Friday 15 November 2024

Da Nang, Viet Nam: Sunrise was a bit before 6 am and by 5:30 we were on our balcony, enjoying the brightening sky. We didn’t see the actual sunrise because a poorly-timed mountain intervened.

We pulled into the port shortly afterward and at the same time our breakfast arrived. We docked in the midst of a busy, noisy container port. Amazing to watch how it works. Then there was a process to get the ramp attached to our ship for going off and on.

About 35 busses were lined up, waiting for passengers. It was blazing hot out, though our guide pointed out that this is the cool season and no locals swim in this cold weather. We drove through Da Nang to Hoi An, an hour or so away.

Our first stop was a silk factory, where we saw how silk is taken from cocoons and spun into thread, then woven. There were also several young women embroidering pictures, using silk thread. In another area, intricate wood carving was going on. Then we moved on to the older area of Hoi An, and walked through a very busy market.

We stopped at a temple and a very old house that reflected the many cultures that have played a role in this area. We stopped for coffee and apple pie (I know, not very Vietnamese, but it did have a sort of local twist) and while we were there, we negotiated with one of the street vendors for a few things. She had to go and retrieve the exact things we wanted and we had to pledge to stay ‘til she returned. We continued wandering through the market area, dodging motorbikes and fending off vendors.

At our meeting place, we watched an artist produce lovely paintings, sitting on the sidewalk. We were near the Marble Mountains, and stopped at a showroom where we saw many wonderful works of art produced from the marble. Our final stop of the day was a long, beautiful beach that was a favourite R&R spot for American service people during the war. We were hot and tired and very happy to return onboard after an interesting and busy day. We headed straight for the swimming pool to cool off and the hot tub to relax. After a peaceful drink in one of the bars, we enjoyed another great visit over dinner with a couple from Perth Australia, and early to bed.

Photos of the Day