Hoi An

Really enjoyed the few days we've spent in Hoi An, it's a beautiful city. Set on the river, the side streets are full of cafes, art galleries, museums and old houses...it definitely has a "French" feel to it. There's an interesting mixture of Japanese, Chinese, French and Vietnamese influence.





Hoi An is famous for its tailor shops - they are everywhere, very cheap, and you can get pretty much any clothes you want made up. They have international catalogues and magazines in each shop (I was searching through Next!)...so you pick something you like, choose the fabric (just have to make sure it's decent silk), get measurements taken, and about four hours later - Voila! you have a new wardrobe! Loads of fun, but it's dangerous and addictive... :)






The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so being true tourists we followed the Culture & Heritage trail around some of the historical buildings. The Japanese Covered Bridge was first constructed in 1593, but its been restored several times since then. I found the Cantonese Chinese Assembly Hall interesting, and Tan Ky Old House (built two centuries ago) has been well preserve with a mix of Japanese and Chinese architecture. The same family has lived in the house for seven generations!


We watched a short cultural performance at the handicraft workshop & museum which was really cool! The instruments were funky, and the costumes hilarious...really enjoyed it.
Patrick had actually kept in touch via e-mail with someone he met at this same place 3 years ago...and we met up with her and her husband (Chi & Quoc) for a meal at a great restaurant on the riverfront called Cafe Des Amis. Afterwards they introduced us to this random game being played nearby, called Bai Choi - seemed a bit like a form of bingo, but with singing involved. Anyway, PD did a great job as one of the referees - handing out yellow flags to those who's card came up :)