Arrived in Hue hot and sticky weather and checked into our hotel- Gold 2. Quite a plush place. Hue is split into two parts, the Old part where the Citadel is on the other side of the river and New part where our Hotel is. We were feeling a bit shattered after two broken nights sleep in 'motion'- on a boat and train! But went straight out for lunch on our way to the Citadel. Lac Thien is a busy little Vietnamese restaurant run by a deaf mute family. Visitors sign the upstairs walls and ceiling, mainly in red marker pen. Coupled with the good food and the owners entertaining bottle opening antics (opens 5 beer bottles at once with a wooden contraption he has fashioned) a great dining experience. The local beer is Huda and a local food speciality is Banh khoai , a small fried pancake, with beansproats and prawns severed with a peanut and sesame sauce.

The Citadel is a magnificent 19th century walled city. The main entrace gate is ornate and a bit Japanese and Chinese looking all red and gold, with yellow glazed tiles and dragons on the roofs. There's a series of temples and gardens within it's moat. It's mad to think that American and Vietnamese soldiers had big armed gun battles within these walls in 1968!

Had to crash after this- heat exhaustion!

Had a fab evening dressing up as Mandarins. A Royal Banquet with traditional musical accomplement. 11 courses, great fun!

Sunday 3rd August. Up early for Motorbike tour... One , two, three let's go! 11 of us in convoy on the back of Motorbikes. Had a brilliant day zipping about!Travelled off the beaten track. Met some real characters, including an old woman at the agricultural museum with the blackest teeth from chewing 'beetlenut', with the happiest smile. She showed us how rice was made by hand. everything she did with gusto and a song. Another immaculate old lady with penciled in eyebrows sat on a Japanese covered footbridge telling fortunes. She had previously been married to an American GI who knicked off in 1975 (end of war!).

Also visited 1st Emperor of Min Dynasty's elaborate tomb and 'Bunker Hill'. Alookout post with US and Frenh concrete bunkers high up on a hill overlooking the Purfume river. 'Hamburger Hill' and Ho Chi Minh Trail are off in the distance on other side of river. Had lunch at the nunnery with the female Buddhist Monks, they all have shaven heads!

Next a journey up a long pathway only wide enough for a motorbike. To the Colloseum where the Tigers and Elephants used to fight! ( Last one in 1904!)

Down to the Purfume river for cruise in a 'dragon boat' for a trip to yet another Pagoda! -Thien Mu. Where a Gold Buddha resides. Hue is the centre for Buddhism in Vietnam. We waved goodbye to our motorbike guys and zonked out!