Hue part two

We spent another day in Hue as it has several Emperors tombs, and a very nice Buddhist temple/pagoda.
Hired a driver for part of the day at $35 because the places we wanted to visit were quite far apart.

The Royal Mausoleums were built in the valley of the Perfume River, (river that runs through Hue). 7 were built, we went to 3 of them, which was enough.
The ticket price was 60,000 dong each, (£1.80). Once again only the foreign devils had to pay!!

The Emperors designed and built these places as their final resting places. Some also house their dead wives and concubines there. 
Most of the Emperors died around the 50 mark, so not from old age then!!

As an example Emperor Minh Mang fathered 142 children with his 33 wives and 107 concubines. Born 1791, died 1841.
Must take it out of you...

Finally went to the pagoda which overlooks the city/town. Free entrance, so naturally we left a larger donation. God bless the Buddhists, (that is so wrong).
They hauled an old 1950' s Buick up to the top of the mound where the pagoda complex is. This is the car that the Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc drove to a major junction in Saigon, in 1963, got out and set fire to himself in protest of the persecution of Buddhists monks in Vietnam.

I won't post that picture. You can look it up, the guy who took it won the Pulitzer prize for his photograph of the monks death.

I post you photographs of young monk ringing temple bell, pagoda, Yvonne at one of the Mausoleums, Mike with a life size statue of a mandarin, (important for future travel fact). Final one shows some of the Emperors wives tombs.

Tomorrow we go to the ancient city of Hoi An, a city of lanterns. 4 hours on the bus...