Hoi An- visit to My Son

 Just some fruits that appear at our breakfasts each morning.

Dragon fruit

Passion fruit

Rose Apple

Rambutan

Today we went  to see the Cham towers at My Son this area was uncovered in the jungle by french archeologists at the turn of the 20th century. Excavations are still continuing and there was some destruction during the american war-vietcong hid out in this area after the tet offensive. The earliest Cham towers date from the 5th century. At this time they were built of brick which somehow were constructed without mortar and exist to this day. Carvings in the brick were probably made preconstruction. There are towers from the 9th century and later where they incorporate sandstone for decoration. My Son was believed to be a religious area for royalty and priests.

God of Sarcasm

Sanskrit on tablet

Goddess of Conversation

Went back to Hoi An also known as town where you can have clothing made. I went to Yaly a couterier listed in the guide book and suggested by our guide. Here I was fitted for a blazer by lovely tailors. It took 24 hours and cost me $70.

I had seen a video by Amanda Hesser food writer for the NY Times who said she found the "best restaurant in Vietnam" outside of Hoi An. She called it a shack but showed the feature dish -"Crabs in lemongrass sauce" Went there last night and had a feast , actually too much to finish. Check out the grub.

So no more food for the rest of this episode. Today Michele and I went on a bike ride with Phuong our guide through the village outside of Hoi An. Bella and Solange went by car and we met and took a boat ride together.

Rice paddies as fas as the eye can see

Toto I don't think we're in Kansas anymore

 

 

House by fish farm for tending the property

Wierd haybale for water buffalo

Monkey bridge

 Each farmer gets a small plot of land -the typical rice farmer can make ~$40/mondth- which requires most families to have other sorts of income-pottery, brick making, mat making, rice paper and rice noodles, chopsticks and other tourist items-This is truly the home of the cottage industry

Monkey bridge with monkey

Monument -we saw these all over

Hoi An city vegetable gardens

Can you spell "Career change"

Load me up

Uncle Ho

Making pottery by foot

Our ferry with cycles

town ferry

Boatyard

Making ricepaper

 

 Visited a home where they make an industry from rice. Rice paper from the rice milk. They use the rice husks for fuel and they make rice noodles.

Lady of the house

Kitchen

Making rice noodles

War Memorial

Fishing net-lowered at night- light attracts fish

Back to Hoi An

Tomorrow Ho Chi Minh city (Saigon) see you