Duc wrote his own inscription on.

This is Tu Duc’s tomb; however, it is not where he is buried. His remains and treasure were buried in a secret location. To keep the secret safe, all 200 laborers who buried the king were beheaded when they returned. The real tomb of Tu Duc has not been found.

Tu Duc lived in the complex from 1867 till his death in 1883.

The shore excursion was different than what we usually do. It was interesting and we wouldn’t have made it to the area on our own from the ship.