Wow I have so much to tell you.
We took a cyclo for our baggage and we walked with him to the bus station in HCMC where we boarded the 152 to the airport. Naturally, cos nothing ever quite works as planned, the driver would not allow us off the bus at the domestic terminal however we managed to get a trolley and walk from the intenational to our departure area.
The prices in the airport were exremely high, at last we flew to Da Nang. A good flight of an hour and a half or so. We managed to find a couple who also wanted to avoid Da Nang and go straight to Hoi An and shared a taxi with them. He charged 17 USD which between us was not too bad. On arrival we found a hotel at 15USD per night per room, we had it reduced from 18USD as we asked for the AC to be switched off (I have the awful cough again that I got in Thailand from the AC).So off we went to find the tailor that Marie had been recommended.
This is a fantastic place I love it, it is very old, the Americans left it alone, it is crammed full of handtrades, there are tailors, jewellery makers and shoe makers everywhere. They have several bridges over the river all very beautiful, one being the japanese wooded bridge. We found the tailor and left our material with her. We wandered around and found you can take a boat trip for an hour all priced at 100,000VND which takes you round the coast and alongside the island, however yesterday we found a lovely old woman in a battered boat who whispered to us that her price is 80,000VND her daughter then appeared and said in fairly good english that she would come with us and tell us the history etc. so today we plan to do that, of course we will pay her more but she must be late 60 early 70 and to still be working that hard she deserves the business.
We went to a resturant and sat on the rooftop, which is always the preference as not only is it cooler and offers a view but you tend not to get constant interuptions from people selling various items from sunglasses to DVDs. I decided to have a pizza and chose the olive, mushrooms and anchovies.When it arrived the anchovies were 2inches long! I couldn't believe it, we had already remarked on the fact that they make fish pizzas and how awful they must be! So my sardine pizza was quickly returned!
A waitress was chatting to us and asked our birth years which then turned out to be a ploy to sell the necklaces that her son makes with the assortment of monkey or snake etc on them. She then asked Marie where we came from and asked to see some real English money. Marie showed her a selection of coins including a one pound coin, she asked if she could keep them which Marie agreed to. Yesterday I met an Australian girl and was chatting to her for ages, we had a beer together and while seated in the bar we were approached by a girl, she asked where I was from and what the currency rate was. I told her 28.000 VND to one pound and she asked if I would buy her English money from her ! So now we are aware of another scam. However I do love this place and wish I had longer here.
Yesterday we were walking down this road past the our tailor, she called me in and explained she had a problem, my material was not enough to make the trouser suit I had wanted. Apparently the width was less than they normally have! Nightmare we couldn't get more of the same material, we tried to call the supplier in HCMC and there was no answer, I just didn't know what to do. I had even planned in my head to wear a black top with the suit and hoped to find some jewellery to match. She only needed one more metre. Anyway after much, and I mean much, deliberation I decided to have cut offs and a jacket, at least I will have my own 'ideal to travel in ' suit. We will see today how it looks.
So out to the sunshine for my last full day......
Love you xxxx
No comments:
Post a Comment