Author: thelasthurrahsite

I don’t think the lantern displays last night were in any way better than previous nights but nevertheless were enchanting

adding an almost mystical and ethereal feel to this old city. Being near the water adds to the charm of course – and the commercial enterprise.

The owner of this boat runs river tours by day and then turns his boat into a BBQ restaurant at night. Very ingenious.

It’s very much business as usual during the daytime when the market is, once again, in full swing

and the people and motorcycle traffic just as chaotic.

I couldn’t quite work out what was going on here but I think it was some sort of charity free for all for second hand clothes.

It’s difficult to imagine that these seemingly cheerful, charming and happy people were in the middle of a devastating conflict not that long ago – well, to me it seems quite recent anyway.  Depending on which report you read, it is estimated that upwards of 3 million Vietnamese died in the conflicts between 1955 (French war) and the mid 70s (USA/Vietnam war), up to 50% of these being civilians.  I have visited other countries (especially in South America) that have endured wars of ‘independence’ where monuments and statues celebrating great victories and struggles are everywhere.  But considering this area was in the middle of some of the worst fighting – and atrocities – there are few reminders here. One little collection box caught my eye though

lest we forget about the dreadful Agent Orange. It is estimated that around 20 million gallons of this highly poisonous and toxic herbicide and defoliant was sprayed on trees and crops by the Americans, destroying around 5 million acres of forest and many more millions of acres of crops. The idea was to give the Viet Cong enemy no hiding place and to effectively starve them into submission. This failed completely but did create a huge famine for a vast number of peaceful and law abiding locals plus a longer term legacy of cancer, leukaemia, deformed births and other diseases which has affected close to 4 million Vietnamese. How these people remain so outwardly happy after what was done to them, their parents and families is beyond me.

To ensure there is no smugness in thinking that we, the British, played no part in such inhuman acts it must be remembered that the Americans based some of the legality for using this method of ‘fighting’ on the fact that we British had used herbicides and defoliants successfully against the communist insurgents in Malaya in the 1950s (albeit with significantly fewer casualties). So, a precedent was set which made it alright then, didn’t it?! Man’s inhumanity to man never ceases to astound me

I have just collected my laundry from the charming lady across the street and her dog, Lucky

as it’s time to pack up again. Tomorrow I leave this lovely country with its smiling people,

 so outwardly tranquil

and yet inwardly industrious

and take a trip down memory lane to the Philippines where I used to do business in the Marcos and immediate post Marcos era. It was a pretty lawless country then. I wonder if anything has changed.

I will find out.

Phileas

Correction.  I wrote in an earlier blog that one of the many things I liked about Hoi An was that I had neither found a McDonalds  nor chips with everything. Happily I still believe there are no McD’s here but I did find some chips!

 

 

 

Friday lunchtime is clearly party time for the locals and karaoke is the preferred method of celebration! Outside the covered market it was business as usual

with a vast array of fresh foodstuff on offer.

The smell at the rear where fish cleaning was taking place was a little off putting though.

In the covered part, business had finished for the day and the celebrations were in full swing right in the middle of stalls with the remnants of old meat bones and fish on them. Bizarre.

One old dear, though, was more interested in just eating and seemed fascinated when I showed her the photo I had taken of her.

It was more or less the same story out on the streets where small groups of locals were eating, singing with lots of ‘cheers’ and ‘bottoms up’.

Away from the carnival atmosphere I passed by the iconic bridge built back in the 16^th century  by the Japanese and still very much in use today although mostly by tourists.

Close by there is one of the very few temples I have seen in this part of Vietnam,

this one being clearly of Chinese origin and/or influence.

The contrast between the relatively rural feel of the area around my hotel and the hustle and bustle of the old city is quite marked and it’s only a pleasant 10 minute walk away via a small road which the chickens definitely should not cross

but along which a few cows graze quite peacefully.

In fact, I’m going back to the old part tonight as I spotted a nice little restaurant I’m going to try

and I believe that on this particular day the night time lantern displays are even more spectacular than usual.

So, camera at the ready, I’m off.

Phileas

It really is quite interesting to see how people behave when they don’t have easy access to the internet. Lots of gnashing of teeth and loud wailing can be heard and the sight of  groups of people wandering around waving their phones  and tablets in the air trying to get a decent signal is really quite comical. For my part, I got lucky and sweet talked the hotel manager into lending me one of only his two mobile wifi kits for an hour or so a day. This should be enough to keep me going until normal service is resumed – probably when I get to Manila on Sunday. So, unlike others, I can be fairly relaxed about the situation and get on with my Phileas-ing!

It’s quite a while since I rode a bike and I had forgotten how uncomfortable riding can be when you are out of practice, especially on an old bone shaker.

Ironically, this machine was made by a Taiwanese maker in Vietnam who I bought from back in the day. Supposedly, it was built for comfort, not speed but I have to say I achieved neither. However, I did have a gentle trundle out of Hoi An where the growing of rice is, clearly, an important – albeit back breaking – industry.

