Hoi An - Vietnam's Most Atmospheric Town

Nov 29-Dec 2, 2013: It took quite a while for the bus to leave Hue, as there were more passengers than seats, but eventually it got sorted out! It took 4 hours to do the 139km to Hoi An at the usual average of 40km per hour!

Hoi An translates as 'peaceful meeting place', and used to be one of Southeast Asia's major international ports thriving from the trades. Luckily the river silted up in the late 19th century, so no ships can dock here anymore. Otherwise, it would have been a totally different place today.

We stayed 4km outside of town close to the beach, but unfortunately the weather wasn't with us, so we didn't go for a swim.

The Vietnamese basket boats were, for many years, the most common fishing boats, even though they seem too small to fare the waters.

They are circular and light, which make them convenient to move to and from the water. The frame is made from bamboo, and then it is slathered in water buffalo dung. Yes, you read right: they boat is covered in poop. Once it has dried, two layers of waterproof chemicals are added keeping the manure in, and the bamboo dry. A well-made basket boat can last up to a decade. A figure eight rowing motion moves the boat forward.

We rented bicycles at the Homestay, and biked into Hoi An. 

By Unesco decree, more than 800 historical buildings have been preserved, so most of the Old Town looks as it did several centuries ago. There are Japanese merchant houses, Chinese temples and ancient tea warehouses.

When we were volunteering in France, our host, Kiet, asked if we would deliver some photos and a letter to two aunts, who were living in Hoi An. Kiet and Sandra visited them 5 years ago when Dalai was a baby, but they didn't know if the ladies were still alive or living there. So we went on a mission to find the house, which we had a picture of for guidance.

Mission accomplished. 

The ladies were alive and well, very surprised to receive the letter and photos, and couldn't stop laughing.

Their house was close to the Japanese Bridge, which was first constructed in 1590 to link the Japanese community with the Chinese quarters across the stream.

There is a small temple on the bridge, and according to the legend, there once lived an enormous monster called Cu, which had its head in India, its tail in Japan and its body in Vietnam. Whenever the monster moved, terrible disasters befell Vietnam. The bridge was built on the monster's weakest point and killed it, but the poeple of Hoi An took pity and built this temple to pray for its soul.

There are houndreds of tailors, and they all seem to be doing well.

 

You can also buy fowl art - made of fowl feathers....

bamboo root art...

or have a massage by a blind person whom often has a greater awareness of feeling and touch. We did, and it was the best massage we had ever had.

We did a nice bike ride along the river out of town to a small fishing village.

There was also time to relax.... for $0.25 a glass.....

Our host at the Homestay offered to cook a meal for us the last night we stayed there, and that was a real treat.

We really enjoyed Hoi An. It was an easygoing town, and there was hardly any traffic or polution. Now, on to the coastal town of Mui Ne.