Today, like the past 10 days, was another beautiful day in central Vietnam. It was a bit cooler, though - only about 93 degrees. [The past few days, it's been over 100, and all we could do was go to the beach in the afternoons...] I visited some houses, meandered around, did some drawings, visited the most delightful used books shop [run by a jovial American expat named Randy and his black and white kitten], and had another fabulous meal at Mango Rooms [Vietnamese style breaded scallops in peppers and onions! duck breast in chocolate-chili sauce! homemade mango ice cream!]. I even managed to survive two divebomb attacks by cockroaches, the ever-present swarm of motorbikes, and the constant strains of "You buy something?" [Well, almost: purchased two Hoi An style lanterns on the way home from dinner...]
I will miss Vietnam, and Hoi An - this place is pretty special, especially in the evening, after dinner: it's the kind of place you walk to the river to see what other people are up to, you take some pictures, you buy a paper lantern with a candle in it and place it in the river and watch it drift downstream, you grudgingly accept, then come to sort of love, the kitschy side of the town - from the clay-whistle sellers to the giant lanterns [two 15' cats in a basket?!] in the river.
More to come, of course, but first, I'm headed to Malaysia: tomorrow night, I'll be in the shadow of the Petronas Towers. We'll see - I kind of like being in the shadow of palm trees and market-tarps.
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| Hoi An waterfront. |
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| In the Hoi An market. I'm pretty sure that when you order shrimp [or fish, or chicken, or greens, or whatever] in a restaurant, they just run here, pick up the shrimp, then fix 'em up for you. Delicious! |
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| Fishing net on the Hoi An River. |
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| I WILL follow a sign that looks like this, every time. On the way to Randy's Book Exchange, Cam Nam Island, Hoi An. |
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