Saturday, August 31st to Wednesday September 4th, 2024 - Last Stops: Panting in Hoi An, Vietnam & Last Stop, Incheon, South Korea

Lanterns Everywhere, Hoi An Vietnam

I had first been charmed by Hoi An 14 years ago, when I met up here with Sarah and Chuck while they were travelling through Vietnam. It is a beautiful small town, about an hour south of Danang, which had been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. It is an ancient town on the Thu Bon River, noted because it is well preserved and an excellent example of a Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th century. It shows the influence of Japanese, Chinese, French and Vietnamese architecture. Today you might call it 'lantern city', as they were everywhere!

Yaly Couture

On my previous trip, I had visited this tailor, Yaly, where I had several pairs of pants made for a very reasonable price. It was a great pleasure to have pants that actually fit around my waist, hips and thighs... and were long enough. I've tried other tailors in Thailand and Hong Kong, but none have delivered the same quality and comfort as these did. Sadly, my 14-year old pants were staring to show signs of wear (duh) and every time I visited Sarah I asked ' Do you want to go back to Hoi An to visit Yaly'? She doesn't wear the same style of clothing as me, so it never happened.

Tailors, Tailors, Everywhere!

As I was planning these last few days of my trip, I was torn between three choices. First, should I stay with Sarah, Chuck and Robyn in Thailand? Second, what about exploring Seoul to see another Asian culture? Or three, I loved Hoi An, so wouldn't it be fun to go to somewhere familiar and replace my aging pants? Finally, in conversation with Sarah, she declared that I had wanted to return here so often, it would be a much better way to end my trip, than taking my tired self through a large city like Seoul. I thought she made a great point, so I booked my fitting at Yaly and brought my tired self here instead!

Leather Goods Aplenty, Too

I think this area has such fine tailoring and bespoke fashion because of the French designer influence - maybe much of the work has been outsourced here from European designers, over the years, so there are many choices lining the streets. You can have shoes made to order, handbags, and probably even jewelry. It is a shoppers paradise!

One of the innovations the tailors here have now developed is a body scan, where measurements are taken electronically. At Yaly they keep the measurements on file for five years, which I thought sounded wonderful, as it allows one to order additional items after returning home. Yaly also appear to have grown, although their storefront remains the same. Their website says they have more than 300 tailors, designers and craftsmen and have over 17 years of experience. Another innovation I really appreciated is that their fitting room is now air conditioned. In 2010, climbing into woolen pants (fine Italian merino mind you!) in the little, hot dressing room was no fun!

Tourist Town! Lantern Boats on Thu Bon River

But oh, my! How the place has changed in other respects! The same view on my previous visit would have only shown unlit fishing boats and reflections of buildings on the water. The lanterns had been a visual highlight in a few places previously, but now one could choke on them. They were EVERYWHERE, including on the river. The entire town has become a tourist market! 

Early Morning Streets

It's easy to see why. It is a beautiful little place, with yellow shophouses, tropical vegetation, trees and yes, those lanterns! The historic district is pedestrian and bicycle only, so it is walking friendly. Getting out in the early morning was cooler and allowed me to capture some images that were not crammed with people. This was one of the main streets going down to the old Japanese bridge, which is the center of the historic town. In the evening a street like this was crowded with people.

Busy Streets

Maybe I exaggerate ... this doesn't look so bad, but there were times when one had to shoulder through people to get anywhere. 

(I don't like people in my photos generally, so often I wait to capture images that are less crowded. I also must confess that sometimes I remove unwanted people in the photo editing program I use - Adobe Lightroom. They have a wonderful AI 'remove' tool now, that is quite amazing, but I always feel it's cheating a little!)

My Link to the Mainland

I  hade found an AirBNB that was within walking distance of the tailor (maybe half a mile) and fortunately away from the crush of people, so my focus became to stay cool and get to my fittings. My path took me over this bridge from the island I was on - Cam Nam. It was always busy! 

