Day 4 – 06.10.2016
We all gradually woke up in the sleeper train, as the train was only supposed to reach Hue at around 11:00 in the morning. Some of us had gone overboard with buying pastries the night before and so endulged in these for breakfast. I wasnt really fussed for breakfast, and so I had a little bite to nibble and waited for our early lunch.
We had a wonderful set menu were we got to try several specialities of Hue.
It all started off with some minced pork wrapped around lemon grass as skewers – delicious!
Next up in the set menu were fresh spring rolls – delicious!
Next up were rice pancakes, filled with meat and vegetables.
These you place in your bowl, top with fresh salad and perhaps a papaya carrot salad, and then add peanut sauce. Absolutely delicious!
Next up was meat and fresh herbs wrapped in a steamed rice paper – this you dip into the fish sauce.
Next up – of course spring rolls!
And all of this at a normal street side restaurant.
After lunch we still had a bit of time left before our cyclo tour. A cyclo is a bicycle that has a sort of buggy attached in front of it. When it was time to start the tour, all drivers were parked outside of our hotel ready to head out with us.
Off we went in the centre of traffic!
Our first stop was the local market that we reached over another french bridge.
Just while we were heading over the bridge, the rain kicked in. But our drivers came prepared (unlike us ...)
Here a couple of shots from the market of vegetables I havent seen before, but dont ask me for names, there was a lot to remember today...
Dragonfruit
Just the usual amount of spring onions a home here needs...
Fresh coconuts
Typical market stall
Bananas and flowers
Delivering eggs on a motorbike
Beans and rice
On our way we passed several lovely temples and houses.
Heading towards the citadel
Little fishing ponds in the villages
Next stop was at an old traditional vietnamese house that was still set up like in the olden days. The family here produced jewellery and a great great great grand father used to make jewellery for the royal palace. That is why they were able to purchase so much land and keep the original architecture. Especially concerning the elaborate garden setup with the many Bonsai.
Jewellery made for unusual objects and occasions.
Sights along the way. I am yet to fully trust the vietnamese electrictians....
Stop at a little cafe, where the coffee drinkers were raving about the coffee. For me a lemon juice (pretty much just a lemonade).
Houses along the way.
Hitting the crazy traffic! Especially terrifying when you are stuck in roundabouts and cars and bikes drive passed you so close that you can touch them...
We arrived back at the hotel and had a short rest. Even though you just sit in these cyclos and watch your surroundings from there, it is quite tiring after a while...
We then headed out for a birthday dinner, seeing as it was Renees special day! This restaurant was a mix of mainly western and asian food, and we were eyeing the cocktail menu anyway...
I had some springrolls to start with, which were alright, and some caramlised pork in a clay pot as a main – that was delicious!
So time came for desert, and out came the birthday cake. You see, Renee absolutely loves pugs, and it was just one massive pug cake.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the cake and after we were done, when Renee was distracted, Toni crept around the other side of the table and managed to fully cover Renees face with cake. It was all very funny, and the revenge is yet to come...
We very much enjoyed a large array of different „filthy“ cocktails – such as Sex on the beach, Orgasm, „Quick Fuck“, Leg opener (very tasty indeed :) ) and just the faces of the staff when you ordered another....
The restaurant also had a pool table and we played several rounds. After that our tour guide got out a game of jenga and we happily played that until we all felt it was time to either really go out or go to bed. Since we had another trip starting at 8 am planned, we opted for the second option.
