Ancient city - HOI AN

A morning scene at Hoi-An river
(click on it for a larger image)

After knowing my dad's condition was improving and just allow time to let his hand to heal, Kathy & I took off to the ancient city Hoi-An, which it is 30 km south of Da-Nang. This will be our "get way" trip after more than a week stay in Saigon city, and later on our way to Hue - where we have to be there in 4 days to attend my younger brother's wedding.

a restaurant for tourist near water front, on Bach-Dang street.

We had been here before, back in 2005 as first time - but some how I feel very close to this ancient city, a similar phenomenal  that I received back in summer 1973 - when I first traveled with my friends to Da-Lat city, and for some strange reasons, I felt that I had lived there before, everything seem to be very familiar, very close to me as if I was born there in recent previous karma or something.





As usual - I rented a motorbike and took Kathy around the tiny town and outskirt of it, which of course, it doesn't take a whole day by motorbike to cover the entire ancient town. However, in order to see the real daily life of the local, it is best to park our rental bike near by and walk around city's blocks, especially at night when the tourists - after spending a long day with all kind of excursions and resting late afternoon,  they gathered around this small town for dining then more street sigh-seeing with lanterns hang almost everywhere, a romantic and classic atmosphere that perhaps bring tourist back to late 16 th century, because within  this ancient town, a section of it has been designated as a Viet-Nam's heritage site (as well as one of the UNESCO famous Heritage sites), thus many old houses (more than 300 years ) are not allowed to change, or upgrade with modern architect but only maintain and upkeep exactly as it was.



This is a typical "middle class" street vendor, who can afford to own a cart that can carry more items and less effort to move around than a poorer, traditional street vendor - whom mostly  women - carry a heavy load from 2 bamboo baskets on both end of a wooden bar on their shoulder. 



On the next day, we spent the morning at the beach, which it was rained last night and with the "cold" weather during off season, the beach seem almost empty - except for a few European families, for them this 73F degree in Hoi-An, Viet-Nam - was a "toasty warm" as currently in their countries the temperature was hovering near the sub zero freezing cold.


We met an old women who has not many tooth left when she smile and told us that she was 73 years old,  every day come here to sell snacks, cigarette, etc... to tourist, to support her and her disable husband - as their adult children live and working in Saigon city, also are too poor to help them. Of course, this old women was not the only one that we met on our journey, but so many like her still exists  now and forever, as long as mankind still remain. Just thinking about me - an unemployed, no job and still hundred or thousand time much better than her own fate. Was God not fair or just us, who chose a role to play in this life ? In a "short" while, many of us - soon or later - will feel no more pain & suffering, just like a co-worker of mine, Ann Barron - forever lives in peace, happiness and being close to God. She passed way only few  weeks after we have been laid off and after she had been went through pain - a lot of pain - during her last few years battle with her cancel. When we still working along side (remotely) with each other, I always heard her soft and gentle voice, never a trace of hurt, pain nor even a hint of anger about her illness, her fate. I kept telling others that Ann was my hero, my inspiration and best sample of endurance. Looking at the picture of this old women above,  I wondered what was the inside energy source that still keep her get up every morning, wandering around town and on the beach all day, and still keep smiling. Regardless, she reminded me that I could do a lot more...

 

a night scene on water front