Author: jricketson

 

By James and Shayla

 

After a great breakfast at the Asia Hotel, the day started out with an early bike ride. Riding along Hue’s roads was both challenging and exciting. There was never a dull moment along the 25km trek! The city of Hue is known for many things, one of which being its high density of motorcycles. We all had to be alert to carefully and strategically navigate our way through the traffic, which is an example of a cultural difference between Melbourne and Hue. On many occasions, we noticed large groups of motorists would continue to drive through the intersections, even on red lights, which was a big surprise for most people in Vietnam Grey.

Our first stop along the bike ride was at the Imperial Palace of the Nguyen Dynasty. We learned that this was the last dynasty of Vietnam which lasted from 1802-1945. At the center of the Imperial Palace was the Purple Forbidden city, which sadly was ruined during the war in 1968. During our time at the palace, we also saw blocks of mahogany wood that had been inscribed with characters and used as notebooks. The palace was absolutely stunning, with intricate detail along every wall. It was suffused with an air of ruined grandeur. Behind the far left walls lay vibrant gardens, overgrown with grass and various broken brick walls dispersed amongst it. It was awe-inspiring to see the contrast of the lively grass laying beneath the rubble of demolished structures. Although the palace was breathtaking, it was hot and everyone was in dire need of refreshments. We all took a quick rest and cooled down with ice cream and drinks, before we got back on the bikes and headed to our next destination.

By the time we reached our next stop, everyone was feeling slightly fatigued but still excited to see the Heaven Lady Pagoda (Thien Mu). This pagoda was built in 1601 and is the oldest in Central Vietnam. One of the main attractions in the pagoda was a special car which was driven from Hue to Saigon by a significant Buddhist monk. In 1963, he burned himself in protest of South Vietnamese laws that banned Buddhism.

After lunch and some rest time, we had the opportunity to go on cyclos for a thirty-minute tour around the inner city. A cyclo is a common Vietnamese bike, containing three wheels and seating two, and is pedaled by a driver. These bikes are a great way to experience the inner life of Hue, whilst also being rather relaxed. The cyclo trips also provided some excitement, as you are in the midst of busy streets. It was fascinating to see the night life of Hue, as we rode past the various decorations and events. By the end of the ride, everyone was sad that it had to end – but also relieved, since we were all getting hungry.

For dinner, we all split up into small groups and went off in search for a place to eat. The choices of restaurants ranged from Vietnamese to Mexican to western. Overall, we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals and were ready for a good last night in Hue.

 

Shayla: I miss you guys so much and I’m having a great time in Vietnam, say hi to Skyden for me. See you guys in 5 days.

 

James: Hey mum and dad, miss you guys a lot, I’m loving Vietnam, give the dogs some love. Wishing Jess all the best for her exams. See you soon and I hope you’re looking forward to your presents.

 

 

 

By Henry and Lola

 

Today has been an amazing day! We began today, with another delicious breakfast at our previous hotel, Maison Belle. As the day quickly became quite hot, some members of Vietnam grey had a refreshing swim, whilst others packed to escape the Vietnamese climate.  Following this, we departed the ancient city of Hoi An on a journey to a new destination, Hue.

During the three-hour bus ride, we observed the mesmerising and utterly breathtaking Hai Van pass. The name Hai Van in Vietnamese means, ‘the clouds touching the ocean’. As a group, some amazing photos were taken and we explored the area, embracing the views as we went. Many of us were very interested in the history of this area. The Hai Van pass was used by the French during the late 19^th century, as it has an excellent view point of the surrounding land. They were able to control the land and those who passes through this area, as there is ocean and steep mountain terrain surrounding it.

After a bus ride filled laughter and excellent music, we eventually arrived at our destination, the Asia Hotel. Once settling into our rooms, we soon departed on a scenic walk along the Perfume River. We quickly discovered that Hue is a historic and imperial city. This was due to the Dragon boats seen on the river, which were used by the king, architecture and general appearance of the area.

On return from our informative walk, we were quite excited to hear that there would be a ‘special’ dinner. We all eagerly got ready for this special dinner, and tried our best to look nice for what was to be a very exciting night. Following a beautiful night walk through the lively streets of Hue, we learned that our ‘special’ dinner was a traditional royal dinner. We were greeted at the door with colourful and cultural headpieces and gowns. Vital to the ceremony, a king and queen must have superiority over others in the room. Two students were chosen, myself (Henry) and Anika. We listen to traditional Vietnamese music as we enjoyed our food. We immersed ourselves in the culture, cuisine and traditions of the ancient Vietnamese feudal system. As a result of this experience, we learnt that the king is so powerful that only he can wear the colour yellow. Consequences for people that wear this colour, was either prison or death. This shows that the king was very powerful, which is why he had music played for him at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 

Overall, today included many opportunities to learn about the geography, history and culture of Vietnam.

 

Lola: Hi Mum, dad, Ted and Jonts – hope you guys aren’t missing me to much! See u all in 5 sleeps xx <3 love Lola.

Henry: Hi Dad, Mum and Elliot, I hope that things are going well and see you very soon! Love Henry.

