We arrived in Hoian yesterday just after lunch. We left Hue on a very wet and drear morning. Our hotel was very nice and several of the staff came out to wave us off. The Vietnamese understand service better than any I have experienced. While it seems a bit over the top, it doesn't feel that way. They are so friendly and will go way way out of thier way to be helpful and of service. That is not to say there are not people who are not so nice, that happens everywhere. But my experience has been overwhelmingly good and itfeels so comfortable here.
We travelled down Highway 1 a new experience for me as I usually try to avoid this road lkke the plague. It is a haven for trucks and buses. At least in this part of Vietnam the road has been divided. This is a good thing because you don't have trucks or buses bearing down on you from the opposite direction as they recklessly overtake a slower vehicle. One side effect however is that trucks buses and cars hug the outside lane, leaving the inner for motorbikes. This leads to a situation where a vehicle that wants to overtake has to cajole and ha ssle the vehicle in front to move tothe left. This leads to frusration and the posibility of road rage. In the long term it would be goodto have a third lane exclusively for motorbikes leaving the existing lanes for vehicles who should keep right unless overtaking.
We went on my bit of road to escape Highway 1 just before the Hi Van Pass. It turned out to be a successful choice with Thanh and Ernie leaping out to take photos of fishermen, mountains and waterfalls. This little bypass is such a welcome relief. It is really quiet and serene, running beside a huge inlet that is covered with oyster leases and fish traps and groups of fishing huts/houses on stilts. There were idyllic scenes of concical hatted fishermen poling thier smallish boats around thier huts doing maintenance and other tasks. It all looked so peaceful even in the rain.
We had a very pleasant lunch in Danang after crossing the Hi Van Pass. We had coffee at the top. When you get out of your car at the top of the pass you are assailed by a passle of women who are the best husslers in the business of getting tourists to part with thier money. Thier persistence is a credit to thier roles and you have to admire them for thier fortitude. We had coffee surrounded by 3 -4 women encouraging us to buy something. I had a woman behind me massaging my neck and playing with my dreadlock. I eventually relented and bought a small trinket. The Danang lunch was a seafood extravaganza with squid, shrimp and frog. It was delicious.
What could I say about Hoian that I have not said before. I love the place. It is like a good and true old friend enveloping me in its warm embrace. So nice to be back. There have been some changes. The markets have been revamped and look very fresh and new. We arrived after lunch and took things easy in the arvo just walking to the Cargo Club to have some coffee and amazing pattiserie, I had the passionfruit cheesecake topped with delicate pieces of moulded chocolate both white and brown. That evening we wandered down the road along beside the river. The tide was coming in and we got avery practical demonstration of global warming. The river had come up over some parts of the road. As we ate our meal it came up so high as to cover the road completely right up to the stairs of our resteraunt. We ate that night at the Mango Rooms. It was where I had the best meal of my life some 7 years ago when Meri and I first came to Hoian. Well the meal this night was just as good! I had fresh sping rolls for entree and a large piece of Red Snapper sitting on a bed of mango and tomato. There were these long green beans dizzled in a crumbly sauce that was beyond description. The whole plate was finished off with a cone of noodles wrapped in banana leaf. Every element was cooked to perfection. The tastes were extreme in thier excuisiteness. Superb, fantastic and every possible word of wonder you could think of. The food was simply absolutely amazing.
No comments:
Post a Comment