mot, hai, bot, YO!

May 07, 2008 20:13

So I'm making my way down south! I am in beautiful Hoi An right now, along with about a thousand French and Aussie tourists. Hoi An is really special-- its drenching in history and charm. The Thu Bon River runs right through the center of town and every evening the Old Quarter is turned into a magical land with whole shops of colorful silk lanterns being lit up, their colorful light painting the river's still waters. The best part about Hoi An is that because the Old Quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is governed by some great preservation laws-- no cars allowed in the Old Quarter and no motorbikes allowed there after dark. Its BRILLIANT! It truly makes an enormous difference to enjoy a hassle-free stroll down the cobbled lanes without constantly being beeped at rather obnoxiously.

Now if only EVERY Vietnamese city would follow suit! And while they're at... how about a 'No Motorbikes in the Market' rule?? The motorbike traffic through the markets, which are chaotic and crazy enough already, make for an absolutely exhausting and un-pedestrian-friendly stroll through the markets. I feel like I'm back in India when I try to walk through one... when just crossing the street was an energy-zapping battle. UNPLEASANT!!

Well speaking of motorbikes, I came here from Hue on one. I don't know how many kilometres it was but it definitely FELT like I crossed half of Vietnam! It was a very long, very hot ride. Luckily my driver made a lot of great stops for me to enjoy-- Elephant Springs, China Beach, Marble Mountain.

Well sorry to be so brief... I've just received the most distressing news from my brother that dear sweet beautiful Patty dog has died. I am immeasurably sad.

So more to come when I'm up to it.
Tam Biet!
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