Hue to HoiAn, Vietnam

Thursday, December 18.  Since our arrival in Vietnam, the weather has been cloudy and cool.  In Hue, we encountered our first days of rain.  After exploring the Citadel (our first day in Hue), the rain started and we were less inclined to be out and about.  Instead, we spent time reading, catching up on our email and such.  We did attempt to go to an art museum.  The taxi dropped us at the address and left.  Only then did we find out that the museum was closed.  So we and our friends found a cafe, had coffee (Vietnamese style, which means thick black coffee with condensed milk), and then walked home along the river.

        The next day, our friends left for Hoi An.  Roger and I remained in Hue.  We walked in the drizzle over the bridge to the open air market.  Hawkers tried to sell us ponchos ($1), but we preferred the hotel's umbrella--it wasn't raining that hard.  The market was a beehive of activity, noise and aromas...titillating all the senses.  Fruits and vegetables beautifully displayed, raw meats (pigs noses included), fish, bird cages, baskets of rice, 18 types of garlic, actually everything a person might want.  Next we visited a traditional market and found beer for 40 cents a can, chocolate (72% of course), and potato chips.  We are such nutrition freaks!  We headed home across the bridge, showered and took off for another dinner at our favorite restaurant.

     Several of you have asked about the prices of things in Vietnam.  Travel here is very affordable.  Our hotel rooms average $25/$30 nite including beautiful buffet breakfasts or individually cooked breakfasts.  Our rooms are the equivalent of $100/night rooms in the States.  Meals are the best deal.  We haven't spent more than $5 each for dinner, including beer or a mixed drink.  The food is incredible, ranging from vermicelli noodles with shrimp/pork in a fantastic sauce to Pho (a chicken, fish or beef based broth with noodles, vegetables and meat).  We haven't had a bad meal yet.

       Today, we sadly packed up, leaving the Orchid hotel staff that had been so kind and attentive to us.  An example: I always took a miniature cream puff at breakfast--they were extraordinary.  The staff noticed.  Yesterday in the late afternoon, one of the staff knocked on our door and handed us 4 of the little cream puffs.  What a treat!  How to make a guest feel special.  We boarded a train for DaNang.  From there, we transferred immediately to a car that would take us to our hotel in Hoi An.