Hoʻopuka ʻia: 12.12.2023
5 a.m., it's dark, it's raining, the night bus dumps us on the highway in no time, the taxi driver accidentally drops our jackets in the dirt and the hotel doesn't have a room available for another 8 hours. Our stage begins in Hoi An, a picturesque town in the center of Vietnam - but this only becomes apparent to us later.
First we had to sort ourselves out properly. What do you do in 8 hours of continuous rain and at dawn? First let out your frustration, take a deep breath and have a Vietnamese coffee with lots of condensed milk in the street cafe on the colorful children's chairs, sugar helps you think and then head into town and see where there is a dry place. After a lot more coffee we had to realize that there was nothing going on here today. The market women's fish basically jumped back into the river, the water was in the streets and everything was just stupid. Somehow the day went by and then...
The only city on the coast that has not been destroyed by war shows us its colorful, lively and, in the streets behind the tourist attractions, its original side. The pictures speak for themselves here. So that Robert can capture even better what we are experiencing, there was also a street photography workshop with a real professional for his birthday.
The small streets of the city with their yellow houses are decorated with colorful lanterns. In the evenings, glowing fishing boats sail across the river and people release small lanterns to send their wishes on their journey. Very cheesy, but heartwarming. Most people only visit the place in the evening, so we had plenty of time to enjoy in peace and worship in the many temples.
Enjoyment and impertinence go hand in hand, and Hoi An made that clear to us once again. Enjoying what feels good and being sure about the rest, something is telling us...
Kathleen