Still one of my favourite places in the world Hoi An retains its quiet serenity. Life seems to flow by at an uneventful pace. Each day you find yourself slowing down to fully enjoy all that this little jewel has to offer. A break from the hustle and bustle of city life was truly what we needed and as we walked along the narrow streets each day going from tailors to shoes to bags we would stop off at one of the many restaurants for a break. Everyone here is still friendly and I am constantly amazed at their memories. The lady in the jewellery shop remembered me from 4 years ago.....I thought it was just sales patter until she reminded me of where I had stayed and that she had taken me back by motorbike one night. The young lady at the tailors also remembered me and greeted me like a long lost friend.....she remembered what I had made last time and commented on how similar the dress was that I wanted made this time!!! I even found my old cyclo driver - 007 dubbed James Bond by me - who greeted me warmly and took me to his home again to see his family. He is particularly proud of his eldest son who is now attending university.

I delighted in playing tour guide for Tanya and loved watching her reactions as she saw many of the sight for the first time. Her face when I took her down to the river at night time to see all the lanterns was priceless. Her jaw dropped and she just looked at me and said "no wonder you keep raving about this place".

It was not all shopping. We wandered through the markets, admired many of the old buildings and of course visited the Japanese Covered Bridge. We stopped at a spa each day for a massage but perhaps the best one was when we went to the Hoi An Blind Massage. This was a seriously good massage – the best I have had in Vietnam – they really got into the knots in my shoulders and upper back and for the first time I can honestly say I felt some relief. It is run by a blind couple who also employ another couple of blind therapists who have all been trained in Vietnam's medical schools. They live independently above the centre and do not receive any outside funding. In a country that does not give assistance to disabled people it felt good to be able to do my little bit. As the owners say “enjoy a massage – make a difference”.

Of course we dined in delight at the many choices available. Took Tanya to a delightful Vietnamese restaurant to try the local specialties - white rose and fresh spring rolls. She could not believe how delicious Vietnamese food could be. We also availed ourselves of Italian, French and even an Australian steak. Mind you it was a minute piece of steak but cooked to perfection so I savoured every mouthful. Tanya is convinced she has to visit Australia to get a "real" steak after this little taster!!!

Of course I also got to enjoy my birthday (31 December for those who don’t know) in this wonderful town and what a day it was. Started off the day with fittings at the tailors and then a walk around the town with Tanya being very secretive but telling me to only have a light lunch....mmmm...... so had lunch at a lovely riverside cafe and headed back towards our hotel. Dropped off our excess stuff and then headed out again for a short walk to the Palmarosa Spa. WELL all I can say is that it was pure heaven. FIVE hours of treatments including a body scrub, full body massage, facial, manicure, pedicure...I was having a complete makeover. To top it off we had a break in the middle with a bottle of champagne and some croissants and fruits. Felt so decadent sitting there in silk robes in the middle of the day sipping champagne – did not think the day could be better. The staff at the spa gave me a huge bouquet of flowers which luckily I did not have to carry too far to get back to our hotel. But that was not all. Got just near our hotel when I heard my name called and here was the lady from the shoe shop chasing us down the street – also with a lovely bouquet of flowers for me. I could barely carry them all and then as we entered the hotel the staff there came out with a wrapped gift for me – a gorgeous cashmere/silk scarf!!! I was feeling very spoilt and the night was still young. As we were getting dressed to go out for dinner there was a knock on our hotel door. I opened it to find the girl from the tailors shop with a birthday cake for me!!!! WOW I cannot remember when I last had a birthday like this. We had booked ourselves in for dinner at a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant to enjoy a 6 course meal to be washed down with more champagne. Little did we realise when we booked but outside the restaurant was where the stage was set up on the street for the NYE show!!! How lucky were we – with a window seat upstairs we could overlook everything. One thing about Asian countries is that they know how to put on a big colourful show extravaganza. We had music, singing, dancing, cultural performances, a fashion parade and then the big countdown for the New Year when they set off the fireworks. It was awesome and we had the best seats in the house!!! We partied the night away and finally headed to bed at 5am. Needless to say New Years Day was a very quiet day with one hell of a hangover.

We still had a few more days to enjoy ourselves and continued our rounds of the town during the day – even took time out to do a lantern making workshop and now have my own silk lantern - before heading to a lovely riverside cafe for pre dinner cocktails and then finding a different restaurant for dinner each night – we were spoilt for choice.......now this is what I call living.

Alas, all good things must come to an end and after 8 days of absolute delight it was time to say goodbye. It was with a heavy heart that we said goodbye to Hoi An.....but never fear....we will be back again.

Hoi An has long been a cultural crossroad. More than five centuries ago the Vietnamese nation of Dai Viet expanded its territory southwards, encroaching on the Indianized Kingdom of Champa, which covered much of what is now central Vietnam. Hoi An, located on the Hoai River, emerged when Japanese and Chinese traders built a commercial district there in the 16th century.

These diverse cultural influences remain visible today. Visitors will find Hoi An's Old Quarter lined with two-storey shops, their elaborately carved wooden facades and moss-covered tile roofs having withstood the ravages of more than 300 years of weather and warfare. These proud old buildings, which back onto the river, remind visitors of another era, when Hoi An's market was filled with wares from as far afield as India and Europe.

It is at night that Hoi An really shines......the darkness broken only by jewel toned lanterns in all manner of shapes and sizes. Strolling through the lantern-lit streets is like walking into a fairytale. It is all the more picturesque since motor vehicles are banned from Hoi An's Old Quarter.

Japanese covered bridge

Legend has it that the bridge was built as a weapon of ancient people to deter the monster Mamazu, which has its head in India, its tail in Japan and its back in Vietnam, from causing earthquakes and other calamities. In fact, it was constructed by the Japanese trading community in 1593 to connect them with the Chinese area on the other side of a small stream. It remains until today as a spectacular attraction and is a beautiful trace of the Japanese influence in Vietnam.

This nearly-20m bridge connects the 2 major streets of Hoi An’s Old Quarter: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St. and Tran Phu St., looking over the peaceful Thu Bon River.Since the building of this site was started in 1593 – Year of the Monkey, and finished in 1595 – Year of the Dog, a pair of these two animals’ statues has been placed at both ends. They represent for the guardians of the bridge.

Japanese Bridge is renowned for its elaborate decorations, which can be most easily seen at the low entrance. Don’t miss the little porcelain bowls used to cap the ends of the tile, though the interior may be very dark. There’s a small temple on the north side of the bridge, right in the middle over the stream. In addition, visitors may find several interesting galleries at the other end.

Such a place can’t be ignored for those who want to take photos, with a charming historical background and amazing red faded colour. Night is when it looks more elegant, thanks to the lighting.