Indochina with Selective Asia - Chapter 3: Hue and Hoi An
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The Vespas and the Lanterns
Our second night in Hue was amongst the most enjoyable we
had spent in Asia. We were picked up from our hotel by two drivers with Vespas
and taken on a food safari. Riding pillion on a scooter in Vietnam is an
experience in itself but by now we were used to the ‘road etiquette’ (such as
it was). So we relaxed and let our drivers guide us through the city lights. Chaperoned
by our guide Tu, we stopped first at a family home for courses one and two. It
was lovely to see this family’s home and interesting to chat about each other's
lives and children. We learned how the food was prepared and saw it ‘on the
stove’ and then tucked in to the delicious fare. A sociable glass of rice wine
later, and knowledge of how to say cheers in Vietnamese (Yo), then it was time
to thank our hosts and bid them farewell before moving on to our second venue. A
local restaurant owner hosted us at his own home/restaurant and let us get ‘hands
on’ preparing the next course. To be fair, I'm not sure if he was entertaining
us or me him with my ineptitude at folding banana leaves into food parcels
(that were later streamed). Much laughter, good food (including eating our own
creations) and a local beer, then it was ‘on your bike’ to venue 3. A favourite
pancake house packed with locals (always a good sign) provided the next course,
fortunately without my help in the preparation process.
Our final stop was at
the local apothecary for ‘medicine’. We learnt that 29 ingredients go into
making the herbal wine that, taken after meals, will help with digestion and
pretty much any other ailment known to man. One thing is for sure, having
enjoyed some and the owners delightful company, we felt no pain. What an
amazing evening out.
Home at Hue was the Pilgrimage Village where they treated us
to a magnificent upgrade to the Honeymoon Suite. A huge bungalow with secluded
private pool; we were a little sad that we hadn't added a day in our itinerary
to simply enjoy the facilities. More like a woodland retreat than a hotel, the
staff were wonderfully attentive and we'd love to return here.
It was time to move on from Hue and we headed for Hoi An via
the picturesque Hai Van (Ocean Cloud) Pass. We also stopped off for lunch in Danang
and visited the Cham Sculpture museum, with over 300 artefacts dating from the
5th to 15th centuries. I worked off a bit of my lunch by climbing the many
steps up to the Ong Chon gate (pockmarked with bullet holes) and the Buddhist
shrines atop the Marble Mountain.
Our upgrade luck continued when we arrived at the Boutique
Hoi An Resort and we were treated to a spacious sea view room, just steps from
the lovely pool and sandy beach (should have done the lottery this week). The
hotel runs a free shuttle bus to the historic old town, which is listed by
UNESCO. Apart from having more tailors than you can shake a stick at, the
historic buildings and the Thu Bon river make it a lovely place to stroll
around and take in the sights. Preserved to a certain extent when the river
silted up in the 19th century and its property faltered, its reinvention as a
tourist spot has made it one of the wealthiest towns in Vietnam. To get the
most out of a visit you need to purchase a ticket that gives you access to the
old town and five of the buildings (relatively cheap and helps fund
preservation). We attended a great traditional musical/art performance at the
Xu Dang Trong (fortunately there was an English speaking compere to tell us
what we were seeing) including a game of Vietnamese Bingo (I kid you not).
The
Assembly Hall of the Fujian Chinese Congregation was also an impressive place
to visit. A riot of colours and dragons, this is now a temple to worship Thien
Hau. Just as we were exploring the market, the heavens opened and we took
shelter in a nearby coffee house. It was marvellous to watch the magical
production of plastic from every nook and cranny to cover both goods and
humans, but we particularly loved the huge ponchos to cover both scooter and
rider. Also getting quite used to paying £2 for a coffee and a large fruit
juice, Costa is going to seem really expensive when we get home.
It’s at night though that Hoi An really comes to life and
explodes in a kaleidoscope of colours. The beauty of the town goes up a
hundredfold as lanterns of all shapes and sizes come alight on streets, shops,
taverns and stalls. The colours reflect on the gently flowing waters of the
river, further enhanced by floating lanterns bobbing along. Brides and grooms,
with their entourage of lighting and cameramen, taking advantage of this
photogenic backdrop for their wedding album and there’s a gentle party
atmosphere in the air. With reluctance, after admiring the illuminated
sculpture park beside the river, it was time to get some rest in preparation
for an early flight to Ho Chi Minh City the next day.
Silver Travel Advisor recommends Selective Asia
- Indochina with Selective Asia - Chapter 1: Hanoi
- Indochina with Selective Asia - Chapter 2: Halong Bay and Hue
- Indochina with Selective Asia - Chapter 4: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
- Indochina with Selective Asia - Chapter 5: Mekong Delta
- Indochina with Selective Asia - Chapter 6: Phnom Penh
- Indochina with Selective Asia - Chapter 7: Siem Reap
- Indochina with Selective Asia - Chapter 8: Luang Prebang
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