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March 16, 2007
The Citadel and the Imperial City (Katy)
So yesterday afternoon we eventually made it to the Imperial City. The floapole was truly enormous, I don't know how we missed it.
The Imperial City really is like another small city inside the city. There is a big moat and a wall around it, as well as the moat and wall that surround the whole of the old city. On the way in there are nine "Holy" cannons (not sure how cannons can be holy) that were put there to protect the city but were never fired. Four of them on one side represent the four seasons, and five on the other represent five elements.
Inside the Imperial City there is a large lilly pond with a bridge over it. Apparently only the King was allowed on the brigde, everyone else had to walk right around the ponds.
A lot of the building inside the walls have been destroyed, due to heavy fighting in the area but some buildings still remain and others are being restored for tourism. Until relatively recently the buildings were left as ruins because the government saw them as reminders of the time before "Liberation" and communism. The thought of attracting people and making money from tourism soon changed their minds.
On the way out of the Citadel we were feeling pretty tired and hot and as usual we started getting harassed by Cyclo's (men with bikes with a big seat on the front that ride you around), so we thought why not. Usually they only take one person but this guy had adapted his to take two, so in we got. It was quite interesting, if not a little scary and I couldn't help feeling a bit guilty as this guy stuggled though the traffic in the mid afternoon sun. Anyway, he got us back safely, even if he did look like he was about to pass out.
Posted by admins at March 16, 2007 4:52 AM