So...the sleeping bus was an experience. Filled all the seats up then the aisles were chocka block with local peeps sleeping on bamboo mats too! both of us managed a few hours sleep though.
Carried our packs along Le Loi until we found our accomodation. Had booked it on our usual hostel booking site and were surprised (pleasantly) how nice it was! Waited for our room, got clean (YAY! The bus had made us sticky and icky) then headed out for food around 12.
Found a wee storefront with tasty food and good prices. A couple of Freedom Riders (motorcycles who do down the coast trips) directed us to the place then tried to persuade us to go to Hoi An that way but we have already paid for our non-refundable bus and will stick with that.
Walked to the Imperial City - found another sculpture garden and someone fishing using a DUCK along the way! The imperial city is very interesting and MASSIVE. Much walking later we got an experimental ice block thing...unwise. Neither of us could do it...yuck. Bumped into some of our 'Sunrise Boat Family' from Ha Long Bay on the way out - fun!
Then we got a beverage and sat down for a wee rest after visiting the 'Healing the Wounded Heart Shop' - a not for profit shop working with people with disabilities and heart surgery in a very cool way. Check out their site www.hwhshop.com or www.spiralfoundation.org to see why we were blown away with the work they do.
Home for a shower, rest and some of the perennial photo labelling before going out for dinner at the same place we had lunch then walked home in the rain.
Planning to get out on bikes again tomorrow to see some of the Imperial Tombs around Hue...
