We LOVE it here.

Need a Ride?

Marc the friendly helper

Hoi An is a little town is full of western travelers and there are a ton of fun things to do.

Vietnamese Food is YUMMY

View From Hoi An Lighthouse Restaurant

What is the most popular industry here is getting clothes custom made. Store after store–you walk in, choose or create a design and fabric and a few hours later you are having your first fitting.

Yally Taylor

Fabric Selection

We went to Yally which is the oldest and biggest store. Everyone was getting suits made.

Since I am always in need of work clothes, I thought that I would be practical, so obviously the first thing I had made was a tangerine orange full length evening gown. Then I said–self–stay focused. Work clothes. So that led me to a red, short strapless number. OK–get to it. Office. Office. Office. How about a hot pink and black low cut kimono dress? Finally Marc intervened and I got a long black dress with sleeves which I can wear to work–but also to the Spoke Club.

I have never been a fan of getting things made–but this experience was very pleasant. All of the fabric were there, the first fitting was done in a few hours and you could either describe what you wanted or flip through the many books available with western magazine and catalog pictures organized into women’s dresses or men’s pants etc. Stores like this would put the bridesmaid dresses out of business.

Marc and I decided to go to another cooking class considering the fun and good food we had at the last one. We had a guided tour through a market, then took a boat ride to the cooking school/restaurant which we were surprised to see how posh it was. We had a fun time and a delicious meal. We will probably not recreate anything we had–except perhaps for the hot pot of veggies. It was a great time.

Cooking School

Yes, That’s Us

The weather here is like nothing I have known. there has been one serious down pore per day. Of course the sun comes out minutes later, but then starts to rain again. Buckets.

Known and Exotic Food

Hoi An Food Market

Since we had such a fantastic time on our bike ride in china, we thought–why don’t we do it again? I had actually said that I loved riding bikes in China so much that I wanted to do a bike tour in every country we visit. So, after a day of serious down pores it finally stomped at 2pm and at 3pm we met up with a few more brave souls and went to meet our guides for a local bike tour. What do you mean no helmets? None to pleased about that. There were men’s bikes that were mountain bikes, but I went for the bike with the fun basket on the front and the bald tires. Off we went.

Ready for Bike Ride

Typical Rice Paddies

Walking down sidewalks has been a bit unsettling due to the traffic and chaos (Vietnamese use the side walk as an extension of their homes–on a side walk you will find everything from cooking and cleaning to parked motorbikes and manicures), but joining the ranks of cars and motorbikes was crazy. Finally we were out of the traffic and enjoying the Vietnamese countryside. Then our guide turns off the road into a rice paddy. There is water on either side and a narrow muddy path, covered in straw that we started to ride over. We stopped shortly into the ride for a photo shoot and to drag our bikes which kept getting stuck. We asked why the locals were whacking the water. Snakes. So after a few great pictures, off we went. My bike was constantly stuck and I decided that the most efficient way to get out of the rice paddy would be to walk my bike. As I was walking, my feet were totally submerged in the muddy path and my flip flops kept getting stuck. Finally–the end of the paddy path. Relief. I remount my bike and next thing I know we are riding into another rice paddy route–there is a maze of paths, full of sharp turns, puddles and debris. I come around a corner, (SHARP turn I might add), get over taken by a motorcycle which rattles me and I see a big muddy hole and a small piece of a two by four. I panic. Am I supposed to ride over the two by four? Go around it? Shit Shit Shit. Avoid it. Ride to the left of the wood, not that much to the left–oh no! I am sailing down the steep rice paddy bank–into the drink. Yes, Kitty was totally submerged in a Vietnamese rice paddy. Our new camera! That too was totally submerged. I am in the paddy, tangled up with my bike and looking for my flip flop which has come off my foot. I get pulled out and my ribs are killing me. Actually my entire right side is killing me, but I am not broken, and not bleeding. Pheeeew. My right calf has a bruise developing the size of a grapefruit. A motorbike came to get me and takes me back to the hotel. Marc finishes the bike ride and is questioning the safety as there are no helmets and it is dark by the time he gets back. Riding in Vietnamese traffic with no helmet and no lights? Anyhow, thankfully he made it back in one piece and I can officially say that I fell into a rice paddy. I am in an elite group.

Minutes Before the Crash

On the Rice Paddy

Note: One of our fellow travelers took photos after the fall. We will post them when we get them ;-)

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