S&V on Thu Wheels

The city of Hue (pronounced like Way, I think) is where V and I hopped on to 2 wheels - bicycles. For a dollar a day you can have a whole lot fun on bikes in Vietnam. Everyone is doing it whether they are on pedal bikes, motorbikes, or some other combination of it like the cycle rickshaw. While appearing incredibly chaotic , the flow of traffic somehow works. You pass the slow poke bicyclist in front of you only to then be passed by a motorbike or more determined bicyclist behind you. At points, usually at lights, you are amongst like 10 or 15 bikes. When the light changes, get ready to fight for your position. Bikes rule here more than cars.

It's all wonderfully flat so no huffing and puffing, which is good since it is about 97 degrees with a humidity level of 99% as well. The breeze feels great and is a definite benefit to being on a bike versus walking. The other advantage to being on a bike is that now you are not constantly offered a ride by someone else on their motorbike/cycle rickshaw/taxi, etc. Yahoo! Freedom from the touting, a gentle breeze running past you, and SPEED! Of course I like to go fast and V always tells me to slow down and relax. I guess it's a good thing the bikes have no gears other wise I'd be even less likely to just chill.

I did chill though at times and really get into the biking, especially through the old Citadel area of town where we wandered through streets trying to find a restaurant renowned for its dinner. We eventually found it after passing by some very cute boys climbing and hanging out in trees and 3 girls in a shop where I bought water and then took their picture. I love how all the kids shout out "HELLO!" to you when you pass by them.

Our adventure on 2 wheels did not stop there. We succumbed to the sales pitch of Thu (pronounced like Two) to go on a motorbike tour out to the Emperor's Tombs, Japanese Bridge, and Pagoda with praying monks. She owned a tiny cafe across from our hotel in the same alley as our hotel. It's called "Cafe on Thu Wheels". The following day we each jumped on to our own motorbike driven by a guide. Well, my guy was really just a driver and V's guy was the guide. So halfway in the trip we switched so I could get a bit more out of the trip. I certainly enjoyed the sights but the highlight was within 10 minutes of being on the motorbike. We came across a guy, standing on the end of his boat in the middle of a vibrantly green rice paddy field with mountains in the background, herding his flock of ducks through a canal. This was a beautiful scene and I think V captured it well on the camera for us to enjoy again later. It was quintessential Vietnam.

Back in Hue we of course went to the Citadel which made us feel like we were in China instead of Vietnam. We kept going back to the same restaurant every morning for I think the best ice coffee we've had on the whole trip. We had a great meal back at that restaurant in the Citadel part of town where we dined on a 7 course meal with Hue specialties. Another night we tried to find a restaurant that we'd seen from inside a taxi only to not find it and return all the way back where we started (The DMZ cafe) for dinner. We paid double what we should have for 2 cycle rickshaws and then laughed our way through the streets at getting annoyed over such little money!

So Hue on Thu Wheels or whatever mode we were in was a good time!