September 15, 2005

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  HỘI AN

  
  

   

  
  

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  Picture 1.  A historic bridge in Phố Cổ (Old District), Hội An. Its picture is taken from the river side.  Inside the bridge is an old temple.  Phố Cổ Hội An is a place where you can view three distinctive cultures, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese that combined harmoniously and artistically in the town structures. 

  
  

   

  
  

  Picture 2.  Entrance of the historic bridge.  Phố Cổ temple is on the right side obscured by the entrance fascia.

  
  

   

  
  

  Picture 3.  Phố Cổ temple.  Dạ Thảo, used to live near this place, she calls this temple “Chùa Cầu” meaning temple at the bridge.  This temple worships Chinese ancestors.  This structure was designed by Japanese architects. 

  
  

   

  
  

  Picture 4.  One of a streets of Hội An along the river Thu Bồn with a lots of cafes and restaurants.  There are many large fishing and commercial boats anchored along the river banks. 

  
  

   

  
  

  Picture 5.  I do not remember the street name, just happily caught a glimpse of flower phượng vỹ, a flower blossomed in the summer, a symbol of departure and separation at the end of school year.

  
  

   

  
  

  Picture 6 and 7.  Vendors sell local products that are made of silk such as lanterns and scarves along all main streets.  Hội An is famous of making silk.  I visited silk farm and was shown the process of making silk from beginning to the end start with how silkworms are raised, silk spun from silkworm cocoon boiled in water, to three kinds of silk and the top of the line of silk is shantung.

  
  

   

  
  

  Picture 8.  Just a street intersection where I met again flower “hoa giấy” with lavender color and a large lantern.  Inside one of the shops was a place people can use internet.  Also at this place I hired someone to do my laundry for about thirty cents per pound.  I double the cost so I could have it done in a few hours.

  
  

   

  
  

  Picture 9.  From afar, I thought the displayed good was food.  However, they are ceramic statuettes.

  
  

   

  
  

  Pictures 10, 11, and 12.  Hội An is very small.  I rent a bicyle and made my tour around the town in less than an hour.  Small but everywhere I went, I saw art galleries with colorful paintings.

  
  

   

  
  

  Pictures 13, 14, and 15.  Hội An is also famous with making marble sculptures.  Marbles are bought from province Thanh Hóa.  Talented local artists create the sculptures by chisels and hydraulic saws.  Stone carving skill is only passed from generation to generation within family.

  
  

   

  
  

  Picture 16.  A fair for children at the river bank.

  
  

   

  
  

  Hội An is small compared to Huế and Hà Nội.  However, Hội An attracts many tourists with its unique beauty and its peaceful life of a small town.  I think whoever lives in Hội An must be an artist at heart.  Every corners of the town have an artistic look.  Hội An residents seemimgly must express their creativity either through songs, poems or paintings. 

  
  

   

  
  

  You will see female employees wearing áo dài in restaurants and cafes.  Talk about exquisition, you have to see the town and breath the air to know what I mean because I am not talented enough to describe.  As I leave Hội An, one last look I think it is like a maiden who already learns to wear make up, to dress up, to beautify herself.  She starts to transform herself into a gorgeous woman like her sisters Huế and Hà Nội but still have the innocence of a child. 

  
  

   

  
  

   

  • 5:55 am
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