Scooter tour outside Hoi An

Cua Dai Beach near Hoi An.

Cua Dai Beach near Hoi An.

Out in the rice paddies near Hoi An.

Leaving Hoi An on the motorcycle/passenger ferry for Cam Kim Island.

Another ferry from Cam Kim Island.

Ho Chi Minh on Cam Kim Island.

Quiet corner in a family shrine on Cam Kim Island.

Family shrine on Cam Kim Island.

The rented Yamaha Nuovo Scooter saw some dirt too on this path on Cam Kim Island.

Most of the driving on my rental scooter, on Cam Kim Island, was along concrete lanes such as this stretch.

A section on Cam Kim Island that skirted the rice paddies.

Patriotic gate just before the ferry on Cam Kim Island, near Hoi An.

Leaving Cam Kim Island for the trip back to Hoi An.

RENTING A SCOOTER was an alternative to staying in town all the time. In Laos it had been a lot of fun but in Vietnam the experience was dust free as almost everywhere I toured the roads were paved or even made of concrete. Cua Dai Beach, just four or five kilometres east of Hoi An, was my first destination one morning. At this early hour, a cool breeze blew off the surf whipped sand beach. Gradually fog off the shore burned off and fierce heat and humidity accompanied the sunny morning.

On my return to Hoi An, I stopped at the grave of a Japanese merchant, dating from the 17th century and out in the rice paddies near the road. There were also water buffalo to look at and rice farmers to interact with.

Finally, back in town, I took the scooter onto a ferry sailing to Cam Kim Island. The twenty minute crossing brought me to this beautiful flat green island, which was an idyllic change from the mainland. I spent much of the afternoon over here following mostly concrete surfaced lanes but there was also the occasional dirt path that led out to the rice paddies. On the way I stopped in villages and at the odd family shrine too.

Beautiful Hoi An

Video from a private boat charter along the Hoi An riverfront.

The river front in Hoi An.

The Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the early 17th century,
is one of Hoi An's most important landmarks.

Hoi An is also known as a lantern making town.

Electric switches by the altar in a Chinese Assembly House.

Chinese Assembly House detail.

Tran Phu Street.

At the market.

Intersection in the new part of Hoi An.

In the Main Market.

Popular street food place.

Balcony view of Tran Phu Street from an old family house.

ONCE A CROSSROADS for maritime trade Hoi An is a popular spot for tourists these days. This Unesco World Heritage site was of immense importance as thriving international seaport. In the 16th and 17th centuries, traders came from as far away as China, India, Europe, as well as elsewhere. Their many ships were not only anchored here but some of the foreigners even established permanent quarters in Hoi An too. It could be argued that in the context of today's international banking and trade, Hoi An was an early hotspot in the economic evolution towards globalization.

In recent decades many buildings have been renovated, strict zoning laws have been imposed and so Hoi An has become something of a living museum. The question I had to ask myself was why could i not stayed longer in this beautiful place.

Up on Marble Mountain

Starting from the bottom at the Mountain of Water or at the Marble Mountains.

Buddha in the first cave.

Tiny chapel by first cave.

Worshippers at Marble Mountain.

Temple details.

Entering a cave.

Worshippers in a cave.

Detail in a cave.

^{WHEN APPROACHING The Marble Mountains over the flat fields, they appear to diminish in size as one closer. My taxi driver left me in the sculpture making and stone-cutting crafts village at the base of the most popular hill. It is known as Mountain of Water (or Thủy Sơn). The ascent up the steep sides of this karst stone formation was by way of a broad uneven staircase. In the growing heat I just wanted to reach the shade patches on top. This natural world, on an intimate scale, with Buddhist retreats and places of worship, felt quite fairy-like. The hill had a dense layer of vegetation, thick jungle really. Paths of concrete and flights of stairs led one up and down amongst the little peaks, past temples and monasteries and into numerous caves and caverns too. Oftentimes, Buddhas and other statues appeared in the gloom behind rising curls of incense smoke. In the largest cave, a spectacular place of worship, shafts of angled light, penetrating from holes high in the ceiling above.}

Lao Textiles by Carol Cassidy

Silk weaver at Lao Textiles.

Tools of the trade at Lao Textiles.

Template used for creating the pattern during the weaving process.

Preparing silk thread on a spindle.

Work in progress on the loom.

Washed fabric drying in the sun.

The old French colonial era villa that houses Lao Textiles.

LAO TEXTILES, by Carol Cassidy, creates sublime and striking silk fabrics. Everything is designed and mostly produced in this French colonial era villa. A second facility for land mine victims in Cambodia, supplies textiles as well, based on contemporary designs from the Vientiane operation.

After ringing the front door I was shown into the showroom, toured the workshops, made some purchases and even spoke to the owner. Carol Cassidy, orginally from the United States, has lived in Laos with her husband for a number of decades. Her training and experience in textile design and production began with studies in Norway, Finland as well as at home. Best of all Carol Cassidy gave me a book showcasing examples of her Lao textile output which is depicted in page after page of full colour images.

Country market east of Vientiane

Hans, Hong and the driver in the tuk tuk to the country market.

Sticky rice baskets.

Local rice.

Edible grubs.

Hong purchased these two captured yellow billed egrets for eventual release.

Cat sleeping in the shopfront shrine.

Fishmonger.

Market along the highway.

IN A TUK TUK Hong, Hans and I went out to country market east of Vientiane. Having driven through on a Sunday, there were far more stalls but even on this weekday there was something to see. The two egrets shown here in a cage were purchased by Hong. She did this out of compassion, so that they could be freed. This is also mentioned in the posting "Temple visits in Vientiane.". Otherwise the market was full of interesting things to look at.

Vientiane Laotian Wrap-up

Stupa of That Dam with a tangle of overhead lines.

Rundown French colonial era villa.

Vientiane riverfont with a much diminished Mekong River, due to the dry season, in the distance.

Vientiane riverfront with resting workers.

Shoes outside Wat Simuang.

Baguette sandwich stall owner.

Tarot card readers stall.

Heng Boun Street with food stalls.

Vang Vieng Laotian Wrap-up

View of karst formation from the garden of Maylyn Guesthouse across the river from Viang Veng.

Truck headlights illuminate village that is across the rive from Viang Veng.

Lao version of Karl Marx outside my bedroom at Maylyn Guesthouse, Vang Vieng

Morning sun through smoke filled air, Vang Vieng.