A Russian immigrant in Saigon told me that in order to drive anything over 100cc I’ll need a 250cc license; costing $1000. Motorbikes second-hand will be around $3,500. If I wanted the 1litre Chopper underneath his considerable gut; a further $1000 for a big-bike license and $22,000 for the bike. He’s lived and worked here for over ten years, so I’ll take his word for it. Even still, I’m not keen to try my luck on the skin-removal lottery, should I come off and cause a domino effect in town. I’ve hence resolved to do Thailand on bike some other time; the roads and motorbikes being far nicer.
Instead, it’s coach from Hoi An to Hué; a quaint city (though the fourth largest in Vietnam), with parks by the river, great cafes, superb hotels and the pushiest market place on the planet. My reserved room for two nights turns out to be an insect-infected Ant and Mosquito paradise; so having passed a four star Mecure and still well under budget, I’m going to splurge. Pay for what you get, you do; though the difference between 50 and 75 USD is borderline negligible. Still, I’m pampered and with a city-view on the 8th floor, I can get the tripod out at night.
The following day I’m heading to visit three Tombs of Kings of Vietnam and the Citadel. The first had Small Pox, giving him bodily scars and a magazine full of blank rounds to fire; his one hundred concubines clearly at fault for not producing an heir. Entrance is 55,000 Dong and unbeknown to me, this will be a familiar sum by the end of the tour. Having whipped round, it’s off to the second King’s tomb and being homosexual; he failed to produce any offspring, though left a legacy of high taxes in order to fund construction of his flamboyantly camp tomb. Another 55,000. Finally, to the last tomb, whose King somehow managed to satisfy 500 concubines, in turn producing 184 children. He must have been exhausted, though passing to nirvana an ecstatic soul.
To the Citadel and coincidence would have it that the Vietnamese military divisions are Trooping the Colours, though with fully loaded AK-47s and SKS rifles, the contrast between personnel and weapon is somewhat striking. Entering and paying my final 55,000 fee for the day, there’s very little left from the War; around 10% in fact, is all that has survived. You can’t hold the Vietnamese down, they’ll bounce back bigger and better and the US war here is a drop in the ocean in the history of the country. All around the site, women are hard at work rebuilding the buildings in traditional style and whilst it’s charming to see; their workmanship is questionable. It’s a great day out though and for seven dollars excellent value.
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