Saturday, May 2, 2009

Huế

Let me start by saying that these pictures aren't representative enough of
Huế. It was raining hard the entire time we were there, which made picture
taking kind of rough. The rain, and then the floods, didn't stop anyone from
what they were doing, but even when the lens wasn't steamed up it was hard to
catch the laid-back, spacious and dignified feel of the place. (Mud and dignity
are an unstable mix.) The same week we were there, Bill Clinton cancelled his
visit to Huế. Though we were soaked, sloshy and mildewed, at least we didn't
make the same mistake as Mr. Clinton.


Huế is now a provincial capital, but for over 150 years, it was the capital
of Vietnam. The Nguyễn emperors built themselves beautiful tombs, and lived
better as dead people than most of us do while we're alive. They had an impact
on the food (lots of small, varied and artful dishes), and also left a tradition
of court classical music.

* = Duyên's photo

















































































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Huế Teachers University

Huế has 5 universities, with many foreign teachers who happily stay on
after the exchange period is over.



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The Citadel

Built by the Nguyễn emperors, this was the scene of some of the
fiercest fighting in the American war. Sadly, a lot of the Citadel is now
used for farming.



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Citadel entrance

(Note the great weather.) There's watercress growing on either side of
the bridge.



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Citadel interior


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Pavillion

As seen from a raised garden



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Pavillion

With a bulbous-nosed dragon guarding the stairs



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*Pavillion garden


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Farther on in the citadel

The dragons' faces remind me of New York cab drivers.



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The Hall of the Left Mandarin

Next to the Hall of the Left Luggage. The Right Mandarin has a matching
hall on the other side of the square.



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Hall of Left Mandarin Interior

If this is how the mandarins conducted their business, you can imagine
how the emperors ran theirs.



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Flooded

Hard to tell the where street begins and the river ends. This was the
view as we went across
Huế by cyclo to take in the sights. We had just looked at a large Buddhist
stupa.

For the local residents, this was only a minor hiccup.



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Vase in the museum, with gremlins

Unfortunately, the museum roof had water pouring in. Vietnam is
starting to realize how important history (and tourism) is, but the money
to upgrade everything won't come overnight.



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Khải Định's mausoleum

Khải Định was the father of Bão Đại,
the last Vietnamese emperor.
During his nine-year reign, the French were the ones really running the
show. His tomb combines Vietnamese and Western styles.



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Front of the main building


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Life-sized statues of mandarins in the courtyard.

Some clever tourist posed with them in his rain slicker.



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Khải Định mausoleum interior

(Pardon the horrible lighting.) A painting of Khải Định
and other bric-a-brac. The walls behind incorporate bits of broken glass bottles
into the pattern, a uniquely Vietnamese way of decorating.



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Tự Đức's mausoleum

It's an enormous park with many buildings, which took years to complete.
Tự Đức used the place while he was still alive.



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Also at Tự Đức

The lake is an artificial moat for one of the tombs



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*Huế musicians in a barge

Zither, snakeskin fiddle, monochord, percussion and singers.



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*At the cultural center

We walked in on a rehearsal of some rousing communist tunes. There was
plenty of showmanship, and what they were lacking in talent, they amply
made up for in lack of talent. Maybe their parents will attend.

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