I arrived in Danang at 9 am and got there in time for my initial visit at around 11 a.m. on the Saturday. By Sunday at 5:00 p.m. I returned for my first fitting - four pairs of pants had already been constructed, but there were some issues that needed to be fixed, to stop them sagging in the bottom. By 8:30 p.m. that evening, they had been adjusted, so I returned to give the blessing for them to be finished. (During that visit, the fitter, Cindy, kept patting me on the bottom admiring the excellent fit they had accomplished. I couldn't disagree with her!) I ordered a fifth pair (unlined linen capris) at that time. By Monday at 3 p.m., all was finished and I was back to pick them all up. I felt like a horribly indulged colonial knowing that they had all worked so hard on my behalf, especially when I found out that Monday was their national Independence Day. Cindy assured me that they in work shifts, so they get breaks. I wanted to believe her.

Morning Market

Carrying my photographic responsibilities with me, I did my best to get out to catch some of the local flavor, but at no time could I muster the desire to venture out with my 'big' camera, so you are stuck with cell phone pictures. I found the heat very oppressive and felt my tiredness. I ventured out in the early morning to get coffee and in the evening to get a meal. I had managed to find breakfast and lunch foods from a convenience store, so I spent a lot of time in the air conditioning 'at home'. It allowed me to catch up on blogs and rest. 

Chickens Ready for the Pot

It was also quite a different experience to visit the markets in a place where there were numerous tourists. Not only was I just another tourist, on my own, and only using a cell phone (not that impressive black camera with the zoom lens that announces one to be a 'photographer!), the merchants were disinterested and I didn't have the energy to engage. 

Food 'Bike' - A Moveable Feast!

Much of the market changed throughout the day. Early morning, the streets were full of fresh food products, by the evening there were many tourist trinkets and prepared foods.

The Choices Were Many

 There were endless stalls and stores filled with tempting items. I rather liked these mother-of-pearl trays, but there was no room or baggage allowance left in my bags. 

The Produce Was Beautiful!

The markets, however, were abundant and colorful, especially at night. I don't believe I have ever seen such a beautiful collection of tropical fruits like this. Mangosteen, passionfruit, mangos, rambutan, dragonfruit, papaya! I had a last tropical fruit hurrah! 

Street Foods

Street foods were abundant too, but I was able to resist! However, I had some of my best meals here in Vietnam ... and the prices were amazingly low.

Bale Well Restaurant

At this restaurant, I had a Hoi An specialty, cai lau, which was made of pork and greens on a bed of rice noodles that had been soaked in lye. This gave it a different texture and color from regular rice noodles - almost like soba noodles. Along with a beer, it cost me the grand total of $2.61.

Vietnamese Chopsticks Restaurant Humor

Another excellent restaurant near my accommodation had numerous jokes on their tables about chopsticks - this was one of my favorites!

Tourist Transport

Perhaps if I'd gone for rides in limousines like this, I might not have sweated (and panted) so badly. There were lots of them running around town.

The Old Japanese Bridge

I did intend to visit the historic sites that the UNESCO Ancient Town ticket provides access to. For USD $10 this ticket allows one access to five of the 22 sites that have been designated. I did cross the Old Japanese Bridge, which was constructed in the late 1500's. You can see here how popular it is with tourists today. Perhaps if I'd visited in the middle of the day, instead of night time, I would have found it as I did 14 years ago......

Old Japanese Bridge, 2010

..... but I think it would not have been quite the same!

The Hill Station Delicatessen and Boutique

Other than visiting the historic bridge, I just wandered. (That's why my blog is called The Wordly Wanderer! (sic)) I loved the lighting and the colors on the old shophouses. They show the elements of several cultures. Although the blue-green shutters and colonial bas relief evoke the time of French colonization, a building like this would have been built by a wealthy Chinese merchant in the late 1800's. 

Yellow Everywhere

Even the most basic buildings are painted yellow - even though it may have been some time ago. This is because yellow is a lucky number here, it absorbs less heat (according to Google AI) and it fits the building regulations for the historic district to preserve the original appearance of structures.

