Flew from HCMC to Hoi An this morning.
Old city of Hoi An was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 as a “well-preserved example of a southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, with buildings that display a blend of local and foreign influences.” The name is perfect for a trading center, as Hoi An means beautiful meeting place. It’s a short distance from Da Nang which was a US staging ground during the war, but fortunately was never bombed.
It’s quaint and atmospheric, with narrow streets and narrower alleys.
It’s also flooded right now, as the Thu Bon river has crested due to water retained from a dam downstream.
Submerged bridge. The locals seem to take it in stride.
16th century Japanese bridge
Confucian Temple
Wall-sized depiction of the Chinese Three Kingdoms legend
This 220 year old wooden house has been inhabited by 8 generations of the same family. Not sure about the cat.
The Hoi An Lantern Festival is held every full moon, which will be tomorrow night. There are lanterns glowing everywhere. For the monthly festival, floating lanterns are launched on the river and celebrated with traditional music and dance performances.
HOI AN - Day 2
The area around Hoi An was ruled by the ancient Champa Kingdom from the 2nd to the 13th century. The UNESCO site My Son Sanctuary (“Beautiful mountain”) was the political and spiritual center of the Kingdom from the 4th-13th century.
The Champa religion traces its origins back to Indian Hinduism. Hindu god incarnations and designs are carved into the buildings.
The site was discovered in the early 20th century by French archeologists
The bricks are held together without mortar or cement, but with tree resin which has held for centuries.
Site was damaged during WWII, first Indo-China war and especially during the Second Indo-China (Vietnam) war.
We were picked up at 5:40 am to get to the site before the influx of visitors. It was worth it.
Similar to the Angkor kingdom, each king built his own temple complex. There were 5 components to each: temple, gate, meditation chamber, warehouse and a stele commemorating important information.
9th century temple with warehouse to right. Hindu deities on the facing wall
Gate, meditation hall, stele and warehouse (L to R)
Hindu yin/yang fertility symbol.
12th century complex restored by India and Vietnam
The Vietcong used My Son as a field headquarters during the Vietnam War. A US bombing raid in 1969 destroyed the most important temple and damaged several others.
Visitors are cautioned to stick to the paths as unexploded ordnance lies in the surrounding forest.
We took another food tour this evening and then walked around the old town.
Tuning up in a rainy storefront
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