Our drive from Hue took us through Danang, a modern, clean port city. There are a number of bridges but we only had time to see one - the Dragon Bridge. The journey continued along the sea - the East Sea or the West Sea or the South China Sea. The name depends on which country you talk to.
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| Lang Co Beach |
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| A train stop |
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| Golden Dragon Bridge |
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| Everywhere the preparations for Lunar New Years are extensive |
We hadn’t eaten for a few hours so lunch was in order at the vegetable village. Something new today - BBQ skewers and delicious sautéed eggplant followed by BBQ bananas.
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| The gardens are so well maintained |
It is almost impossible to describe Hoi An. Located along the river provides a backdrop for a charming but very busy place. Even in the pouring rain and it was doing that the first day, the ancient town was mesmerizing , but then it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You could focus on shopping because there is lots! Tailors are over 300 and that does not include the small shops that also will sew anything you want. But then there are the historical sites which include century old family homes, Chinese Assembly Halls and other beautiful old buildings.
If shopping or sites don’t tickle your fancy, hopefully you would enjoy the colours. Lights along the river at night are colourful. Boats lit by lanterns travel down the river avoiding the candles floating in the water. Along the streets, the stores are colourful - lanterns, lanterns, lanterns everywhere and in every size, shape and color. So beautiful.
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| More displays for Lunar New Years |
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| Beautiful gardens even in the hidden courtyards of restaurants |
Located an hour out of Hoi An is another heritage site that gives a peak into the ancient Cham civilization. My Son temples and towers date back as far as the 4th century. Restoration is ongoing with considerable help from India. This culture has Hindu roots and the standing structures reminded me of the temples in Bali. There is a small population of Cham people left in Vietnam but they now live in the south and mountain areas. The dancing was beautiful and amazing - those fingers can bend backwards so far.
Vietnam produces many products we purchase in the west. In addition, they have a huge range of craftsmen, some of them disappearing. We had the chance to enjoy a variety of different crafts thanks to the talented people in the area. While some crafts found us watching, at some places we tried our hand. Calligraphy, lantern making, wood carving, inlaid mother of pearl, weaving and yes even fishing! So much fun and wonderful souvenirs.
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| Cutting mother of pearl for inlaid pieces |
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| Weaving sleeping mats from grasses. 7 hours of work and sold for about $8 |
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| The fishing net |
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| The catch |
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| Another fishing boat - a basket boat |
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| Inlaid mother of pearl |
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| Wood carving |
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| Calligraphy master |
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| Lantern making class |
And what would a tour be without a cooking class. By coincidence I attended the same cooking school as I did 17 years ago. The chef definitely considered himself a comedian as he walked us through the making of three dishes. From there we moved into the dining room where we had our food plus a lot more. We have learned there are no small meals in Vietnam.
Some Hoi An shots.
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| The beach - water was pretty rough |
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| Tea at Reaching Out Teahouse, an organization run by the deaf community |
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| Tight small alleys join the streets |
Your pictures are absolutely stunning. Well done. I loved Hoi An as well when we were there. Such lovely people there.
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