On the afternoon of October 20, while the family was gathering to hold a funeral for his father-in-law at his private home in Vinh Loc commune (formerly Vinh Hien commune), Hue city, Mr. Tran Huu Cuu (50 years old) encountered two foreign guests on bicycles stopping in front of the gate.

Through questioning, Mr. Cuu learned that they were Swiss and were traveling to a 5-star resort in Phu Loc. However, after cycling nearly 50km from the center of Hue City to here, the couple was tired and wanted to find a local restaurant to rest and regain their strength.

Because there were no shops around, and understanding the situation of the two guests, Mr. Cuu did not hesitate to invite them into his house for a drink and a meal to ease their hunger.

At first, he planned to quickly make two packs of instant noodles for them to eat. But when his wife said there was still a lot of vegetarian food left from the funeral at noon, he asked the guests: “Can you eat vegetarian food? The rice is all vegetables.”

Hearing that, the two Western guests were very surprised, their faces brightened: "Wonderful. We are vegetarians."

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Two Swiss guests were invited to a vegetarian meal at the funeral by the host family in Hue. Photo: Tran Huu Cuu

So the vegetarian meal was quickly served with a few simple dishes such as mushroom soup, vegetables, stir-fries, tofu, etc. The host also prepared bottled water for guests to quench their thirst.

At first, Mr. Cuu and his wife thought that the two guests would just eat for show - partly because of the strange taste, partly because they were shy. But after a while, they had finished the two plates of rice deliciously.

Even when the husband looked up and smiled and said “Can I?”, Mr. Cuu immediately understood that they wanted more food, so he quickly went inside to bring two more portions of rice. The wife stopped eating the previous meal, while the husband continued eating and praised “every dish is delicious”.

Knowing they were dining at a funeral, the Swiss couple also carefully bowed their heads in condolences, showing respect.

To help the two guests not feel awkward and to better understand the local culture, Mr. Cuu also gently explained that in Hue, when an elderly person dies, the children and grandchildren consider it a gentle departure, not too sad. The whole family will gather to pray so that the deceased can rest in peace in the other world .

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Mr. Cuu brought more vegetarian food to invite the two Western guests. Photo: Tran Huu Cuu

Through a short conversation, Mr. Cuu learned that this was their first time in Vietnam.

“Our friends told us that Vietnam has many beautiful landscapes and unique cuisine . At that time, we thought it was just an advertisement, but when we came here, we realized that Vietnam is truly wonderful,” the husband told Mr. Cuu.

The host said the two guests had their meal for about 45 minutes. After finishing the meal, the couple thanked the family, wished them peace during the funeral, and continued their bike journey back to the resort.

Mr. Cuu often leads foreign visitors to visit famous tourist attractions in Hue, Da Nang... Photo: Tran Huu Cuu

Sharing with VietNamNet reporter, Mr. Cuu revealed that he has been working as an international tour guide for 11 years. Although he has met and welcomed many foreign tourists from different countries, this is an unforgettable memory for him.

Mr. Cuu said that in Hue, at funerals, people often serve vegetarian meals to keep their hearts pure. The vegetarian meal is prepared simply with a few familiar dishes such as vegetables, tofu, mushrooms and light stir-fries.

“Funerals in Hue usually last 5-7 days. During that time, depending on the customs of each place and the culture of each family, many families organize vegetarian meals, avoid killing animals to keep their minds pure. They also often give gifts to people in difficult circumstances, hold animal release ceremonies to contribute merit, and contribute to praying for the deceased to be liberated easily…”, he shared.

The tour guide also said that he had welcomed and led visitors from many countries such as Italy, Australia, the US, the UK, Canada, Denmark, Belgium, etc. to visit Hue and Hoi An. These are two destinations that are especially loved by Western tourists because of their ancient beauty, poetic natural landscapes and unique cultural depth.

In Hue, in addition to familiar destinations such as the Imperial City, mausoleums, pagodas..., Mr. Cuu also often leads guests to experience daily activities, immersing them in the rustic life of the locals such as cycling through the countryside, going to the lagoon, learning to cook or trying to be a farmer.

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Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/khach-tay-doi-la-dung-truoc-dam-tang-o-hue-xuc-dong-khi-duoc-moi-bua-com-chay-2455375.html