Hue and Hoi An - Part 2

Hoi An
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Note to readers: I posted these blogs about Hue and Hoi An at the same time. Sorry for the delay, we have had limited internet access. Start with the one below about Hue, then move on to this one!
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We drove from Hue to Hoi An, crossing the mountains at Hai Van Pass – literally translated Pass of the Ocean Clouds. The road is the Vietnamese Route 1 – interestingly, the same as the other side of the Pacific along the California coastline. The road winds along the coast, through rice patties with views of the ocean and little fishing villages beyond. You pass the little town of Lang Co, where we stopped for a break and took pictures of the aquariums of fresh seafood where you can pick and eat! They have prawns here that are as long as from my hand to my elbow! Past Lang Co, we headed up the pass across the mountains. The road is lush and pretty, with greenery growing everywhere – very tropical. For those of you wondering, I did great despite my tendency towards carsickness, probably because you only drive about 20 mph max and because my Mom and Leigh B. have been praying for my tummy! J Seriously, the road is lovely and in good condition, although it is very steep (8% grade) and filled with switchbacks and hairpin curves. We enjoyed the drive during the day, but I kept thinking how scary it must’ve been for the U.S. military that defended it during the War – literally, every turn was a spot for ambush from the Viet Kong. Even today, it’s probably pretty hairy when it’s wet, as indicated by the number of altars along the way built to the god of not dying in a car crash!
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After the pass, we reached Danang – today a bustling industrial town and major seaport, during the War a large base for US operations and the well-known China Beach. If Hue is a picture of Vietnam’s past, Danang may be its future – tons of industrial factories making everything from LG washing machines to Crocs shoes. The beach is also a skyline of tower cranes right now, building resorts as far as you can see. Some of the travel magazines call Danang “the next Hawaii” and I understand why, because there are high-rise beachfront resorts and condos, as well as ultra-luxurious spa-type lush resorts being built everywhere. Twenty years ago, the land along the beachfront from Danang to Hoi An (about 20 miles) was so worthless that it was only used as cemeteries – nothing grew and everything flooded there. Now, it’s a tourism goldmine!
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There’s good reason for all the building, because the beach is gorgeous. It reminded Bill & me of the Florida panhandle – wide, white beaches, blue ocean with low surf great for swimming, jet-skiing and fishing. It is even better here, though, because there are mountain views as well. Amazingly pretty!
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Hoi An is charming. The people here are craftsmen – very talented at all sorts of handcrafts. We stopped at a marble factory, where they carve ornate marble and jade sculptures. We toured a ceramics village, where clay is still mixed by feet (stomping to soften and mix it, sort of like old-time wine production) and then pottery is formed and fired. Very pretty people, but very, very poor – the mechanized production of dishes and steel cookware has left them almost penniless, and it shows. A highlight for us was to stop at a silk factory, where we toured to see all the way from the silkworms through the production of the silk, the huge rooms of looms, and then the finished fabric. We splurged on some handmade, custom clothing there – Bill bought silk shirts and had a suit and a blazer made, I had two silk blouses and two skirts made. (The highest-quality, hand-made, silk blouse with gorgeous embroidery cost me $30 – what a deal!)
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Hoi An was an ancient seaport, and it feels like a melting pot here. We walked the town (no cars allowed in town) and saw a Japanese-style covered bridge, a Chinese clan meeting house, and a 400-year-old typical Hoi An Vietnamese home. Really neat! Just like in most of Vietnam, the front of each house is a shop or restaurant, selling anything from handmade jewelry to clothes to paintings. The back of the house and the second story are where the family lives. Most Vietnamese still sleep on a bamboo mat, although many put the mat on a solid wood bed frame now instead of on the ground – still not our cushy American beds! Most Vietnamese also still cook behind their homes unless it rains, often on a wood-fired small stove. Propane is available, but is still pretty expensive, so they try to save money and cook over wood fire instead.
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Even though the cooking is simple, the food is incredible – really the best we’ve had so far in Vietnam. Hoi An specializes in rice vermicelli noodles, often served stir-fried with a sauce of peanuts, lime juice, chilies, and soy sauce. They’re topped with pork or shrimp, bamboo sprouts, and lots of mint and cilantro. Tasty! My favorite here is the wontons – a large wonton (like 4-inches square) deep fried crispy and served with diced vegetables on top. So good! Will would love it here because they always serve the fried wontons with the meals – he calls them “Chinese Chips” when we order take-out at home, and they are his favorite part of the meal! The first night, we had dinner at a lovely restaurant on their outdoor patio under a bamboo-thatched roof. A few minutes into dinner, a huge thunderstorm came up, but we stayed totally dry, enjoying our dinner while listening to the rain on the roof and enjoying the coolness the rain brings – really a wonderful evening!
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We also went for a walk on the beach, Bill swam in the ocean just to say he’d done the beach on both sides of the Pacific, I sat under a bamboo-thatched umbrella and sipped fruit juice – all included with our hotel room! Like I said, it’s the next Hawaii! :) I can’t even begin to describe how beautiful the flowers are on our hotel grounds, so I’ll post pictures instead. Let’s just say, there are so many flowers here and they put them everywhere – on the bed, on the bathroom counter, even in the toilets! :)
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Later today, we will drive back to Danang and fly to Saigon. We will tour there for a couple of days, and then meet up with our Dillon group to go see David! :) We had a special surprise, as many of the Dillon families received their travel approvals this week, including our dear friends from OKC, Mai & Chad. They are meeting us Monday in Saigon, and we are thrilled! :) Their son is in Can Tho, where we will spend our nights, across the Mekong River from where David is in Vinh Long. My heart already races at the idea that we are maybe 4-5 days from meeting him for the first time!
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Off to catch our flight to Saigon! More to come soon!