At a wedding in Hue, Vietnam. Caught the bride in a moment lost in thought.
After a more than 24 hour train ride from Hanoi to Hue thanks to a huge delay caused by a typhoon which had just passed the coastal region, we finally arrived in the former capital of Hue. On our first day we were headed for the Citadel and the old forbidden City as we passes by what seemed like a wedding. Loud music and laughter was sounding from the nicely decorated venue across the road. Curious as ever we wanted to have a closer look. As we were snooping around the entrance we were all of a sudden approached by a man who belonged to the wedding party. As we later found out, it was the bride’s father. Apparently he wanted us to come in and after a bit of hesitation, he insisted and pulled us in. We first had to sign the guestbook and put a little bit of money in what seemed like a donation box. Once inside, we realized that this was actually a big event with probably more than 200 people there, live music going on and the pretty couple giving a little speech on stage. We were a bit overwhelmed but our host took care of everything. We were placed at a table with about 6 other people, all men and all of them a little bit tipsy already it seemed. I instantly had to drink glasses of beer with all of them – a custom which then continued throughout the entire party. Shortly after, the waitresses started bringing out the food. It was traditional Vietnamese with a touch of Chinese with more than 5 dishes being served one after another. And every single one was so good. After cutting the cake and pouring champagne into the glass pyramid, the couple went to every single table to thank the guests for their attendance. It was a great time, a lot of laughter, singing and lots of drinking. It was great to get such an authentic insight into the Vietnamese culture.
As I roamed around the venue, taking pictures and drinking glasses of beer with other guests, I saw the bride caught in a moment of contemplation. For a split second she seemed detached from everything else around her. With the most important part of the ceremony behind her, she was perhaps imagining what her new life will be like. What do you think? What was on her mind in this moment?
I’d wish tyo get invited to a traditional Indian wedding dso much!
.. and I need to go to India .. soo much. Where did u go in India? It is huge.. any recommendations?
I’ve seen the north mainly. It’s so enourmous and so amazing, so the more time you’ll have – the better.
My highlights:
– Amritsar: The Golden temple here is one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in life. Take a trip to Wagah border with Pakistan. The closing of the border ceremony held each evening is super fun and colorful.
– Rajastan state. I’d suggest spending here a week or two, going to Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. And there are lots of small palaces and temples scattered all around the state wirth visiting.
– Varanasi. I loved the architecture a lot and again, funeral ceremony hear are specific. And it’s awesome to get out on the sunrise and wonder around the ghats where locals do the laundry and bathe. They are getting so colorful with all the saris left drying on the steps.
– Kolkata for colonial legacy and best tea. There’s a market selling finests sorts for cheap (don’t remember the adress, but can check my notes). It’s quite funny, but you can’t buy tasty Indian tea in most places or order at the cafe. Everything, except for tiny bits goes on export.
Oh, reading all that makes me so wanna go. I have to save up and find some time. How much time did you spend in India overall? I think the North would be also the part of the country that would interest me most. Cheers, Phil
Always great to be invited to a whole new event in a new country. It lets you experience a whole new culture on a new level.
True, those experiences make every trip so much more worthwhile. Those unique looks behind the scenes make for the best memories ….. better than every tour. But yeah, you can’t plan it. Sometimes you just have to be lucky and at the right place at the right place. Thanks for stopping by den…. Cheers!
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