Hue & Hoi An

The new year is dawning. A year full of adventure and never seen places. A year full of plans. Or is it? A year full of vague ideas is the better description.

We awoke on the second of January on the overnight train travelling from Hanoi to Hue. Travelling on a sleeper train is just the best way of transportation. The slight rattle of the train brings back memories of our time in central Asia… So, we awoke after a good night’s sleep with hearts ready for new adventures. A new year always comes with the feeling of endless possibilities. Especially this year, as the only thing that was definitely booked for the whole of 2024 was the next night in Hue and a concert for December (anyone who’s free on the 14th should come to the Lordfest in Hamburg ).

We left the luxury sleeper train and ventured to our Hostel. The man working there was super nice, he gave us fruits. As the way to every Hobbits heart is food, we immediately felt welcomed. Hue is the ancient capital of the region, a place shrouded in mystery and brimming with secrets to be explored. Everyone who has seen a proper fantasy movie knows the right weather for exploring old, mystical places is rain and Hue delivered. Equally important is the right outfit, fit for such weather. And as proper adventurers we are prepared for every weather. Thus we stylishly dressed in rain jackets and Flip Flops (anyone who ever spend an evening blow drying their sneakers would do the same) we ventured on a new exploration. Though after a couple of kilometers, it became clear that our Hobbit Feet are not made for Flip Flops. So we took them of once we reached the old imperial city and walked bare foot. That was a lot more comfortable and to our amusement earned quite a lot of weird looks from by passers, all Muggles living a life constricted by social expectations. The imperial city was a place of ancient splendor and beauty. We strolled between ponds and through decorated patios. The last important quest for the day was to find a way to Hoi An and of course dinner. We managed both perfectly. A typical food for Hue is Bun Bo Hue, a delicious noodle soup spiced with lemongrass, chili, mint and lime. A combination that I need to try at home.

The next morning the sun rose on a slightly cloudy sky promising a bright day with spectacular clouds. After breaking our fast we got picked up by two drivers on motorcycles, whose quest was to bring us on beautiful paths to Hoi An. Meeko and Pascal strapped safely on the back we started. The sun in our eyes, the wind in the hair we absolutely loved riding on the back of the bikes through the Vietnamese countryside filled with flooded rice fields and small fishing villages. Journeying on we saw fish farms in a huge lagoon. Our third stop was at a waterfall hidden in the jungle, where we could jump into its crystal-clear water. After that it was time for lunch. We ate at a beautiful restaurant right at the beach before venturing over the hai vang pass. A 21 km long road snaking over the mountainous coastline, connecting Hue to Dalang, offering magnificent views over lush green forest covered mountains. Far below the white beaches, where the rocks and hills met the blue water of the south china sea and sometimes in the distance the skyline of Dalang. Dalang is the third largest city in Vietnam, but that’s about it. We stopped at two places there, driving over the mighty dragon bridge and wandering though the marble mountain. The latter is a temple complex filled with impressive marble statues, rocky caves and views over the city. At that point of the day, we were a bit tired already so we were glad that the next stop was our hotel in Hoi An. We treated ourselves to a more luxury accommodation, with a private room with our own bathroom and a pool. That might sound like a costly thing, but for the price of that room you couldn't even get a decent pizza in Germany.

With the last rays of sunshine disappearing behind the horizon we met up with our friends River and Jefris for dinner. Like so often we didn't plan to be in the city at the same time, it just happens. Again and again. They brought along two fellow travelers they met on a bus. The six of us strolled along the river, where tiny boats each lit by a single lantern passed by. Replenished after a good magic potion we dined upon noodles. Overall a beautiful day.

The dawn broke the next morning and with that our next quest: getting new dressrobes for Julia. Hoi An is famous for its magical tailors, so we couldn’t miss that chance. Though this turned out to be more challenging than we expected. Choosing one dress you like from all of pinterest to choose from is quite overwhelming. But in the end we found a nice Taylor who helped us in our search. With our combined intelligence and their skill we designed the perfect dress. The rest of the day we spend exploring the city. A place full of small colorful houses and full of magical lampions in every color, shape and pattern. We admired old temples and the great variety of street food snacks. But as the sun climbed over the sky the heat rose as well, so we spend the afternoon back in our hotel, washing our clothes and relaxing in the pool. After the sun and her burning gaze had disappeared behind the horizon we ventured out again, strolling under the lit lampions in the search of food. We followed recommendations from friends and ate a surprisingly pleasant Banh Mi.

Our last day in Hoi An was another day filled with the beauty of the small, winding streets that define the soul of the city. Otherwise we went to a last fitting for Julia’s new gown and enjoyed the view over the river while drinking iced coffee. In the afternoon we departed from Hoi An, taking the bus to the next destinations, the next adventures and so we will slowly fill this year with memories.