Travels with Tricia

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Photo du Jour: A Kaleidoscope of Incense – Hué, Vietnam

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Tricia A. Mitchell

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The roadside stands just outside of Vietnam’s former imperial city, Hué, overflow with bundles of incense. When viewed en masse, these harlequin sticks resemble a textured kaleidoscope. The resulting cinnamon and sandalwood scent that wafts through the air is intoxicating.

We purchased a small package of this sandalwood incense in Hué, which eventually made the overland journey with us to Laos. In a spirit house at the opening to a Laotian sacred cave, we set the well-travelled Vietnamese incense aglow.

Where in the World?

Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.

Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar

About the author

Hi! My name is Tricia Mitchell. I delight in telling stories about my slow travels through more than 65 countries. Some of my highlights have included sharing meals with locals in Armenia, Cambodia, and Tunisia; sipping sparkling wine with French cousins in Alsace; milking goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village; and training with a Japanese mine-clearance team in Laos. My husband, Shawn, and I are based in France’s Loire Valley.

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8 responses to “Photo du Jour: A Kaleidoscope of Incense – Hué, Vietnam”

  1. Andrew Petcher Avatar
    Andrew Petcher

    I really like pictures in this style – I tried to achieve it with the colours of Morocco – Well done!

    Reply
    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
      Tricia A. Mitchell

      Andrew – thank you! SE Asia’s and North Africa’s vibrant marketplaces are so well-suited to this sort of set! I found these incense images rather reminiscent of the colorful Moroccan babouches (traditional slippers) too.

      Reply
  2. marinachetner Avatar
    marinachetner

    Lovely story, lovely photos! They do indeed look like a “textured kaleidoscope” :)

    Reply
    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
      Tricia A. Mitchell

      I appreciate your comment, Marina! :) They offer such fantastic aromatherapy, too, particularly when the scent swirls in the outdoor air. After lighting the incense we climbed to the hill atop the cave entrance and were delighted to detect it wafting there.

      Reply
  3. Wibi Udayana Avatar
    Wibi Udayana

    Such a beautiful photo of the incense. You really did capture the beauty of it! Suited the title!

    Reply
    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
      Tricia A. Mitchell

      Selamat Sore, Wibi! Your comments mean a lot – I am looking forward to your next set of images from Bali or beyond!

      Reply
  4. Sonali Dalal Avatar
    Sonali Dalal

    Beautiful! Riot of colours they are !

    Reply
    1. Tricia A. Mitchell Avatar
      Tricia A. Mitchell

      Cám ơn (thank you in Vietnamese), Sonali! I would’ve loved to have seen the incense sticks being made, but since we were en route to a particular destination, there wasn’t time. I had to ask our driver to pull over so I could snap a few images and I’m grateful he was patient, despite the incense bundles probably being mundane to him. :) Happy you dropped by!

      Reply