27 November 2012
The more time I spend in Hoi An, the more I enjoy this small town. Midway up the coast, it’s an odd mix of old and new. Shopkeepers line the streets outside his or her respective shop, each repeating vaguely, “Hello, come buy from me?” This week has been a small test in managing expectations and avoiding disappointment. Delightful food and enjoyable sights exist, assuming one finds the cultural gems among the selling.
Fantastic landscapes adorn the eleven-hour train ride getting here.
As a minor port, the riverfront defines the landscape with historic sites sprinkled throughout the town. The fusion of Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese cultures is ever-present.
The Marble Mountains are some 20 kilometers north, a short motorbike rental away. The temples line the mountains cliffs, caves weaving into the limestone.
Tomorrow we head north on another train, this time ending in Hanoi.