"Hue-Ward"

Going all the Hue At 4:00am Thursday morning, with bags packed, I went on the road, headed for what was supposed to be a 2 ½ hour drive to Nha Trang, where I would hop onto a plane headed to Danang. I needed to head north to Hue to meet up with my Aunt and visit the “north” side of the Vo family, and this was the “quickest” way to do this. My 8 hour journey to the coastal community of Nha Trang was not what I expected, especially since I paid 70 US dollars to have a private driver take me there. The drive was more than my one way ticket to Dalat! So my hike and bike tour guide Tuyen insisted he set up this trip. Major mistake. He failed to mention to my driver I needed to be at Nha Trang’s airport by 7:50am. So my 2 ½ drive turned into 4 hours, with my driver speeding like hell on wheels to get there. It was mountainous, bumpy, wet, foggy and downright the scariest drive I have taken. And he was even lost at one point. Luckily I made it to Nha Trang’s airport with 45 minutes to spare. But it was the worst money could buy. And my day was just getting started.

Danang Distress

Landing into Danang, I needed to hire once again another driver to take me to Hue, which was roughly another 1 ½ hour drive. I had it in my mind that the ride would cost me about 40 US dollars…that’s what I had read it on the internet. After leaving the airport, I was immediately accosted by throngs of taxi cab drivers promising that amount. One young man actually promised me 500-thousand dong, which was 31-dollars! Steal! I’m whisked away. Only as we are driving that number goes from 500,000 dong to 670,000. I refused and demanded he take me back to the airport. He then demanded I pay the fare (a buck) but I refused, saying he bilked me. It wasn’t the money, It was the fact that he agreed on one price and in a matter of 10 minutes, changed it twice. So my cabbie kicked me out of his car in the middle of town. I probably stuck out like a sore thumb, standing there sporting a backpack, and a small roller luggage, figuring I would just flag another cabbie. Then a friendly young local on a moped asked me if I needed a ride. At first, I balked. But when it appeared getting a cab on my own would be tough, I hopped on, luggage and all. “How much? “ I asked. “Whatever,” he said. So I agreed. Back at the airport taxi stand, I learned the going rate was more. Then one of the cab drivers suggested I head down the road to get into a shuttle van to head to Hue. Its only 100-thousand Dong ($6.25). No worries. So my moped driver rides me over there, and before I could step off his bike I’m hastily hoisted into a van loaded with locals, pay my fare, and for all of his work, I gave my cyclist 100-thousand dong. He was elated. That’s a day’s work for 30 minutes for him. And for me, it wasn’t first class service but I saved 30-bucks, although I probably wasted an hour in Danang. Seriously, there were 18 people loaded into an old shuttle van suited for 11. But even with that many, the driver and his friend were trying to stuff as more people, screaming out to people as were slowing rolling along if they needed a ride. In Vietnam, money matters by each 1000-dong (7 cents-ish). A US Dollar here goes a long ways. I later learned that fare for locals was around 30-thousand dong, less than 2 bucks. I got the premium rate. Big deal, it was still cheaper than a 40 dollar cab ride. It wasn’t a great ride, what with 18 people packed like Sardines. And the driver was another devil on wheels. But it got me to Hue. Only when I got to the bus station I still needed to get to the airport. That’s where my aunt (who I had flown in from Saigon) and my Hue relatives were going to meet me. At the bus station, I paid 30-thousand dong (about $1.25) to a local man with a moped to take me to the aiport. It was about 6 miles away. Here's a self portrait on that man's moped.

And my long morning of travelling would end when my one of my Uncles and second cousin would take us home, and ironically on mopeds once again. So after nearly 8 hours, after a few close calamity calls, my commute by car, plane, shuttle van and moped would finally end. I’m home. Creature Comforts I’m staying in the heart of the city, much like the Times Square of Hue, at my Aunt and Uncle Binh’s home.

Uncle Binh is the son of my Great uncle Oc. Since I never knew my maternal grandfather, Great Uncle Oc is as close as he gets.

He is my grandfather Vo’s younger brother, making him the oldest Vo family member, and the patriarch of this family. Great Uncle Oc doesn’t just have the sweetest smile, but at 87 years young, he has led a fascinating life. I had some time to bond with him ten years ago, so seeing him was very nice. He was a decorated general for the North Vietnamese Army, serving from the time the French were exiled until 1975 through the Vietnam War, and on that side, victory.

Crazy but true, I have family on both sides, meaning both sides of the Vietnam warfront.

Among other things, my father served as an Army Captain in the South Vietnamese army, and consequently, my family fled Vietnam to escape persecution from the North Vietnamese Army. At that time, my family didn’t know this Vo side of the family, since my grandfather lost touch with his Hue family after moving south to Dalat and ultimately to Saigon to work, marry and raise a family. After the Vietnamese civil war got underway, Grandfather Vo lost all communication with his Hue family. He was working in the south, and his family was all living in the north. Once those borders were drawn in 1956, that was it. I learned during that trip that his many brothers would not learn grandfather Vo died at age 40 in 1960 until 1978, three years after South Vietnam fell to North Vietnam. Crazy but true, it was only then that my mothers older brother would finally get the opportunity to find Grandfather Vo‘s family. My Aunt Thu tells me there was an extremely tearful reunion, and ultimately my grandfather’s ashes would be sent to Quanh Binh, about 3 hours outside of Hue, where dozens of Vo’s are buried, dating back to the 1600’s. Yes that’s more than 4 generations of Vo’s. So that’s the story of how the southern Vo’s reconnected with the Northern Vo’s. An ugly civil war that changed everything kept them apart. The end of that war brought them together, and ultimately, me…here. On the Vo side, my immediately family would be the only ones to immigrate to the u-s. Now I do have a second cousin (we call my uncle) who moved to work in Germany post Vietnam war. Uncle Long is an extraordinary man, going from contract worker busboy to successful restauranteur and hotellier in Deutschland. He apparently shares his wealth to the Vo’s here in Hue, who are all doing extremely well by Vietnamese standards. Truth be told, I harbor no ill feelings against this northern Vo family. If anything, I find their loyalty to family beyond all else quite refreshing.

We speak little of our sentiments about the war . Great Uncle Oc once told me the past is the past. In my family’s case, you really have to put it behind you, otherwise how could you ever get along? And they were nothing but open to the southern Vo’s when they all finally met them, and years later, my mother and me. In fact, I feel right at home, and I am so grateful for that. This visit has centered on family…and a lot of food. I think I tried and ate everything Hue I could. Each morning was breakfast. Then it was lunch. Then we would take a nap. Then we would eat dinner.

The Vo’s were incredibly hospitable.. I loved just lounging and eating. I learned on this trip that theVietnamese not only have a strong sense of family, but they possess great patience.

Not many Americans, in their busy, everyday worlds, can just sit around all day and talk with family. I only had two nights in Hue, and I am remiss I didn’t have more. I wanted to spend some more time with Uncle Oc, but I guess that will have to wait for the next time. I did however, document some of his story…one I hopefully can share with my children. I promised my relatives my next trip here would be sooner than years later. After all, my Great Uncle admittedly doesn’t have a lot of time left in this world. Cheers and happy training!