Travel Agent

Isn't it ironic that one of the eyesores was a travel agent! LOL!

French House Restaurant

In spite of the heat, the people, my tiredness, there's no denying that this is a magical place. Cindy, my fitter, said they are busiest in December and January, so it is likely it could be a smidgen cooler then. Perhaps on another occasion, I'll stop here at the beginning of my travels, and use those tourist transports! But now, it was time for my final and very brief stop in Incheon, South Korea.

A Big Toilet and a Little Toilet! Incheon Airport

I love modern Asian thoughtfulness and pragmatism, so I delighted to see this bathroom stall that would have been a boon for mothers. Of course, it was in South Korea, where I had arrived late Tuesday night to stay in an airport hotel, in preparation for my flight home on Wednesday.

The Best Western Hotel

Although you can see the airport from here - it took about a 15 minute taxi ride to arrive, because the roads are so uni-directional around it. I share this rather boring photo of the hotel room, in order to have you notice that although there is a wonderful dresser and wardrobe on the left, there is no desk or chair. You'll also notice a lot of open floor space, with a low table at the back right. It didn't really lend itself to my computer work.

Bedding in the Closet

(Another boring photo, I know!) When I looked in the closet, I saw the reason for the open floor space. There was a mattress folded up here, which would allow Korean guests to make themselves comfortable with traditional sleeping arrangements.

Here Are the 'Chairs'

The pretty cushions in the closet are the chairs for the table. I have often wondered if my knees would be in better shape, had I lived in a culture such as this. I will never know, and my computer work was done sitting on the bed!

In Search of Coffee

I stepped out of the hotel in search of coffee. It looked like an area where the hotels cater to overnight guests - there were many hotels in this area, called Paradise City. As Seoul was at least two hours away and Incheon itself an hour, I decided to enjoy relaxing in the balmy temperatures here in the sunshine.

Monorail Through Paradise City, Incheon (It no Longer Runs - Shut down in 2023)

And so, my friends, it is time now for it to end. My nine weeks on the road - which had taken me to so many wonderful places, with lots of color, exotic foods, amazing scenery - ends, sitting in a rather grey modern environment, sipping a cup of coffee. It reminds me of the lines from T.S Eliot's poem, 'The Hollow Men', This is the way the world ends......Not with a bang, but a whimper. 

Reflection of Thai Airways Jet - Passenger Bridge, Incheon

I was quite surprised, and pleased,  that everything had gone as smoothly as it did - no illness, injury, drama, delays or lost bags to disrupt my journey. I had enjoyed (almost) every moment of my trip.

 I also appreciate those of you who have followed along with me. It took me nine weeks, you've been going twelve weeks! For those who left comments, I am especially grateful, as it kept me inspired to research and sift through my images and thoughts to create this blog.

Thank you, and until next time 'G'Day Mates!

Wednesday, August 28th to Friday, August 30th, 2024 - My Bucket List - Phang Nga Bay, Phuket, Thailand

As I left Singapore, I was feeling my tiredness and asked myself why on earth I had decided to visit Thailand for just two nights. When I was sitting at home planning, I knew it was a lot, but on the ground in Singapore I was saying to myself, 'this is crazy'! It had been a 'bucket list' decision. So often when I have visited Sarah and Chuck (who live in Bangkok), I had made feeble efforts to get down to Phuket, to see the karst topography that I love to experience, but it never came to fruit. So, being so close (relatively speaking) I had said to myself - 'This is it! You must go now!'

View From Our Rooms at Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel (Photo by Sarah Lamp)

As soon as I stepped foot in our hotel and saw this view from the balcony of my hotel room, I took a huge sigh and said 'Yes! This is so right!'

Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel, Phan Nga Bay

Sarah had found this small hotel some time ago, so we decided to splash and stay here. It was off season, so not as expensive. As you see, the Thai hospitality was in full swing with frangipani petals strewn across the bed, with that gorgeous view in the background.

