I don't know what is this called but it was delicious! The humble white noodle is a common staple food in Vietnam. It is often prepared and eaten in a myriad of ways.
Here in this bowl, there were some fried stuff, red beans, parsley and the white noodles. The gooey gravy stuff was still underneath, unmixed with the noodles yet. Ordered from a sidewalk vendor at Le Loi Street in Hue city, customers ate while seated on cheap plastic foot-height stools.
The first tomb we visited in Hue was for Emperor Minh Mang, who ruled from 1820 to 1840. The luxuriant gardens and man-made lakes with the imperial temple, seen here in this image, would have been easily passed as a massive park. One can't help but feel completely peaceful and serene walking around the grounds.
Each mausoleum has a specific character and design. Even so, they each contain five essential elements. Usually there is an honour courtyard filled with stone figures of mandarins, horses and elephants. Next is a stele pavilion that houses a huge marble tablet describing the emperor's accomplishments and virtues, written in Chinese characters. The third element is a temple for the worship of the emperor and the empress. It is usually built higher from the ground. As for the sepulcher, it is normally enclosed in some manner, where the emperor's remains were buried. The final feature consists of beautiful lakes surrounded by frangipani and pine trees, which gives the tombs the peaceful ambience.
One of the ancient buildings inside the Imperial City within the Citadel in Hue. It is probably part of the Royal Theatre building. The inner square city is surrounded by a moat and defensive wall where there is a gate on each side of the wall. In its heyday, there were 148 buildings. However, there was a battle for Hue in 1968. By 1975, there were only twenty buildings left in the city.
Much modern restoration has been done as can be seen from this image. The water reflection is from one of the many huge metal urns scattered in the compound. Some of these urns carry water, which is for the usage of the then imperial residents.
For some, it's shopping therapy. Others, movie therapy. Yet more, reading therapy. For me, it's writing therapy.