Got up late today since we werent planning on heading to the beach anymore. Headed towards town in a taxi to get the train to Hue at about half ten, the train was at about twelve. We asked for two tickets to Hue and were charged about a euro each for the two and a half hour journey. I hope for their sake where they put us wasnt first class, but it was grand for second class I guess. I had read that the best views were from the right hand side of the train, and although we were facing backwards we were at least sitting on the right. The views didnt disappoint either. One comment I read on a blog was that this was one of the nicest train journeys in the world. Its better than Kilkenny to Dublin anyway. There are lovely views of the coast and the mountainous area between Da Nang and Hue. There is a National Park somewhere between both cities and I think the train runs through it and over the mountains. It was really stunning in some places.

Got to Hue pretty much to our schedule which was wide open to delays. We got out of the station to the usual fan fare of taxi drivers all wanting to take us places. One man who followed us up the street for a bit seemed very disappointed that we had booked our flights out of the place and didnt need a taxi, another cash cow slipping from his grasp. We walked up the street a bit and found a tourist office that was selling flights with Vietnam Airlines (our last and next carrier). We went in chancing our arm that we could leave our bags there for the day, and they were very happy to help, even when they worked out we didnt want them for anything else. On we went past all the traffic and crazyness until we got to the Imperial City. We got our tickets, cheap enough but cant remember exactly how much. The City is set inside two walls and two moats. There is a large flag mast building, very large at the front. Lots of gates into it but one main gate. There are different entrances, one for the Emperor, one for his servants and guests and things and one for elephants and soldiers. We got to be guests. Inside the main area there are lots of forbidden palace looking buildings, very crouching tiger hidden dragon stuff. Sadly though, even though the oldest buildings are no more than 200 years old and the youngest no more than 50, the place was bombed by the americans and by a typhoon. There are maps which mark existing buildings and non-existing buildings, there are lots of non-existing buildings now. Still you get a sense of the place. It was a palace for the emperor who began living there in 1916 or so. It really does remind you of some sort of movie scene walking through it.

After walking around for a few hours we decided enough was enough and we would get some dinner, we hadnt had lunch yet either, and then head to the airport. We eventually found somewhere that was a real restaurant, albeit vegetarian and then went back to get our bags and fled to the airport for three hours early for the flight. Still better to wait in the airport than hang around the streets of Hue. The flight was on time and the airport pickup was waiting for us. Very nerve racking drive to the hotel but the hotel is lovely so we showered and straight to sleep, early start in the morning and it was already waaay past my bedtime