Day 37 3rd jan.
We get up and grab a good old fashioned breakfast.... Cereals with milk and toast with butter and jam.... Perfect. !!
We stay in the hotel for a few hours making use of the good speed of the wifi connection....
Our night spent in hell followed by the last few in heaven has taught us that when it comes to accommodation, paying nothing means you get nothing.... It appears you need to spend around £20 per day for a hotel room, this will put you in a room that's nice in a hotel with good feedback on trip advisor....
We are travelling to Da Nang tomorrow and Hoi An not long after and this morning I'm organising the accommodation for these nights....
There are hundreds of hotels in both towns and it takes a surprisingly long time to read all the reviews so it's around 11 o'clock before we depart the hotel....
Shiree has turned into my own little "Sat-Nav" and having picked up a map she leads the way through Hue's bustling streets towards the Citadel.... This involves walking along the river bank, and crossing on a huge iron bridge that's only for bikes in the central section and people on foot on the outer sections.... It's a large bridge, and spans the Huong River which is also referred to as the perfume river...
It owes its name to the fact that it flows through many forests of aromatic plants before reaching Hue, bringing with it a pure and fresh aroma, but it must of temporarily been diverted whilst we were there as it just smelt like river....
Day time in Hue is as much a trading ground for the locals trying to get there hands on your money as much as the night time is.... If it's not someone offering you a bike ride, its a boat tour, an if its not a shoe shine its a menu being thrust into your hand... Its relentless and soon becomes a little tiering... Its a shame really... I think there's some pretty desperate people in Vietnam who really need your money, but as we walk along the paths it almost becomes funny... The family on one your boat will see you get offered by another boat company... They'll see you turn the offer down and they'll still ask you... Following you down the bank... Then, the boat beyond them will do exactly the same, and so on, until you've had enough and walk away from the river to the road pavements where you then get exactly the same thing from guys on three wheeled bikes that act as your guilds... Its impossible to walk anywhere with just having " No Thank You" on repeat play.... We learn that walking in the parks is the best idea... Neither the bikes or boats can get there and we do this until we arrive at the Citadel.....
We passed the citadel in our way into Hue yesterday and its huge..... The largest and most noticeable part is a hugely fortified flag tower that stand proud in front if the main gate... The citadel was constructed for the last emperor of Vietnam over 100 years ago and is huge.... This was basically where he lived, along with all the people who supported him and there family... It effectively became a hidden city behind huge impenatratable fortress of hugely think walls and moats....
It was heavily attacked during the Vietnam war and still bares many scares... The walls are peppered with bullet holes and bomb craters are visible along the top of the think outer walls... The walls are so large that there still intact despite the bombing but many if the buildings within are either gone, under repair or have already been repaired....
There is a construction drive to restore the citadel to its former glory and it's very evident when within.... Many areas are under heavy repair, which to some extent is a shame.... Many people visit Vietnam as a whole, and the citadel because of it's turbulent past and want to see some of the war damage but much of it is getting covered over in an attempt to rebuild the empires of old...
From here we head to Hues war museum... It's just across the road and has a large selection of captured American tanks and planes around the grounds of the museum. It's a very impressive sight, but in typical Vietnamese style it'll soon be confined to the rubbish bump... Asia in general and more specifically Vietnam seem to spend time, effort and money creating something there proud of.. Then, as soon as it's finished they let things fend for itself... There's Never any up keep of anything, and if it is maintained its more repair on a shoe string than maintenance and the tanks are a perfect case in point... There placed on raised concrete platforms outside so the rusting.... Heavily.
The platforms are surrounded by grass with a paved path, but the grass is so long you trip over the path more than walk on it and the concrete platforms are covered in weeds... There is a sign saying to not touch the exhibits but know one to enforce it, the doors open on many if the vehicles and people clearly climb all over them.... It looks like there a free for all for spare parts too and it's not because there American, there's no pride or upkeep anywhere in Vietnam....
It was however really good to have a good look around the military equipment, there were information plaques in front of many informing the model of equipment and where and when it was captured....
Once back at our hotel we head out for food.... Today we will get to the restaurant we attempted to get to yesterday, and get there we did....
Its called Golden Rice..
We went for a set menu of 6 courses and they were all great ! We had among many great dishes, beef cooked in bamboo which had a very woody flavour.... But was also pretty hot ! This meal on its own almost cost the same as our set menu meal... It was fantastic value...
6 courses later we head back to our hotel dodging as many locals as possible whilst trying to make the other have to acknowledge them....

http://www.huelocalguide.com/perfume-river-or-huong-river/

http://www.rustycompass.com/destinations/detail/city_8-vietnam-hue/14-see-and-do/4-hue-citadel#.Usfkj3gayc0