I was awake at 5.30 and it was cold so I put on a jumper and tried to sleep some more before getting up at 6.30. The Spanish/Italian group had organised breakfast for 6.50 and it normally starts at 7 so I went for a walk before showering and then went for breakfast and had the banana pancake which everyone else was eating and it was good. I went around to the bike shops and the first place was 40k for the day and the 2nd place also said 40k so I was going to go back to the 1st place as they looked more professional but the guy reduced the price to 30k so I went with that. He said he shuts at 5.30 though so I had to return by then which is a bit early. I rode north across the bridge just to get to the bun place from the day before so I could buy my lunch now but they were closed so I turned around and headed south along the main road through town. I negotiated the traffic to the first place to see a sacrificial area which didn't have much to see but it was free. It was raining so I had my jacket on and umbrella out and I left my bike under cover next to a building with some guys in. I walked around the place and took my camera out to take a photo but the battery was dead - great, but at least I had full chargers so it wouldn't be another Cameron highlands experience. I got to a building in the far corner where I slipped on the wet mossy flagstones and fell pretty hard on my side, thankfully even though it was slippery in lots of other places it was my only fall of the day. I went back to the bike and the guys asked for 2,000 parking fee which I paid and headed on getting to a cemetery which was being used as they were building more places there so not quite the ancient tomb. It was raining more so I put my poncho on and decided to see the Tu duc tomb as it was still early and the tours would not arrive for a bit yet. I got there and the entry was 100,000 as I'd researched but they also had a ticket to 3 tombs and the palace gor 360,000. The 2 tombs and palace cost 350,000 that I was planning to see so I would get one more tomb for 10k and I bought the ticket. Inside there was one medium sized tour group and a few other people which meant I was able to get photos with nobody in shot. There were a few information boards and a few buildings to see and you could walk around the tombs themselves. There was also a lake with an island and a building where they fo cultural performances but it looked like I'd missed it and they probably wait for the tour groups. I left and using maps I took a path which was maybe not a great option given the weather but it was a solid enough path with puddles but not so much mud. I made it to the perfume river where a tour boat was going along and the rain had almost stopped so I took the poncho off and enjoyed cycling. A truck came along and even though I was right on the side it gave me a wide berth before slamming on the brakes and skidding round a corner narrowly missing a truck coming the other way. I was relived I hadn't caused an a accident and I carried on south to a bridge which I went across. I was near to Emperor Ming Manhs tomb and a guy on a bike wanted to follow him but I didn't know where he was going and the map had a path to the tomb so I went there and it was a mistake as I think he had a good path to the tomb while mine was a sketchy downhill bumpy thing. I used the dodgy brakes on the bike and made it to the tomb where I used the toilet as one good thing about Vietnam is the free toilets in most places. I used my voucher to enter and the tomb was very similar to the Tu Duc tomb except you couldn't see the actual tomb as it is only opened once a year on Mings birthday. I left and tried to find some small places along the river and couldn't find one but did find the other which was a small tomb before I crossed a bridge and headed further south. The rain had picked up and eased off again so I was often deciding whether to wear the poncho or not I gave up on my bag's rainproofing as it didn't seem to do anything, guess thats what comes form buying fake bags. The path was a bit plain with the occasional school child waving and shouting hello but not much to see a couple of small temples and one tomb which was signposted. I made it to the tomb of Gian long who was the first emperor to unify most of Vietnam in 1804 and his temple, tomb and other building were in separate areas near to each other. The tomb was closed but I walked around the back which was elevated and saw inside. It was a long way back to cycle maybe 30 kinutes and then I took a diversion to crap shrine which at least was only 5 minutes away but it was around 2pm now. I went back across the first river bridge and followed the map to a lady buddha statue, which was again crap, it was just a tiny statue in what might be someones house, people just misusing maps.me. I headed back and it soon turned out I was on the wrong road despite having actually gone on the one I'd meant but there was a flyover and my phone was charging so I didn't check the map as much, but luckily I found a shortcut down to the road I wanted and found another temple which I briefly stopped for. I came to the last tomb of Khai Dinh which was nice but seemed small. There was a very elaborate last room but lots of tourists everywhere in the place, I guess it was still too early. I started properly heading back and madd it to the abandoned waterpark which someone had mentioned in a hostel. There was a guy trying it on to charge me 10k entry but I asked for a ticket, his badge or id and eventually he just let me in. There was not too much to see, a seating stand and pool, some minor statues and a simulator. I met 4 people also looking around. I saw a big dinosaur thing in the lake so I went and ctossed yhe bridge and climbed up inside where 2 kids were messing around. I went to go back and went a crap way before ending up back at the gate and past the fake security guy. I wanted to get back quick to go to pagoda but was getting tired when I found a temple which was worth stopping for as I'd ignored most of them for a while, but this was shut.
I came to the railway level crossing and had to wait for a train do I looked for but couldn't find a mapped temple. I carried on after and went west and then across a bridge and as usual I was under a time constraint to so I went faster and made good headway even going past some motorbikes. I made it to the pagoda I wanted to see which was crowded and not that good do I was glad I had made it on the bike and hadn't walked all the way. I went a bit further to the temple of Literature which was a kind of ruin but used to be an early school and was shut. I turned back at about 5.50 and it was 25 minutes according to maps.me back. Again I went fast as I wanted to get some sandwiches from the place I'd been to the day before. I made good speed until I got to traffic lights by the bridge and I couldn't see the bun place so I checked the map and it was further along but by that time the lights had changed again so I waited and time ticked on. The lights changed and I made my way to the bun van and got there at 5.10 but they were shut so I just crossed the bridge and went to the bike shop easily on time. After that I went back to the hostel and tried to dry out my things and had a message from Linhs homestay where I'd booked for tomorrow, they were trying to sell me tours and I didn't have time to look so I replied the next day. I went back out around 6.30 and the bun place was open so I got 2 and then went to a market and a supermarket and bought some more things to eat mostly got the next day. I went to the internet cafe for a couple of hours before going back to the hostel and my dorm room was empty apart from me. I read a bit before going to sleep.
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