Hue - Citadel

We left Hanoi for Hue on another sleeper bus...14 hours later we arrived...

Not ideal, but not too bad! At least it was over night.

They are bunk beds! Its quite cramped and either freezing cold or boiling hot. 

Yay, and then we got to the Amigo Hotel. The wonderful people from the place we stayed at in Hanoi organised it for us, and we got a great room for cheap cheap because we came by recommendation!

So nice! Fridge, satellite TV, air con and a comfi bed!

Its pretty suave! 

Walking along the river to the citadel.

Hue is known for it's art and culture. They have sculptures all along the river.

Pretty crazy looking sculptures.

Hue - the city is also a Unesco World Heritage site, so the city and tourist stuff is top notch!

More sculptures.

Walking across the bridge to get to the citadel - it was so hot we were dripping by the time we got there. 

Huge bridge over the water.  

Dragon boats used to take tourists around. 

The citadel entrance.  

An area of 500 ha and a system of three circles of ramparts, namely from outside to inside: Kinh Thanh (Capital Citadel), Hoang Thanh (Royal Citadel) and Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden Citadel).

Walking in over the moat. 

Canons - these things weigh 12 tons each!

This construction stared in 1805 under the reign of Emperor Gia Long and completed in 1832 under the reign of Emperor Ming Mang. Under Nguyen' reign, Kings have ordered to build ramparts, palaces and constructional works of royal. Over 200 years to now, it is still original with nearly 140 small and large constructions.

 The front of the citadel.

 Noon Gate is only used for the King. Royal Palace consists of more 100 beautiful constructional works divided many sectors.

Tu Cam Thanh (Forbidden citadel):

Located inside the Imperial City, behind the Throne Palace, the Forbidden Purple City is reserved for Emperor and his family. Constructed early in Emperor Gia Long'reign in 1804 with brick walls 3.72m high, 0,72 m thick, about 1,230 m in circumference.

Elephant shaped trees, with a real elephant in the background!

Golden dragon! Fierce looking thing! 

They have this symbol everywhere. 

The forbidden purple city.

Exquisite Chinese type pictures all over the walls.

Lake within the purple city.

Some of the only remaining structures within the purple city. 

These dragons are carved from stone...hectic!

Looking back over the forbidden purple city. 

There is a residential side to the citadel as well. Its on the other side of the moat through over the bridge. 

 Khon Thai Residence (Queen's Private Apartment) reserved for the Queen.

Apparently it used to have the most incredible garden. 

Rock features with plants with mist coming out of them. 

Really quite beautiful, but also a little out of place it seems!

Everything is so decorated and colourful. 

The Mieu - sector for worship shrines of the King of the Nguyen dynasty.

Walking in to The Mieu.

Huge furnaces - big pots actually! All have different handles and etchings on them. 

Looking back...

The shrines...not meant to take photos, I didn't see the sign until we walked out...oops!

Pretty amazing - these shrines go far back. 

They have these blinds everywhere - they are all the same pattern.

Leaving the citadel...

Picture of the layout.

  

Here are the 5 canons.

Walking back to the hotel - people selling fish....by the million!

Just insane! I've never seen a street fish shop!

They even sell pretty big fish!

Hue 2012 - what a wonderful city. Vietnam is a great place!

Look at this little thing. It was so cute and friendly. I really hope they are not going to make chop sui out of him. 

Absolutely adorable. We have seen dog meat and the trucks with hundreds of dogs in them...its so awful and horrendous and sad.

Hundreds of birds hanging in cages from trees.

Close up - this gives a whole new meaning to pet shops!

Walking down the road back to the hotel over the bridge that connects the city on either side of the Perfume River.

The street we are staying in. 

Up the alley to our hotel.

Amigo hotel - such a pleasure!

Nice and suave and cool and refreshing...a real treat after being in the heat!