I am stretched out on a mattress so hard I thought it was wood! (Later I learned it was rubber, common here.) This night was spent at the Duc Tai Hotel in Huong Khe, on the Ho Chi Minh Road(formerly HCM Trail). Western influence is much reduced compared to more accessible cities. The hotel itself was elegant with deep red furnishings and dark wood furniture. Thuy told us that the owner used to have nothing, like so many Vietnamese, and through determination he became very successful. His business included a forest in Laos (about fifty kilometres from here), and he developed his wood furniture business. In the lobby were huge, magnificently carved chairs, sofa and tables. Leaving Dong Hoi this morning, our driver got lost. This wasn’t the first time, in part because he is new
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