Hoi An

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Hoi An is a quaint town famous for it's tailors. All the streets are lined with tailor shops that promise to make or copy any garment within 24 hours!! They have beautiful display clothes with dresses, tops, trousers, suits and coats. If we were coming home, I would have bought loads!! A winter jacket that would cost at least 100 pounds in the UK could be tailor fitted for around 20 pounds!

Our hotel was one of the best we've stayed in - putting flowers on the bed and down the toilet!! We also got a fresh fruit basket everyday which was a nice touch!!

We had a wander around a few shops finding out about prices and quality and then settled on a one! Chris was measured and ordered a suit, a tuxedo and 2 shirts for the grand total of 100 pounds including shipping to the UK! He took ages to decide as you can choose from loads of different colours and material and then you have to choose the colour of the silk lining, then the style of shirt with 3 choices of collar!! He isn't the most decisive of people so we were there a while!! I wasn't going to buy anything but on the walk home I inquired about the cost of something in a shop and ended up getting measured and ordering 2 dresses!

The following day we went back to be fitted with the garments - which were a perfect fit on Chris but had to be slightly altered on me. Whilst walking around the city looking at the sights, I couldn't avoid buying more clothes!! I ordered a pair of trousers and a top from one shop and a top from another!! When going back for the fitting, I liked the trousers so I got another 2 pairs!! So much for not buying anything! The grand total of my 7 items was 50 pounds!

We didn't just have clothes made! We looked at the old buildings around town which included old merchants houses, temples, assembly halls and we watched a traditional folk performance. We also walked along the river and saw the Japanese Friendship Bridge. We also had a wander around the market and shops purchasing lots of souvenirs (we hadn't bought anything up to now but our resolve went in Vietnam!! Everything is so cheap!). At one shop we decided we wanted to buy something but didn't have any cash - we were going to go to the ATM and come back but the lady was convinced we wouldn't come back so she drove Chris on her motorbike whilst I waited in the shop!

The following day we took a day trip to My Son which is a Hindu temple complex about 70km from Hoi An which has been made a world heritage site. It was quite interesting but once you've been to Angkor......

We really enjoyed Hoi An (even though it did pour down everyday) and Chris was made up that he finally got his suits made - something he has been looking forward to doing our whole trip! He looked very dapper - now all he needs is a job so he can wear them!!

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