It is 1/3/11 @ 9:30 AM - We flew into Saigon yesterday morning. Now to try to remember where I left off of the last entry - I don't think I wrote about the New Year's Eve gala at the hotel in Hoi An...it was very festive with lots of music and entertainment by the staff of the hotel. If I have already told you about this, forgive me and just skim it.
We were introduced to the owners, general manager, and other key staff members of the Resort. There are 4 of these resorts, the fourth being newly opened somewhere in VN. The staff sang, as did the owner and his wife, and the staff modeled their uniform dress. It is a talented staff. There were numerous tables and a very large buffet served. Drinks were purchased, I had a Mai tai which about sent me loopy! We sat w/ two women from Sweden who were very friendly. Most of left about 10, put in ear plugs and went to bed. Very festive indeed.
Saturday 1/1/11 we spent with our tour guide, Son, and driver Duc. this time we toured the city of Hoi An. We started with a silk worm tour. There were large baskets of silk worms in various stages of growth. One batch was at about 10 days growth, the second batch a bit longer (I cannot recall the exact days but it was not long) and then into cocoons. Then she actually pulled the silk from the cocoon in strings. it was fascinating. Then we saw how some of it is weaved into silk fabric. The cocoons are either white or yellow - other colors have to be dyed. Then we saw the workers sitting at their desks working at their jobs. The jobs included sitting there for 8 hours embroidering designed on white cotton table cloths or pillow cases, sewing/embroidering pictures from designs they are given, or sewing clothing. If course it is hoped that one will buy so it also serves as a market. From there we were taken into a clothing shop connected to the silk shop. Here there are tailored dresses, scarves, skirts, kimonos, men's shirts, pants...Beaver bought a lovely shirt -
Then to craftsmen/women who were weaving bed mats with straw, making beautiful designs. There were wood workers making inlaid wood items such as boxes, buddhas, toothpick holders etc.
We saw a Japanese Covered bridge, very old and ornate. It stands about ten feet high over the water - and has flood lines on it showing the water has come to flood the bridge. The flood line is about 4' above the floor line of the bridge! then we went to a very old house called Tanky Old House. It has been the home to numerous generations, pictures of each generation are on the walls. The house is very dark and dank - and has flood lines marked to show the dates and flood lines of past floods. Amazing water issues!!
We did a bit of tourist shopping = t shirts. Then after lunch drove to My Son, the ancient religious center of the Cham people. it is also the site of several American bomb craters. These ruins date back to the 4th Century - there are 4 main sites, all of which have the same basic design but are in different states of ruin. Two are in restoration attempts. The carving in the stone was incredibly good - and many relics reflect their life. It was a nice complement to our Cham Museum tour.
As we walked to the van, it was clearly jungle and this where the Viet Cong hid and the attacks occurred. It was very emotional for me to see the sites where the war occurred.
Dinner that night was at an Eqyptian restaurant called Goda, I think. good food. Clearly the tour company had contracts with all the restaurants and hotels. And they were good ones!
Sunday, 1/2/11 Up at 4:45 AM to fly to Saigon. We left Da Nang about 8 AM and landed in Saigon around 9. Took cab to hotel Au Lac. This is a lovely hotel. Very modern. You put your card that opens your door into a slot and it turns on the power for the room. Saves electricity!
This night was the second reception for Beav and Ha My. It was held at a restaurant near by, within walking distance from our hotel. This reception was for Thanh Ha's family. There were about 80 people in attendance. Several guests spoke English - two of whom were seated at our table. They spent time teaching statistics in University of North Carolina and at University of WAshington, state. Lovely people. Our menu was more westernized while other tables had either vegetarian or different local dishes. Lovely thought for us on Thanh Ha's part.
Our hotel is centrally located. So today Beav, Ha My and I had breakfast together, after which Ha My went to spend the day w/ her family. They will go to their grandfather's mausoleum. Ha My's mother's sister is not well and they want to spend time with her and their grandmother. Linh will leave tonight to return to USA.
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| Winnie at My Son |
Beaver and I will spend the day walking and going to two malls. this is really the first opportunity for shopping - Believe it or not, there has not been much to buy. Guess going to a mall might change that, eh?
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| Statue of Bac Ho, Saigon |
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