Hoi An the beautiful - Saigon the rich city

I'm actually in Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City depending on who you talk to) but I want to talk about Hoi An and the lantern festival. It was absolutely stunning, a once in a lifetime experience for me. The preparations were also good, I got the feel that the whole town was preparing for their New Lunar Year's Eve, they are welcoming the year of the buffalo. It's tne one town that I got to meet locals just to talk. Not to buy something or not because I was lost. Just to talk. In Hoi An, I also met two older men (83 and 79) who spoke French. I don't know how the heck they spotted me but they asked if I spoke French?! That was nice because one man wanted me to correct his letter (which was to a religious sister) and he said he's doing a family library of French books and that if I had any he would be greatful. Another old man I met was 79 but he looked much younger maybe 65. He spoke better French and I got the chance to meet him just before the festival started. I also had a man who rowed me on the river the next day. "The first day of the new lunar year!" I heard that phrase so many times. "I hope you bring me luck!" Chuc Mung Nam Moi! See the pictures to see the preparations and also the actual flying of the lanterns. Some fly, and some just burn. That was hilarious to see these Vietnamese girls laughing, screaming and running (and having fun) but the funniest was this tourist who wasn't paying attention and a burning lantern was going straight towards him, he heard the commotion and turned around and tried to back up... well he backed up and fell down (he wasn't having so much fun after that). I was laughing so hard (sorry but I'm like that) I turn around and see this Vietnamese guy laughing his head off so I think it's universal. I had some clothes made, two coats and one dress for 130$ US. I was sad to leave Hoi An but my journey must continue.



Yesterday night I arrived in Saigon and my hotel was really crappy so today I'm in a new guesthouse and it's more homey and clean. Last night I slept with the desk pushed against the door because the door didn't close correctly. The room was dirty and smelled bad, I slept in my newly bought silk sleeping bag and to top it all off it was freakin' noisy so I had my earplugs on and guess what??? I didn't hear my alarm this morning so I didn't get to see the Cu Chi tunnels.



Saigon is a nice big city, very very different for Hanoi. I'm off to dinner with a friend now who's waiting for me so I'll write later on Saigon and the War Museum (broughts tears to my eyes).