Let me count the ways. I love the bougainvillea (but I think I full addressed that back in Luang Prabang). I love the silk lanterns. Hội An is a small town comprised of lovely french colonial buildings, which now house bakeries, artisans' shops, and cafes - each is lit with these hand-painted beauties.
Speaking of bakeries, I love the pastries! This mango tart (along with the passion fruit cheesecake, not pictured) was the perfect meeting of east and west as far as I'm concerned.
I love the lunar festival: the locals fill the sidewalks with small altars and come out to float votives down river, play a giant game of street chess or bingo, and catch a school-recital:
I love the culture of the river. The docks in town are lined with bright fishing boats - some hemi-spherical, most flying the Vi. A woman paddled with her feet while she downed a quick bowl of rice and snails for lunch. The produce market in town has a section devoted to river snails (eaten live).
I loved the sights. Hội An was a resort community for foreigners long before I got wind of its charms. Check out the Japanese covered bridge:
And one of my favorite Chinese assembly halls.
I LOVED the food. We had excellent meals at every single establishment we visited. But the local fare at Mr. Son's street stall was the highlight. We ate white rose dumplings (steamed with pork filling), cao lao (noodle soup in beef broth), and many many fried wontons with chicken:
OK so that's seven ways by my count. And I still haven't really said how nice it was just to stroll around each evening, stopping in for 3000d "fresh beers"and generally enjoying the view. Love it.
Enough with the poetry. I didn't love the ruins at My Son. But they still merit a mention. Basically they were a hot and sticky preview of the wonders to come in Angkor. But we did see some great butterflies and lizards.
xoxo Jessie
Let me count the ways. I love the bougainvillea (but I think I full addressed that back in Luang Prabang). I love the silk lanterns. Hội An is a small town comprised of lovely french colonial buildings, which now house bakeries, artisans' shops, and cafes - each is lit with these hand-painted beauties.
Speaking of bakeries, I love the pastries! This mango tart (along with the passion fruit cheesecake, not pictured) was the perfect meeting of east and west as far as I'm concerned.
I love the lunar festival: the locals fill the sidewalks with small altars and come out to float votives down river, play a giant game of street chess or bingo, and catch a school-recital:
I love the culture of the river. The docks in town are lined with bright fishing boats - some hemi-spherical, most flying the Vi. A woman paddled with her feet while she downed a quick bowl of rice and snails for lunch. The produce market in town has a section devoted to river snails (eaten live).
I loved the sights. Hội An was a resort community for foreigners long before I got wind of its charms. Check out the Japanese covered bridge:
And one of my favorite Chinese assembly halls. 
I LOVED the food. We had excellent meals at every single establishment we visited. But the local fare at Mr. Son's street stall was the highlight. We ate white rose dumplings (steamed with pork filling), cao lao (noodle soup in beef broth), and many many fried wontons with chicken:
OK so that's seven ways by my count. And I still haven't really said how nice it was just to stroll around each evening, stopping in for 3000d "fresh beers"and generally enjoying the view. Love it.
Enough with the poetry. I didn't love the ruins at My Son. But they still merit a mention. Basically they were a hot and sticky preview of the wonders to come in Angkor. But we did see some great butterflies and lizards.
xoxo Jessie
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