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Hoi An, Vietnam (December 2008)

Hoi An is a smaller city of about 88,000 people located between Vietnam’s most interesting city, Hue, and its most famous beach resort, Nha Trang, so it is a natural destination when visiting Vietnam. As a result, it is very touristy and a bit of a “tourist trap.” In the 16th century, Hoi An was Vietnam’s largest trading port and one of the most important trading ports on the South China Sea. While a much less important trading port today, its previous foreign influences are still evident in Hoi An with a blend of Chinese and Japanese buildings and French colonial architecture. Today, Hoi An is known for its silk tailor shops (making custom-made clothing for a fraction of the western price) as well as numerous souvenir, arts and craft shops, Internet cafés and bars and restaurants. After a shopping spree in Hoi An of one day, there are more interesting places to see in Vietnam.
Hoi An, Vietnam cover page.
Hoi An, Vietnam cover page.		 Map of Vietnam with the star indicating Hoi An.
Map of Vietnam with the star indicating Hoi An.		 Hoi An is a harbor town located at the estuary of the Thu Bon River.
Hoi An is a harbor town located at the estuary of the Thu Bon River.		 Hoi An doorway with interesting masks and lanterns.
Hoi An doorway with interesting masks and lanterns.
Close-up of the masks.
Close-up of the masks.		 View from the restaurant where I had lunch in Hoi An of the Thu Bon River.
View from the restaurant where I had lunch in Hoi An of the Thu Bon River.		 Another view of the river from the restaurant.
Another view of the river from the restaurant.		 A bucolic scene looking down the river.
A bucolic scene looking down the river.
A bicycle rickshaw driver protecting himself from the rain on Bach Dang Street in Hoi An.
A bicycle rickshaw driver protecting himself from the rain on Bach Dang Street in Hoi An.		 Wooden boats moored on the Thu Bon River.
Wooden boats moored on the Thu Bon River.		 A craggy-faced old woman with rain gear in a rowboat.
A craggy-faced old woman with rain gear in a rowboat.		 The old woman is doing something with her hands.
The old woman is doing something with her hands.
The Japanese Covered Bridge connects Tran Phu Street and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street.
The Japanese Covered Bridge connects Tran Phu Street and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street.		 Me standing on the Japanese Covered Bridge. It was built in the 16th century by Japanese merchants.
Me standing on the Japanese Covered Bridge. It was built in the 16th century by Japanese merchants.		 View from where I was standing on the Japanese Covered Bridge.
View from where I was standing on the Japanese Covered Bridge.		 A monkey idol on the Japanese Covered Bridge of Hoi An.
A monkey idol on the Japanese Covered Bridge of Hoi An.
A small Buddhist shrine with incense offerings on the Japanese Covered Bridge.
A small Buddhist shrine with incense offerings on the Japanese Covered Bridge.		 The ground floor of the historic Phung Hung Merchant House located near the Japanese Covered Bridge.
The ground floor of the historic Phung Hung Merchant House located near the Japanese Covered Bridge.		 The 2nd floor of the Phung Hung Merchant House. The house has been home to the same family for 8 generations.
The 2nd floor of the Phung Hung Merchant House. The house has been home to the same family for 8 generations.		 Looking down from the 2nd floor balcony. The house is built in the Vietnamese style with Japanese and Chinese influences.
Looking down from the 2nd floor balcony. The house is built in the Vietnamese style with Japanese and Chinese influences.
Suspended from the ceiling is a shrine to the ancestors as well as the protector deity, Thien Hau.
Suspended from the ceiling is a shrine to the ancestors as well as the protector deity, Thien Hau.		 Ancient looking wooden statues in the Phung Hung Merchant House.
Ancient looking wooden statues in the Phung Hung Merchant House.		 A traditional Vietnamese lantern hanging in the Phung Hung Merchant House.
A traditional Vietnamese lantern hanging in the Phung Hung Merchant House.		 I got a photo of this toothless Vietnamese woman outside of the Phung Hung Merchant House. I had to tip her to get the picture.
I got a photo of this toothless Vietnamese woman outside of the Phung Hung Merchant House. I had to tip her to get the picture.
Me posing with my new girl friend. She was tiny!
Me posing with my new girl friend. She was tiny!		 Monkey-face carving in a sandalwood carving and incense shop I went into in Hoi An.
Monkey-face carving in a sandalwood carving and incense shop I went into in Hoi An.		 This woman was making sandalwood incense sticks.
This woman was making sandalwood incense sticks.		 The sandalwood incense sticks ready to be sold.
The sandalwood incense sticks ready to be sold.
A sandalwood tree trunk ready to be carved in the shop.
A sandalwood tree trunk ready to be carved in the shop.		 Entrance to the Assembly Hall of the Cantonese Chinese Congregation on Tran Phu St. in Hoi An.
Entrance to the Assembly Hall of the Cantonese Chinese Congregation on Tran Phu St. in Hoi An.		 A stone guardian protecting the Cantonese Assembly Hall.
A stone guardian protecting the Cantonese Assembly Hall.		 A mythical looking bird and tortoise carving at the Cantonese Assembly Hall.
A mythical looking bird and tortoise carving at the Cantonese Assembly Hall.
Work was being done on the Chinese letters. This Assembly Hall was built by Cantonese merchants in 1885.
Work was being done on the Chinese letters. This Assembly Hall was built by Cantonese merchants in 1885.		 Parts of the building were made in China and transferred to Hoi An.
Parts of the building were made in China and transferred to Hoi An.		 A Cantonese shrine at the Assembly Hall.
A Cantonese shrine at the Assembly Hall.		 Details of the shrine. The fruit is probably an offering.
