Hue - Hoi An

We had to wake up early to catch the early morning train to Hue - 8 hours in soft seats. Now we were more in training with those seats and long train journeys in general. Of course, it would have been easier to take a flight, but we wouldn't have experienced the changing landscape, the dining car, and the toilets 🙈 - and the feeling of having our souls intertwined with the journey. I love train travel! 

At the station, we encountered once again the phenomenon of giant flower decorations. We see them everywhere, and they apparently are a 'thing' that is widely used as gifts. Lavish flower arrangements - I've seen them as high as (Vietnamese 😊) man-height transported on scooters 😂 Quite a contrast to the hostess bouquet we took with us.

The landscape was very changeable during the 8 hours on the way, but the common theme was water. Lots of water everywhere and therefore very lush greenery. Unfortunately, I slept through the section where the train passed through a jungle-like area - according to my travel companions, it was really beautiful. 

It seems that prosperity increases the further south we go. Nicer and better-maintained houses and less visible litter - however, the contrast is still great between them and the very poor shanties that are nestled in between.

Even though we, as now experienced backpackers, had stocked up with biscuits, sesame crackers, water, and other good things, hunger drove us to the dining car. A dish with rice, meat, and vegetables accompanied by a lukewarm beer (we were offered ice cubes though) tasted exceptionally good. It's amazing what they manage to prepare in such a tiny kitchen with a gas stove. 

Sitting next to us were four young men who apparently had been sitting there a long time drinking beer. The floor under their table was littered with empty beer cans, so you could see how far they had come 😜 At one point, a very strict uniformed gentleman appeared, and that was the end of the fun. Out with you! 

In general, there were many uniformed personnel on the train. Some just wandering around looking busy and others ensuring the doors were opened at the stations. No automation here. 

Hue

Finally, we reached 'the middle' of Vietnam. It's the city with the Imperial City and many museums - as the Vietnamese proudly say: very old! After the morning coffee - see the picture of the coffee brewing apparatus - we obviously had to go out and explore the city. Here we fell headfirst into a tourist trap for the first time - rickshaws! We obviously agreed on a price and what we would see. Off we went - all fine at first. So much to see - take your time…. and suddenly, quite coincidentally, we ended up places where we could buy all sorts of different things. When this repeated itself, it slowly dawned on us that we had been taken for a ride… So we 'terminated the agreement' and finally understood why we had had so much time. The price was per hour 😳 And they were immensely offended that we weren't particularly generous with tips. I think they could spend the rest of the day in a hammock. We consoled ourselves with a beer at a restaurant by the river. A Huda beer. In the nineties, about 15 years after Vietnam's independence, Carlsberg established a brewery in Hue, which laid the foundation for the tourism in the area - now millions of liters of Huda (Hue/Denmark) beer are sold. It actually tastes good.Back at the hotel, a dip in the pool and a game of cards.
We had booked a private driver via the GetYourGuide app to take us from Hue to Hoi An with some sightseeing along the way. We skipped the Golden Bridge when it dawned on us that it was located in an amusement area a bit off the main road. The thought was not appealing. We were picked up at the hotel by our driver and guide Lam - a sweet young man who started by reassuring us that he would drive carefully - that as a Vietnamese, he has great respect for the elderly 😄 He wanted to share his country's history, and when we tuned in, we managed to understand the essentials - I think so. Our first stop was Ghost City - an extraordinary cemetery. Lavish buildings bordering on the grotesque - especially considering how much good all that money could have been used for, for the living. Lan explained that it was about not having a grave less impressive than your neighbor's - a bit like needing a new car because your neighbor got one. And it probably just got out of hand. But it was an experience. Next, we headed to a charming fishing village, where piles of oysters and other seafood were brought in. Small boats filled to the brim with shellfish. A very picturesque place. As in other places, there were many vendors swarming around us tourists. A very young man asked us where we were from (as everyone does here), while showing us a folder with banknotes from many different countries. He collected - not coins - but banknotes. Luckily, we had a fifty-kroner note in our wallet - and he was thrilled. It was the first note from Denmark, and he was even happier when we refused to accept payment for it.Next stop was Hai Van Pass - an incredibly beautiful drive up to a small fortress. The only downside to this beautiful place was the rather persistent vendors, but that's what happens when places are invaded by one tourist bus after another. Something for something, I think.Down the mountain again - at least as beautiful a trip as up, and then we set course for Marble Mountain, which we didn't actually know what was. The story is that marble was quarried in this mountain for many years for use in architectural decoration and sculptures. Today, there is no quarrying done there, but elsewhere in Vietnam. Difficult to see the difference, but that's what one can wonder. We were met and shown around by the owner's daughter, who animatedly told about the factory and their products made of marble and jade. There was no pressure to buy, but we did get a little souvenir from there. From the factory, we took a short walk to the marble mountain itself, where you could either take an elevator to the top or walk through stairs into the caves. We chose the latter after seeing the long queue for the elevator. The caves were truly beautiful and felt like entering a cathedral. Unfortunately, someone had decided to hang colorful bulbs - somewhat reminiscent of tacky Christmas lights. It didn't add to the experience!!! In the photos, I have painstakingly avoided capturing the lights in the pictures.The last stop on the trip was Viet Long Hotel in Hoi An - right by the beach. We thanked Lan for a pleasant and exciting journey - I promised him a good review. Since he is just starting out, I could understand that it was important for him. And he certainly deserved it.
We had dinner at a small restaurant by the beach before tumbling into bed in very nice rooms.