The document summarizes the author's trip to Vietnam, focusing on the cities of Hanoi and Hue. In Hanoi, the author notes many changes from a decade prior, including significantly more traffic and widespread smartphone and internet usage. The bulk of the document then describes the author's experiences in Hue, including exploring historic sites by boat on the Perfume River and learning about Vietnam's history from guides. It concludes by recommending the luxury La Residence Hotel and Spa in Hue as a place to unwind after sightseeing in the culturally rich city.

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2. 40 | AUTUMN TRAVEL | VIETNAM
GOOD EVENING
VIETNAM
A journey through time on
the Perfume River
by James K. Toda
B
ack in the early 90s, a French friend of mine was let go
from a magazine when it was having a hard time but I
always remember how much he seemed to relish his new
found freedom. He told me that he had received what he
called a “golden parachute” and that he would travel to
Vietnam for a while with a bundle of Francs. When he came back to
Europe - I lived in London at that time - I crossed the Channel and saw
him at Les Deux Magots in the Latin Quarter of Paris.
“Five years on from the Doi Moi, the Vietnamese Renovation
[economic reforms of the 80s] things have changed a lot,” I remember
him telling me. “Saigon was crowded - there were a lot of cars and
motorbikes. In Hanoi, though, there were only 10 cars in town; believe
me, I actually counted them from the airport, one by one.”
I did believe him, but I didn’t manage to go there until 2002, 12 years
later, and found things had changed yet more. I could not count cars
in Hanoi, there were too many. I could not even cross the streets due
to the extremely heavy traffic.
Heading back to Vietnam, a country with such a fascinating past, I
did not know quite what to expect in the present. Hanoi’s traffic was
getting heavier, with more cars and motorcycles and fewer bicycles
but they have, finally, set up traffic lights here and there. I could cross
the streets this time.
One of the biggest changes I found was in the habits of the people.
I got out of noisy central Hanoi and went north west to visit Ho Tay
(West Lake), a large but quiet and fairly wealthy residential area. I
wanted to explore a lakeside temple called Chua Tran Quoc and when
I entered I saw a potbellied man in his seventies, sitting in a broken
chair, looking like a typical fortune teller or palm reader. Working
beside a gold and red temple, his naked belly was exposed to the sun
and his eyes were fixed to his own upturned hands. ‘Reading his own,
surely short, remaining life?’ I thought. But he was not. His thumb was
swiftly moving on the screen of his iPhone.
In Vietnam many people - young and old - are embracing technology
and modernizing their lives in quite a surprising way. I saw a lot of
young girls searching for information or writing emails with their
right hand at lightning speed while their left hand was busy steering
their motorcycle. Almost everybody has a smartphone. Wi-fi is
everywhere. In hotels, cafes, pubs, even temple grounds you can be
connected – and the connection seemed even better than Tokyo. I can’t
imagine how the country is going to be five years from now.
OCTOBER 2012 www.tokyoweekender.com

3. VIETNAM | AUTUMN TRAVEL | 41

4. 42 | AUTUMN TRAVEL | VIETNAM
1
the order of the first Nguyen Lord, Nguyen
Hoang, who at that time was the governor of
Hue, the area was full of historical lessons.
I saw the Austin-made car in which Thich
Quang Duc was driven to his self-immolation
in protest against the Diem regime in
then Saigon in 1963. It was the first of a
series of self-immolations by members
of the Buddhist clergy which brought the
plight of Buddhists to the attention of the
international community.
2
3 My guide put me in a car and we went
to Lang Khai Dinh, a tomb which blends
western and eastern architecture named
after the man who, in 1916, became the
“Last Emperor” of Vietnam. The Emperor
worked closely with the government of
France and, by the end of his reign he was
considered to be little more, according to
4 some, than “a salaried employee of the
French government.”
1 Imperial City in Hue, Vietnam 2 Minh Mang
Tomb 3 Stuning views of the Sapa landscape
4 Hanoi, Halong Bay
Due to his close closeness to the French, he
was very unpopular amongst the people of
Vietnam. “He was physically very weak,”
“In Hue, you can travel in time by feeling the Nguyen my guide told me, “so he had only 12
concubines.”
Dynasty, French domination, US destruction and the “Only?” I asked back.
“Only 12. Early emperors such as Minh
realization of Ho Chi Minh’s ideas.” Mang had more than 500.”
I chatted with my guide along the way and
found he had so many stories to share. In
My recommendation to our readers is this be reached by a journey of historical Hue, you can travel in time by feeling the
- stay short but stay in a five-star hotel in discovery along the Song Huong (the Nguyen Dynasty, French domination, US
modernizing Hanoi; use it as the gateway to name, meaning ‘Perfume River’, is derived destruction and the realization of Ho Chi
your trip and fly swiftly on to Hue and/or from its faint aroma due to flowers Minh’s ideas.
Hoi An. This time, I went to Hue, an ancient from upstream orchards falling into the
city full of temples and historic residences water) a boat trip I took and would highly My river trip was one of historical discovery
once described to me as the Kyoto of recommend. It was simple to charter a boat and an escape from Tokyo which I could
Vietnam. The traffic is slightly lower than with a guide for just a few dollars. make again and again. After a few days, I
in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the air is was back in Hue city and then Hanoi for
cleaner and the place feels just slightly After a slow cruise along the massive the final couple of nights of my trip. There I
more relaxed. stretch of water, watching locals who live found luxury hotels that must rank amongst
off the river – fishing and washing as we the best in the world, the perfect place to
Ordained by UNESCO as a World Heritage drifted by – we arrived at the shore of relax and reflect before the journey back
site in 1993, this capital of the Nguyen Chua Thien Mu temple. Built in 1601 on home to Japan.
emperors shows us much of the history
of pre-communist Vietnam. In the Tet
Offensive of 1968, during the Battle of Hue,
the city and its historical buildings suffered
considerable damage, most of it from
American firepower and bombings but
also due to the massacre at Hue committed
by the communist forces. America did not
burn Kyoto during the second world war
but, before the end of the conflict and the
withdrawal of troops in 1975, was getting
desperate with what they saw as a ‘war
without exit’ and burned Hue down. Some
may be familiar with the area or that story
from the Stanley Kubrick movie Full Metal
Jacket, which was in the main set around
the area of Hue and the Song Huong river.
Many sights around Hue, including Thien
Mu Pagada and several Royal Tombs can
OCTOBER 2012 www.tokyoweekender.com

