Especially when he’s dead! Crocodile meat does seem to be an important source of food in Nha Trang
so I thought I’d better try some before I left. I don’t plan on repeating the experience. It’s very chewy and, frankly, didn’t have much taste. But at least I tried.
It was a glorious day when I took off from Nah Trang airport but by the time we landed in Da Nang (the closest airport to Hoi An) less than 1 hour later, it was, of course, chucking it down. This did raise the questions as to why ever I had chosen to visit this place but this was quickly dismissed as I got closer to the city when the sun shone again, albeit intermittently.
Back in the day, Hoi An was a very important trading town and the legacy lives on as, thankfully, there appears to have been little or no bulldozing of the old and concreting in with the new. The old town is just a rich mass of Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and even French colonial architecture stretching back to the 15th century and beyond.
Whatever tourism there is here is is very low key and, unlike in Nha Trang, in no way masks what is, clearly a stunning town. I have seen no tour buses. no MacDonalds nor, so far, any restaurants offering chips with everything! This place epitomises my idea of the real Vietnam. There is a sense of history here which was so obviously lacking in the beach resort of Nah Trang.
A leisurely stroll along the river front (or it may be a canal) I was able to watch a fisherman laying out his line,
a fishing boat being repaired,
one that probably needed to be
and a dear old lady making some tea.
Just behind the main streets it’s a bit of a mess
but somehow this adds to the natural authenticity of the place. And I don’t have to go far to find a laundry
as long as they do ironing as well.
Apparently, there is a beach somewhere near here which I may inspect at a later date. But for now, there is a lot more exploring to be done in the city and the immediate surrounding area some of which I may do by bicycle which seems to be the preferred method of sightseeing for a lot of people. It could be fun.
Phileas
thelasthurrahsite 