We're in Hoi An (does that sound similar to anything?) and it's a really beautiful city. At night the bridge that connects to the island is lit up and the streets are lined with red and yellow lanterns. Last night was the fourteenth day after the full moon so we were lucky enough to make it to the monthly festival. I haven't gone out yet since it got dark so I'm not sure what usually happens and what is special, but last night the river was filled with flower-shaped lanterns, a crowd gathered around some entertainment, and people shot into the air glowing tops that would boomerang back to them. At first they looked almost like small blue firecrackers, silent ones, but when we got closer people were catching them and the light was a small bulb attached to plastic propellers. It was crowded--need I say that?--but maybe because less motorbikes were out it seemed quieter and more peaceful. People took boatrides down the river and boatrides were offered by the bank but even the hassling was more subdued. Maybe because there are so many tourists here they figure that somebody else will be sure to want a ride more.
So far we've only explored a part of the small city and most of it has been filled with clothes shops and tailors. They put a ban on opening new stores to late! There is a huge selection of all kinds of fabrics in every store and I'm able to design the dress but the choices are so daunting. The only picture I have has me and the woman measuring me in it but I will post it anyways and maybe a picture of the dress when it's finished. Right now my dad is being fitted for a suit and if we didn't already want to stay in Hoi An a couple more days we would have to delay leaving until out clothes are finished.
Last night we had our first hotel with a pool. My guess is that it was about eight meters across so I swam five laps to swim roughly the length of a lap in the stupidly short (but still far superior to the Briggs) pool I go to at home. Even including all the turns I had to make I was only three or four seconds slower than normal. Not great, but I was preparing myself for much worse.
We had to move hotels today so no pool now and the airconditioning doesn't work, but that will be much more of a hardship tomorrow. It rained today for the first time since coming to Vietnam, and though I had to put off my swim it cooled the whole day down and it was muggy at worst.
I can't believe that it's March already. Part of me is wondering how it's possible we only have two months left and the other part is saying 'Two whole months???'. I think if I made a graph of How Much I Miss Lillie it would only go up from here. That's a scary thought.
On a brighter note, after a month of greasy and limited veggie food interespersed with the odd helping of delicious pho we found a tiny vegan place down an alley today. It was a buffet-style lunch and absolutely delicious.
For those of you that subscribe (I know there's at least one of you) I'm sorry if this gets sent to you four--make that five--times, but I also wanted to add that, unfortunately, we found some superglue for my violin and it is back. At least until I get home and burn it. |
| Don't those hairline cracks look oh-so-smug? |
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