So, I've made it to Hoi An, a quiet "ancient" town, in central Vietnam - now thronging with tourist of course. I flew from Saigon to Danang ($40 for 24hr train ride or $45 for 1 hour flight?), then a bus to Hoi An for about $1.50. The scene here is much quieter than Saigon and has definitely more a rustic feel despite the tourists.
After checking in to a random "hotel" ($8 a night with AC, satellite TV, mini bar, hotshower, free internet access ...quite a deal), I find out that, for some inexplicable reason, my Vietnam visa is due to expire on Dec. 6th. I entered the country on Nov. 27, and should have an automatic 30 day visa. So, had to do the run around as there is no way I can leave by the 6th - I have to be in Hanoi to pick up my Citibank card on the 7th or 8th. Hanoi has no official offices to handel these matters. I'm told to go to the police station to ask; to which I oblige. Things just work weird and slow in Asia, except for one thing. I'm told to go to 88 Phan Chu Trinh street. I make the 18 min trek there to find out it's a shop that sells GONGS, that's right GONGS. So I trek back to the police station where the woman apologizes and says it's 68 Phan Chu Trinh street. I trek back there, this time finding that it's an motorbike repair outfit. Upset now, I go back to the police station and show photos of the place they've directed me to. She finally gets on the phone to call whatever place it was I'm suppose to get to for the actual address. Now feeling bad that I've walked the distance 4 times, she dispatches a police office to drive me there on motor bike. This guy FLIES through the small town at about 45 mph through tiny streets and almost making bowling pins of the tourists. Lesson: Everything happens super slow in Asia except for traffic, which is warp speed no matter what the conditions are. Anyway, my visa is still in limbo as I'm told that I have to go to a big city to attend to it. So who knows, the commies might kick me out before long.
I spent the remaining evening wandering through the small town famed for it's really old Chinese style houses left over from a bygone era when Hoi An was a trading port. To add to the flavor, the regione was recently flooded so the entire place smells like damp moss. Most of the historic houses and Chinese association buildings here date back to Qing Dynasty architecture and is quite fascinating to explore.
Tomorrow, I'll be heading to My Son, another ancient ruin of the Cham civilization - a site that even predates Ankor ruins by about 200 years. Tomorrow afternoon I'll explore river and town area more. Today's site of local children playing on the streets and cruising at night on their bicycles was really uplifting. People are generally extremely warm and friendly all over the countrysides.
Incidently, as I've been bitten by all sorts of insects, I had resolved 2 days ago to by 4 meters of cloth and have a sleep sack sewn. All totalled it costed me about $9. Today, wandering through town I found one made of "100% silk" for $5, so I bought one for the hell of it as it was much more compact than what I have. You'd think I'd be happy, but I crossed the alley and found one for $3. Now I have THREE... figure I'll profit off some tourists later.
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