Nguyen Blahnik

First things first ... the shoes, as feared, were a disaster. They were supposed to cost $20 (the first sign that there was a problem ... my custom shoes from Hong Kong were more expensive, not less, than the originals ...). We had to make a deposit, which we left behind; I told Alex that we needed to get a $6 laugh out the experience and I must say that when I think about the shoes, I still chuckle, so it was worth it. One thing you realize is that they don't actually know what a quality shoe looks like ... no Manolo Blahnik stores in Central Vietnam, so ... what did I expect?

Anyhow, the trip through Vietnam is going great. Hoi An was pretty mellow, centered around multiple fittings, most of which turned out okay. I only had to reject 2 of about 10 pieces of clothes, so my ratio was better than most, and I walked away with 5 new pairs of pants, a jacket and 2 dresses, so no complaints, and it was a lot of fun. The place most of my clothes were made was the big place to go in Hoi An (there are at least 100 custom tailor shops in this tiny town), so we also ran into some interesting people while hanging around the shop between fittings.

Central Vietnam is experiencing its rainy season (a fact my travel agent omitted when I was planning the trip) so it has been pretty wet and grey for this part of the trip. When we arrived in Hoi An it was raining, so we put off our bike trip to the next day, when it was raining on and off with some strong bursts of sun in between. Phuc (pronounced Fook ... since my Cousin Sharon asked ... ) took us on a nice bike ride through small villages where the main activity was watching farmers tilling the soil of their rice paddies with buffaloes ... on the way to a really beautiful beach outside of Hoi An. We had our first coconut milk - chopped from the tree before our eyes, which was quite a treat. We then went on a walking tour of Hoi An and learned about the Chinese and Japanese influences from the days when Hoi An was a central port city; unfortunately for Hoi An, some large deposits of soil came downstream the river, creating an island off the shore and making it impossible for big ships to get into the port. So that put an end to Hoi An's days of centrality in Vietnamese commerce. Nonetheless, there is some very interesting old architecture along the river, and a beautiful Japanese covered bridge, so it is a very nice place to wander aimlessly and enjoy the feel of the city.

Aside from getting clothes tailored, we spent a lot of time sitting in outdoor cafes overlooking the river and hanging out. Alex has taken my usual role of spa-hound, getting his third massage of the past three days as I type!

Last night our hotel had a Christmas dinner, which was very nice. They assigned us to a table with other English speakers so we were able to hear tales from other travelers, many of whom were on similar trips through the region. The staff learned a bunch of carols which was pretty funny ... you could tell they didn't actually understand the words, and their strong Vietnamese accents made the songs sound more interesting than usual. At the end of the dinner they did some local dances which put some native color into the evening. Brunch this morning was supposed to feature a visit from Santa, but we had to leave pretty early to get on the road, so Santa continues to elude me, 38 years and counting.

Today we drove from Hoi An to Hue, passing along the way past China Beach, currently the center of a major beachfront development boom. At the moment, no hotels are open on this long stretch of unspoiled beach between Da Nang and Hoi An, but there are about 10 luxury resorts going up, vying for the title of first and most luxurious, with some incorporating casinos ... illegal for Vietnamese to attend, but a big draw for local Asians.

We drove about 3 hours, climbing up a mountain where it was pouring rain, winding sharply and very misty, but incredibly lush with great ocean views when the mist would lift long enough for us to see it. We also went through a lot of small towns which is always my favorite part of the trip.

Currently in Hue at the famous art deco hotel La Residence (www.la-residence-hue.com). I was expecting great things since it gets the highest rating in many travel guides, but after the magnificent La Residence in Luang Prabang (to which it is unrelated in every way, but I couldn't help equating the two), I was disappointed when we checked in. Its art deco style is very authentic, and I can imagine hanging out here during time gone by (what I was expecting from the Rex Hotel rooftop but didn't find), and it definitely feels the part of French-influenced Vietnam, but I was hoping for something more luxurious. So spoiled!!!

After lunch Phuc took us to the Imperial City in Hue, where we learned about the many kings in Vietnam's past (tomorrow we will visit the mausoleums of many of those kings) and then went on to the local market. The market was insane ... enormous, and selling every ware and food you could ever imagine, in close quarters with people yelling and pushing past you. I insisted we go to see the meat section, where whole animals and their entrails were sitting out on planks of wood. I took a nice picture of a whole roasted pig's head, which I will be happy to show you when I return if you ask nicely! I also purchased some mangosteens, which I have been hearing about but tried today in the market for the first time, and they are delicious. Small purple fruit with a thick skin that you peel open to reveal small white segments (about 1/4 the size of clementine segments) ... very very sweet and somewhat mango-esque in taste.

Alex is suffering from sensory overload from all of these Vietnamese cities. Our last night in Saigon we were walking home from dinner and there were thousands and thousands of motorbikes honking, circling around the streets and waving Vietnam flags, making it nearly impossible to cross any street without seriously risking death. We thought it was some festival, but it turns out that Vietnam had defeated Singapore in the soccer semi-finals (they beat Thailand in the finals last night, winning for the first time in ten years ... I can only imagine what Saigon was like!). So, anyhow, between the crowded streets, the hawkers accosting us in the market and the general "differentness" of Asia, he is happy to retreat to the hotel in the evening and I think missing the relative quietude of NYC (hard to imagine), although still having a great time and definitely enjoying the sites of his first trip to Asia. But I am not sure I will be able to convince him to move to Asia just yet :-).

For some reason, blogger access has been hard to get in some of these hotels (maybe a firewall issue) so I am not sure how often I will be able to update, but know that we are doing well and certainly enjoying Vietnam (if not wishing for a little sun, which will get soon enough in Hanoi).

Wishing those of you who observe a very, very Merry Christmas ... will be happy to sing in the style of a Vietnamese caroler for you when I return ...