Tired from all our temple visiting and touring in Cambodia, I spend the day at the pool, while Ted goes exploring. Comes back excited at what we are going to experience here. At 5pm we take one of the frequent hotel shuttles into town, 10 minutes. We are 3km from town and 2km from their private beach, which I never see on our week here! Ted reports - no big deal.
Our many friends who visited here have told us about the renowned Morning Glory Restaurant. Morning Glory is a green herb sauteed here with garlic everywhere. It's questionable what sort of water it grows in but we eat it all the same with no adverse effects! Miss Vy is a legend in this town, now with 4 restaurants serving very traditional dishes. Eating early we get a table on the 2nd floor balcony overlooking the street action. It's fascinating. A wedding comes by. She is beautiful. I sneak a photo from above as he kisses her hand.
But opposite, a man whose face has been mostly obliterated, sits on the siewalk selling Tiger Balm, but few stop to buy. A reminder of the terrible war and the toll it has taken on these lovely people. A juxtaposition of the affluence of the visitors and many residents doing well from the huge tourist trade.
The food is great, we try the local specialty "white rose" round rice paper open dumplings filled with shrimp, much lighter than their Chinese counterpart, a symphony in the mouth. The local beer is very cheap, $0.5 a glass in the bars, more at most restaurants, we love it. Also the crispy filled wantons, which are actually flat, with a little stuffing inside and covered with shrimp and other goodies, yum. The fish dishes are good, especially Ted's fish in banana leaf. I stay safe with S/Sour port whihcis not spicy and without chilis.
I also book us into Miss Vy's cooking class, also legend, at $35 each.
The famous Neville's walking street food tour is now US$65 a pop so we give it a miss.
Hoi An is magical at night. Lanterns big an small are strung along the river, over all the old town streets, and Sunday is a huge thing for the locals and the tourists alike. Entrepreneurs old and young are selling cardboard floating candle holders, paper cut with lovely patterns. You buy one, make a wish and float it down the river. People go out in boats to give them a good start. It's is like fairyland. Now I wonder if I ever got a nighttime photo?? Everyone is out strolling the streets and riverbank.
Also sold here the most beautiful intricate pop up cards with papercut objects. I weaken and buy a few. I am sure when I get home I'll wish I bought more, but where to put them in the suitases.
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