06 July 2008 - Hue / Train to Hanoi

We go on our tour which is amazing! We each get our own bike and driver, some of the people on the tour choose to drive their own bikes. My bike guy is called Ming. We see the following:

Japanese bridge
the Hill (Bunker)
Tu Hieu Pagoda
Tu Duc's Tomb





















Thien Mu Pagoda - this is where the car in which the monk Thich Quang Duc rode from his temple to Saigon on June 11, 1963. He stepped out of the car in an intersection, sat down in the lotus position, and burned himself to death in protest against the regime's violations of religious freedom.



After the tour we catch the train to Hanoi, which is a 15 hour train ride away! On the train, I am sat in my cabin when all of a sudden I hear people singing Happy Birthday. Everyone comes into my cabin with a big cake, candles and a bottle of wine. Today is actually my birthday and I am shocked that everyone knew!! I end up drinking the bottle of wine along with some brandy and end up passing out in a drunken stupor!