Report from Hoi An

Hoi An, Vietnam

Sunny with lots of hot and sweaty.

From Ben Tre to Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon, we decided to reduce the anxiety of a  four hour ordeal of motor scooters and public buses and took a private car to the airport and from there flew to Da Nang and another taxi on to Hoi An.  Hoi An is a great little town, known for its hand crafts, artists and tailors, on the Hoai River.  It was built by the Chinese over 200 years ago and occupied by the French for 100 years and survived the "American War" and is a Unesco Heritage Site. The buildings are lovely pastel colors of golden yellow with faded blue and green accents, and further accented with mold and moss.  We are meeting fellow travelers, eating more incredible food, sitting on the waterfront watching the sun set and the local ferry arrive and depart - again on typical plastic chairs made for small Vietnamese behinds.  This has become Doug's favorite bar with more $1 beers and many locals to sort of talk to.  We met  'Captain' Danh, who thought he might know Doug, and claimed he was an interpreter for General Westmoreland during the war.  He looked like he had been there!

We are staying in a lovely little family run hotel, Thien Nga ($25 a night), complete with view from the  balcony of ducks, chickens, the occasional rat and lizard and a Morning Glory patch. Morning Glory is the second most produced crop in Vietnam after rice.  Delicious sauted with garlic.  Our first floor room opens into the dinning room - feels like home.

We have been here two days, and are staying another to recoup and chill a bit, and drink Mango or papaya shakes - fresh fruit and crushed ice -mmmm, and eat rose wantons (rose is the shape).

The Japanese Bridge (they were here too)

Hoi An old town water front by day

Hoi An by night

Local ferry coming into dock

No cars allowed

For Kim - snoozing on the job

                               Doug in his element

Cutting Morning Glory                                                    Morning Glory going to market


We bicycled 4km to the beach and swam in the South China Sea!!

South China Sea

Chilling!