Our kosher and Glatt Kosher Cruises take us to many great and scenic travel destinations around the world. From Europe to Asia, you can experience many luxurious all-inclusive kosher travels when cruising with us. Aside from providing delicious kosher cuisine, we specialize in providing rich historical land tours that seek to immerse our guests in the stories of the past. Our first kosher cruise for 2020 will take us to mainland Southeast Asia, on an adventure along the Mekong through Vietnam and Cambodia.
Mekong River Cruise – Vietnam & Cambodia 2020
Vietnam is home to many historic cities, such as Hanoi and Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh City, the first destination of our Mekong River Cruise travel itinerary.) One of these cities is Hue and at its heart the Imperial City.
The Nguyen Seat of Power
In the first years of the 19th Century, Gia Long desired to establish a place from which he could rule Vietnam. After capturing Hue in 1802 and unifying Vietnam into a single empire, he decided to establish his base of operations there. He rebuilt the already-established citadel in Hue and made it the Imperial City, where his successors would rule until the French took over. Gia Long was once known as Nguyen Anh, a prince who survived his family’s destruction in Saigon. The Nguyen Dynasty would be known as the last dynasty to rule Vietnam.
A Place of Royalty and Conflict
The Imperial City’s position was established by geomancers, diviners who used patterns in the earth and soil alongside specialized tools to decide where Gia Long would begin construction. The geomancers consulted that The Imperial City should face the Huong River (called the Perfume River, so named because of the fallen flowers of upriver orchards gave it a distinct, floral scent). Among the historic locales within the Imperial City was the Purple Forbidden City, where the royals resided.
The Imperial City Vietname | Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_City_of_Huế
The Imperial City’s distinction as a place of heritage did not spare it from the Vietnam War. At first, Allied troops were told not to open fire on the historic city, but as the battle of Hue continued and parts of the citadel were occupied, the destructive force of planes and bombs destroyed much of Vietnam’s history. Fortunately, not everything was destroyed, and many repairs went underway after that war’s conclusion. Today, the Imperial City is a Unesco World Heritage Site, and while it may not be part of our current Mekong travel itinerary, it is a great place for one’s own private Jewish vacation.