The Former DMZ

The middle of Vietnam is full of contrast. The area that once separated North from South is full of booming industry and antique towns. Many American veterans make trips to this area due to its focal point in the war. However, its the beautiful towns of Hoi An and Hue that rule the tourist trail. Hoi An is simply divine, and ancient port town is full of Chinese and Japanese architecture, all hemmed in tiny cobbled streets along the river. The entire old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it deserves it. The place is enchanting, just wandering the streets and seeing the people busily selling their wares is enough to amuse you for days. We visited a few of the listed building and learnt about the varying architecture between the Chinese and Japanese. The highlight for me was the tile roofs, which were made in a ying-yang design. All the roofs were made of crescent shaped ceramic tiles overlaying each other in a concave-convex style. Everything was thought of to ensure that each building was tuned to the spirits.
After Hoi An we moved onto Hue to celebrate our 2 year anniversary. Splurging on a fancy hotel ($22/day) we arrived at the Orchid Hotel to be pleasantly surprised with an upgrade to the top floor. Hue was the capital of the Nguyen Dynasty and site of some of the most vicious fighting during the Tet Offensive. Much of the Citadel, which dominates the city was destroyed during the war. The Imperial Enclosure is still very impressive in its size and grandeur. It was here that the Emperor lived and carried out all the business of running the country.
A short distance outside Hue along the Perfume River are numerous tombs of the Nguyen rulers. Although built during their lifetime and used as country retreats, the tombs now are the burial grounds for the Emperors and their families. Each has a different style depending on the tastes of the current Emperor, but are all very relaxing and peaceful places.
Our next stop is Hanoi and the heartland of Communist Vietnam.