Hoi An Day 2

Tuesday 1 October
Because it was essentially a “free day” we were off to a leisurely start this morning with breakfast around 8am and time to tidy up the packing situation, edit and publish yesterday’s blog.  One party of people had walked to the beach (about 15 minutes) and reported that there was another tailor there. That might (or might not) have influenced the later party to arrange a walk to the beach around 11.30am then get a taxi back into town.  G took that option (not to shop, but to chat) and I (D) decided to just walk into town (about 4.5km) to get some exercise.  As it happened, we all arrived in town at the same time... although I was somewhat wetter and redder than the beach group.   I must say I felt good for the walk even though I must have lost quite a bit of fluid in the process but I felt I had much better sense of where we were than yesterday.

The first destination in town was again the tailors, for Glenda and several of the others to have a fitting of the clothes ordered yesterday.  With more alterations yet to be done, a further fitting was arranged for 3pm.  Lunch, another fitting and it was time to meet up with the whole group for a sunset cruise on the Thu Bon River (there is an accent on the “o” of Bon which I can’t do on this computer) which was complete with food and a couple of staged displays of someone paddling a basket-boat and a fisherman casting his fishing net... both followed by the artists pulling alongside for their tips.

By the time we got off the boat, it was getting darker which was perfect for the next phase of the evening - lanterns!  Both sides of the river are lit at night by thousands of lanterns.  The bridge between is also decorated and with many boats on the river also carrying lanterns the whole scene was a perfect set for a “night market”, part of which was in the business of selling lanterns.  Of course, you don’t get markets without people - many thousands of them.

After surviving this experience, there was just one more visit to the tailors to collect some clothes and home in a taxi to a quick dip in the pool, showers, and another day is over... we are now half way through the Vietnam tour.