I arrived well in Hoi An, but still feeling the jet lag I awoke at 4 AM. As I listened to roosters crow, the sounds of morning rain and people shuffling by to start their days before the sun rose, these experiences reminded me of February morning rituals...

In preparation for my seventh trip to Hoi An, both basic and special items were needed.

Hanging out…

We had a wonderful evening with a buddy of mine, Paul, and his family who treated Beth and me to an epic river cruise and dinner.

Of the many sites we visited, the tomb of emperor Minh Mang (translation: “the bright favour of Heaven”) is one of my favorites. The serene countryside setting is incredibly peaceful, and having spent an entire morning here, I started to get a grasp of the glorious times of old Vietnam.

On the second day in Huế we hired a guide to take us by boat down the Perfume River to visit the tombs of some of the kings from 1802 to 1945.

I was in Huế in February earlier this year and liked it so much I wanted to return and bring Beth here on this trip. The city of Hue was at the center of the American war and suffered greatly from occupations of the French and later the Americans. Read on for a short recap of that history and some photos…

We departed the high mountains of Sapa for Huế by private transfer car and made a stopover in Hanoi.

Swimming in Danang

Update from Hanoi getting ready to leave for Huế