Fresh Coconuts in the Mini-Bar

There was a lovely basket to fresh fruit on the table, but they won my heart with the fresh coconuts in the mini-bar - all ready for drinking that delicious beverage.

Phang Nga Bay - Karst

The hazard with having a blogger who was a geology major, is that you probably get more information about rocks than you would like. So here goes anyway! (It might help you to know that I don't really understand how karst forms, but I keep trying to figure it out.) I do know it is formed from limestone which is dissolved by water more easily than other rocks. It takes tens of thousands of years to develop and is recognized by sinkholes, caves, springs, cliffs and steep-sided hills called towers. I am surprised to learn that it is a form of topography found in every US state except Hawaii! 

The type of karst topography I have been most partial to, is that which is dominated by towers, which I have enjoyed visiting in other parts of the world. One could see here the remnants of stalactites and sinkholes which have been eroded by water and wind. It was a coral reef that has been uplifted by tectonic forces to make these fascinating shapes - from reef, to caves, to these islands.

Ban Hin Rom Pier, Community Enterprise

We decided to get more 'up close and personal' with these interesting rocks, by taking a boat ride. It was low tide as we left the pier down the hill from our hotel to meet our boat.

Dwelling in the Mangroves

As was the case on the pier, this house in the mangrove trees, has a cobbled together look. I hoped that it was a daytime structure for the fisherman or tourist boatman, and not a home. The roof looked too precarious for the heavy rains that can fall here.

 Khao Phing Kan (James Bond Island)

Our boat chugged steadily, (with occasional hiccups) toward one of our first stops - Khao Phing Kan, otherwise known as James Bond Island. (No, don't ask me how to pronounce it! Sorry!) It was one of the locations for the filming of The Man With the Golden Gun in 1974, a James Bond (Roger Moore) movie. the island was the base for the villainous assassin, Scaramanga who was using it as a laboratory to get a monopoly on the world's production of solar power.

Longtail Boat

Our boat, called Little Rihatour, was similar to this one, only we had a blue canopy over our heads for sun and rain protection. They are called longtail boats and you can see how the propeller is at the end of a long shaft, powered by a car engine (usually used according to Google). This 'tail' can swivel 360 degrees and is the tiller for the boat. 

The ribbons wrapped around the prow are offerings to water gods and the Goddess 'Mae Ya Nang', guardian of boats. The Thais believe that every tree has a guardian spirit 'Nang Mai' who takes care of it. When the tree is cut down to make the boat, this spirit never leaves, but stays in the wood and protects the boat  in the form of 'Mae Ya Nang', the guardian spirit of boats and travelers. I think it is a lovely idea. Here's more if you want to read about it. https://learnthaistyle.com/guardian-goddess-of-boats/

Guardian Spirits Needed Here!

As we motored near these craggy rocks, we could see why a fisherman may be happy to know he (probably mostly men) had guardian spirits on board. I expect in rough weather, the Andaman Sea can become quite treacherous. This one looked like a monster poised to grab one with his beady eye and numerous teeth!

Beach at James Bond Island

This beach was the setting for the opening scene of the James Bond movie and you can see why, with the rather menacing collapse of the rocks above and the old stalagmite 'teeth' hanging down.

Spirit House on James Bond Island

The dominant religion in Thailand is Buddhism (90% of the population), but the traditions of other religions are infused into the way it is practiced - especially Hindu and animism. Although not part of Buddhism, spirit houses, like this one, are very common throughout Thailand and daily offerings are made to encourage protection from the spirits believed to inhabit each location. Garlands, fruit and soda are the most common offerings. For a deeper dig, you can read more at https://www.thailandnow.in.th/arts-culture/ghosts-matter/

Ao Phang Nga National Park Sign

The island is part of the Ao Phang Nga National Park. It had nice steps and paths to navigate with, and a helpful sign that said beware of wild monkeys and another that said to not feed them. We were disappointed that we didn't see any.

