Hoi An Old town

i'm sitting in a cool cafe (it's about 40 degrees!) in Hoi An, about half way up the Vietnamese coast. we are on our way to Hanoi.. having spent the last 24 hours on board a bus we were very grateful to arrive in this wonderful historic town where we'll spend 2 days before the next marathon bus journey. Hoi An is one of only 4 UNESCO World Heritage towns in Vietnam and one of a handful to escape the wars (thanks to a mutual agreement between the forces at various times). the old town takes in about 10 blocks along the banks of the Hoi An river and is a maze of old dirt lanes and buildings. there are many arts and crafts studios, including wood carving, fine art, ceramics and embroidery. you can see why a few western artists spend half the year here, working from their studios, it's the perfect place to escape. you find small towns like this all over the world, where artists can live and work in peace, Hoi An must have played host to a huge number of writers, painters and sculptors over the years.

the recent tourist influx as seen a big increase in shops selling t-shirts,silks and bags, almost all with the same stock.. this is a trend in modern Vietnam, one product range is created and everyone copies it for the safe buck, there is very little innovation in the design & display of goods and it's becomes a little frustrating as you notice simple things which could be changed to improve the fortunes of the shops. you can feel the country rushing forward, taking the easy bits from the past to sell on without really considering how to sustain the development.. this is a big issue here. on the other hand you can easily appreciate why people go for the lowest common denominator, when in the past many have suffered conflict, loss of jobs and relocation.


we are staying in a Vietnamese/Chinese family guesthouse called 'Minh A' overlooking the old covered market. with only 5 rooms it's perfect and a world away from the resorts on the outskirts of town. from the outside it appears to be an old stone barn, covered in ivy... inside it's beautiful, filled with Chinese antique furniture and ceramics creating a very peaceful feel.. only $7 a night! I may well come back and spend a few weeks, as 2 days will never be enough. we hear the house has many spirits, all friendly as far as I can tell! it's an incredibly peaceful vibe, for the first time in as long as I can remember i can't feel the world of industry and noise that normally surrounds us. I hear that Laos (which borders both Vietnam and Cambodia) is one for last quiet places on earth.. save the poles and remote cold landscapes or deserts.. i hope to travel through Laos when I return.




they do not serve meals but there are countless options in this town known for it's specialist cuisine. food is affordable here, not the cheapest in the country but great value nonetheless.










Minh A familty guesthouse (smaller building to right of picture)

we have time to get some clothes made here, the silks are a particular specialty, so I'm going for a black, single breasted suit and a few shirts..maybe a winter coat if I find a nice wool... the clothes market here is twice the size of Spitalfields in London.. no joke, next to that is the market for shoes, they can measure and custom make leather boots, sandals, heels, trainers.. whatever you like in a matter of hours. the clothes turned out very well, in just a few hours everything was tailored and delivered, the shoes as well!

Hoi An was Vietnam's most important sea port from the 16th-19th century and was blessed with merchants from all over Europe and Asia, especially the French and Chinese.. this multi-cultural influence has created a one of a kind town, the old streets could be in the old quarter of Cuba, Mexico, Lyon, Seville or Peking.. the lanterns glow as dusk falls and even though the town is often crawling with tourists the atmosphere remains very calm as there are often restrictions on motor vehicles.










Hoi An Old Town - Havana in Vietnam!

our visit also coincides with the A.P.E.C Vietnam tourism conference, so loads of coloured banners adorn every lamppost reminding you that this is a cultural gem, which is more than obvious without the advertising. the recent influx of tourists and property developers is a sign of things to come for Vietnam, one of the last countries in South East Asia to welcome the tourist trade. the economy here is actually second only to China in terms of rate of growth.

the covered food market stretches from the banks of the river about 150m up the hill and contains a huge range of spices, fruit, herbs, rice, noodles, meats, fish and countless other items whose name remains a mystery. the traders are set up before 5.30am, esp for the fish which covers a big area by the river. the sellers display their catch on woven rattan baskets.. tuna, catfish, shrimp, king prawns (BIG king prawns)... you can imagine.. the food market is best visited early morning, the fish is brought straight from the river onto the dock where old ladies in pointed hats haggle for the best deals. huge baskets of herbs, spices and all manner of fruits an vegetables you have never heard of jostle for space. the smell still lingers with me now if i close my eyes.

this Thursday morning we head to Hanoi, which I'm told is very different to Saigon. the south has more youthful energy, Saigon is particular is where the rate of change is greatest and everyone wants a piece. Hanoi is more traditional, populated by an older crowd and adheres more tightly to the socialist regime... but has soaked up the French influence more than Saigon which is evident in the street layout, shops and architecture.

if you want an idea of where this country is heading, look to the youth who make up the majority of the population.. Chinese is fast becoming the 2nd language of choice and there is a serious buzz around, with new markets, trends and fashions flying about the streets. French is only spoken by the elder generation and English is not seen as very important, except in terms of business. there are many young people in Saigon with wealthy parents, they spend their money like water, whereas in the north people are far more careful with their cash.. I made a point not to read too much about the culture before coming as I knew it was a constant state of flux, after a week here and several conversations with locals, business people and tourists I'm learning quick.



