Day 17, Hue -> Hoi An, Vietmnam: Woke early and repacked the bag, getting complicated with all the dirty laundry! It's raining, boo. Then breakfast, this time they had crepes on the buffet! I had mine with yogurt and jam. After breakfast we all piled into a van. 1 restroom stop at a resort where we got to stop and take pictures of the ocean with a short walk on the beach, it wasn't raining anymore but really, really gray. 6km tunnel was pretty neat, then a second, brief, stop at another beach in Dan Nang for another view point. Arrived in Hoi An at 12:20.
After checking in to the nice hotel with amazingly nice staff (we got a free glass of tea as a welcome drink) we all headed out to have lunch. I got a Hoi An Pancake (Banh xeo Hoi An) Rice flour pancake with shrimp, pork and bean sprout, Served with Fresh Herbs, Starfruit, Green bananas and peanut sauce. It was the smallest version of this dish I have ever had, but still very good flavor wise. The starfruit were green, so very tart, and I didn't like the green bananas at all, very tannic like banana peel. Ice Vietnamese tea to drink, pretty much tasted like slightly green tea flavored water, a bit odd.
After lunch J, D and I wandered through the markets looking at things. The shopkeepers here are crazy pushy. It gets really annoying. They will even follow you down the street trying to get you to buy stuff, and the manicure/pedicure/hair removal (with thread) ladies are even more annoying if it is possible since they follow you longer. If they weren't quite so off puttingly pushy I would probably GET a $1 mani or pedi, but just couldn't deal with them. After a while we worked out a (mostly effective) system where one person (who wasn't interested in the shop) asked to see a few things so the other two could browse a bit without stuff being shoved at them or annoying "you buy something please" or "make it my lucky day" or other variations. I swear those two phrases are all the English some of them know.
It started to rain in earnest so we headed back to the Hotel to dry off a bit and gather umbrellas and such, then Headed off for dinner. Place called the Mermaid cafe, very pretty and right on the river, but oh goodness pricey! We started with a drink (I got the "Miss Hoi An" Lemongrass, ginger, Mint, Kumquat, Sugar, Seven-up and Sugarcane rum) then Had dinner. I got the Chicken hot pot with mushrooms that was recommended. It was ok, but not much food and not all THAT tasty. The chicken was good but there were only about 6 small bites of it! (total for Drink and meal was $14). After dinner a few of us wandered out back to look at the river, which at high tide was over it's banks and spilling onto the street in places. Saw the line and date on the wall of the restaurant where it flooded this year in November, it was shoulder height. Came back in to the restaurant to a cake for Gary! (2 birthdays in a row!) this one was a sponge cake with huge whipped cream roses, very tasty, sorry I forgot to get a picture.
Afterwards J and D and I walked home and the boys went out to drink somewhere. I just can't deal with the smoking in bars (AND RESTAURANTS!!!) they do here, ugh.
This city is also known as the city of lanterns, they are everywhere and it's very beautiful at night. Small and walk-able though. My favorite in Vietnam so far other than the cigarette issue.
Day 18, Hoi An, Vietnam: Slept in till 8, hadn't been able to sleep the night before so I watched a silly movie. At 8 I got up and had breakfast by myself (first meal totally alone yet) and then after a rest went out to wander. Spent a bunch of time wandering through the market, bought few bits and pieces. Ordered and got measured for two custom made dresses. One in "silk" and one in cotton, similar styles.
Wandered back through the market for a while, randomly met some people from Portland who are at the beginning of a year long trip and struck up a conversation, then wandered with them for a while in and out of shops. We picked up lunch at a little stall in the market for 20,000D ($1). You get a plate with rice, then you point to what of the dishes you want some of and she piled it onto our plates. Pretty good but not my favorite so far. Came with corn? broth soup. ( i think it was the lack of freshness rather than anything else that was offputting, the stuff had been out on the plates for a wile and some tasted a bit off.
