Xin Chao!!! Greetings from Hoi An. It’s Saturday night and life is good!!

Friday morning was spent at the orphanage doing our daily routine with the little angels! This Friday was special though – it was spa day! The children all got foot and hand baths. They were dried, their nails were clipped and then they were painted in the color of their choice! Bright blue and bright orange were the personal favorites for the day! The children love it and they like having the special attention paid to them. The mothers also got into the act by wanting to have their finger nails painted. The children also had head lice checks which came out clean!!! I’m happy about that!!!

We headed home for pho for lunch – most excellent, packed the backpack and headed to the bus for the ride to Hoi An. The bus is bright yellow and not very big. It stops a lot along the way. We didn’t have the pleasure of experiencing any live animals on board – the only thing besides humans was a fairly large compressor that was carried on board. An hour later we got off the bus in Vin Dien. Here we secured 2 motorbike taxi’s for the final 20 minute ride to Hoi An. Arrived at our hotel safe and sound. However, for some reason our room was at another hotel down in the center of Hoi An. The driver for the original hotel took us there – it isn’t as nice as the original hotel was but it was in a much better location. So, the total cost for the 1.5 hour trip was $1.50 US for the bus and $2.00 US for the motorbike ride. The hotel is $30.00 per night US – balcony, bath with shower and bathtub, 2 double beds, little refrigerator on the 3rd floor overlooking the interesting shops and restaurants on the street! Hoi An is very commercialized compared to Tam Ky. Lots of tourists – mostly Australians – I don’t think anyone is left in that country!!

Another Aussie word or two: bad person or troublemaker – ratbag; sweater – jumper; pharmacy – chemist.

We walked around the town a little and found a happy hour – 4 drinks band an order of spring rolls - $6.00 US. We had a restaurant recommended to us by a former volunteer. It’s called the Secret Garden. And it was really hard to find. Off a side street down a very narrow, dark alley. It opened up to a beautiful park like setting with tables amongst the trees and a large water feature. Beautiful bar and wonderful people serving us. And of course, next to us – folks from New Zealand – close enough to Australia to count as more Australian tourists!!! We had wine!!! It was a red wine from Victoria Australia and very dry and good. Julie had fish in a clay pot and I had shrimp with tamarind. Both very good dishes!!! Total cost for full dinner and bottle of wine - $15.00 each US. Not bad!!!

Slept until 8 am. Had breakfast downstairs then took off across the street for our 10 am massage and pedicure! The massages were wonderful – 1.5 hours. The pedicure was an hour and my toes look fine! Total cost for 2.5 hours of pleasure - $33.00 each US!!! Not bad again!!

We then headed for the beach – about a 6 mile walk from our hotel! Stopped along the way at shops and sights. Lots of touristy shops to buy things in and they don’t dicker with you very much. Actually some pretty good prices without bartering! Stopped at the first restaurant we saw across the bridge – it sat on a river and we watched fishing boats and fisherman in their conical hats going up and down the river!! Had a wonderful lunch of steamed rice with beef and vegetables. 2 beers, an order of fresh veggie spring rolls and our lunches was $2.50 US each!!!

Took a motorbike back to the hotel and just hung out for the rest of the night. We were both still so relaxed from the massage!!

Pictures - Silk worms working to make that beautiful silk fabric that's all over here; Alleyway to the Secret Garden -we were beig led there by a tour cart driver; Vietnamese lady carrying pots down the street they are everywhere carrying things to sell; Garbage day; Street cleaning day; Moving day; Someone's house; traditional Vietnamese boat on the river in Hoi An; riverfront property; riverview from the bridge; Beach at Hoi An - mats are rented to use for 1.00 US; Yes, we were that close to the bus while riding the motorbike back to hotel; fishermen on the river!