HOI AN - same same but BETTER

HOI AN - cute as a button and shoppers paradise

After have a great time in Hue I got on the bus to Hoi An, which took about 3 hours and was a nice ride. I got to see the Sleeping bus, clean but a bit tight. Because I have to be on one of them on my way to Nha Trang (11 hours overnight) well only the hard survive.

Hoi An is such a lovely small town great to walk around and ride your bike, have great food AND there is the shopping. Custom tailor and shoemakers everywhere and all those cute lanterns.

I have been pretty good about not buying to much here in Vietnam, but I just lost it here in Hoi An. To sum it up .... 3 pairs of custom shoes, linen pants, wool winter coat, Vietnamese trad. dress, silk evening dress, and another dress and all made to order custom pieces. ....well well ... girls and clothes.

And then I got 4 lanterns which Hoi An is famous for.
Look at them at night ... could not resist.

I have been meeting lots of really nice an interesting people her in Hoi An, some I have know from other places, some new friends.

I took the deluxe all day cooking course, which was great ...now I know how to make my PHO and I can make the rice noodles as well. This was sooo much fun. We started out at the her gardens and the local market before getting to the RED BRIDGE COOKING SCHOOL. We cooked until 2pm were taken back to town on the boat. It was a great day,

Hoi An is also know for great local dises, so I have to eat every chance I get ... soooo good.Hmmm even eating at the cheap but good food stalls is FAB.

ahhhh fresh Sugar cane juice ...mhhh

Riding your bike around town is very easy and lots of fun ....

ahhh my fav. Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk ...mhhhh

Saturday night was full moon and on every full moon night. The electrical lights in the old parts get turned off and only candles and lanterns are used in shops, restaurants and on the street. It was magical and just breathtaking.

On the day that I was leaving it started to rain really heavy and it was stormy ...oh here is the typhoon. Hoi An being close to the water gets flooded quiet quickly as you can see. 

I have been traveling now for a month and I feel great, getting used to it and having a great time.

Next stop Nha Trang ...I took the overnight bus to the beach town AND that is another story to follow ...see ya there ..xoxox Sabine