Hoi An - Old Town Charm with Old Time Beer Prices

26 February - 2 March 2015

We went down to check out of our hotel at noon and our driver from Hoi An was already there to take us to our next hotel...well...it isn't really a hotel, it is more of a homestay, but not like the homestays we have done in the past.  This homestay is in the city of Hoi An.  45 minutes later we pull into Charming Homestay.  This place is run by a woman named Nhi and her elderly mother.  Before we even got there I felt like I knew Nhi since we emailed back and forth for a couple of days, and she even friended me on Facebook and had read through this blog before we even got there.  We were quite happy that we were staying here for 4 nights.  We got to our room (they only have 3) which was the only one on the second floor and it was really nice...again...we are happy to be staying here for 4 days.

After a little break in the room we went down to get on our bicycles...every room comes with 2 bicycles free of charge...and road to a seafood restaurant that I read about that was supposed to be good.  After 20 minutes we arrived at said restaurant.   Here is where you would expect a picture of this wonderful seafood meal we had, but you are not going to get that since the food wasn't very good.  We had high hopes with the review I read and the live seafood in tanks, but it just wasn't, so I'm not even going to bother uploading the pictures.

After eating, we rode back to the homestay and chilled in the room.  We signed up for a tour tomorrow that picks us up here at 8 AM, so we have to be up early.

The next morning we ate breakfast...made to order eggs, fruit, juice, green tea, and baguette and got into the tour van at 7:50 AM.  Today we are visiting My Son, Vietnam's most extensive Hindu temple remains although only 20 of the 68 structures remain mostly due to US bombing during Vietnam.  Don't feel bad that the US bombed a ancient temple site since the reason is that the Viet Cong used the site as a hideout.

Crater in front of a nearly destroyed temple

After touring My Son we got back on the bus.  We had a choice when we signed up for the tour to take the bus back to Hoi An or to take a boat ride with lunch for an extra $3 USD, so we went for the boat ride:

Tables set for lunch.

The Captain's son takes over.

Passing boat filled with motorbikes.

Before making it back to Hoi An, the boat stopped at an island that is known for its woodworking and boatbuilding.  Here is just a peak since we signed up for a tour tomorrow that goes to this same island.

When we got back to Hoi An we found out that the boat drops us off in town and doesn't take us back to our hotel, so we now have to make our way back to our hotel which is about 2 miles away.   So, we walked around Old Town, Hoi An known for lanterns and century old architecture.

As we were walking around we saw a sign that said, "Fresh Beer = 7 K/bowl" with an arrow pointing into an alley:

Of course we figured the work "bowl" was a typo, but a beer for 7,000 Dong or $0.33 USD...we had to check it out.  We ordered a couple of beers and some famous dishes of Hoi An called bánh vạc (white rose made of rice flour and minced shrimp) and hoành thánh chiên (fried shrimp wonton cakes topped with sautéed mixed vegetables).  A few minutes later we were served 2 bowls of beer and 2 awesome plates of food:

The bowls of beer were awesome as was the food.  This was definitely one of our favorite places we found in Vietnam so far.  Before it was done we had 7 beers and 4 plates of food for a grand total of 179,000 Dong or $8.33 USD...what a find!

After the great food and beer we continue our walk back to hotel when I took a couple of "artistic" pictures and stopped to play some basketball with a couple of local kids.

We then came across an unbelievable sign..."FRESH BEER 3000vnd/1 glass".  That's $0.14 USD for a beer!!!  Needless to say I was quite overjoyed.

Just as we were approaching our homestay we noticed a few Westerners hanging out a a small restaurant and they waved us over.  The place is owned by a local woman and her boyfriend from Minneapolis.  The couple hanging out there was from Fairhope, Alabama, not far from where we live in Florida.  As a matter of fact, we have been to Fairhope a few times since they have a really good brewery.  Anyway, we got to talking, and drinking beer then Tim looked at the menu that had a pulled pork sandwich. He just had to order it and he was very happy to have a taste of home for a change:

After the excessive of beer we went back to the hotel and went to sleep.  The next morning we forced ourselves awake for the included breakfast then went back to the room to relax.  We finally left the room around 2 PM in search of lunch.  Tim wanted pizza, so I went online and found a review of Luna d'Autunno that some people said was the best pizza in Vietnam.  We jumped on the bicycles to find it.  We did have some trouble finding it since it was not where the map said it was, but we finally found it after 1.5 hours of riding around. It was definitely worth the trouble...great pizza with a great view:

We then went back to the homestay and of course went back across the street to our new favorite bar called Circle where we met back up with the Alabama folks and enjoyed a few 17,000 Dong ($0.80) bottles of beer.

For the next day I signed us up for a free bicycle tour.  It was free because the tour guides were university students majoring in English and tourism.  They provide a free tour so they can practice their English and get a foot in the door for a future job as a tour guide.  

First stop was back to Kim Bong Island and the ship builders.  If you look at the boat you will notice the eye painted on it.  This is characteristic of all the boats built here.  Our tour guides told us that the eye is for many purposes....first...it is to scare the river monsters such as crocodiles, second...it gives the boat a soul, third...it led the way so you can see where you were going.  Kind of neat.  Oh...by the way...the boats are made out of solid mahogany.  The ones in the picture cost $7,000 USD.

Our wonderful tour guides.

The tour group.

Next we stopped at a family temple:

Next...we went to house that made paper items for the people to burn for their ancestors.  I mentioned a couple of blogs ago about the people burning money, but they also burn paper clothes, horses, cell phones, and even motorbikes: 

Making a paper horse.

Paper clothes

Paper motorbikes!

We then learned how to make rice noodle and sleeping mat and even got to participate:

Gerri making rice noodles.

Tim making a sleeping mat.

We then road back to the ferry and stopped to take some pictures of the island:

Then back on the ferry to return to Hoi An:

Tim talking to the tour guide.

Before riding back to the homestay we made a stop at our favorite beer bowl place and then stopped at our new favorite place to hang out in the whole world, Circle Cafe.  As a matter of fact...this is the picture Circle Cafe posted on their Facebook page with the caption "Anh with Circle's first regulars--Colin, Gerri, Tim, Lovelace. Thank you."

At Circle Cafe with Alabama couple and owner Ahn.

The next day we just need a break so slept in and chilled out in the room all day.  Tonight we have quite the "experience" to experience...a 24-hour bus ride to Ho Chi Minh City.  I know...we aren't too excited, but the flights and train were both sold out so we had no choice.

But first a farewell to Circle Cafe and then a 1.5 mile walk to the bus station.  The bus left at 7 PM.  We arrive in Nha Trang at 8 AM where we transfer to another bus to Ho Chi Minh City tomorrow night around 6 PM...oh joy.  The only good thing is that this is a sleeper bus where we get our own compartment to "sleep" in.  We just got on the bus and Tim is already not very happy since these seat were not made for 6 foot tall people.  Oh well...this will be an experience if nothing else.

Good night Tim!