Ah ... fresh air
VIETNAM | Thursday, 12 January 2006 | Views [1029]
Ah, Hoi An is spectacular.
We had to get out of Hanoi or go home. Doing anything there with children in tow is either too dangerous or simply impossible. As soon as we landed in Danang it was evident that much of the old Vietnam we remembered still exists and hasn't been buried beneath the weight of a billion motorbikes.
They have managed to pull of a remarkable feat in Hoi An: creating a gorgeous toursit destination while preserving much of the old heritage and yet blending a living town with a tourist one. Hoi An reminds us of a blend of Ubud in Bali and Antigua in Guatemala. We actually managed to wander around the streets with the kids and actually have time and space to see something without worrying if they were about to get run over.
We stopped in a patisserie for afternoon coffee and cakes, and, unsurprisingly were soon approached by one of the legless beggars here. Gave some coins to Riu to give to the man ... and you could see him watching, absorbing and trying to work out what was what. You could almost see him thinking 'Why has that man got no legs? And wouldn't that be difficult?" although I doubt he got as far as "I wonder how that happened".
We assume that our children are perfectly capable of dealing with such circumstances and their meaning and believe it is all part of the best that travel can offer.
Tags: travel with children, hoi an, spectacular, experiences
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