It takes maybe 15 minutes after the train departs before the views start to really come alive, when the first signs of the coast manage to breach through the obstructions in front and from there on in for the next hour or so the scenery is nothing short of exquisite. With the man still sleeping beside me, I grabbed my camera from my bag and headed back to see if I could get a clearer view. Landscape photography just isn't my thing, but as I experimented with different types of shots through the open window of the carriage door, I soon found myself worrying less and less about the occasional bad air from the toilet next to it, and more and more about admiring the scenery outside. The experience only soured by the occasional bout of litter on an otherwise pristine countryside. When the passing scenery started to became less fascinating I retired back to my seat, greeted by the sight of the man still sleeping off to my right, and the sound of a poor lady with the snivels sitting directly behind, to whom I gave a spare packet of mints as I disembarked in the hope it might provide her a just a little bit of respite.
At the platform exit at Hue, a gathered gaggle of taxi drivers and bike riders all complete for your attention, some following you even after you say your just happy to walk. The distance to the "Sunny C" hotel where I was booked in for 2 nights was less than a 15 minute walk away, and with temperatures relatively cool and with only a small bag to carry, I was happy enough to take the stroll. People here seem to struggle with the concept that a tourist might like to walk, to take things in rather than just see things whizz by, but as my friend in Da Nang told me before, if all tourists were like me, then the taxi's would go out of business. I managed to walk past my hotel twice before realising that the name outside was the vietnamese name, and not the the one I had booked it under and in that time I had been propositioned by a drunk lady on a motorbike outside a close by Karaoke Bar (you're looking for something.....come closer) and a lady offering a massage with a gentleman stood close by. Once these small obstacles had been negated, I was early greeted into the hotel and shown my 380,000 dong air conditioned room, which consisted of 2 double beds, a large bathroom and city views. Really not bad at all.
Walking along the river I soon came across the Trang Tien bridge, so brightly light that I had to shield my eyes as I crossed over so as not to bump into anyone else on the path, at one point nearly stepping on a small child who was was sat down begging in a precarious area.I knew nothing of the bridge before I arrived, but after literarily stumbling over it in both directions, a quick bit of research turned up that it had been designed on commission by Eiffel (of Eiffel Tower fame) and has straddled the Perfume river below since it's completion in 1899, although it has needed repairs over the course of time due to natural and unnatural damage. It's a bridge not necessarily famed outside of Vietnam, but within the country almost everyone you talk to, if the subject turns to Hue, they know about this bridge.
The next day I headed of to "the citadel", a walled and moated complex and the site of the former Imperial Capital of Vietnam including the former Forbidden city, where only royalty were permitted to enter. Original consturcted in 1804, over the span of it's existence it suffered heavy damage in several wars with buildings being repaired and replaced up until 1968, where after it was captured by the North Vietnamese in the Vietnam war, fierce fighting resulted in only 10 of the original 160 buildings left remaining. The site took me all day to walk around, with great open spaces, small exhibits and beautiful architecture to examine and read up on, there is still plenty there to admire, Black and white photo's inside showing the imperial elephants on the bridge outside and reproductions of royal stamps with giant ornate sculptured gold handles go to show how over the top people can be when trying to emit the air of authority. Not surprisingly there is plenty of war damage to be see, from bullet holes tracing the path of fired bullets, to missing sections of walls, but amongst the signs of destruction are also well persevered elements which serve as a small but clear indicators as to the sites former glory.
A little bit more unwelcome was the attention I got as a tourist here. Having got used to the odd approach by taxi or motor bike whilst in Da Nang and Hoi An, it seemed that every other step I was being hassled and followed by someone wanting to take me for a ride, probably metaphorically as well as physically. It's a shame that in a country where the experience of dealing with most everyday people is nothing but positive, that you are also seen by an certain element as nothing more that cash on legs, to be tapped into at every possible opportunity. It's difficult to get this point across without putting a slant on Vietnam as a whole but it isn't meant in that way what so ever, it's just one of those less enjoyable parts of travel that irks me from time to time. I genuinely like to walk and have the experiences of talking to normal people, who aren't necessarily looking to gain from my perceived wealth (of which I have none). Maybe at this point, having been travelling for 5 months, without work or income and with funds diminishing all the time, I was just getting tired of having to politely decline again and again and again. Or maybe it was the cold I was starting to come down with that was making the simple things that little bit harder to enjoy, but when you get approached multiple times on a short walk on dimly lit streets by men offering transport, women and / or drugs when all you want is food and a bed, it's a real struggle to keep the British politeness going. Where's my bloody knighthood?
The next day I made it to the train station only to find that the only seats available on the 10:30 train were "hard", which meant wooden benches. With the next rain between the 2 not until late in the evening I brought the ticket and then sat in the sun on the steps outside to consider whether I had any other options due to not feeling 100%. Even sat here I was approached several times about various business propositions and opportunities, only being left alone briefly as the next train drew into the station, and the aforementioned gaggle again crowded around the platform exit to attempt to confuse and snare fresh meat.
In contact with Lan back in Da Nang, she made some calls and organised a seat for me on a van between Hue and Da Nang, all air conditioned in leather seat comfort all for 180000 dong, taking just over an hour between the 2 destinations. The train trip was nice, but sometimes just shutting down is nicer.
You only have to sit back and watch ordinary people going about their daily routines to understand that the overwhelming majority of people are warm and friendly with a great sense of fun. That's my opinion in a nutshell, despite my frustrations with what is, after all, a very small minority .
And a bit of a cold.
No comments:
Post a Comment