After our adventure in Hue we moved onto another old town called Hoi An. This town is situted in the old South Vietnam. Having heard great things from my parents we decided to extend our stay here to three nights! We were not to be dissapointed!
We decided to book a train for the first time on our tour of asia, it was our first journey but not through lack of trying, they are so cheap that we can't seem to book tickets most of the time!
We took the train from Hue to Danang and it was gorgeous view after gorgeous view. Anyway back to Hoi An, having arrived and looked for accomodation, having arrived on the verge of a Vietnamese holiday we had trouble finding a room at first! And struggled with our bags out of the main town to finally settle in the only place we could find, a little out of town but it offered free bikes! An offer we couldn't refuse! It even had a pool!!!
We decided to book a train for the first time on our tour of asia, it was our first journey but not through lack of trying, they are so cheap that we can't seem to book tickets most of the time!
We took the train from Hue to Danang and it was gorgeous view after gorgeous view. Anyway back to Hoi An, having arrived and looked for accomodation, having arrived on the verge of a Vietnamese holiday we had trouble finding a room at first! And struggled with our bags out of the main town to finally settle in the only place we could find, a little out of town but it offered free bikes! An offer we couldn't refuse! It even had a pool!!! Beautiful Hoi AN!
After some much needed recovery time we set out to explore the nearby town of Hoi An on our trusty steeds.... these bikes were just plain shit. Looked about 25 years old but despite her previous 2 wheeler mishaps Susy soon fell in love with hers. She's a little bit odd. Having only the late afternoon to look around, that's pretty much all we did. All our plans were for the next day! Susy and her "bike"
See the vietnamses lady in the background... don't they look alike!
After an early wake up we decided to hop back on our "bikes" and set off on a day of adventure! On our tour of Hoi An we were set to buy an old town ticket and see all the sights but having realised early on that it was just possible to have a look for free we took the slightly cheaper option. First stop was one of Hoi An's museums. Small place with some amazing relics! 
Susy in front of a 11th century electric fan..... (it was desperately hot ok!)
Cannon and Ball!
We then headed off to look for the Japanese Bridge and after some miscalculations we ended up at Hoi An Old Town Heratige Centre type place where it was possible to see a wide range of old working techinques, including 
silk spinning and pottery.
silk spinning and pottery. Silk Spinning!
They did the pottery a little differently to most but it sure was a good way! 
One older lady was shaping the clay whilst another would turn the clay table with her foot!
One older lady was shaping the clay whilst another would turn the clay table with her foot!Pottery!
We then left our "bikes" behind and headed through the old towns 
art galleries. these streets were so colourful and full of sellers. and finally we found ourelves at the japanese bridge!
art galleries. these streets were so colourful and full of sellers. and finally we found ourelves at the japanese bridge! For all you history buffs (or that's just me), it was built by the japanese settlers in Hoi An. As the fable goes, a large monster (whose head lay in China, body in Vietnam and tail in Japan) would move about and everytime he did he would cause a flood or an earthquake.... for this reason they built the bridge on where his weakest point would be and therefore killed him. 
The Vietnamese took pity on this and built him a museum inside the bridge. Another cool fact was that they biult the bridge to be earthquake proof..... who knows?
The Vietnamese took pity on this and built him a museum inside the bridge. Another cool fact was that they biult the bridge to be earthquake proof..... who knows? Me in front of the bridge!!
After a spot of food on the river front, we called it a day and relaxed back at the hotel, knowing what we had planned for the next day. During our day out we booked ourselves into a sunrise 
tour to an ancient champa relic ground. We decided on the sunrise tour to miss the crowds but it came at a 4.30am wake up call cost!! The Champa Relic Ground was called My Son (pronoced me sun). Having woken and arrived so early we were blessed with an empty(ish) veiwing of the relics. Built between the 5th and 12th Century the champa people rulled Vietnam for over 1000 years and they were very fond of reproduction and the art of sex. Goes some way to explain the next picture! yes that is supose to be a penis........
We positivly sped back from My Son, unbeknown to us the driver had to pick another group up and we arrived back at 9am, strange thinking we had already done a days sightseeing. Back to bed!! After a cat nap we were back out into Hoi An old town and got a little old lady to take us on an hour boat trip up and down the river, so peaceful and easy going. Even though we did stop a few time for her to pick up garbage?!?
Susy and our little lady!
We finished up with Hoi An and headed overnight on another sleeper bus to Nha Trang, a beach side resort town, just a way of breaking up a very long journey to Saigon!
Love lots Gethin and Susy xxx
