Goodbye, Hoi An

Lots to write about... I'll try to do it chronologically....

After playing Jesus in the church production we went back to Quynh's aunt's house and had dinner by the street. We grilled beef on a marble slab over hot coals... It was awesome.

Too good

Christmas is different in Vietnam... no big present exchanges and the kids had to go to school.... I did receive presents... Quynh's aunts made me a suit, a winter coat and a really nice shirt... I don't deserve them, but they make me look so good I couldn't decline. Quynh and I spent most of the day walking around the city. I got a massage and Quynh got a mani-pedi... We went to the church again and watched Tom's piano recital... He played jingle bells expertly.

Jingle Bells

Missed seeing the family on Christmas day, but Quynh's family was great. At the end of the night Quynh's family got together and sang all types of songs while her uncle played guitar and the mandolin... It was nice.

(Partridge) Family night

Spent the day after Christmas saying our goodbyes and trying to take in the city one last time. We woke up and had Bun Bo Hue with Trang and Tom... it was a good start to the day. We went to see Quynh's uncle and went around the city with her aunt and young cousin.... went to a pastry shop and had a lot of good stuff. Everyone went to her others aunt's house for Cao Lau... Best ever. We went home and packed up the rest of our stuff to leave town.

Bun Bo Hue

Quynh's

Mine

Hated having to say goodbye. Quynh's family has been great, and Hoi An is probably my favorite place I've ever visited. It's got beautiful beaches, great people, everything you'd want from a big city with the feel of a small town... I can't describe how cool it really is. I will definitely be returning.

We boarded a sleeper bus at 6pm to head to Nha Trang.... not quite what I was expecting. Perhaps it was wrong of me to expect extravagance on a 12 hour bus ride with lay-flat beds that only cost 7 bucks. My feet were too big for the foot space under the seat in front of me, there was an asshole Frenchman above me with a miner's light on his head that kept blinding me... when he finally fell asleep he was the loudest snorer I'd ever heard. Quynh was the only Vietnamese speaker on the bus, so when they allowed on too many passengers she had to be the person to tell the driver/staff that everyone was mad... that happened to be in the short time I managed to sleep. The remainder of the trip consisted of me trying to sleep while the woman behind me kept saying "Is the driver falling asleep?!? Oh my god! What's going on?!?" over and over.... she was an idiot... nice enough, but an idiot. Booked another sleeper bus to Saigon tomorrow.

About as comfy as it looks

The hotel came and picked us up this morning and let us check in about 7 hours early, so that was nice. The room is nice, and the bathroom is great. Spent most of the day at the pool. It was a little cloudy with a nice breeze so I never got too hot. Fell asleep out there for a while.... Burnt.

View from hotel room

Ordered room service and watched 'Black Swan'... both were good. Calling it a night.