We came around to this lovely beach and found this sign is placed in front of another notable island, Ko Tapu. In the movie it had housed huge solar panels which emerged from its top at the touch of a button and directed the beam of light into Scaramanga's laboratory. The light could then be concentrated into a laser-like weapon. In my mind, 'this' is the iconic island from the movie with it's tooth like structure. (Spoiler Alert: You can be relieved to know that James Bond eventually saved the world from Scaramanga's evil intentions and ended up in the arms of a woman - just didn't want anyone of you suffering angst from the lack of resolution!)

Souvenir for You?

I was surprised at the number of people walking through, as there had only been one other boat on our beach. So when I turned around from the previous view to see this conglomeration of market stalls, I was surprised. It didn't take long to see that there was another beach here, where many boats were moored offshore. Most likely this was the landing site for day trippers from Phuket, about an hour away.

Floating Canoe Platform

The next part of our itinerary was to take a canoe trip to explore the caves and hongs one finds at sea level here. (A hong is a sinkhole that has been raised above the water level by tectonic action. Some cannot be paddled into as they are cut off from the ocean, others have erosion that allows one to paddle in.) I was pretty confident I could handle that as I had spent many years paddling in Minnesota, so I was 'in'. When we arrived at the platform to get our boats we were puzzled to see the two 'canoe' men in a quandary as to what to do with us - much conversation. There were just the three of us - myself, Sarah and Robyn. (Chuck (wisely?) decided this activity was not for him.) The two men on the canoe platform kept looking us up and down in consternation, until they finally decided they could handle the situation. 

Eek - This is how I Had to Sit!

 Once they produced the 'canoe', I saw that this was not Minnesota style paddling. They decided they had to put all three of us in one inflatable kayak, and the guide from the platform was number four - he was paddling US around - poor man! He was about half our size, so I'm sure that the conversation had been something along the lines of  'how the hell do you think I'm going to do that!'

So they put Robyn in front, me in the middle and Sarah in back. Of course I was not able to bend my legs on the bottom of the boat, so flung them over the sides alongside Robyn. I wasn't going to miss out on THIS one! Happily my back held up to it, the Andaman Sea was calm and off we went!

It was Hard Work for the Man in the Back Seat! (From Video by Robyn Lamp)

Our guide didn't speak much English, and Sarah speaks a little Thai, so communication was a bit iffy. At first we thought he was mad at us for being a threesome, but when he learned we were from the United States he declared very happily 'America Number One' and became quite chatty!

Paddling Into a Hong (Video by Robyn Lamp)

(Apologies for the poor quality of the video - it was the only video format that I could upload to blogger - it has too much compression, but it gives you the idea.)

The pace was very gentle - it was a quiet, lovely way to travel. He wordlessly steered toward the craggy rocks, to then reveal the secret beauty that was hidden within. Sometimes, we weren't sure what was ahead....

Quick, Lay Back, Lay Back! (Video by Sarah Lamp)

The vicious 'teeth' of eroded stalagmites sometimes came too close! He was saying 'Lay back, lay back!' as we approached these rocks. Just in time, we figured out what he was saying and flattened ourselves to float within inches of their jaggedness! It was a lot of fun!

Nature at its Best - Trees Clinging to Rocks and Mangroves

The serene beauty of the tight spaces was captivating, but after our canoe trip, we were headed to a floating Muslim Village - Koh Panyee.

Taxi?

There was more serious traffic on the water than us - this boat looked as if it was moving with a purpose, not just meandering. I was pleased to see the young man in the middle of the picture with his camera/phone pointed at us. Perhaps we'll get shared on social media, too!

In total, Muslims make up 1.5% of the Thai population, but this southern region of Thailand, there is a greater concentration of Muslims, as it is getting closer to the Malaysian border.

Koh Panyee

This village is quite remarkable. It was started by several fishermen from Java (Indonesia today) who came here about 200 years ago. They declared that if they found a good fishing spot, they would raise a flag on the top of the nearest mountain. They found fish plentiful here and felt the rock offered protection. So the flag must have been raised, though I imagine the climb was tough!

