Vietnam - Hoi An

After Nha Trang we had two days of long bus rides (stopping for the night in Quy Nhon) to get to Hoi An. Hoi An is known for its old town and its many tailors.



Japanese covered bridge

Lanterns



Hoi An



Boat

I was a bit travelled-out when we got to Hoi An. I had had enough of tourist hot spots, markets and people constantly yelling out "Lady, you buy?" and so I didn't explore much of the old town. Instead, I rented a bicycle and went to a pottery village (Thanh Ha). There was a terracotta exhibition that I wasn't sure was actually open or still being constructed but no one stopped me from entering. It had all sorts of terracotta pottery (statues, bowls, vases, roof tiles) and outside had terracotta miniature models of world landmarks (Stonehenge, Sydney Opera House, Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, etc.). I biked around the village, got invited in to watch a woman create vases on a wheel (and then try it myself) and then got into the "please, you buy?" part of the village so I left.



Buddha



Terracotta miniatures



Inside this tree....

... is a small elephant shrine



My new clay chicken whistle













I also biked to a vegetable/herb village, where they grow vegetables and herbs (you'd never had guessed...). I liked this village because everyone left me alone and I could bike around in peace before heading back to Hoi An.



Herbs

I wasn't planning on getting tailor-made clothes but the nice-looking wool jackets won me over and I had one made (a winter coat being the logical choice in 30 degree weather...). Our tour guide recommended one of the stores so off I went to pick my colour and style and get measured. They had me come back for a fitting later that day and I was quite worried because it was pretty small (I've got wide shoulders and couldn't really move my arms). I can't understand Vietnamese but I swear the girl who took my measurements turned to the seamstress and said "See?! I told you the measurements were right!". I went back to pick it up the next day and it fit a lot better. I was impressed with the tailors because after I had tried it on the second time and said it was fine, they checked over all the seams, pulling at them to make sure they were secure, and giving them a good visual inspection. They even re-stitched one of the seams on the hood because it was sub-par. It would have been so easy for them to have just thrown it in a bag for me to take away instead of giving it a final inspection. So if you're ever in Hoi An looking for a tailor, I would recommend Sun Tailors.



Let's all just focus on the coat and not the rest
of my "I've been biking in the rain all day" look.