Hoi An Vietnam Jan 11,2012

After taking turns staying awake all night so we did not miss our early AM flight, we left our cubicle at the Tune Hotel,and flew Air Asia to Da Nang, Vietnam. Now it is getting cooler and, as it is the rainy season, it seems to continually drizzle. A bit grey. In the cab from the airport shared with a young couple from Amsterdam and Dubai, we passed the former air force base made famous on the nightly news during the 60s and early 70s. They have left it intact except for the decay of 40 years. Right near it is China Beach, the famous r and r place of the GIs. Now it is filled with luxury resorts. We were headed for Hoi An and I was getting nervous and hoping that it was as quaint as it has been written about and not like China Beach. No need to worry. This is a UNESCO city which has been virtually preserved. Out hotel,is about 16 rooms on the river ,Huy Hoang River Hotel. Our room is directly on the river with a big balcony overlooking the bridge and boat traffic. As small as Tune was, this is huge with a marble bathroom and TV with CNN and BBC. All for $55 with breakfast. If the sun were out life would be perfect.
   Hoi An itself doesn't hide anything. They wash the dishes you just ate on in the river or in small pans in the street. The marketplace is for the locals mostly. Want to have duck? They will wring its neck for you and hand it over. I watched a lady sitting with a fresh uncooked pigs head, arranging it so nice on her platter.There are temples everywhere as well as preserved houses of the various Chinese merchants and traders who have lived here over the centuries. Nearly everywhere are the ubiquitous motorcyclists with their infernal horns.Everyone is constantly in motion yet it can be peaceful. So colorful, I find it hard to describe. Not a lot of tourists though. We stick out like sore thumbs with our height and light hair. Prices are cheap, especially after Australia. Fresh beer is 20 cents a mug and tastes great. Dinner for two runs about 5-7 dollars. The unit of currency is the dong and you get 20,000 to the dollar. They seem to be just as happy with dollars. When Bert went to the ATM at the airport, they would only dispense 2 million dong or $100, so we're millionaires for awhile!