A return to this wonderful paradise........wishing my Vn travel buddy was here....we have so many fantastic shared memories..........I cant wait to get out and about. For those who have not heard of Hoi An it is known as the ‘Living Museum of Vietnam’, this UNESCO World Heritage
listed town is a place lost in time. Once a major trading port of southeast Asia from the end of the 16th Century to the early 19th Century but was forgotten once the river silted up. Hoi An is one of the most charming towns you will ever visit with its well kept original historic buildings and ancient backstreets.

Started today with some cultural experiences of the ancient town. A walking tour in the old town of Hoi An bought back amny memories and of course we had to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, visit a local Chinese temple and browse through Hoi An Market. We also visited an old merchant’s home, where descendents of the original merchant still reside. Amazingly the house gets flooded on a regular basis and the owner had marked the dates and height of flood on the wall. One way to get a spring clean I guess!!

Then it was time to do what one does best in Hoi An - shopping!!!!!! Interestingly the tour guide chose many of the same places as me to visit including my old favourite for tailored clothes - Yaly Couture. I re-acquainted myself with the staff and then got down to my aim for this trip - to finally get myself an Ao Dai made - Vietnamese national outfit that I have admired ever time I come to visit this beautiful country.

We went to one of the many jewelry shops and lo and behold it was the one where Kathy and I had some things made last year!!! Even more amazing the owner actually recognised me in the group and then busily told everyone how he had made me some things before. I simply had to purchase a few more pieces and to my surprise was given "local" price not tourist price!!! Our tour leader was most impressed and said I must have spent a bit to earn this!!!!

Next day we traveled west to the town of My Son where we visit the Cham Ruins. From the 4th to the 14th century AD, the valley at Mỹ Sơn was a site of religious ceremony for kings of the ruling dynasties of Champa, as well as a burial place for Cham royalty and national heroes. Mỹ Sơn is perhaps the longest inhabited archaeological site in Indochina but a large majority of its architecture was destroyed by US bombing during a single week of theVietnam War. It is so sad to see the devastation of so much history for no useful purpose. Today,worries persist regarding the structural soundness of the remaining temples, some of which are vulnerable to collapse and there is the ongoing threat of unexploded land mines nearby!! Needless to say we kept to the well walked trails.