Hoi An

The bus to Hoi An was much more comfortable, as it was only a 4 hour trip. The only thing I didn't like was that they dropped us off at a specific hotel they had a contract with, instead of at a nice central location in town. I'm staying at the Greenfield Hotel, the most expensive place yet in Vietnam ($8), although they do have a very nice swimming pool. Hoi An is a beautiful old historic city that is largely intact because both sides during the Vietnam War agreed not to bomb it. There are several old temples, a historic Japanese bridge, and tailor shops EVERYWHERE!! I hate shopping for clothes, but I have seen many many tourists walking around in their new creations. Actually, I am having a custom pair of blue jeans made, since it will be chilly in New Zealand when I get there. I also decided to buy a pair of suede sneakers in purple, black, and blue. They are either going to be really cool, or really lame (and if they are it is totally my fault).

Yesterday I took a cooking class at the Red Bridge Cooking School, which also supports WWF (World Wildlife Foundation) projects in Vietnam. There were only 7 of us (all women), and first we had a tour of the market, looking at the fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Our guide was a really funny (or at least I thought he was funny) Vietnamese man. The school is about 4 km upstream, so we had a nice boat ride to get there. It turned out the menu was entirely vegetarian or seafood, so I could eat everything. We even learned how to make fresh rice paper for spring rolls. You actually make a batter from soaked rice and water, and steam it on a piece of cloth stretched over a pot of boiling water. It's somewhat like making a steamed crepe. We also made Hoi An pancakes, which are made with the same batter but include shrimp, scallions and bean sprouts.

One of the things I have noticed on the trip so far is how incredibly friendly all my fellow travellers are. The night before I was invited to play pool by a couple from Auckland who were on their honeymoon. They gave me their address and contact info and I hope to see a rugby match with them when I am there. Then at the cooking class, two Australian ladies (one in Brisbane and one in Sydney) both offered me a place to stay. It's just amazing; I don't think most Americans would do the same. I don't know if it's because we're not as welcoming, or not as used to meeting people on journeys. Last night at dinner ( a really excellent place called Cafe des Amis) I wound up getting into an hour conversation with the couple sitting next to me, who were from Alberta halfway between Calgary and Edmonton.

I finally caught up with Andi and Tassi last night. We were supposed to meet yesterday afternoon at the Japanese bridge, but my cooking class ran late and our paths never crossed. We shared a room last night, and then they are off to Nha Trang this evening. I am catching the bus to Savannakhet in Laos tomorrow at 2 pm. I will be sad to leave Vietnam; this really has been a great part of my trip.