It didn't take long for us to go from the paved roads of Hue to the dusty backroads in the countryside. The forty-five minute trip from Hue to Emperor Gia Long's tomb was spectacular. We felt like explorers embarking on an exciting adventure to discover a forgotten piece of history. Along the way, we passed beautiful forests, farmland and flowing rivers. And of course, we saw many different farm animals--including water buffalo! After a few wrong turns and expert navigation, we finally made it to the tomb. Emperor Gia Long's resting place was completely deserted, just as we had hoped. There weren't any other people in sight, which actually made things a bit eerie (perhaps I've watched "The Mummy" one too many times).
Andrew and I explored the beautiful, sacred space and admired the scenic location where Emperor Gia Long chose to spend eternity. The tomb is located by a lake with lily pads, surrounded by green hills and expansive forests. The tomb itself was in pretty good shape, although it hasn't been renovated like some of the more touristy tombs closer to Hue. It felt real and authentic. After exploring the tomb and grounds for about thirty minutes, we headed towards another building--the temple. To our surprise, a security guard was sitting inside the temple complex and welcomed us with open arms. He explained the history of the tomb in Vietnamese (which we couldn't understand) while we nodded and smiled. Next, he walked us towards the tomb entrance and told us he would open the locked doors for a small tip. Andrew and I looked at each other and figured, why not? The security guard removed the padlock from the tomb entrance and we entered the private area. There definitely would have been a "No Trespassing" sign if we were in the United States.
