Hoi An and on to Hue

Day 10 - 12/10
Pouring with rain first thing but we awoke refreshed and had a good breakfast in the hotel restaurant - all included in the tariff. Had a discussion with the hotel front desk about our onward travel. They can book trains, cars etc. Eventually decided to travel from here to Hue (the old Imperial capital of Vietnam) by private car as by the time one added up the bus fare and taxis at each end, there was very little difference.
Then we walked into the Old Quarter which is only a 5 minute walk away and is a delightfully eclectic collection of original old buildings. Some predate the French period and others are noticeably French in style. Lots of trees in the streets - altogether most attractive and laid back. Very touristy of course and prices to match and all prices are quoted in USD here - not Dong! We have been admiring the traditional female attire of the Ao Dai. This is a long covering dress worn over traditional trousers and slit on both sides up to the waist. Very graceful and alluring. Jean decided she wanted one and she does not make decisions regarding her personal attire easily. So, we found a tailor who impressed us. There must be at least 50 tailors in our immediate vicinity all catering mainly to the tourists of course. She considered silk as opposed to cotton and while silk probably looks the most graceful, well cut good quality cotton will be much more wearable in the hot climates we are living in. So the Ao Dai plus trousers plus 2 dresses all came to USD115 - approx. NZD170. There is to be a fitting tomorrow and they should all be finished then. What a great service.
We had been recommended to 3 restaurants here by Gavin at Life's a Beach and so for lunch we went to The Chef. Great Vietnamese NON MSG food!!! Then for dinner we went to The Cargo Club right on the Hoi An River. We were on an upstairs balcony overlooking the river where lots of traditional Vietnamese bats are moored. Similar to those of Thailand but not as graceful to a nautical eye! All in all a lovely day wandering around a very attractive precinct. If you ever come to Vietnam there is no doubt that Hoi An is a must see.
Day 11 - 13/10
Jean has been having increasing trouble with her left leg. It appears to be a ligament problem but is getting worse. As a result we decided to cancel our planned trip from Hanoi to Sapa near the Chinese border. A pity but we felt the risk of being incapacitated as a result of too much walking was too great. So we will stay in Hanoi and explore as we can. Jim's knees aren't up to much either so, although disappointing, the Sapa cancellation is no doubt for the best.
Jean had a fitting for her clothes during the morning and the we went to the Rice Drum for lunch. There we came across a young NZ couple who had been staying at Life's a Beach. Such a small world. We walked both sides of the Hoi An River and admired the architecture - so full of character as most dates way back even before the French period. Then a final fitting and all was OK. We had another wonderful Vietnamese dinner and then back to the Travelodge for an early night ahead of our departure tomorrow.
Day 12 - 14/10
Another comfortable night and then breakfast which by Asian standards was very good. Eggs, sausages and bacon and plenty of fruit. Great. The breakfast room has large French doors opening onto the street and they are kept open - for ventilation and the street atmosphere with constant motorcycles hurtling past. Not really necessary for air conditioning here as the temperature is in the low 20's.
Our car arrived just after 10 and we left Hoi An with some regret. However, the car trip was great as we had asked to go over a pass over the hills just south and not through a long tunnel. However, before that we passed through Danang and had a close view of seemingly endless great beaches with good surf as we passed along. The development here is immense - we passed building after building in various stages of completion. Industrial parks, hotels and apartment buildings.
It has been suggested that the TPPA is primarily designed by the US to sideline China by encouraging manufacturing in Vietnam which is a signatory. When you see the Danang developments it certainly seems to be an achievable goal, although the downsides for NZ remain as concerning as ever. However, when you understand the endgame being pushed by the US, the energy that has gone into pushing the TPPA is not surprising.
And not far off this coast in the South China Sea are the Spratley Islands which China has illegally appropriated and on which they are building military bases. The US has declared that its naval ships and airforce will operate within 12 miles of the Spratleys as and when they wish and the Chinese have warned against military escalation. Amazing since they started it in the first place but it's another potential flashpoint. America and China certainly appear to be getting more and more aggressive with each other so where that will eventually leave NZ with its FTA with China and as a signatory of the TPPA is anyone's guess. The only certainty is that it won't be pretty.
We stopped at a factory where they make large scale statues and ornaments from solid marble. Reminded Jim of his experiences with importing items of Indian marble back in 2005. Very impressive lions and religious statues. Absolutely amazing. Pictures WILL come!!
Then over the hills just north of here and wonderful views of the coast and Danang in the distance. We stopped for a comfort stop and some delicious Hibiscus Tea. Met a Kiwi couple from Bucklands Beach!
Further north we were back down at sea level and lots of rivers and fresh water lagoons. Picturesque and some beautiful narrow houses in the most unlikely locations. Then we arrived in Hue - the ancient city of the Vietnamese kings. Not sure whether we will have time to visit the old palaces as we fly out to Hanoi tomorrow but we'll see.
We are at the Hotel Thanh Lich in a leafy part of the city. Quite pleasant but nondescript and it seems that we might be the only guests! Very few tourists around - unlike Hoi An. The hotel does not have a working restaurant, except for breakfast so we had lunch at the Park View Hotel just down the road. Not bad so we decided to return for dinner. Big mistake - the soup was ok but the mains were very substandard and it all cost over 700,000 Dong - NZD50. Very expensive for here so if you ever come to Hue, do not stay there!! Walked back to our hotel in pouring rain but fortunately we have good umbrellas!
Watching a very informative Japanese documentary on TV and then soon to bed.
More to come as always.
Cheers and love from us..........

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