The city of lights, Hoi An

We leave behind the old imperial city with its rice pudding and continue further south to Hoi An. Will a different cityscape await us here? This time we have booked a 'homestay'. It doesn't really differ much from a hotel, except that the owners live here with their family. Our Phoenix Homestay is located in a side street, not far from the center. The cottage is nicely decorated and green. Our room is great, nice and bright, with a balcony. You can feel comfortable here, quite the opposite of the ghost villa we lived in in Ninh Binh. We realized that feeling comfortable is not insignificant. Even if you are only in the accommodation to sleep, it's nice to have peace and a nice room. We've had enough of the hostels now. Our hostess Emily is super nice and speaks English quite well, which makes many things easier.

Now let's see what Hoi An has to offer. In the first few minutes of our walk towards the center, we have the impression that this city is tidier and better maintained than the last cities we visited. There are many modern cafes and restaurants, and the shops look better and nicer than we have experienced so far. Leather goods and custom-made clothing are particularly offered here - a real shopping paradise.

We reach the city center and are very pleasantly surprised, even though it is crowded with tourists. Nevertheless, we really like the charming old town with its countless colorful lanterns and pretty little houses on the riverbank. Between the shops and cafes, there are old temples and historic buildings that create an interesting mix of old and new.

But the real splendor of the city is only seen after dark. Already in the narrow streets of the old town, the colorful lanterns above us glow in various colors. They hang between the roofs, in the trees, in the restaurants. When we reach the riverside, we suddenly find ourselves in the middle of a huge sea of ​​lights. Wow! The entire promenade is illuminated and even on the river, the colorful lanterns dance, floating on the water in the boats. The perfect place for an evening walk.

The next day, we dedicate ourselves to the city's history and visit various historic buildings, bridges, and temples. But a little shopping is also necessary, because Sebastian has discovered a chic suit that the nice ladies would be happy to tailor directly to his body...who could resist ;). In the afternoon, we enjoy delicious coconut and milk coffee on one of the restaurant terraces. From up here, we can observe the hustle and bustle on the street and enjoy our coffee.

We like it so much that we ask our hostess Emily if we can stay for another night. At first, she refuses because they don't rent out for the next night. But then she approaches us again and reports that after consulting with her husband, they would like to have us as guests for another night, not only in the hotel but also at the party they are throwing for friends and family. As the Chinese New Year is approaching, there are many celebrations taking place throughout Vietnam. We feel honored and look forward to the party.

But before the party starts, we want to take a short bike ride to the beach, which is not far away. The weather is perfect and we relax by the sea.

At exactly 4:30 pm, we are all dressed up, as far as our backpacks allow, and are invited to the party. The tables are already set up festively. We sit down at one of the tables together with a French couple and a Canadian, who are also privileged guests of the house. A friend of the family from the neighboring table is very happy with the foreign guests and would like to toast with us. Some beer cans are brought, the glasses are filled. Cheers! Of course, the beer has to be drunk in one go so that you can then crumple the empty can and throw it on the floor. Then you shake hands. Interesting! So out of politeness, we gulp down cold beer on an empty stomach and hope that something warm will be served soon. We don't have to wait long: the parade of meat begins! Although, there is also fish. Maybe at least the rice is vegetarian? No, meat and shrimp. Lisa's stomach growls. However, since our hosts make sure that we are doing well and that the food is great, the moment has somehow passed when we could have mentioned that Lisa is a vegetarian. To make matters worse, everyone wants to toast and give Lisa the best piece of chicken and the most beautiful meatball. They even roll a fresh spring roll with fish for her. Hmm delicious! Of course, everything is passed to Sebastian at the right moment. The French are laughing their heads off.

Slightly tipsy, Sebastian has to ride into town to pick up his tailored suit. It takes forever - hopefully he comes back in one piece? Meanwhile, the two girls at our table take one selfie after another with us.

At exactly 8:00 pm, the whole spectacle is over. The cheerful guests say goodbye, leaving behind gnawed chickens, fish bones, and a floor full of beer cans.

Sebastian also manages to make it back home unharmed and returns with his latest acquisition.

Happy New Year!