Hue:25km, part 1

No real cycling today, but a wind-down cycle city tour to look at some of the many heritage sites here in Hue.

The first part of our journey was pretty hair raising, but Lám and Lŷ made sure we made it through all the madness in one piece!

First stop was The Citadel, the home of the last 13 Kings of Vietnam.  Designed and built reflecting the Manderin influence from China, I could have spent all day wandering around its peaceful grounds photographing doorways and faded walls!  Come and take the tour with me...

 

Here we are at the enterance, a taste of the splendour to come.

 

The gardens are beautifully planted with flowers, shrubs and trees,

 

This one is a lychee tree whilst this one 

 

 is a Jack fruit.

 

Even the plain brick walls are worth a photograph for their texture and colours.

 

But just look at the opulence a Royal residence has, 

 

but most of all I loved the doors, faded colours and peeling paint....aaaah, the colour inspiration we need for InStitches fabrics!

 

The roof lines are just as facinating - so many ideas for mark making with stitch are already popping  

into my mind.

Look, look!  Someone else like me....collects bits of broken blue and white china from the allotment...love the pattern arrangement, let's take a closer look.

A lovely idea for a bit of hand piecing, don't you agree?

But let's get back to the door ways, open or 

 

shut, I don't mind. Each view offers the possibility for something new.

 

The wood panels are sometimes carved 

 

 and some times they are plain.

 

 Even Dr Who had time to visit here!

How about this for a rich colour combination or would you prefer

 

this one or

this one?

See the detail of the arch way?

Take a closer look and pick your favourite animal.

 

Doors,

 

doors,

 

and more doors.  Don't worry, there's more to come!

The archways are just as photogenic.

 

The shapes formed by the shadows just add to their splendour

 

that just goes on and on.

I am not a fan of yellow, but this is just the most beautiful shade.

Whilst these carved doors offer more choices for my colour palette.

 

I wonder just how old this Bonsi tree is?

Even the functional grills are decorative.

 

Wouldn't you just like to walk through this arch and see the garden beyond?

 

 Or would you like to come and see some of the floors with me?

 

If you do, we need to go through here,

 past here,

 

 and here; sorry, I know it looks tempting but...

... look at THIS floor.  I hope you agree it was worth the walk.

 

Another couple of doors on the way out

and it's back onto our bikes, there are more places to explore!