Mmm gotta love that fish!

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Well well well!
I shall welcome you to Hoi An. I arrived here late afternoon on the 4th. The drive was spectacular all along the coast. The water body is the South China Sea, and the blue blue water is off set with the lush green trees and the vibrant colored flowers! I love it to say the least.

That day on the 4th we stopped in a little town along the way to have lunch right by the sea! Cheap too... my meal was about $4.00 =D With noodles, sea food and a drink. Yep i bet you are wishing that you were in my shoes! Sorry, I am not rubbing it in at all! Anywho, after eating, we put on our swim suits and went for a dip in the salty salty water, or as you call it Cody... spicy water! Then we got back on the bus and made our way to the next pee stop!

Here the second we got off the bus there were ladies swarming us and attempting to get us to buy stuff. And asking questions like... How old are you, are you married, you have kids, how much you weigh, where you from, what do you do? And very just open about it! Kinda of funny, kinda awkward! But that is just how the people are here. Also at this pee stop there were old army bunkers. I would assume they were from the Vietnam war. With the bunkers there were also these MASSIVE stone blocks with a rotating part used for machine guns! And as Erin and I went exploring, we came around a corner and were face to face with a VERY angry male goat! He started shall i say, yelling at us and then charged us! I have not ran so fast away from a goat ever!

We then arrived in a little place about 20min from Hoi An called Da Nang where China Beach is. China Beach is rather famous for its use as an RnR retreat during the Vietnam war for the American soldiers. It is a very beautiful beach i must say, and would have been nice and relaxing for them on their so called time off. Also in this town, there is marble mountain, where they make marble everything! Statues, jewelry, little odds and ends, pretty much anything you can thing of. It was VERY neat to watch them carve away at this very hard stone, and then sit there and polish it until it is what we are use to seeing.... nice and shiny! I sometimes wonder what these people get paid...

Then we arrived here in Hoi An and I was rather relieved to see that it was nothing like Hanoi. I will even admit that the only thing i liked about Hanoi was Halong Bay. But getting into this little town was heaven! Literally no cars other then the ones that are taxi's or hired by us tourists. Even motorbikes are not as common, and people usually walk or bike ride. Nice change from the buzzing and honking of motorbikes and cars. We are on a little island here. I can walk into the city in 5 min, but over here it is like a little paradise! I got ALL my laundry done the other day for 20,000 dong, the equivalent of about $2 and it smells so nice and was all folded. just like at home. That evening we went to a restaurant called Cargo, and the only thing I had was desert!!!!! It was to die for! Crepes with chocolate, banana and homemade ice cream.

Yesterday, the 5th, I went to the tailor shops, and no word of a lie, there are hundreds of them here! I would say every second shop is one. It is kind of funny. And they can all make whatever your heart desires. Including the following (sorry this keyboard is in french and i don't know how to change it so there is not much punctuation!) A designer coat that you bring in a picture of, swimsuit, tie, shoes, house coat, socks, undies and the list goes on! Then the price from there depends on the fabric you choose. I went into a place called Yali and i got a pair of dress pants, a dress shirt, and i then took in a photo of a Burberry trench that i liked and that is EXACTLY what it looks like! I was quite pleased, and they produced it all in less then 11 hours. And It all cost me next to nothing! I am quite happy!

Yesterday afternoon i was going to go to the beach, but when i got back to the hotel and i was sooo sooo hot, i just jumped in the pool and lazed on a chair and read my book all afternoon. Much easier then the 4K bike ride in the heat to the beach that I would have had to pay to use the toilet, shower and anything else.

For dinner, Niel, Anne and I went down to the river and ate some street food, drank beer and watched the sun set. It was very peaceful and beautiful. I loved it here. After a few beers, we headed back here and I was in bed by 930. The heat really makes me tired!

This morning, I was up bright and early to watch the sun come up and hear the roosters go on and on while i ate my breakfast. The highlight here is the pineapple cake! TO DIE FOR!!!!! I think i have eaten more pineapple in the last 3 weeks then i have in my entire life =P It is rather enjoyable in a fresh fruit shake with mango too.

On a side note, I have to say that it is very hard to tell that this country was ever affected by war. I find it very hard to believe that what I ever learnt in social class is real, because here you dont see a war torn country. Rather you see people who are very happy and satisfied. But it makes me wonder sometimes what the elderly people think, or what they saw. The perfect example was last night when we went to eat, there was a very elderly lady, the grandma of the home they called her, and I just wonder what is in her head, and what she saw and herd during those times. Yeah it is just really hard to fathom.

Anyways... After my lovely breakfast, I took a dip in the pool, then headed into town for my final fitting before i get my clothes tonight. I had for lunch today a fresh baguette with tomatoes and cheese. SO yummy. I think i like the words that describe food like yummy and amazing because i dont know how else to tell you!

Oh and as for the title of this blog... let me tell you that the market here is THE smelliest retched thing i have ever smelt! It is like dead rotting fish smell, with rotted veggies and stinky feet. And as the day wares on, with the heat, the smell intensifies! I avoid it at all costs, unless i really am so hot and i need to take that shortcut so i can get back to the hotel faster!

And now it is about 4 in the afternoon and i am going to go swim some more and then perhaps go for a wander!

Hope all is well!

I am quite enjoying myself here, but i promise i will be back on April the 12th.

Love always,

Tay

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