Overnight train to Hoi An

Overnight Train to Hoi An

[caption id="attachment_167" align="alignright" width="150"] China Beach - DaNang[/caption]

When I last left you, I was on my way to the train station in Hanoi.  With a bit of pantomime and a lot of pointing I got to my berth, #21 in car #6 and got settled in.  Shortly there after came an English bloke as he called himself.  We were both traveling rather light and had the bottom berths.

Then our cabin mates arrived, two French girls, dressed in dresses and pulling rather large hard-sided suitcases with them.  Clive and I rolled our eyes a bit and helped to get the one bag under the berth and the other slid in under the table.  Then he averted his eyes so the girls could ascend to their respective berths.

All of this happened by about 7:20 and we were on our way right on time.  However we had all been told that the trains are notorious for running late, so starting on time was good, but we were not holding our collective breaths. The other three were stopping in Hue, an ancient capital of Vietnam and I was continuing on to DaNang, which is an additional 100 miles or so.

All in the train was suppose to be 15 hours and at 17 and a half I arrived in DaNang.  Where I jumped on the back of an Easy Rider – I guy driving a very nice Honda motorcycle and enjoyed the breeze and the view for the 30 kilometers to Hoi

[caption id="attachment_168" align="alignleft" width="150"] Japanese Bridge - Hoi An[/caption]

An.  We passed China Beach; eat your heart out Dana Delany.  Saw what used to be the Air force base, and pulled into the quaint town of Hoi An.

Hoi An was an old shipping port, but when things changed in the 18^th century, the town sat stagnant, for over 200 years.  That means that it has old world charm in the old quarter and has turned into a tourist’s delight.  There are beaches, fresh seafood, amazing architecture and even an ancient covered Japanese bridge.

Central Vietnam is known for its food.  Hue is an ancient capital that the emperors insisted on never eating the same food in a year.  This created a culinary heritage that has great variety.  Friday I went on the Taste of Hoi An tour.  It was a walking and eating tour.  We tried over 60 different things, from breakfast to dessert items.  It was a wonderful tour led by an Australian man who is a true foodie.  I have learned lots about Vietnamese food and eating.

[caption id="attachment_169" align="alignright" width="150"] Electric biking around Hoi An[/caption]

I have been here for 4 days – 1 on the moto checking out Marble Mountain – where they extract vast amounts of marble for statuary.  1 day around the pool just kicking it at the hotel.  1 day on the food tour, and hanging around the old quarter and today I am renting an electric bike and going a bit further afield to see the lived in parts of the city.

Tomorrow I head out for Pleiku on my way to the Ratanikiri provice of Cambodia, where I will spend 3 full days being unplugged, catching some serious nap time in a hammoc

k, with a book or two.  Will catch up with you guys at the end of next week.

TTFN as Tigger would say – Ta Ta For Now