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Arrived after our second night traineager to explore this charming riverside UNESCO listed town, even if it was raining buckets! On our first day we took it easy and wandered through the historical town centre, taking in the sights of the Old Town. Unlike our previous stops in Vietnam, the town is much better preserved and less modern and industrial-looking (think the centre of Durham or York, but Vietnamese style), as traditional houses line the car free streets near the river. We also took in a performance of traditional music and dance, which was surprisingly really good - we feared it could have been a bit too 'touristy'. Hoi An is also famous for its bespoke tailors, so Andy took the chance to get fitted for a suit by the wonderful 'Mr Xe', the results are excellent and a real bargain!To finish off the day we hired bikes and rode through the countryside, passing lots of flooded rice paddies and tiny villages. Just like in Cambodia loads of kids rushed out from nowhere to shout 'hello' and give high fives as we rode past.
On day two we took a cooking class at a recommended cooking school. It was brilliant, just the two of us and our instructor. Firstly we went to the market to pick out fresh ingredients for the four dishes we chose to prepare - Fried Spring Rolls, Tofu in Banana Leaf, fish with lemongrass and chili, and aubergine in a clay pot. When it came to the cooking, we were pretty good even if we do say so ourselves (although Bex's spring rolls put Andy's disasters to shame) and the results were wonderfully tasty! Fully fed and feeling very impressed with ourselves, we spent the night partying with most of our group at the incredible King Kong Bar. It is difficult to describe in words…a house converted into a bar, on an island ten minutes walk out of the centre, free rum and coke 10-11pm, strobe lights and the pool table becomes the dance floor…magic.
Our final day in lovely Hoi An was a leisurely affair, hiring bikesagain to explore more of the town. It was also our friend Rhi's birthday, so we celebrated with a group meal at a non for profit restaurant (proceeds to a local children's charity), topped off with a gorgeous chocolate birthday cake with candles! It was a foregone conclusion that we would finish the night at King Kong Bar!!!
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