The shopkeepers and emperors of old Vietnam had it made. A pharmaceutical salesman resided in a intricately carved wooden storefront with a lush atrium and lacquered inlay furniture while his emperor had an entire landscape of temples built for his final resting place, with room to spare for his wives. Such elegant use of space is on display in both Hoi An and Hue, two stops along our journey from South to North Vietnam.
Hoi An is so quaint and so fittingly “Asian”, it feels like a manufactured version of itself for the benefit of tourists. But I was perfectly happy to live in the illusion of lit paper lanterns, swept streets, and excellent restaurants. Days are spent eating, shopping and strolling through old merchant houses and Chinese assembly halls that make you feel so elegant you must dress the part. So we visited one of the many tailor shops that have made Hoi An famous for the trade and Ben ordered two shirts and a pair of pants custom tailored to the tune of $50.
Perhaps one of the highlights of Vietnam is that its skinny width and long coastline means you are never far from a great beach. Just north of the Hoi An town center is An Bang beach, a poorly advertised getaway of white sands and pristine blue waters that was nearly empty when we stopped for a lunch of grilled squid and Larue beers. It was the perfect respite from the heat, which was nearly unbearable in mid-day. We were sad to leave Hoi An, and in retrospect, would have gladly spent another day, but we had a tight schedule to meet. Our next stop was Hue.
Hue, which lies smack dab in the center of Vietnam is just as known for its ill-fated location during the Vietnam War as it is for its imperial tombs which dot the outskirts of the city. We chose to see the latter and spent one day on a motorbike getting lost between them. As usual, the motorbike ride was as interesting as the stops, as it granted us lovely views of the Perfume River and surrounding mountains.
For more pictures, click through the slideshow below: [slideshow]
