The very best thing about the To Asia With Love guidebook series is that each book is a collaboration of writers who love the country they’re writing about. It has been so wonderful to receive reactions to To Vietnam With Love from the individuals who contributed to it, especially since each writer holds a special place in my heart.

Among those writers is Duong Lam Anh, who captivated me with his passion for his hometown of Hue, Vietnam’s former imperial capital, as well as his desire to share that passion with readers around the world through his blog. I was excited to receive the link to his post announcing both the book and his participation in it. Anh’s essays are unique, offering insight into the cultural tradition of bargaining, little known hot springs outside Hue, Hue’s famous banh Hue nibbles, and, my favorite, cafés where you can hide away on a cold winter Hue day. I’ve included that particular essay below. And if you want to read more sample essays from To Vietnam With Love or learn about the contributors, visit the book’s main page on ThingsAsian.com.

Duong Lam Anh finds beauty in Hue’s gray winter days

Winter arrived in Hue rather late this year, but it eventually did, as it always does.

Winter in Hue is wet. This is nothing new to the locals, but those from drier regions find it hard to tolerate. With the humidity up to 90 and sometimes even 100 percent, the whole city suddenly turns into a damp sponge. Rain lingers day and night. Drop by drop it enters your heart. It comes as no surprise to see the rain last even for weeks. People are wet. Vehicles are wet. Buildings are wet. Grass is rotten. Paper soon becomes as soft as tissue. You may wake up to find your computer dead without a word of warning. Telephones and other electrical appliances all at once refuse to function. You are late to work because your motorbike suddenly won’t start. That’s that.

Winter in Hue is cold. Eighteen Celsius may mean nothing to those from cold lands, but coupled with the humidity, it chills you to the bone. But the streets look festive with people wrapped up in colorful warm clothes and raincoats. They suddenly seem more formal and decent in suit, vest, and jacket; some even don scarves, gloves, and wool caps.

Winter in Hue is hazy, smoky, and gloomy. The sky is gray the entire day. The whole city looks sleepy in a mist of vapor, smoke, and breath. Leaves turn
dark green and shiver with cold. There is a lot of talk about the weather, and people on the street seem to be in a hurry because they all want to reach
home as quickly as possible. A book, a cup of hot coffee or tea, and some classical music become wise choices.

But despite all sorts of problems and inconveniences that may be caused by the rain and humidity, life must go on. That is what I like best about the winter here. Streets are, as always, crowded with people and vehicles at rush hours. Street stalls serving hot dishes are surrounded by hungry pedestrians. And it seems that tourists do not mind the rain at all. In light casual clothes and with an umbrella or raincoat, they rush around exploring the imperial city.

People who aren’t from here and hate the season call it nasty, horrible, disgusting. Hue natives living far away from home miss it terribly.

Keeping cozy during winter in Hue

Following are three of my favorite cafés for warming up during the winter months.

Vi Da Xua Café
Located in the Vi Da neighborhood, this café recalls the quiet, rustic atmosphere of the area’s once famous village. For the locals, it is a place to cherish memories of the past. For foreigners, it evokes something very Vietnamese. As a cozy nha ruong—–a typical, traditional structure of Hue made entirely of wood—–it is ideal for cold, rainy days. Not too open or too closed: just perfect.
131 Nguyen Sinh Cung St.

Nam Giao Hoai Co Café
A complex of three nha ruong creates this spacious and airy café. Due to its location on the way to the royal tombs, it serves as a pleasant place for visitors to stop by. Though it has open architecture, it doesn’t get too cold when it’s raining, and you can sip a hot coffee or tea while gazing at the rain outside.
321 Dien Bien Phu St.

Xua Café
Unlike in the West, life in Vietnam is lived in the alleys: they are communities within a community. With its very Vietnamese architecture, this café is small enough to keep you warm on rainy days. Its location in an alley far away from the main streets offers peace, quiet, and privacy.
56/6 Nguyen Cong Tru St.