Saturday 26 May 2018

Spent yesterday morning drinking Vietnamese coffee before going to pick up last of livery, then more coffee. Wanted to try every caphe in Hoi An - all of them - to compare the local brew just didn't have time. When you come, the Banana Leaf on Bach Dang by the river has the best we found. It's near the Clothes Mart. Go by and say hi to Chau and niece, Happiness (her name in English) at #45. Bring your charge card and blow off endowing the kids. Second thought, three nights at Beautiful Moon plus bus ride to Hue was 45USD. Knock yourselves out and still spoil the little ingrates.

Although going in the afternoon, bus was a sleeper, two aisles with three lines of bunks above and below. Took about four hours so slept fitfully for two. If driver hadn't had a nervous horn fetish would have done better. Arrived in time to veg a few (necessary after climbing with suitcase and backpack four flights to room - no elevator, but they practically pay us to stay here) then went out for drinks and dinner. This is a happ'nin' town - young backpackers, hip-hop, street dancers, lights and, among others, the Why Not Bar with longhorn steer horns over the door and waiters dressed as cowboys. Egad! Not sure Uncle Ho would have approved. East section, across river from Imperial City, is where the action is. Glad our hotel is away west.

Spent the most of day soaking up sights in the Imperial City, also called the Purple Forbidden City. Although many buildings were destroyed during the Tet offensive in February 1968 (America won a tactical victory, but just about then lost the war) it was quite impressive. Lots of serfs worked their fingers to a nub so the ruling elite (most of whom were puppets of China, France or for short time Japan) could live in splendor. Must have been something before the war - much like Forbidden City, cheek by jowl with Tianamen Square, in Beijing. Also saw a few museums, which were in fact pretty fascinating. Would have visited the odd Buddhist temple, but then the law of diminishing returns set in. Marginal utility of seeing one more was less than effort to get there. Plus there are no monkeys. What's a Buddhist temple without monkeys? Anyway it was hot, hot, hot. Hope Hanoi is cooler - forecast says no. Come for the coffee, but make it in winter. Hey, here's a question, why is an emperor and his empire spelled with an "e', but imperial is spelled with an "i". Huh? Huh?

Unable to find a convenience store to buy beer for taking to room, stopped at a bar for one... then another. Huda, the local brew, goes down awfully smooth with ice and we were, you know, hot. Figuring we'd never make it back out for dinner, went directly on to recommended place - closed. Second choice, just this side of hip hop heaven, was good. Jan promised only eight minute walk back to hotel. It took nine minutes, forty seven seconds... a minute, forty seven seconds longer!!! The imperial we were, although not disgruntled, somewhat short of gruntled. Back in for the night by seven pm... party animals.

Jack