A hungry and thirsty Western tourist stopped his car at a funeral in Hue and was offered vegetarian food by the host.

(Dan Tri) - Cycling from the center of Hue City to a 5-star resort, two Swiss guests could not find any open restaurants. They stopped in front of a funeral and were enthusiastically invited to a vegetarian meal by the host.

Hungry and tired guests stopped their car in front of a funeral and were invited to eat by the host.

Early in the afternoon, during his father-in-law's funeral at his home, Mr. Tran Huu Cuu (50 years old) in Vinh Loc commune, Hue city, an English teacher and tour guide with 11 years of experience, unexpectedly met two strange guests.

Two foreign guests were invited to a vegetarian meal by the host of the funeral (Photo: Provided by the character).

That day was the third day of Mr. Cuu's father-in-law's funeral. He passed away on October 18. The family held a funeral according to local customs, usually lasting from 5 to 7 days so that neighbors and relatives from far away could come to pay their respects, and at the same time, choose an auspicious date and time for the burial.

"I saw two foreign tourists, a married couple, stopping their bicycles in front of the house. At first, I thought they were curious about Vietnamese funeral culture so I wanted to stop by to learn more.

However, the wife said that they were both cycling from the center of Hue City to the resort in Phu Loc Commune. At this point, they were both very hungry and thirsty. The couple went to the market and looked for restaurants nearby, but none were open.

The guests also did not know that my family was holding a funeral. They only saw the tent set up and the crowd, so they stopped to ask for directions to a restaurant that still sells food," said Mr. Cuu.

Knowing that his guests were on the way, Mr. Cuu decided to cook instant noodles for them to eat. When he passed by the area reserved for funeral visitors, Mr. Cuu's wife heard about the incident and asked about it. After hearing the story, she said that there was still vegetarian food in the house.

Two Swiss guests were surprised by the hospitality of the Vietnamese people (Photo: Provided by the character).

The family immediately served two simple meals of stir-fried vegetables, green beans, stir-fried mushrooms, potato soup, and tofu. Everything was served on a plate in the style of a typical rice dish, without any elaborate arrangements.

"I thought the customers were just eating for show because it might not suit their taste. Unexpectedly, they finished all the rice and seemed very happy to receive enthusiastic support," Mr. Cuu shared.

Through the conversation, Mr. Cuu was even more surprised when the guest revealed that he and his wife were both vegetarians. They did not expect that due to an accident, they had to stop in the middle of the road, but the host would enthusiastically invite them to such a delicious meal.

After that, Mr. Cuu also brought some more rice and food for her husband. He also happily ate it all.

From hospitality to cultural connection

During a short conversation, the two guests said they were from Switzerland and this was their first time in Vietnam.

"We have some Vietnamese friends living in Switzerland. They introduced a lot about the country so we really wanted to visit. The trip surprised us because of the beautiful scenery, delicious food and friendly people," the guest said.

By the way, Mr. Cuu also briefly introduced to the guests about the funeral culture in Hue. Normally, the funeral will last 5-7 days. Many families organize vegetarian meals on this occasion because they follow Buddhism.

The two said goodbye and continued cycling back to the resort (Photo: Character provided).

Upon hearing the news, the two guests also sent their condolences to the family and left. It is known that both of them stayed at a 5-star resort in Cau Hai lagoon, Phu Loc commune. Their luggage was taken by private car straight to the resort. It is estimated that from this area to the resort is about 20km, including mountain passes and slopes, Mr. Cuu advised the guests to be careful.

"Because of the rush, we didn't have time to ask each other's names. They said they were very lucky to meet me today and thanked me. But I also received something special on my father's funeral day," Mr. Cuu confided.

Mr. Cuu is also a tour guide (Photo: Character provided).

It is known that Mr. Tran Huu Cuu is currently the Chairman of the Hue City Tour Guide Association. He has more than 27 years of experience teaching English and 11 years of experience as a tour guide.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/khach-tay-doi-va-khat-dung-xe-o-dam-tang-tai-hue-duoc-gia-chu-moi-com-chay-20251022214430087.htm