A few weeks ago there were some terrible storms in this area with flooding. The aftermath on the beaches that I found was self evident.

I would have been really pi**ed off if I had chosen this location in which to stay! In fact, this entire coastline looked a little bleak,

 strewn with flotsam and jetsam from the recent bad weather. The young lady who sold me a cooling Sprite (it was 30+c) spoke a little English and explained how badly this had affected her soft drinks and sun lounger business,

many of the latter having been swept out to sea. In typical oriental style she was amazingly philosophical about her plight.

Further along the coast I came to An Bang beach which is full of simple beach restaurants

I was almost tempted to pop into Mr Hung’s eatery

but the thought of ‘Live seafood’ rather than ‘fresh seafood’ in another one rather put me off.

Although I was not overly impressed with this narrow strip of sand (rammed with sun loungers), I was intrigued by what I assume were some kind of fishing vessels.

Could these be the Vietnamese equivalent of the Welsh coracle?

Despite the hot weather, the sea looked quite uninviting and even dangerous as witnessed by the warning signs.

I didn’t stay around long enough, though,  to find out what happened to these brave (stupid?) souls.

With a slightly sore bottom I pedalled my way back to base and will probably revert to leg power only tomorrow.

It’s now time to give my wifi thingy back. Hopefully I will be able to borrow it again tomorrow.

Phileas

 

Somewhat surprisingly, the internet in this part of Vietnam is supplied by fibre optic  from Hong Kong. And some fish, mammal or Loch Ness Monster has eaten through the cable. So, whereas before I was happily getting an excellent download/upload speed, I am now getting almost zero. And I am reliably informed that the problem won’t be fixed until after I have moved on! So until then I will struggle, I guess, to receive/send emails, check and reconfirm flights etc make onward accommodation reservations and, most importantly, upload my daily blog with photos.

It is extraordinary how dependent we have become on the internet and how ‘lost’ we feel without it. Luckily for me I can recall a life before the worldwide web so I know I will survive but I suspect there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth by the younger generation who will undoubtedly feel that it’s the end of the world!

I’m not sure if this blog-ette will be uploaded and published but I will get back to normal asap.

Richard

Hoi An is famous for it’s hand made lanterns which  are on sale everywhere

also adorning shops and restaurants in the old city, looking especially magical along the riverside at night.

Apparently, once a year, (August I think) there is a Lantern Festival when the entire old town’s electricity is turned off at night and lit only by lanterns. It must be a stunning sight.

This old part of Hoi An is, not surprisingly, a Unesco Heritage site. I’m not sure what funding Unesco provides for such places but many of these beautiful old buildings are in desperate need of some TLC.

 

 Unfortunately, I suspect the income the local shopkeepers gain from tourism would not cover the cost of such work. In fact, from what I have seen, there are fewer tourists than there are tourist souvenir shops

and the many, many tailors

where you can have a suit made in 4 hours, apparently. I am sure they’re OK but I’m not tempted.

Despite all the crumbling buildings, this part of Hoi An is spectacular and in a way looks more authentic in its dubious state of repair.

This feeling of ‘authenticity’ is also helped by the number of older locals

who seem content just to go about their business as they have been doing for many a year. Or not, as the case may be.

Those who are still working have to take a rest from time to time

leaving the younger one’s to pose for a photo

which cost me a bunch of bananas!

I still haven’t found a laundry I will be happy with although there is a lot of choice.

I will most certainly give this one a Miss!

Phileas

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

What a beautiful but sad day. Beautiful because the weather was perfect.

Sad because I said goodbye to Bobs

at the start of her long trip back to UK and with her first exam on Friday. It’s been great having her with me. We’ve had a lovely time together but now I am back to solo travelling again.

On returning to the hotel, it was still hot and sunny so I took a stroll along the beach (north this time) where not only were people of all ages  exercising

 

but also a young man was practicing his bartending skills

whilst others were involved in  very serious card games

and someone who hadn’t been told it was raining was taking a stroll along the water’s edge.

Before returning to the hotel, I had to pick up some laundry from a scruffy little outlet tucked away in the back streets. But, could I find it again? Well, not initially as I passed the strange looking tower on the sea front which has been described as a cross between a lotus and a rocket

meandered through the market stalls

and some narrow alleys

where drying washing gave me a clue I was close. £1.40 for 8 items washed – but not ironed, I’m afraid. Not their fault though as I just said ‘laundry, please’, not ‘laundry and iron, please’. Silly me.

It always amazes me what a difference a bit of sunshine makes. I wasn’t too sure about Nha Trang at first but ever since the sun has shone it has grown on me.

Having said that, I’m not sure I will rush to return as, apart from anything else (Boom, boom music, direct flights from both Russia and China!), it’s in the wrong place!. Being on the east coast of Vietnam, the sun goes off much of the beach early to mid afternoon. And for a serious sun worshipper, that’s a problem.

