Our Sunday in Huế [pronounced hwě] began with another cyclo ride along the Perfume River and around the ancient city fortress, a 19th Century citadel with thick stone walls and a moat which encircles Imperial City. Huế has an ancient history and was long the center of earlier dynasties dating back several centuries and was the seat of the imperial government until 1945, during the time of the French protectorate, when the emperor abdicated and Huế became part of the new Viet Nam with the government seated in Hà Nội to the north.
Near the border between the North and South, Huế was vulnerable in the Vietnam War. In the Tết Offensive of 1968, the city suffered considerable damage due to a combination of the American military bombing of historic buildings held by the North Vietnamese, and the massacre at Huế committed by the communist forces. After the war, many of the historic features of Huế were neglected because they were seen by the victorious communist regime as relics from the feudal regime that was not to be honored. Due to a recent change of policy, however, many historical areas of the city are currently being restored, including the Imperial Palace.
Food on these trips is always an interesting experience, and our lunch on this day was particularly different and tasty, prepared and served by Buddhist nuns at the Dong Thien Pagoda. The sisters open their simple grounds to the occasional tour bus for lunch, using the proceeds to help fund the kindergartens they provide for disadvantaged children. The vegetarian dishes they provided were all excellent—everyone raved over the soup in particular—and we were happy to have the experience.
On Monday, we visited the tower and pagoda for which the city is famous, and we walked through the old Village of Kim Long, where we visited a descendent of the old royal court who still lives in the home of her great grandfather. Though the home is much the same as originally constructed, we did notice a few upgrades such as a WiFi antenna and security cameras. We also noticed a sign advertising, in Vietnamese, a dental practice which is located in Fort Worth, TX, the new home of some of the family members.