From Saigon, we flew to Da-Nang, then a bus trip from the newly built Da-Nang airport to Hoi-An. After staying in Hoi-An for two nights, we then went on to Hue by bus. To get to Hue from Hoi-An, we made a treacherous drive thru Hai-Van pass. From Hue back to Da-Nang, we used the new route thru the tunnel that was built with the help from the Japanese. It took a shorter time thru the tunnel, but the view from the old route via the Hai-Van pass provided a spectacular view of this region.
Along the route to Hue, there were quite a few roadside stalls, selling home-made oilments call “Dau Tram”. They brew it right there on the side of the roads. It supposed to treat all kinds of illnesses, from headache to stomach ache to flu…etc. Basically it’s an extraction off of the eucalyptus tree’s leaves. I could not help but bought one for the sake of sentimental value.
In Hoi-An, we visited the old town and saw the old Fu-Kien assembly hall that many generations of Chinese used it for their social gathering. We also saw a Japanese built covered bridge. This town was a trading post for both Chinese and Japanese merchants long ago. One of the couples from the tour bought 35 silk lanterns that were made from this area. Thanks to them, the economy of this area just got a nice boost.
In Hue, it was quite a refreshing experience to see the old capital of Vietnam. It just seemed like yesterday that the fighting over who can control Hue between the NVN and the SVN with the help of Americans. Bullet holes on the wall of the citadel quickly reminded us of that fight and a lot of casualties happened here, probably at the feet where we stood.
I have never been to Hue even my root is from this region, so it was an exciting and emotional time for me. The “Xich-Lo” ride to the citadel to have a “Com Dinh” feast that supposedly fit for the king was quite an experience.
One night we decided to go to a show that featured folk songs singing by the local singing group. It was quite a nice break for us. Floating down the perfume river on a boat, listening to folk songs that depicted the courting of a boy and a girl, where they used short poems to outwit each other while passionately in love with each other…It would be hard to relate to the love story unless you are familiar with the culture of this region and the local dialects that they used in the song. For us it was a pleasantly funny show.
Here is a sample of a few "Cau Doi" that we heard:
.....Ho o o ho ho o ho......
Thân em như chiếc giường ngà,
Thân anh như chiếu rách, người mà ngồi trên.
Trăm lạy ông trời cho gió nổi lên,
Cho manh chiếu rách nằm trên giường ngà.
.....Ho o o ho ho o ho....
Thân em như cánh hoa sen,
Chúng anh như bèo như bọt chẳng chen được vào.
Lạy trời cho cả mưa rào,
Cho sen chìm xuống, cho bèo lên trên sen.
heheheh
Hoi An
Hue
Da Nang
