Vietnam - Hoi An

The next part of the vacation started with a flight from Saigon to DaNang on the way to Hoi An. After a grilling from us to ensure he knew where he was going we jumped in a cab from the airport. DaNang and the entire tip south to Hoi An really showed how much the country was growing. In DaNang there were a lot of new very unusually designed buildings, pretty funky, and then the on entire trip down the coast there were either completed or semicompleted resorts on a massive scale. Hard to accept that this is a good move–it becomes just like any other Asian beach resort and price will be the differentiator.It is definitely selling out some of it’s character. I’m glad we were not staying in that area.

Anyway, after 40 minutes the cab driver pulls over to ask directions. Kelly was not happy given the guy swore he knew where he was going. Following this the driver sheepishly got back in the car and drove on. Luckily we weren't really off track and after crossing from the coast through rice fields and across a couple of rivers we made it to Hoi An.

The hotel was awesome, the Life Heritage Resort, a colonial feel, although it was only recently built, very funky rooms with day beds out front , we definitely made a good decision. It had a very strange pool though, nice when you were in but a major pain in the rear to get in, walking across rocks and then an awkward step up and over the side into the water.So as ordinary as the buffet in Saigon was the breakfast buffet at the hotel in Hoi An was great. The chocolate crepes won Kelly over. She doubled down a few of the mornings we were there much to the suprise of the chefs.Hoi An is a Unesco World Heritage listed town that is a good five hundred years old. Lots of little wooden French and Chinese influenced homes. The area has become very tourist focussed(without being overrun with tourists)and nearly every home has become either a shop or restaurant. Even with the tourists it is extremely laid back, very interesting and beautiful – also very romantic according to Kelly.

The first afternoon we were in Hoi An we ate basically out of somebody’s kitchen. The food was nice but something didn’t agree with Kel and she got a bit of an upset stomach. Really the only slightly negative food experience of our time in Hoi An and Vietnam.

The next day we did a walking tour of the historical sites. We started with a house tour from a guy whose family had been in the same house for seven generations. The houses are so simple, just a few open rooms with wooden slat beds for sleeping. The house tour was great, it was just Kelly and I, the guy brought out his old photos and spoke to us about the funeral of his father, how the area had changed with tourists coming and out of towners buying the old buildings to start businesses – we were there for ages and enjoyed every minute of it.

The rest of the day involved checking out a few Pagodas (m

uch better than the one in Saigon), some local singing and dancing, walking across a three hundred year old Japanese covered bridge and visiting a place called ‘The Department of Managing and Gathering Swallows Nests'. A lot of the day really involved cruising around checking out the old buildings and alley ways, going to the market and of course a little shopping (always involving haggling over price which Kelly loved).

One of the things that the area is known for is producing fabric and tailoring. Kelly brought a few dresses over to have copied. I couldn’t believe the quality based on the time it took to make and cost. The place Kelly went to was a well oiled machine with seamstresses sewing away all day and most of the night. The assistant who looked after Kelly called herself ‘Fairy’, she was really nice an even brought Kel flowers on her birthday.

We found a lunch place we liked on the first day and ate at the same table everyday - first floor balcony overlooking the river. From the table you could see the boats coming and going and not surprisingly we saw some very sketchy practices. These relatively small two level boats were packed with motorcycles on the top deck and then absolutely crammed with people below. If any of those things went down or capsized there was no escaping.

It was Kelly’s birthday while we were there so we did a few special things that day. We borrowed bikes from the hotel and hit the streets which was an adventure in itself. Although the traffic in Hoi An is nothing like Saigon it is still crazy and has the same anything goes mentality. Early on our ride I realised this was no birthday treat for Kelly as she was passed by a semi trailer and nearly collected by a motorcycle coming up from the rear as she moved over to give the truck some space. We decided to cut the ride short and head back through the old part of town where there are restrictions on motorised vehicles. This new route involved a major left turn (driving is sort of on the right hand side of the road in Vietnam). This was a pretty major intersection so we gradually made our way to the centre of the road and stopped, waiting for a break in the oncoming traffic to make the turn. It was intimidating sitting in the middle of the road while trucks and thousands of motorcycles are going around you. So we finally get a break in the traffic and I start to turn only for some guy on a motorcycle behind to try and over take me on the side that I am turning to. Kelly got the view from behind and said she couldn’t believe I didn’t get taken out. I guess I was pretty oblivious but Kelly had had enough and it took a while for her to calm down after the ride.

At least the next part of Kel’s birthday went well with a massage back at the spa at our hotel a few early evening cocktails a beautiful dinner and some ice cream. It was a magical night with my magical wife. We missed the kids a lot by this time and wished they were there.

Our last days in Hoi An were spent much like the others, wandering the streets, going to the markets, grabbing something to eat, a few beers at fourty cents a pop and stopping by the hotel for a swim when we got hot. I did get Kelly on the bike again for a ride along the waterfront where there was virtually no traffic. This ride was a lot more fun, watching the fishing boats in the river as we rode.

The last story from Hoi An is much funnier when you hear Kelly tell it but I will give it a go. While we were walking around town Kelly noticed the local women wearing these shoes that she liked and had asked where she could get a pair. We were directed to a market that was not meant for tourists, it was where the local Vietnamese brought household cleaning items, bits and pieces for their businesses and also where they brought clothes. The place is packed and you are lucky to see more than five inches in front of you. Finally we find a stall selling these shoes. Kelly explains what she wants and in broken English the stall owner starts to ask Kelly what size she needs, by this time we are close enough to the stall that the women can see all of Kelly so she looks down at Kelly’s feet and begins to laugh out loudly and speaking in Vietnamese, while Kel had doesn't speak Vietnamese, it was pretty clear she was saying ‘’Ohhhh, you have HUGE feet” – it was very funny.

We both highly recommend Hoi An, we had a great time, ate so well and found it really interesting and beautiful. Having great weather the entire time also helped.