Old Houses of Hoi An

This morning I visited 5 historic sites in Hoi An Ancient Town. One is a family tomb for worshipping ancestors, the others are traditional homes, some 200 years old. The guides at each house profess to be part of the family that has lived in the house for 6 or even 8 generations. The families still live in these houses but conservation and restoration work is supported by the Government. Architecturally they manage to be both beautiful and functional with a balance seldom achieved in our modern buildings. Flood marks on the walls of those closest to the river show that there have been 3 metre floods, but it is more common that each year there is up to one metre of water in the lower areas. I saw trapdoors and pulley systems, for pulling the furniture and possessions up to the loft at these times.

The ticket for five historic sites says "Please dress decently, Sleeveless blouse, drawers and over the knee skirts or dress are not welcome inside the show places."

Lucky I wasn't wearing my over-the-knee drawers today.

After two visits I stopped for coffee and croissant. After the fifth I had steamed seafood spring rolls. The boy on his bike going around the cafes selling the English-language daily newspaper says "hello again". And again...

As I sit here in the foyer of the hotel, sweat is running off me - well maybe you didn't need to know that but I share it for atmospheric purposes. The middle of the day is resting time, shops close their doors and the kids are back from morning school (two shifts per day).

One small treasure - Yes, this is a communist country but I didn't realise there was a curfew. Last night at about 11.00 pm there was a vehicle going down the street with a megaphone, and a tinny official voice intoning "Off de-lay-aits. Off de-lay-aits." It took me a little time to realise the message was to turn off the lights. Had my light been on I'd have offed it immediately.

Every corner has the motorbike drivers calling Hello, madame, you take motorbike. I was rather insulted by one this afternoon who added, We go very slow madame.

Someone called today "Motorbike Madame? We go Easy Rider. Very good enjoy Viet Nam easy rider!" Exactly, but not for me thanks.

Thien Thanh Hotel

In Hoi An I am staying at the Thien Thanh Hotel. The name means Blue something - Blue butterfly or blue sky, I can't remember. Anyway I love it here! There are rooms at the back with balcomies overlooking a field of water-cabbage, but I have a room overlooking the street. Double-glazing is very effective. The room is lovely, simple and stylish - there are fresh flowers on the bed each day and the wall-hangings are ethnic embroideries.

The buffet breakfast is served on a deck over that paddy field thingy. This morning there was a woman in a conical limpet hat wading through the greenery with a basket picking leaves. All that is missing is the water-buffalo, maybe he'll be there tomorrow.

There is a small swimming pool and a restaurant. There are internal atrium spaces with hanging plants and to get to the back deck you walk over a little bridge, and there are golden carp swimming in the pond. Which must be why there doesn't seem to be a mosquito problem.

Pictures to come I hope - I need somewhere I can upload photos from my camera.

Joy of foot massage

I'm walking on air! A one-hour foot reflexology session at the Hoi An Day Spa. Somehow I find I'm booked in for a manicure/pedicure and facial tomorrow. It must have gone to my head. Or something. And jsut as well I was walking on air, because a big rat came straight towards me on the road when I was walking home. Cruised on by, that rat.

I had a late lunch/early dinner at Cafe 96 on the waterfront. Vietnamese tea and
Cao Lau - noodles with pork slices (only I had the tofu version), bean sprouts and herbs, one of which is a Vietnamese basil and also something like watercress. The vegetables in Hoi An are said to be the tastiest in all Viet Nam due to a more pure environment.

Hue

It is taking me some time to get used to this. Yesterday I had a guide for the day, and at the end I gave him a tip. Working it out later I had given him less than $1. Is it more insulting to not tip at all or to do it badly? I have no idea.

The pace in Hue is far more relaxed. It is a place I would be happy to see on a hired bicycle but on this visit I am travelling in an airconditioned car with a guide. I got a 6.30 am flight from Ha Noi and the guide was waiting at the airport with a sign. The agency had booked me into the Ngoc Huong Hotel - probably my last experience of the 3-star level of accommodation, I prefer the laid-back feeling of the budget place I was at in Ha Noi, and of course I'd be happy with 5 star. When I am reborn as the wife of a wealthy expat, that is.

So today's mission was to have rice noodle soup for breakfast. I have to admit I also had plenty of baguette with pineapple jam, so perhaps it was a very small step.

In Hue the deal is, a trip on the Perfume River by dragon boat, a tour of the Imperial Palace where the Emporers lived and ruled throughout the eighteenth century, a visit to a Buddhist monastery and some tombs. Oh, and a walk through the busy market - quite good to have a guide for that. My guide has a degree in tourism from the University here in Hue. Later today we drive to Marble Mountain, and over the pass to Hoi An, stopping in Da Nang for some more sightseeing.

There is a gallery and workshop over the road where beautiful young girls in colourful Ao Dai sit in breezy comfort painstakingly embroidering the finest and most beautiful paintings. I can't help but think that the girls are only the front-line of these delicate and intricate productions. You can see some here http://vietnam.panpages.com/shopping/embroidery-design-punching/

Business/lifestyle idea

I have this fabulous idea. I think what Hong Kong needs is a specialist yarn and wool shop. It could be a destination shop with classes and drop-in knitting and weaving sessions and could host visiting craftspeople. I'd call it Shrek-O of course.

Happy shopper

Second day in Hong Hong. I went shopping with the intention of buying a more serious camera. On the basis of research I had decided to buy a Nikon P7000, but once I had one in my hands all I could think about was the review by a professional photographer who said he had needed to read the manual 3 times. Heavier than I expected, with buttons and switches for Africa, I admit it made feel daunted.

I was lucky enough to get someone who spoke good English in a local shop here in Tsuen Wan. "You need this one" he said immediately. It didn't take him long to change my mind. Do I look that stupid? So amyway, the camera I have ended up with is a Canon Powershot S95. It was a good price to start with and they threw in an 8Gb card, a case, tripod, spare battery, and USB card reader. It is small and unobtrusive and is getting a good workout. I spent the rest of the morning wandering through the market streets until the Sunday crowds and the heat got too much.

Off to test out the night-time features of the new camera now.

Dixie Lounge

Resting up, by the lake in Rotorua.

I have been listening to talking books while knitting. Latest 'listen' is Black Swan Green by David Mitchell. I think he is wonderful. The reader on this one is an adolescent boy, fitting for this semi-autobiographical coming-of-age vignette set in Thatcher's England.

I could have called this post Black Swan Blue, but that doesn't work quite so well. Nice conjunction anyway.