Photo AlbumCentral Vietnam - 2009 View fullsize Entrance to Thien Dinh Palace, the tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh. Near the city of Hue. View fullsize On the first tier of Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize On the first tier of Thien Dinh Palace, looking back above the first entrance stairs. View fullsize Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Lady Buddha statue in the distance. Seen from Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Statue of Emperor Khai Dinh View fullsize Landscape seen from Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize Me at Thien Dinh Palace, near Hue View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize Conservation and restoration work is being performed on the gateway and spirit screen at the sepulcher of the Emperor Tu Duc View fullsize Gateway to the burial area at the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc View fullsize Past the gateway is a stone courtyard where an inner stone wall surrounds the actual burial area. This spirit screen is between the opening of the inner wall and the gateway. View fullsize The inner wall surrounding the burial area, with a glimpse of the opening behind the spirit screen on the far right. View fullsize Looking out towards the grounds from the gateway to the burial area for Emperor Tu Duc. View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize Part of the ritual area on the grounds of the tomb of the Emperor Tu Duc View fullsize Part of the ritual area on the grounds of the tomb of the Emperor Tu Duc View fullsize Part of the ritual area on the grounds of the tomb of the Emperor Tu Duc View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize On the grounds of the tomb for Emperor Tu Duc (Nguyen dynasty 1848-1883), near Hue City. View fullsize Colorful incense for sale in the tourist shops at a small village near Hue City. View fullsize Colorful incense for sale in the tourist shops at a small village near Hue City. View fullsize Colorful incense for sale in the tourist shops at a small village near Hue City. View fullsize The Imperial Citadel in front of the entrance to the Imperial City near Hue. View fullsize Entrance to the Imperial city View fullsize On the grounds of the Imperial City near Hue View fullsize On the grounds of the Imperial City near Hue View fullsize On the grounds of the Imperial City near Hue View fullsize Me on the grounds of the Imperial City near Hue View fullsize The fish in one of the two big ponds just inside the entrance to the Imperial City collect at the spots where tourists feed them. View fullsize On the grounds of the Imperial City near Hue View fullsize On the grounds of the Imperial City near Hue View fullsize On the grounds of the Imperial City near Hue View fullsize On the grounds of the Imperial City near Hue View fullsize Just past the wall beyond the red sculpture in the distance the remaining bulk of the Imperial City grounds were destroyed during the American war. View fullsize Looking out on the part of the Imperial City grounds which were destroyed during the war View fullsize Looking out on the part of the Imperial City grounds which were destroyed during the war View fullsize In the part of the Imperial City grounds which were destroyed during the war, a restoration project is underway to rebuild. View fullsize The Perfume River View fullsize Looking across the Perfume River, beyond those hills in the distance is Laos. View fullsize Thien Mu (Heavenly Lady) Pagoda, near Hue. The stupa has seven stories and is the tallest in Vietnam. View fullsize On the grounds of Thien Mu Pagoda, near Hue View fullsize Thien Mu Pagoda, near Hue View fullsize Thien Mu Pagoda, near Hue View fullsize On the grounds of Thien Mu Pagoda, near Hue View fullsize Thien Mu Pagoda is an active Buddhist temple View fullsize On the grounds of Thien Mu Pagoda, near Hue View fullsize In 1963 the monk Thich Quang Duc drove this car to an intersection in Saigon, sat down in the lotus position and burned himself to death in protest against the government's violations of religious freedom. The car is now considered a national relic. View fullsize On the grounds of Thien Mu Pagoda, near Hue View fullsize I got a bouquet of flowers to start the day on my birthday. Interestingly enough, my birthday actually happens to be a National Holiday in Vietnam! View fullsize We took a morning off of our touring to play in the surf at this beach resort near Da Nang. View fullsize It is not China Beach, but it seems China Beach was not available as the whole place is under construction (they are building 5-star resorts and luxury villas there). View fullsize I was trying to get a shot of the surf breaking on the beach. View fullsize Silk Factory in Hoi An View fullsize Silk Factory in Hoi An View fullsize Silk Factory in Hoi An View fullsize Silk Factory in Hoi An View fullsize Silk Factory in Hoi An View fullsize Vietnamese girls doing embroidery for sale View fullsize Embroidery examples View fullsize Here they do needlecraft artwork View fullsize She is copying a picture into a needlecraft portrait View fullsize Silk lanterns for sale View fullsize More embroidery examples View fullsize Old Japanese bridge in Hoi An View fullsize There is a temple inside on the north side of the bridge right in the center above the stream. View fullsize A view of Hoi An from the south side of the old Japanese bridge View fullsize A view of the Hoai River in Hoi An View fullsize Random street scene, Hoi An View fullsize Random street scene, Hoi An View fullsize A painted graph on the wall inside one of the shops charts how high the flood waters get in Hoi An View fullsize Entrance to Phuc Kien Assembly Hall in Hoi An View fullsize Phuc Kien Assembly Hall in Hoi An View fullsize Phuc Kien Assembly Hall in Hoi An View fullsize Phuc Kien Assembly Hall in Hoi An View fullsize Phuc Kien Assembly Hall in Hoi An View fullsize If I remember correctly, this was for the worship of Thien Hau Holy Mother inside the Phuc Kien Assembly Hall in Hoi An View fullsize Phuc Kien Assembly Hall in Hoi An View fullsize A view of Hoi An from the rooftop terrace at my hotel View fullsize A view of Hoi An from the rooftop terrace at my hotel View fullsize View of Hoi An from the window of my hotel room. View fullsize A birthday cake for me was brought to our table at dinner. View fullsize My Son Sanctuary archaeological site. The Champa kingdom at My Son dates to between the 2nd and 15th centuries. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. View fullsize My Son Sanctuary archaeological site. The Champa kingdom at My Son dates to between the 2nd and 15th centuries. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. View fullsize My Son Sanctuary archaeological site. The Champa kingdom at My Son dates to between the 2nd and 15th centuries. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. View fullsize My Son Sanctuary archaeological site. The Champa kingdom at My Son dates to between the 2nd and 15th centuries. View fullsize My Son Sanctuary archaeological site. The Champa kingdom at My Son dates to between the 2nd and 15th centuries. View fullsize My Son Sanctuary archaeological site. View fullsize Cham Sandstone sculpture. View fullsize Cham Sandstone sculpture. View fullsize My Son Sanctuary archaeological site. The Champa kingdom at My Son dates to between the 2nd and 15th centuries. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site. View fullsize Examples of traditional Champa music and dance are presented at the visitors' center View fullsize Examples of traditional Champa music and dance are presented at the visitors' center View fullsize I was told there was an American helicopter base on this hill during the war. View fullsize Cham sculpture museum in Da Nang View fullsize The Cham sculpture museum in Da Nang. View fullsize The Cham sculpture museum in Da Nang. View fullsize A new hotel under construction near the waterfront in Da Nang. View fullsize Waterfront scene from Da Nang.