Details of the shrine. The fruit is probably an offering.
This Cantonese statue is also part of the shrine.
This Cantonese statue is also part of the shrine.		 Interesting Cantonese wooden statue protected in plexiglas.
Interesting Cantonese wooden statue protected in plexiglas.		 Some of these statues reflect the musical dramas of Cantonese culture.
Some of these statues reflect the musical dramas of Cantonese culture.		 The Assembly Hall has an amazing fountain that features a dragon.
The Assembly Hall has an amazing fountain that features a dragon.
The dragon is a beautiful creation made out of pottery.
The dragon is a beautiful creation made out of pottery.		 I noticed this Chinese warrior by the entrance as I was getting ready to leave.
I noticed this Chinese warrior by the entrance as I was getting ready to leave.		 This beautiful and ethereal painting was hanging by the entrance of the Cantonese Assembly Hall.
This beautiful and ethereal painting was hanging by the entrance of the Cantonese Assembly Hall.		 View of a rainy Tran Phu Street in Hoi An.
View of a rainy Tran Phu Street in Hoi An.
There are many shops and markets there. It is very touristy.
There are many shops and markets there. It is very touristy.		 My next stop was at a silkworm breeding factory and tailor shop on Le Loi Street.
My next stop was at a silkworm breeding factory and tailor shop on Le Loi Street.		 The silkworms breeding. I was given the standard tour with the ultimate intention to sell me something!
The silkworms breeding. I was given the standard tour with the ultimate intention to sell me something!		 Here you can see the cocoons of the silkworms from which the silk is extracted.
Here you can see the cocoons of the silkworms from which the silk is extracted.
In this process, the silk is being extracted. The sales pitch worked, I wound up buying two custom-made shirts there!
In this process, the silk is being extracted. The sales pitch worked, I wound up buying two custom-made shirts there!		 For the second time that day, I ran into the toothless woman. She was posing again for tips.
For the second time that day, I ran into the toothless woman. She was posing again for tips.		 Her friends saw what a good thing the toothless women had going and got in on the picture taking (and tipping)!
Her friends saw what a good thing the toothless women had going and got in on the picture taking (and tipping)!		 Next, I went to the Museum of Trading Ceramics in Hoi An and saw this amazing 3-dimensional ceramic wall artwork.
Next, I went to the Museum of Trading Ceramics in Hoi An and saw this amazing 3-dimensional ceramic wall artwork.
View of the Ngu Bang Hoi Quan (All Chinese) Assembly Hall. It was open to any Chinese trader or seaman, despite their ethnicity.
View of the Ngu Bang Hoi Quan (All Chinese) Assembly Hall. It was open to any Chinese trader or seaman, despite their ethnicity.		 Closer view of the Ngu Bang Hoi Quan Assembly Hall.
Closer view of the Ngu Bang Hoi Quan Assembly Hall.		 Beautiful ceramic figures are enshrined in the Ngu Bang Hoi Quan Assembly Hall.
Beautiful ceramic figures are enshrined in the Ngu Bang Hoi Quan Assembly Hall.		 Close-up of one of the ceramic figures.
Close-up of one of the ceramic figures.
Nice view of the Thu Bon River in the afternoon.
Nice view of the Thu Bon River in the afternoon.		 The Thu Bon River with pedestrians walking and biking across the bridge.
The Thu Bon River with pedestrians walking and biking across the bridge.		 A mix of wooden tourist boats and fishing boats on the Thu Bon River.
A mix of wooden tourist boats and fishing boats on the Thu Bon River.		 The Fukien Assembly Hall. Hoi An had a lot of maritime trade by the 1700s, thus, ethnic Chinese built numerous assembly halls.
The Fukien Assembly Hall. Hoi An had a lot of maritime trade by the 1700s, thus, ethnic Chinese built numerous assembly halls.
Potted plants decorate a patio garden inside the Fukien Assembly Hall compound at Hoi An.
Potted plants decorate a patio garden inside the Fukien Assembly Hall compound at Hoi An.		 A ceramic face decorating the Fukien Assembly Hall.
A ceramic face decorating the Fukien Assembly Hall.		 A ceramic fish sculpture in a pond in the Fukien Assembly Hall.
A ceramic fish sculpture in a pond in the Fukien Assembly Hall.		 I walked down Bach Dang Street and passed by this boat with many rubber tires on it.
I walked down Bach Dang Street and passed by this boat with many rubber tires on it.
I was approaching the large open air market in Hoi An.
I was approaching the large open air market in Hoi An.		 Hoi An women selling fruit and vegetables.
Hoi An women selling fruit and vegetables.		 This women was looking for customers.
This women was looking for customers.		 A Hoi An fish vendor. I tried the local catch, and it was delicious!
A Hoi An fish vendor. I tried the local catch, and it was delicious!
These women were doing some washing in the Thu Bon River.
These women were doing some washing in the Thu Bon River.		 Some of the customers were very picky when buying fish.
Some of the customers were very picky when buying fish.		 The fruit and vegetable market was very extensive.
The fruit and vegetable market was very extensive.		 A vendor selling her vegetables.
A vendor selling her vegetables.
Close-up of another vendor selling eggs and vegetables.
Close-up of another vendor selling eggs and vegetables.		 People eating at the open-air market since it was late in the afternoon and close to dinnertime.
People eating at the open-air market since it was late in the afternoon and close to dinnertime.		 This cyclo driver was taking a late afternoon nap. That's how I felt after spending the day touring Hoi An!
This cyclo driver was taking a late afternoon nap. That's how I felt after spending the day touring Hoi An!

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