 

Special thanks to additional photos from Veronica, Francesco and Hai

By Veronica and Emma

 

We started Day 11 with a luxurious buffet at the Belle Maison including dragon fruit slices, waffles and an endless array of breakfast foods. Although the weather may not have been as preferred (there was mild to heavy rain today), we still managed to entertain ourselves games room or the lobby instead of swimming in the pool. Next, we made our way to the old town for a historic walking tour by our guide, Hai. It was pouring down, but everyone’s positivity and chatter made it very pleasant. Once we arrived at the main market, we saw a great amount of food that the locals had to offer. There was a wide variety of fruits, meats and fish, clothes and many more!

We then all arranged ourselves into our small groups of between 3 – 6 students and headed out to either shop and bargain, or hide from the rain in an authentic Vietnamese tea and coffee shop. Being in smaller groups helped us students gain a sense of confidence and independence. Becoming increasingly seasoned at bargaining, the groups were able to reach reasonable prices on gifts for their families and friends, not to mention ourselves. After the 40 minutes of shopping or tea and coffee, the groups made their way back outside the famed tailoring shop Yaly, then went for lunch. The old town is filled with beautiful, culturally diverse restaurants such as Greek, Italian and believe it or not, majority were Vietnamese! There was also a second, and sadly last, opportunity to shop in Hoi An.

We then made our way back to the hotel and had time to relax, play a competitive game of pool in the games room, and for willing to put up with the rain, go for a swim in the pool. At around 5 o’clock, we all enjoyed an evening walk back to the old town where we took part in a traditional Vietnamese cooking class. Whilst on our walk, we were mesmerised by the glowing hanging lanterns that lit up the old town’s road. Crossing the bridge, the radiance of the lights from the other side of the town reflected magically on the river. Many of the boats had lanterns and the floating candles that were slowly carried away by the current.

Not knowing what to expect, we now arrived at the cooking class. Walking into the kitchen the ingredients were laid out as if it were Master Chef, quoting the students. Firstly, we marinated chicken for skewers with ingredients such as blue ginger, turmeric, sliced lemon leaf and many other different types of herbs and spices. Next we handed those in to cook and began making our spring rolls. Firstly, we were given two different types of rice paper, one plain and another half that was laced. Then we added the pork and herb filling in the centre and rolled them as instructed. Once everyone’s were rolled, we handed them to the instructors who were then going to deep fry them. While everything was cooking we prepared the last dish which was a simple Vietnamese salad containing vegetables, herbs and sauces. Finally, we made our way downstairs to eat what we had created. In the end, the food was absolutely delicious and we are certain everyone enjoyed themselves during the cooking class and the day!

 

Veronica – Hi Mum, Dad, Arie, Zoya and Monty! I miss you all so much, especially Monty boo <3 I’m having the best time, all is perfect! I hope you are all doing well without me. It must be tough missing your favourite child at home (sns Arie). See you soon! Love Veronica xoxo

Emma- Hi mum and dad all is good here, I am having a great time and have enjoyed the shopping very much. Hope all is good at home can’t wait to be back. Love Emma xx

 

 

By Matt T and Rhys

 

At 8:00am, our first morning at the Belle Maison Resort, we were greeted by a vast selection of both Western and Vietnamese food and culture. By common agreement of the students and teachers in Vietnam Grey, the breakfast was categorised as ‘by far the best breakfast yet’! There was a vast selection of food ranging from more Western-style dishes (eggs, bacon etc.) to Vietnamese dishes and even passionfruit juice!

At 9:00am, the next item on the itinerary was a joyous bike ride which, as unexpected as it sounds, raised the bar even higher after the buffet breakfast. The ride with started off with us cycling through the dense roads of Hoi An. We observed the thickly populated streets of Hoi An, learning and remembered our route. As we journeyed toward the beach, it was noted that there was a large change in the decreasing population density and the scenery. In the more suburban areas of Hoi An, there is greater population generally, more tourists and less locals around. Our bike ride toward the beach was one to remember.

Once we arrived at the beach, everyone was stunned and soaked up the phenomenal view across the horizon. Everyone sat down on a balcony overlooking the ocean to give their aching legs relief. Upon a well-deserved rest, people started ordering their meal whilst staring at the spectacle. Later on, we all went down to the sand to play beach cricket and dip our feet into the water. Shortly after, the food arrived and was enjoyed with an astonishing view. Following this, the students rode back admiring the same view, only with a few added cows.

For the first time this trip, we were awarded with a much needed swim in the resort pool. This swim was very refreshing and enjoyable for all the students. Also, as it was Jasmine’s birthday the hotel kindly offered a cake to celebrate the experience. Happy 15^th birthday Jasmine! The adventurous day was ended with an opportunity to enjoy a nice dinner in the streets of Hoi An and/or shop for a few items, in a small group of three or four, This day was ended with a feeling of satisfaction and joyfulness.

 

Hi Mum and Dad. I am having a great time in Vietnam and have learnt lots of new qualities. I hope to see you soon. Matt.

Hello family, I look forward to seeing you soon. I am having an amazing time here. Rhys