The Mosque and platforms at Koh Panyee

The laws at that time only allowed Thai nationals to own land, which presented a dilemma for these families. At first they probably lived in their boats, but after a while the ingenious fishermen created stilt houses in the water instead, which were joined by platforms. Now the village houses 400 families - about 1600 total population. In addition to fishing, they have encouraged tourism. Modern laws allow foreigners to buy land now, so the community purchased some of the land at the base of the rock to build the mosque and a freshwater well. Power and fresh water are delivered form the mainland, but the village recognizes that expansion is no longer feasible, so many of the younger generation are encouraged to leave.

Gardens on Stilts

Adapting to life on the water has a sort of Waterworld vibe to it. Almost everything must be brought from the mainland. Trying to live a 'normal' life takes ingenuity and persistence. While we might wish for an easier life, such resilience can bring rewards. There is a fabulous story about some of the kids who wanted to play soccer after seeing the World Cup on TV in 1986. They built themselves a platform with wood from old houses. It had open sides and a rough surface, but it was all they has, so they started playing soccer. Every time the ball went in the water, they had to dive in to get it. They played barefoot, often in wet conditions, so they became pretty good at controlling their feet and the ball. It was probably no surprise that when they went to the mainland for contests, they were pretty good compared to peers who played in better conditions. They started winning competitions and won six South Thailand Soccer Championships from 2004 to 2010.

There was a movie made as part of a TMP Bank advertising campaign about their story called TMP Panyee FC - it's fairly short. You might find it inspiring.

They now have three soccer pitches and are still regarded as having one of the best soccer teams in Southern Thailand.

A Hotel at Koh Panyee

Now that tourism is established, the community has hotels and restaurants, as well as markets for day tourists. We did not go ashore, as it was the end of the day and time was tight. It is worth keeping in mind, if you plan to visit, that there will be no pork or alcohol served and smoking is prohibited. 

Lounging on the Dock

It seems the best thing to do if you stay in Koh Panyee, is to relax. There is little in the way of night life and when the day tourists leave, everything shuts down.

End of Day

There was no dramatic Thai sunset for us, as we headed back to our hotel. It had proven to be a delightful excursion and my bucket list was very satisfied.

Pre-Dawn Hopefulness

It was my last day here. The hotel had greeted us with a post card on our beds that was a photo of a glorious golden sunrise. The first morning had been quite dull, so I woke again on Friday morning with hope in my heart. At first it was sinking - there was little gold here.

Sarah Also Hoped For a Good Sunrise

Sarah is not usually a morningbird, but even she thought it worth getting up to catch the first rays of the morning.

Bingo!

Oh, my goodness! Was I thrilled as the colors deepened and the sun finally broke through with its golden glory!

Liquid Gold

Even the water was aglow, as a longtail boat curved it's way out into the Andaman Sea.

Panoramic View of the Andaman Sea from Sametnangshe Boutique Hotel 

And so my time here came to a close. It was time to prepare to get packed up again, get to the airport, and say goodbye to Sarah, Chuck and Robyn, who were headed to a resort south of Phuket. I was to start my journey to Hoi An, Vietnam - my next and final stop before finally heading home. 

Even as I sit and write this, the warm glow from images of that sunrise, help to chase away those sad shadows, that accompany departures like this. Although I knew I would see Robyn back in Florida before long, there is always the uncertainty about the timing of the next visit when I say goodbye to Sarah and Chuck. It had been a delight to be in their company.

All of Us: L-R Sarah, Me, Robyn and Chuck

This is the only photo I have of all four of us together, so it's fortunate its a decent one. This short stay at our little boutique hotel became one of the highlights of my entire trip. Our isolation from other restaurants and services created a simplicity that allowed us to just enjoy our time together, without distraction and dealing with diverse interests.

It has been a lovely time.