Hat fashions!
Still life!
Monday, March 31, 2008
March 28-29 Mekong Delta - more river photos
Delousing the dog!
The kid is already selling soft drinks to tourists!
March 28-29 Mekong Delta
Fascinating, secluded/protected from the war, this was a quaint two days staying in another Vietnam. Perhaps we were shell shocked (so to speak) too positively by the roughly north of the 17th parallel part of the country.
Our photos of the markets and the visual “colour” show much more than we can really explain on the BLOG (especially as I am finishing writing up Vietnam with a two-cultures-later time lag.
Floating markets – not quite what we expected after both of us had before seen floating markets in other parts of the world. The ones in the Mekong delta all seemed to be more a wholesale-retail affair than trying to sell their wares to the end consumer, which from a macroeconomics point was quite interesting. Mekong River very wide and river banks getting more and more eroded every year despite mangroves everywhere. Again what struck us was the miniscule amount of animals – you’d expect a myriad of birds, sea rats and other such animals – we hardly saw any.
Lots of people living in houses along the river banks, we didn’t get the impression that that many people were actually living on boats – boats more a means of doing business but we might be wrong. One thing is certain: we could never live like this – bathing in the river, than getting water from the same river for making tea!
Was interesting to see some traditional cottage industries like rice paper and candy-making – see photos.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
March 25-26 Hoi An
Holiday’ish and vibrant! A tourist based 17th century trading post/port with Japanese, Dutch, Chinese as well as Vietnamese influences. Marvellous Vietnamese food – Graham went back to meat as well as profiting from a wide range of sea-food choices. Actually eating out over here been has been very good and cheap – usually no more than a little over 10 euro’s for a complete meal for two.
On the way to Hoi An we asked our guide if we could visit one of the fabulous Vietnamese houses. Well, we did but what we didn’t count on was that he stopped in front of any house, asked if we liked it and then went off to find the inhabitants. They were surprised but actually quite pleased to show their new house. It was a young couple with a small baby and the grandmother who had recently moved in – the rooms were very open-plan, spacious, painted in all colours of the rainbow (sometimes in one room) and sparsely furnished. Most rooms were still empty as they had spent all money on the purchase of the house. Funnily enough their motorbikes were parked in the living room – although the front garden had a gate.
Another canal side market – rich in colours and “bargains” – we had already seen enough of them (sorry) but I (Graham) did manage to have a Jacket and 5 Trousers, a white Tuxedo etc tailored in 24 hours for a very low price which was only slightly reflected in the quality. (Cloth from Milano)!!
March 23 and 24 – Hué
Former Capital and Imperial City – serious forbidden Chinese copy overtures – Eunuchs, N° 2 Wives, Mandarins and all the works. Surprisingly small town for a former capital, only 300.000 inhabitants.
A bit shabby but impressive – like the rest of the country – Vietnam seriously suffered from the 67 – 75 war and the consequent VC victory – and Communism. Inestimable historic sites, deforestation – to name what we saw! People much poorer in Hue though – as was confirmed later by various people who told us that the centre of the country is the poorest mostly due to sandy soil.
We bought some tailored clothes though from a small row of shops just by the wonderfully restored San Saigon Morin Hotel. A lot of average things some really special ones – as always.
The architectural monstrosities reflect the post American war period. Even our 4 star hotel was classified as having BLOCKS. It would have been a very upgrade and conformable prison/detention centre though even if I did not try out the massage/beauty parlour! We however had fresh flowers not only in the room but also in the bathroom/loo – the ultimate luxury!!
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