Hoi An of Tailors and Delicacies

1-15-2011- Vietnam, Hoi An

Finally, after turning into a nikacicle in Halong and Lan Ha Bays, I have reached the colourful and ancient paper-light sprinkled Hoi An - a World-Heritage site recommended to me by the adventurous Russian couple I met in Lijiang. They said: "it's just like Lijiang, but the food is better and it's WARMER!" - that was a convincing enough argument for me after my turning blue from the inside out in the fridgid wet cold of the Northern Vietnam. Appearently, even the locals weren't prepared for such sub-arctic weather temper - let alone the little half-naked me [who's already sent off most of my warm stuff to wait for me in Bangkok for the trip to Russia]. 

In a way, Hoi An is "paradise lost" in a sense of swarming with tourists even during the low season. The "patron saint" of the City is the Sewing God [recognized officially as the "sewing founder," whose yearly honoring ceremony fell on one of the days of my visit]. There are countless tailoring shops and restaurants in the ancient buildings that have survived the war in their untouched beauty. In a way, the "Old Town" is located in an "armpit" of two rivers - much like Luang Prabang. What is it with "armpit" towns that warms me up to them? 

However, even with the crowds of westerners teeming in the streets, I smiled from the heart at the gigantic floating glow-animals [dragons, turtles etc.] that found home on the smaller river, as well as at the multitude of silk and paper asian lanterns gracing the streets and shop/eatery entrances.....a magical, cozy vibe. I loved being surrounded by fine silks [though, most of them hanging in the shops in rolls and on the unfeeling maniquens and not on me], and, even with my one-backpack capacity, could not resist getting a couple raw silk scarves that I'm using to cover the prolific veggetation of my traveling head [no, Mama, don't worry I'm not growing a beard ;-)]. Although the comparison with Lijiang is really a far cry, it was an unusually quiet and welcoming break from the cold, survival, very 1-2nd-chackra hectic vibe of the country overall [though, perchance, that's just my impression]. Especially, right after my Northern Coast adventures. 

The local food is nothing short of yummiliciously mouth-watering. This is the home of "cau lao" - rice noodles cooked in the water from a special ancient well that's been used for ages served with veggies and some kind of crispy stuff. It is also where the delightful local ladies make the cutest mini-sunny-side-up things from quail eggs dropped into little pancake-like cups made right there on the street by the river....with candles and all. I'm admiring the local street food more and more...as well as the locals with sun-drenched faces that make it all so delicious. 

Now 'tis time for a quick visa run to Lao Bao [I only had 15 days here, and there's still a lot of 'Nam to see in the south].

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