Day 229: Scenic Drive to Hue — Market — Enamel Painting

by Margaret · Published August 22, 2019 · Updated August 26, 2019

This morning we packed up after breakfast and bid farewell to the kind ladies who took care of us at Chi Villa in Hoi An.

We had a 3-hour drive to Hue ahead of us, heading north. We took the meandering mountain pass instead of the new tunnel highway so we could see the countryside.

The Bach Ma reserve of mountains were beautiful, with one two-lane highway taking you up and over. Intense, steamy, steep jungle all around — and this was where some of the most intense fighting of the war took place. Impossible to imagine what it must have been like for American soldiers.

The kids listened to audio books and looked out the window.

We stopped once for a quick pic at the top.

Back down at sea level on the other side we stopped for a coconut water and to eat the banh mi sandwiches Jan had picked up for us on our way out of town at the stand Anthony Bourdain ate the best sandwich he’d ever eaten in his life.

It was indeed tasty.

The kids were carsick from the ride, so we chilled for a little longer and fed them Pepto.

We had another hour to Hue.

Once we arrived in town, we came to a local market. Actually it was a wholesale market too, so every section was jam-packed with anything and everything you could imagine. Toys, hair accessories, house cleaning supplies, fabric, etc.

We tried our first taste of mangosteens, which we’d heard so much about. Wow they’re delicious. Went back for seconds.

There was plenty of produce and fresh food being sold here too. As always, we loved the chance to wander around and check it out.

At one point we noticed a faded sign with a photo of a rhino on it. We’d heard back in South Africa that Vietnam was the biggest importer of black market rhino horns, so we weren’t surprised to learn when we asked for the translation that it said something along the lines of: Rhino horns aren’t magical, don’t buy them.

Who knows if anyone’s paying attention, but glad to see the effort.

Our next excursion stop was a place that upholds the ancient tradition of enamel painting on copper plates (I think?). We got a 2-minute halfway explanation of the place — not sure any of us caught it, really — and then were instructed to sit and start painting our own enamel tiles. Our own guide had popped out and the local artisan painters didn’t really speak English…so we just sat there randomly painting in this random place that we didn’t totally get.

But the kids were into it, so again, whatever it takes?

They cooked our little tiles and they came out pretty ugly but it was good for the kids to see what it was all about I suppose? And then we left…so random!

Time to check in to our hotel! We’re staying at the Hotel Saigon Morin, a 120-year-old musty colonial-era spot. Love threadbare throwbacks like this whose hay days are long gone. So much charm and history — and not the manufactured precious kind.

Our room is massive and filled with fragile figurines and ceramic vases. Perfect for James!

We did a short stint of school and then headed out to explore. We ended up at a Western-tourist/backpacker restaurant called Nook Cafe, where we sat on the outdoor porch balcony and listened to the Beach Boys while (the kids) at grilled cheese sandwiches.