Vietnam: August 4th Hue

It was raining slightly but not too heavily, so instead of taking a river trip, I thought it a better bet to stay inside the city limits. Also, I wasn't going to cycle in the rain given the state of the bikes offered for rent yesterday, so after breakfast it was out over the Perfumed River on foot towards Dong Ba Market.

The Perfumed River with Dong Ba Market visible on the far bank.

A toddler out walking in the rain.

The market had everything for sale from food, to clothing and souvenirs and it was interesting looking around even if there wasn't anything in particular I wanted. The novelty wore off after a while though and it was time to head back to the hotel, especially since the rain had almost stopped at the point. I'd got about a third of the way across the bridge when the heavens opened and there was a torrential downpour. I had only gone a further hundred metres or so when it became apparent that the light raincoat I was wearing was showerproof at best, and I was getting well and truly drenched.

The rain seemed to get even heavier as I continued on my way back to the hotel, and the streets had turned to rivers. In fact, in the space of a few minutes they were pretty much flooded ~ not due to the river bursting its banks or anything, but because the rain was coming down faster than the drains could carry it away. There was no option but to wade through the streets really ~ there were cafes and restaurants open, but I was so wet at this point there was no benefit to gain from stopping. Eventually I arrived back at the hotel, utterly drenched, which amused the receptionist no end. I peeled off my sodden clothes and warmed up with a shower and then loafed about in the hotel for a few hours waiting for the rain to stop.

A street vendor crossing the bridge in the rain.

The streets start to flood.

A very wet me.

The view from the hotel window in the middle of the storm.

The rain stopped at about 5 o'clock, and by 7 or so the flooding had subsided, and it was possible to venture out into the sodden city. Tonight the restaurant of choice was La Carambole, a superb Vietnamese-French restaurant with lots of tasty options on the menu. I had crab soup, pork with sesame and stir-fried vegetables with tofu.