5. VIETNAM | AUTUMN TRAVEL | 43
La Residence Hotel & Spa
1 3
2
4
6
1 Spa treatment room 2 Hot stone therapy
treatment 3 Exterior of the Hotel 4 Colonial
Suite - “Voyage En Chin” 5 Delicious cuisine
from the Hotel restaurant 6 Traditional
Vietnamese food with a modern twist
5
Located on the banks of the fabled Perfume River overlooking the former Imperial Citadel,
La Residence Hotel and Spa is a luxurious boutique accommodation steeped in history
T
he hotel is just a short, pleasant stroll from the town, the building, which boasts the largest private terrace, with panoramic
dazzling 122-room building has a huge swimming pool views of the city.
and numerous resort facilities. La Residence Hotel and
Spa is the ideal place to unwind after a day of sightseeing in the Other highlights at La Residence include a tennis court, a gymnasium,
enchanting UNESCO World Heritage City of Hue. an art gallery and a 30 metre outdoor infinity style saltwater swimming
pool and pool bar on the banks of the Perfume River. On top of that,
Originally built for the French Colonial Governor in 1930, a there is Le Spa, an area with seven relaxation rooms, a herbal sauna
refurbishment in 2005 helped transform it from a deteriorating and a Jacuzzi. Walking around the city can prove quite tiring, so a
government-run hotel to a place of sophistication and grandeur traditional Vietnamese massage is a wonderful way to recuperate. All
that has gained international prominence, appealing to diplomats, of the staff are knowledgeable and attentive, adding to the allure of the
travellers and celebrities. place.
Two annexes were added during the renovation, giving the hotel an La Parfum, the hotel’s main restaurant, is an elegant place to dine at
ultra-modern feel but at the same time an art-deco design help to the end of any day in Hue. The restaurant is proud to serve the very
preserve the charm and atmosphere of a classic colonial villa. The old best of Vietnam’s fresh and vibrant produce combined with top quality
pictures of Hue in the reception area reflect the pride La Residence imported speciality ingredients, its talented chefs experimenting with
takes in the culture and heritage of the city. and creating the best in Asian, Vietnamese and European flavours. The
same chefs can arrange for a private poolside seafood barbecue.
All of the rooms and suites are stylishly decorated, featuring dark
stained wooden furnishings, silks and various other local materials. Yours will be a memorable stay. La Residence Hotel and Spa is a
Immaculately prepared with the careful attention to detail one can charming art deco resort in a tranquil setting, it a place you will want
only find at such a boutique hotel, they also come equipped with to go back and stay in again and again.
modern day comforts such as Wi-Fi.
La Residence Hotel and Spa
From your room’s private balcony or terrace at La Residence Hotel
Address: 5 Le Loi Street, Hue City, Vietnam
and Spa you will find a stunning view across the Perfume River
Web: www.la-residence-hue.com
towards the imposing Flagtown Bastion of the Citadel beyond. Of all
Tel: + 84-(0)5 4383 7475
the unique rooms it is the Resident Suite, on the top floor of the main
www.tokyoweekender.com OCTOBER 2012