After lunch they wanted to buy coats so after wandering through a few (dozen) tailor shops, we found a place they liked and they proceeded to pick out fabrics, man that's an annoying task. Met another woman who was there ordering stuff and immediately hit it off. Traded info and arranged to meet her later for a drink after dinner, then we all split up to go our own ways. At this point it is very hot and humid, the sun is out again. I went back to the hotel to rest for a bit and take a shower to cool off. Went back out for my dress fitting at 6pm, had to take it a little in on the sides along my ribs, but pretty good.
Dinner at 7 with most of the group, Fantastic place, Miss Ly's, Had the tasting menu. White Rose (steamed shrimp in rice dumplings with garlic, lemon and chili), Cao Lau, (sliced roast pork, thick noodle, fresh greens and crouton) Fried Wonton (Sauteed meat, shrimp, tomato, onion and sauce) and Grilled Pork (rolled in rice paper with fresh herbs and peanuts) and a glass of iced Vietnamese tea (this time it appeared to be plain green tea). I loved the Wontons, the stuff was piled on top like nachos, and the White rose and pork rolls were fantastic. Wasn't that fond of the Cao Lau, the noodles were a weird flavor and it was a bit spicy for me.
After dinner I caught up with Julia (new friend) and had a beer and talked, and talked, and talked! :) We've decided to hang out together in Bangkok, she gets there the same day the tour ends and is there for 3 days. Closed out the little restaurant we were drinking at, then both went to our hotels to sleep.
Day 19, Hoi An, Vietnam: Another free day in this shopping mecca. (there are over 300 tailors here!) It was grey and threatening rain again so a few of us decided to go to a spa. They came and picked us up on motorbikes and drove us to the spa! I got a 70min "Vietnamese massage", 1/2 leg wax, and pedicure (with paraffin and a scrub and a masque?? for $34 us total. Probably a bit pricey but very good. the massage was ok, not great but not bad, Kind of like Swedish, but with more rubbing with the thumbs along the muscles, but the oil she used was lemongrass scented. My new absolutely fave massage oil scent. It was fantastic. After the massage she rubbed me with a ginger scrub, Supposed to be heating, just made me cold but it smelled good! The Pedicure was great and they even had OPI nail polishes. I got "red about the blues"?? which is a dark red. I am happy, my feet are nice and soft now!
After being returned to the hotel (in a taxi this time, it was raining again) I turned right around and ran out to meet Julia at one of her fittings. We wandered around for a little bit through the market then picked up lunch at a little place on the river with "fresh beer" which was really good. It's in a small (10oz?) mug and from a keg, local and tasty and 4,000dong each (20 cents) :D For lunch we got the tasting menu, White rose (dumplings) again, and grilled shrimp with sugarcane (chopped shrimp rolled around sugarcane then grilled, mmmm), and my main was Lemongrass and chili duck, and her's was lemongrass and ginger fish in banana leaf. Desert was Bananas, apples and pineapple. Very, very tasty though the duck and fish were a bit spicy for me, the flavors were amazing and the guy who works there (runs it?) is very nice.
After lunch we went to our various fittings/pick ups. I had the final for the dresses which fit nicley, and Julia for shoes she had made and pickup of her jackets. Then met back up, dropped off clothing at various hotels and decided to visit the cloth market then get another beer.
Oh I was bad. The cloth market is insanly beautiful full small shops, all full of every type of fabric in precarious stacks to the ceiling. Almost 30 meters later, I have so much silk in 2-3 Meter lengths. It's gonna be fun seeing what all gets made from it! Then back to the place from lunch, This time I just got the grilled shrimp with sugarcane and a beer. I also bought another wax jambu off a lady walking by with baskets, remembered to get a photo this time!
Julia had to leave at 7:30 to De Nang so we hung out and chatted until it was time to go meet her taxi. After which I headed back to the hotel, made sure the post office was going to be open early enough in the am to ship the fabric (they will come to the HOTEL!! Nifty) and repacking everything else back into the bag. Tried to watch a movie and gave it up as a lost cause. Actually went to sleep before D for the first time this trip. (Midnight)
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