We were picked up this morning at 5:15am. Our hotel is on a peninsula that is outside the town so we were the first pickup. Our driver then drove into the town to pickup the rest of our group. The locals were busy putting garbage out for pickup or getting to work or school. We passed a fish market that opens at 3am so that the middle men can bring fish to local villages to sell at morning markets. So much of life here happens on the streets and sidewalks. It seems that sleep is optional.
Our destination was a UNESCO site “MY SON”. It means beautiful mountain. It was built over 10 centuries from the 4th to the 13th as a tribute to the Hindu god, Shiva. During this period the area was home to the Cham clan. Their language and writing visible on some structures is totally different from Vietnamese. The Cham were displaced by the north Vietnamese in their push to expand territory. The area had been abandoned until it was rediscovered in the early 20th century by the French. It was reclaimed from the jungle. Several wars have added to the destruction. Bomb craters around the grounds and bullet marks in the buildings are evidence of war destruction.
We stopped for coffee and tea before our visit Some buildings are original to the site while others have been partially or fully restored based on old photographs. Original walls were approximately 5 feet thick. Original bricks were held together with heated tree resin. Shiva statues were defaced or beheaded by the northern invaders in hopes of taking away his power. These days the Indian government has been invited to help with the restoration. As a UNESCO site it is protected.
After our visit, we returned to the coffee spot to have noodle soup for breakfast. It is always tasty particularly when added hot pepper sauce and herbs are mixed in. A little tram brought us back to our van. We returned to our hotel by 11:30.
We sat outside in the shade and had a snack while enjoying the ocean view. We regrouped later to go into town for dinner and the Hoi An memories show. The show is on an island that is very much a theme part with many shops selling food and show related items. There was a street performance before the show with dancers and acrobatics. It felt very Disney-like.
We were allowed into the open air seating about 30 minutes before the show began. The stage was a long oval with a shallow pond in the middle. Just before the show began there was an announcement in English describing the story but it was a bit difficult to understand. The show was very much a combination of Disney with huge probs and costume changes and Shen Yun for which I have only ever seen commercials. It featured lots of splashing in the water and occasional bursts of fire. I was glad it lasted only one hour. We left just before the final moment so that we could exit without the crush of people. We were able to call a taxi and get back to our hotel just as it began to pour rain. I was definitely ready for sleep after our early morning start.
Tomorrow we booked a cooking class. It should be interesting.
The Adventures of Anne 