Tet Tour 2000
Hoi
An
This year, Tet fell on February 5th during our
stay in Hoi An and I can't think of a better place to be in Vietnam. Hoi
An is a small town, set nicely on a lovely river with a beach a scenic
three-mile bike ride away. Although there has been a large increase in
tourists passing through, the people are friendly and the town has not
"sold out," but grown wisely.
Every lunar month on the night of the full moon the people of Hoi An turn off the lights and leave the lanterns on. Hoi An is also where some of the best food in Vietnam can be had. Local specialties like white rose, saffron fish, stuffed squid and pork cao lao soup keep a hungry cyclist happy.
[Home] [More Photos] [Next Chapter]
Bac Ho Salute
Tim and Sue consider the merits of the Ho Chi Minh cult in front of a marble shop at Marble Mountain just north of Hoi An near Danang. They also carve large buddhas for Vietnam's pagodas.
Tet Hotel
Our hotel decorated for Tet. Next door was a carnival where hundreds of children gathered to enjoy Tet activities.
Ah, sunshine!
Piyush is all smiles as the sun shines down in Hoi An. It was the first day of sun in two weeks and we celebrated with a ride to the beach where he threw off all his clothes and dove in.
All Wet
Tony testing the surf at nearby Cua Dai Beach on the South China Sea. And this was the day after he rode 65 miles from Hue! Tony spent four years in Vietnam thirty years ago, mostly in and around Hue.
Vino Convalesco
A day after a wild, flying crash from his bicycle on the Hai Van Pass -- which Alfredo himself described as "totally amazing!" -- he convalesces in the peaceful courtyard of our hotel with his usual bottle of French wine.
Day Glow
Although glowing white as the marble Uncle Ho, Raphiel claimed to have been deprivedof sun for almost a week since leaving Sante Fe. Here he finally gets somes rays with a bottle of the local brew he preferred - La Rue. Known as "easy" by the local vendors, Raphiel bought trinkets from one and all.
All photographs by VeloAsia, 2000