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  • Day 33

    Beautiful Hoi An

    March 20, 2018 in Vietnam ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Before we came to Vietnam, quite a few people told me that Hoi An was their favorite city in Vietnam. I read about the City, but didn’t really understand the hype. Well, now I get it.

    Hoi An is an old town, which was first established in the seventh century. The city was an active port for over a thousand years. Unlike other port cities in Vietnam, Hoi An had significant settlements by immigrants from China and Japan, who were both given royal permission to live and conduct business in the City. The culture and architectural styles of these immigrants became part of the fabric of the city, and their influences are still seen today.

    Despite the fact that central Vietnam was a battleground during both the French and Vietnam/America wars, the ancient part of the city escaped with little damage. Today, the ancient city is a huge tourist destination, filled with old houses, shops and alley ways. When we toured the city, we saw houses that are over 1000 years old, but still occupied by families who open the front part of their houses in exchange (for which they receive money from the government). We also saw the usual variety of temples, some of which have strong influences from Chinese and Japanese immigrants.

    Hoi An is actually known for two different things.

    First, Hoi An is the home of Vietnamese custom tailoring. Every other shop offers clothing and custom tailoring. Want a suit? No problem. Come in, pick out your fabrics, have your measurements taken, and come back a few hours later for your first fitting. Both Arie and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to have some clothing custom made. I had done some research about which tailors to go to, and our guide, Quy, gave us some additional information. The first shop that we went to was BeBe. Arie decided to have a suit and two dress shirts made for him. There were literally thousands of fabrics, at various price points, from which to choose. After some discussion with the woman who was helping us (all of the salespeople in these tailor shops are women), Arie chose some fabrics and made some choices about the style. While we stood in the showroom, he was measured and the numbers were jotted down on a piece of paper. A small deposit was taken, and we were told to come back at 7:30 — about 5 hours later — for his first fitting. As I hadn’t found the fabric that I wanted for a wool coat that I had in mind, we headed to a second store called Laly. I found the right fabric for the outside of the coat, and a cool pattern for inside. But why stop at a coat, when I could easily add a couple of pairs of slacks to the order. Done. I was told to return the next afternoon.

    Just before dinner, we returned to Bebe for Arie’s fitting. So, a mere 5 hours after we had ordered his suit, Arie was trying on a brand new suit, and two beautiful shirts. It was crazy.

    While I watched Arie try on his new duds, I exchanged some texts with Maya, in which I joked about buying a whole new wardrobe. She was with Hannah, and they told me to go back and order something else, as I’d regret not ordering more. So, I decided to go back and order a pair of silk slacks and a top! In the 48 hours in which we were in Hoi An, Arie had two fittings and I had three (getting the right style for the coat turned out to be complicated, as we were working from a picture that I’d brought with me.). But, by the time we left, our clothes were finished, and we arranged to have them shipped home. Had we been in Hoi An for a week, I think that I would have had a hard time not ordering more clothes. It was super fun, and not very expensive by US standards.

    The second thing for which Hoi An is known is the manufacture and display of fabric lanterns, which are made in small shops and factories in and around Hoi An. These lanterns come in half a dozen shapes, although the “garlic” shape seems to be most popular. They come in a variety of sizes, from relatively small (8 inches long) to quite large (2 feet long). And, the lanterns come in every color of the rainbow. The lanterns are hung everywhere — on trees, balconies, and wires that go across the streets. The colors and shapes look beautiful during the day. But, at night, it is simply magical, particularly in the ancient part of town, were the lights in the shops are pretty dim and the lanterns glow. (I understand that during the full moon, all of the lights are turned off in the ancient city, and it is particularly gorgeous.).

    I was completely enchanted by the lanterns, and decided that they would be an excellent addition to the garden at the River. Arie was initially skeptical, particularly when I mentioned that I wanted to hang them outside and put bulbs in them. (“What? How do you think I could do that? Don’t count on that, Sharon.”). But, as we walked along, I won him over to the idea. We found a wonderful shop that specialized in lanterns, and actually made their own (as opposed to simply buying lanterns from someone and just selling the finished product.). We had a lengthy conversation with the shopkeeper, Van, who taught us about the different fabrics that are used for making lanterns, the various sizes and shapes, and told us which lanterns were best for hanging outside. She also told us that she could ship them to the US. If they were sent by sea, delivery is in 3-4 months, but the cost is considerably less. We selected an assortment of shapes, in an array of colors, and she said that she’d make them for us and then ship them. She also said that she’d have to call the “boss lady” to come and discuss the order with us. We said fine and began the process of ordering. In about 5 minutes, a woman who we’d met before arrived by motor scooter. Turns out that Van called the “box lady,” not the “boss lady.” We had met her earlier when we stopped in the shipping “office” to inquire about the prices of sending a box to the US. Apparently she has a monopoly on shipping and services all of the shops in the area. I guess that is expected in a small town. So, lanterns are ordered and should arrive mid-summer, if we are lucky. Whenever they arrive, I know that hanging them in the garden will be a lovely reminder of a delightful visit.

    Of course, every city also has its special foods. Hoi An has two — banh mi, and white rose dumplings. The banh mi are Vietnamese sandwiches, and can be filled with pork, chicken, beef, or eggs, as well as a smattering of vegetables. Anthony Bourdain has made one shop famous, and our guide took us there. Each sandwich was $1.25, and was quite yummy. (We actually went there twice in two days.). White rose dumplings are handmade rice noodles, which are shaped into a rose, filled with pork or shrimp, and steamed. We tasted them on our first night, and then got to see them made when we toured Hoi An. The woman we saw making them lived in one of the oldest houses in Hoi An. She and just a few other women make this delicacy, and then they sell them to restaurants around town. Seeing them made was quite interesting, and a real treat — as was eating them.
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