School Children here look very sharp, the older girls wear floor length 2 piece trouser suits, all white and the buys black trousers and white shirt. the day starts early at 7am and they have a 2-3 hour break during the hot afternoon... you see huge groups riding their bikes or walking along the roadside. sometimes the kids have saturday morning school for catch up lessons. most kids will have either English or Chinese or both. Science and engineering are seen as far more important than arts and humanities, which is a shame and may be seen as part of the reason for the traditional crafts dying out. the rate of progress should not only been seen as industrial and financial, but alos in terms of cultural activities. the relentless pursuit of progress means the young have little time to get creative with a pot of paint! The kids do seem happy though.. computer games are everywhere, in particular I see all ages playing a game where characters perform dance moves on screen to a soundtrack - maybe taking the place of real exercise!


observations...

food
the Vietnamese build their days around food, they are always eating or cooking or thinking about cooking or eating, usually small amounts at a time and small portions. in restaurants, those better off will not much eat much rice or noodles (which traditionally are eaten by the working class), instead ordering a selection of meat and fish dishes with sauces. alcohol is very rarely drunk during meals, save for the occasional beer, although they do have various types of rice alcohol (which we have yet to try!). The working class men, especially the cyclo drivers, can be seen hanging out at corner bars come sundown, sipping a glass of he local beer....

in Hoi An, they are several local specialties and it's seen as one of the top regions for food in Vietnam.. today we tried to Lau Chau noodles, which can only be made here using spring water from a local well, itself a listed monument.. quick thick (like a wholemeal Japanese Udon noodle) Delicious!

crafts..
ever since i started working in the Trade and Care warehouse & Columbia Rd shop I've hoped to see the workshops first hand.. well, last week we were taken to one of the last remaining traditional ceramic kilns and a huge lacquerware workshop. Madam Chow's family has been working with ceramics for 3 generations, using clay kilns to create the unique pots, bowls, cups and plates that we sell in the UK.. more recently the Vietnamese government has started a programme of selling off the land close to the major towns to make way for factories, Madam Chow's land is one of the last remaining places in the country still making these pots, she will receive land less than half the value in return no compensation.. it was heartbreaking to hear this story and yet she still received us with grace and humility. an amazing woman. she even plans a 'sit in' when the authorities come. the lacqureware workshop started over 10 years ago in a small shed and now occupies over 4 warehouse with almost 100 workers. to see the various stages in which the products are made (each buffing/drying process take at least a week, 9 weeks in total) was a rare experience, leaving us able to pass on the knowledge and take photos for some fresh display boards on Columbia Road and the website..










in every town you will find small, dark workshops crammed full of tools, materials and skilled craftsmen, who often sell their wares on the street. Hanoi in particular retains the street names which used to signify the craft, for example 'silk street' or 'leather street', in some cases the shops have moved elsewhere in town. I get the impression the Vietnamese are very resourceful and have a good awareness of what it takes to fix something, not over complicating matters like so often in the west.

humour..
the Vietnamese laugh and smile a great deal, I have no idea what they find so hilarious but they obviously find humor everywhere.. children are the happiest I've seen anywhere, games on every street corner often with the adults joining it.. I have yet to discover if they understand sarcasm here (a favourite of the English!) when bargaining the seller will often make a kind of 'pssss' sound if you say a low price, you can respond with a similar sound when they quote a high price, a smile and a frown in the right place goes a long way here.. I am told in some cases a smile can be an admission of wrongdoing, kinda like an apology, so a big grin may not always be received in the way you think. I have idea if Vietnamese media has comedy or satire, I would guess not.. unless there's an underground scene.

music..
pop reigns supreme here and has done for quite some time, unlike Japan which absorbs and reinvents western music forms such as hiphop and punk; the scene here is very young.. as is the case is most of Asia, piracy for both music and dvd's is huge, almost every city street has several small stores floor to ceiling with all the latest releases. you will also find photocopied books everywhere, usually not great quality and overpriced. Lonely planet and Rough guide books are particular favouites, just make sure the print is legible before you buy! book exchanges are a safer bet, especially for the Lonely Planet guides and novels.. classical Vietnamese music is based around the vocals and seems to be built around quite a strict scale, not heard much of that though as POP rules supreme..

karaoke is massive, many homes have their own sound systems and you hear people singing along to pop songs everywhere. many families take their singing very seriously and wonderful voices to back it up. I've made a few key contacts in the club scene and will hopefully get some Vietnamese content on rawbeats.com in 2007, I'll also be sending mix cd's out here with the hope they get pirated, maybe leading to some DJ work next year, these people need to hear some different music! the kids here are wide open for it..

nightlife
we were taken to a huge nightclub called 'volcano' in Saigon last Saturday by our friend Bo (who is a bit of a 'man about town').. the place was heaving with young Vietnamese with plenty of money to spend. the main room (about 500 capacity) was packed shoulder to shoulder with small glass tables, each group has a tab on which they order $200 bottles of Cognac and high-end whiskey all night. there is very little conversation as the pumping house music is unrelenting, no dancing and constant drinking until they leave.. very bizarre experience. no one drinks without saying 'cheers' and clinking glasses with everyone else on the table, they do this about every 30 seconds so Tim and I were almost on the floor after 3 hours! not to mention dizzy from the constant strobe lights...there was another room playing commercial hiphop/r'n'b which had a bit more movement and less insane drinking..




















saigon rush hour on 'Ly Van Sy'

we'll check some more clubs in Hanoi but for the most part we are happy drinking a few beers and shooting pool - there's pool and french billiards everywhere.