Tomorrow I am up early doors and off north to Hoi An – another new destination for me – where I will be ensconced in my new dwelling well before Bobs arrives in UK, poor thing.

Phileas

The street party ended quite early last night. I suspect the rain damped spirits just a little. Or maybe it was the traffic beginning to back up due to the main road closure.

Either way, sleep was undisturbed until 0530 when I was woken to the boom, boom bass sound of ‘music’. So intrusive was the noise that I had to look out of the window just to check the street party hadn’t started again. It hadn’t but somewhat unbelievably, a zumba class was taking place directly opposite our hotel

and it was only just getting light. By the number of motorcycles parked close by I assume that this was an exercise stop off on the way to work. All vary laudable I’m sure but couldn’t they have done it somewhere else?

The class finished just after 0600 and off they went to work. After that, I couldn’t go back to sleep so had the rare treat of seeing the sunrise.

although full cloud cover soon followed.

The only benefit of the continuing inclement weather is that Bobs really has cracked on with her revision. She is so focused and determined that I know she will do well in whatever career she choses. I am so proud of her. But all work and no play etc etc, so I managed to prise here away from her studies for a while to take a leisurely stroll by the beach

and go through the motions of taking some more strenuous exercise. It didn’t last!

Then, as if in answer to my prayers, the sun came out so we flopped on the beach for a while

and Bobs even had a swim

before going off for yet more revising.

All good things come to an end eventually. So, around lunchtime tomorrow Bobs starts her long journey back home. However, if the sun shines again in the morning we may well be able to catch a few more rays before she goes.

Fingers crossed.

Richard

Is there anywhere in the world that has some hot sunshine?

Admittedly, it’s warm enough here but that’s all I can say. I feel sorry for Bobs who really was looking forward to having a bit of a roast in between her revision. As it is, we’ve had to be content with entertaining ourselves in other ways.

So we dropped by a shop selling silk tapestry ‘paintings’ and watched a lady at work making one. It must be really hard, concentrated and time consuming but the results are spectacular.

I have to say though that Nha Trang is a bit light on cultural activities. It’s not exactly Vietnam’s Benidorm but it’s not that far removed.

Lots of karaoke lounges, restaurants, not too sophisticated bars

with just the occasional more traditional retail outlet

plus, of course, the inevitable construction activity. As soon as I’d taken this photo, a policeman told me ‘no photos’. So I’m not sure of the significance of ‘Tropical Fruit’!

And when it’s time for a break ? Well, you just sit down in the road, don’t you!

Close by our hotel a large stage has been constructed where, earlier, a group of young kids were happily singing and waving along to some well known pop/Coke song (not ‘I’d like to teach the world to sing’ but the other one).

And now, chairs are being put out (in the rain, of course) so we may be in for a bit of a concert later. Let’s just hope all the electrics are well insulated!

Tomorrow is Bobs’ last full day so I just hope and pray that the weather picks up a bit.

Phileas

According to the Katie Melua song there are 9 million bicycles in Beijing. Possibly but did you know there are 8.5 million motorcycles in Ho Chi Minh city? And I think they were all out on the streets last night when we embarked on our Food Tour.

Our guides/drivers told us there are really no rules of the road in HCM  except ‘just go for it’ and I can believe it. It was pandemonium. How there aren’t more accidents is beyond me. Somehow, though, our skilful drivers managed to duck and weave through the seemingly endless cobweb of traffic and get us safely to our different eating locations.

Not only did our guides negotiate the chaotic traffic safely they also gave us running commentaries about the sights and sounds of HCM at the same time. Incredible!

A soothing beer at the first stop calmed any driving nerves we might have had so by the time we hurtled down some of the narrow alley streets, – and I mean really narrow- I was in a very relaxed state and able to enjoy the gorgeous aroma of flowers down one particular street.

It certainly made a change from the smell of carbon monoxide fumes.

Our penultimate stop was for crepes (with delicious fillings, of course) where Bobs tried her hand at cooking.

and at the end of the tour our guides asked us to name our favourite dish of the evening. A very difficult choice as even the most obscure sounding platters tasted superb. I opted for the clams

and Bobs for the duck salad.

There was only one thing on offer that we couldn’t face – 10 day old duck foetus!

Yuk!

Overall though, a totally memorable and exhilarating evening., brilliantly organised and executed. It should be a ‘must do’ on anyone’s itinerary who visits this extraordinary city.

private-food-tour-4-1-2017

The security checking at the airport this morning took longer than the flight itself – a 50 minute hop to the resort of Nha Trang on Vietnam’s east coast. The 7 km long beach reminds me a little of Copacabana (only a little name drop!) but without, I suspect, the sophistication.

Although we have done no exploring so far, I was just a little concerned to discover there are direct flights from Moscow here! So I wouldn’t be surprised to find this place caters for a different section of society than what I have been use to. Anyway, I’m sure it will be fine and if ever the sun shines it could be perfect.

Phileas