The Last Weekend In Vietnam.........

Pictures - The Old Lady and her boat; Threading my legs; Vietnamese Ferry Boat; The fabulous dinner for Randall's Birthday; A major load for a motorbike..






Greetings on this fine Saturday morning – March 27th!! I’m writing from Hoi An in my room at the Grasslands Hotel. It is a nice little place with 4 stories – we’re on the 3rd floor with a little balcony overlooking the noisy street below. There are no quiet streets in Vietnam due to the many motorbikes and trucks that have horns that are used on a continual basis!! Our coffee was brought to us this a.m. which was a nice touch.

The drive to Hoi An yesterday was uneventful. Julie and I shared a car with Randall and Lorraine who were heading to Danang to meet their family at the airport. We were dropped off in Hoi An and they continued on to Danang. Both of us had a few odds and ends to buy so we went out and finished shopping – now I’m done!! We had a wonderful dinner at a place called the Cargo Club where we sat on an outdoor terrace overlooking the river that runs through Hoi An. It was a beautiful setting as all the buildings surrounding the lake have many hanging lanterns of all colors lighting up the night. We were in a business where the lanterns were actually being made – some were cutting, some were gluing, some were assembling – quite a process. They are made from fabric and really quite beautiful.

Well, here I am on Saturday evening after quite an interesting day in Hoi An. Julie and I awoke and headed downstairs for a breakfast buffet. It is quite a bit different from buffets back home but I had an egg, some noodles and vegetables and plenty of coffee. It was a beautiful setting for breakfast in back of the hotel among the trees and birds in their cages. Following breakfast we hopped into the hotel shuttle bus which took us to Old Town Hoi An.

We walked around a little and headed to the Hoi An Café to get ready for our cooking school. We were sat down and offered a drink – the chosen was ginger tea. Did not settle well with me. So now we’re cooking. We head out to buy some fresh herbs. A gentleman, Mr. D, takes us through the produce/fruit section of the old market. It is quite interesting – so many people, all ladies, selling all the same thing for next to nothing. I don’t know how they make it. He pointed out many herbs and what they are mostly used for in cooking Vietnamese food. From here we got on a boat and headed down the river, or up the river, I have no idea. The boat was a brightly painted old wooden boat. There were lots of things to see along the river banks along the way – lots of beautiful palm trees and pretty flowers. We arrived at the Red Bridge Restaurant – the sight of our cooking school. Mr. D took us through their herb garden – it was very large and full of beautiful herbs. We headed to an thatch roofed open building next to the river which was set up with individual gas burners, cooking utensils and chairs for us to sit in while getting instructions. We created a Vietnamese salad, fresh shrimp and veggie spring rolls, eggplant in a clay pot, and attempted to make a rose with tomato skin and a peacock with a cucumber. I am sticking to the actual cooking idea and staying away from the whole decorating with food thing – I did horrible!!! We learned to make rice paper for the fresh spring rolls – pretty cool. I now have a bamboo stick for lifting them off the cloth they cook on! We ate everything we made and I must say, the chef was pretty good!! Julie and I sat across the table from a delightful couple from Dublin Ireland. They were in Vietnam for the first time and had led quite an interesting life.

The boat then took us back to Hoi An and our class was complete – I have the recipes we cooked and the knowledge to make it all work – now we’ll just see if it does! Stock up on the Tums Dickster – I’m coming home to cook!!!! Same goes for all my wonderful friends who might benefit from this new knowledge I have!!!

We wandered again through the open market when, out of nowhere, a lady came up to me with a string wrapped around her fingers and proceeded to use it on my face – and she removed some of that peach fuzz stuff that has popped out! Well, how can you not wonder about that talent that she possesses? So we followed her back to her little shop just outside the market. The next thing I know she has put talcum powder on my lower legs and she’s removing the hair from my legs. Amazing – all with a piece of cotton thread that is used for sewing. She wraps it around her fingers a certain way then moves her hands a certain way. Did it hurt you ask? YES! The leg hair was coming out by the roots!!! Now, her sister comes behind the curtain and she proceeds to start in on my face. Did it hurt you ask? YES! Is all the peach fuzz gone you ask? YES!! Now, this may be more information than you want – but next she lifted up my arms and took off the armpit stubbles. It didn’t hurt so I let her do it! Now it’s a head massage to try to keep my attention of the pain of my legs having the hair taken out of them by the roots. Julie was also drug in and ran through the whole process also. Is there more to this story? YES. Is it publishable? NO. Did it hurt you ask? YES YES YES YES YES!!!!! That’s all I’m saying about that!

Now, I needed a WC, which is what they are called here. The lady, Cuc that did my legs, said to follow her. We went through the market and walked for quite a ways. By this time, it was getting dark. She removed a table that was standing in front of a door and she opened the door. She got a bucket of water and threw it in what appeared to be a shower stall. There were two raised areas for one to stand on and that was it!!! It was dark which I think was most likely a good thing. Upon completion an old lady showed up and Cuc paid her some money for using the facility!! They should use the money to install some actual toilets but it would so take away from the atmosphere!!!! Now I’m always hesitant to ask to use the WC!

