Hoi An, Vietnam

The Ba Mu Temple Gate in Old Town

From the 16th to the 18th centuries, Hoi An has attracted many international traders because of it's location on the banks of the Thu Bon river, which flows into the East China Sea.  Back in the day the merchants from China, Japan, the Netherlands, France, Portugal and India would stop here to wait for the right wind directions before they departed for their next destination.  

Up and down the rivers edge are many traditional buildings and shops, most of them built about 200 years ago.  They are a mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese and colonial styles.  Today, instead of foreign traders, the city now welcomes tourists from all parts of the world.  

At night the city almost looks magical due to the use of colorful hand crafted lanterns made from cloth that are hung throughout the town.   

Most bridges that we have seen here have a lit archway.

I think of all the places we have visited in Southeast Asia, this city is the prettiest and has the most to offer.  Within walking distance of our house, we can go to the ocean in one direction...or the Old Town in the opposite direction.  The Old Town has wonderful shops, restaurants, and live music for you to enjoy.  Although you will see visitors there during the day, it really comes alive at night when the temperatures are much cooler.    

The Japanese Bridge in Old Town.

During the day the boats remain at their docks...but when the sun starts to set you can take a ride up and down the river for a small fee.  

Like Old Town, the ocean also offers a variety of restaurants, cocktails, and live music.  

A fishing boat docked on the beach.

It also happens to have one of our favorite coffee shops called The Sounds of Silence.  Lance read about it in the New York Times...which happens to be his favorite source for travel tips.  You can sit inside the shop or above...or...on the beach.

  

One day we decided to walk to the beach.  We woke up early to beat the heat and set off down the road.  On the way we passed several rice paddies, water buffalo, and many farmers headed to town on their bicycles or motorcycles with their crops to sell at the various vegetable markets in town.

When you travel you soon discover that some of the prettiest places in the city are owned by hotels. They often have beautiful landscaping and definitely stand out from the other buildings on the street.

During our stay in Hoi An, we have enjoyed two traditional shows.  Most recently we saw the Water Puppet Show.  Water Puppets are a Vietnam tradition that dates back to the 11th century.  It originates in the area of northern Vietnam.  The original puppet festivals were held in the flooded rice fields.  A pagoda was built in the fields and the puppeteers would stand in waist-deep water to perform the shows.  The puppets they used were made out of wood and then lacquered.  Bamboo rods and strings were used to control the puppets and the water would act as a stage for them.  Normally, a screen was used to hide the puppeteers.  Often a Vietnamese orchestra and/or singers would accompany the performance.  

The theme of the skits they performed told of the day-to-day life in rural Vietnam.  They would also act out Vietnamese folk tales that have been passed down from generation to generation.  The water puppet shows today use many of these same elements.  The show was both fascinating and delightful.      

The stage used for the Water Puppet show.  The area in front of the screen is filled with water.
The puppeteers are hiding behind the screen.

The picture above and below was taken from the internet.
The puppets are very similar to the ones we saw in the show.

The other performance we saw was a traveling show that is scheduled to perform in a number of different cities in Vietnam.  This show was a bit pricey be Vietnamese standards...but well worth the money.  The performers did amazing acrobatic stunts using simple props like bamboo poles and baskets.  No pictures were allowed during the performance, but there was a photo opportunity at the end of the show with the cast.  

The venue where the performance took place.

Two visitors posing with the cast of the show.

We are very grateful for all the help we have been given from these two travel agents located at the Prince Hotel located next to our yoga studio.  They helped us secure tickets for the show and train tickets for our trip to Hue.  The women are dressed in their traditional Vietnamese outfits.    

We also enjoyed an Eat With experience, which involved eating a typical Vietnamese lunch at someones home.  Buddha shrines, like the one you see in the background, are often found in the houses here.  

Below is a picture of our house looking out toward the front yard.  Most homes here have doors that open wide to let the cooler air in at night.  When you walk up and down the street you can easily peer inside and see the families eating dinner or watching TV.  Our next door neighbors do all their cooking and eating outside.  Lance and I stay close to the fans and air conditioning.  It's nice to get some fresh air, but opening your doors will sometimes invite critters such as lizards and toads inside.  We have found both in our home during our stay.