Vietnam - Overseas Adventure Travel tour
February 17 - March 9, 2023
Page Two - Central Vietnam
Meridian Gate, part of the Citadel of Hue, a walled enclosure surrounded by a moat that contains
the remains of palaces, shrines, gardens, & villas of the Nguyen Dynasty.
Originally constructed in 1803. Nguyen dynasty ruled from the citadel until 1945, although mostly in symbolic form after the
French established Indochina in the 19th century.
Hue was built by the first king of the Nguyen Dynasty
Another view of the entrance
A friendly Vietnamese girl who did a hand pump with me,
then did the same with Karen from our group. In front of Meridian Gate.
Another little girl visiting the Citadel with her parents.
Statue of a dragon. Dragons are symbolic creatures in Vietnam folklore.
According to ancient myth, Vietnamese people are descended from a dragon and a fairy.
It represented the emperor, prosperity, and power of the nation.
The emperor's throne
2 Vietnamese girls dressed up in the traditional costume of the Nguyen dynasty.
Young women dressed up in the ancient costumes. We asked to take their photo, then they wanted a photo with us.
Strolling around the grounds of the moated, walled citadel
Pavilion of Splendor. The Citadel has suffered from weather damage and man-made events.
In 1947, the Viet Minh sized it during French colonial rule. The French counterattack destroyed many structures.
In 1968, during the battle of Hue, the U.S. Army shelled the area in attacks on the Viet Cong,
causing substantial damage. Buildings that remain are being restored.
Large entry gate at the Citadel
Dragon image on the entry gate
At Dieu Thanh Pagoda
in Hue where we had lunch with Buddhist nuns
Cao Dai Temple in Hue that I visited on my own
Entrance to Buddhist temple and Minh Tu orphanage run by Buddhist nuns.
The head Buddhist nun who had devoted her life to taking care of orphans.
Orphanage was started in mid 1970s after the war in Vietnam.
After talking to the head nun, we met some of the orphans. They sang some short songs in English to us.
Then we sang "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" to them.
Some of the children
I took photos of individual kids on my camera, then showed them the photo on my camera.
They loved that.
Kay with 2 of the kids
I was playing with this little girl. Then she clearly motioned for me to pick her up,
and she gave me a cheek hug.
Photo taken by our tour guide.
A small Buddhist pagoda, Thien Mu Pagoda, that we saw on a boat cruise.
It dates back to the 17th century.
At Thien Mu Pagoda
Typical heavy teaffic
View of Hue from my room
Seen on a walking tour of Hoi An, a coastal village that we visited after Hue
In the town of Hoi An, a southeast Asian trading post from the 15th to 19th century.
We talked to a woman, living in a rural area outside Hoi An, in her home. She is 90 years old. She told us about her life.
On a water buffalo
Night time in Hoi An. The town is known for its handcrafted lanterns.
Bridge in Hoi An lit up at night
Another night scene in Hoi An
We drove a short distance from Hoi An to
My Son Sanctuary, Vietnam's most significant ruin from the ancient
Champa Kingdom
that lasted from the 2nd to 15th centuries.
It was a religious center of the Kingdom in the 4th century.
We were told not to leave designated paths, as there could still be bombs outside designated areas.
It rained heavily off and on while we were visiting My Son Sanctuary.
It's now a cluster of abandoned and partially ruined Hindu temples. It was a site of religious ceremony for the Champa kings.
Many buildings were destroyed by bombing during the war in Vietnam.
Several countries, such as Italy and India, are helping to restore the buildings.
A performance we saw at My Son Sanctuary. Would have been performed for the Champa Kings.
Back in Hoi An after visiting My Son Sanctuary
At Long Son Pagoda in Nha Trang, a city along the coast in south central
Vietnam.
It has one of Vietnam's largest outdoor Buddha statues. We
drove from Hoi An to Danang, where we took a short flight to Nha Trang.
At Long Son Pagoda
More distant view of the outdoor Buddha
View of Nha Trang from beach area
View of Nha Trang from my hotel room
In Nha Trang
Link to Page Three - Southern Vietnam
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