Next stop – a place for a drink to just take in all that just happened! Lots of laughs!! We began to head on foot in the direction we thought might be towards out hotel. Julie fell and sprained her ankle. So we got as far as a restaurant and headed inside. We had bought a bottle of red wine for our room but brought it out here cuz Julie was in pain and needed it! Had bowl of noodles, the wine, and Julie iced her ankle. We had to walk just a short way to the corner to get a taxi back to the hotel. Julie was out for the night. I called the Dickster to try to explain what happened during the afternoon and I think you just had to be there – hard to explain!!!

It was quite a day in Hoi An – learned two new skills that are both pretty big in my book!!

Sunday morning we awoke to rain. The weather has been overcast and cooler the last few days and I have loved it. Didn’t expect the rain. Our motorbike drivers showed up at 9 am to pick us up - it was Mr. Hanh and his father! We all put on ponchos and helmets and off we went. They started by taking us to the old Japanese Bridge which we had been to before – there happened to be a tour guide there giving a tour so we heard a little more about it. It was built in the 17th century.

We then went to a place called the Assembly Halls. They consisted of several pagoda like buildings which held many shrines that folks used to honor Buddha. Lots of incense and lots of worshiping going on. It was beautiful with all the gold, marble, jade, flowers, incense and color – mostly red. In the old days it was used for the assembly of people for worship or meetings. The grounds are beautiful with lots of flowers and large urns. I don’t have photos because I failed to charge my battery so I’m going to rely on Julie for pictures for the rest of today’s adventure! We then boarded a Vietnamese Ferry boat. Very old, wood, not too big – on board were about 25 people, 10 motorbikes and 9 bicycles. We stood on top so we could see the world going by. The Ferry took us across the river to the other side of Hoi An. Made a couple of stops upon exiting the ferry. There were wooden boats being made that we stopped and watched. The frame of the boat had been made and two men were putting into the openings between the wood pieces what looked like wood shavings. They hammered them into the cracks with a hammer hitting an awl.? I don’t know if that’s the word but it’s a tool that’s flat and thin and pokes stuff into places – how’s that for an explanation! Anyway, this stuff keeps out the water and you’d never believe it to see it. Another gentleman does paint something over it that probably seals it even more but it’s still pretty interesting to imagine that it’s not going to leak. What a slow process.

Across the street was a man making carvings and things out of wood. He was very talented also and had some beautiful things for sale. We then came upon another boat making yard – this was for bigger boats and it looked like they were doing a lot of repair. Again, slow and tedious work.

Now we are off to the hills and back roads of Hoi An. We passed through many little villages – they all have their own stores, church, etc. but are right next to each other. White folks don’t usually come through these areas so they were full of greetings and smiles as we went through! Did I mention that having this notoriety is a pretty fun thing which is coming to a screeching halt pretty soon? I’m not too happy about that!!!!

We drove through miles and miles of rice fields. Grandpa led us to a large shrine that was closed up. He dropped us off and headed down the road and came back with an old man in his pj’s with a sport coat over the top. He unlocked the doors and let us in. We lit some incense and gave a blessing at the shrine. I gave incense for my Mom, Dad and Art. I guess it still works even if you’re in a Buddhist shrine. They’ll be surprised when Buddha visits them with my blessings!!! It was a special treat to have this man open this for us. We left him waving and smiling at the gate. We continued through more villages before hitting the highway for Tam Ky. We have had quite a bit of time with no rain but it’s now coming down with a vengeance. We stop for some lunch then got back on the bike. Again I had to ask for the WC – this time down an alley, across another alley and into a wide open cement stall with a seat on the floor. Another standing up experience. I’d like to say that 3.5 hours on a motorbike with a heavy back pack on is quite a while not to mention the tenderness of my back end following the ride. But it was a good way to see the sights and I can now say I’ve lived through traveling on a highway on a motorbike!!

We unpacked and rested a little at home. Tonight is Randall’s 70th birthday party and Mrs. Hanh and Grandma have been working all day on dinner – it’s going to be MAGNIFICENT!!! We were all instructed by Mrs. H to be in a dress and have a shower so that’s my next project! She’s short but she’s mighty and I, for one, do what she tells me!!! Will end this blog with the birthday party happenings!! Coming right up –

Birthday party over and we were all kept very happy with a wonderful evening of food, friends, family and laughter! Randall enjoyed his 70th and we all enjoyed meeting the rest of his family. Mrs. Hanh did a fabulous job preparing this special day! The array of food was incredible – shrimp, rice, tofu, meat marinated and BBQ’d on sugar cane sticks, filled biscuits, cucumbers and tomatoes, spring rolls, and a wonderful cake that she made and decorated. Oh yes, and plates of mango!!!

That’s it for now! Has been a great last weekend in Tam Ky and Hoi An.