15th May 2015

Another early start had us breakfasted and in a taxi to ‘Mỹ Sơn’ (pronounced ‘mee-son’) by 8 am. After just over an hour of travelling, we reached the mountains and parked at this World Heritage Site. It was another scorching day, with temperatures soaring to 37 degrees! Leaving our driver in the car park, we set off along a track leading to the site, walking about half a kilometre before arriving at a large communal hut. Inside, a band and a folk dance group were preparing to perform, so we took a moment to sit and watch.

Conscious of the rising temperature, we vacated our seats after about 15 minutes and began exploring the ancient temples. The site is said to have once contained 70 Hindu temples, though not all remain today. Thankfully, much of the complex is shaded by forest, allowing us to walk from building to building under cover.

The site exudes an air of ancient history and quiet significance, but its present state reflects the scars of more recent events. The Vietnam War inflicted significant damage, and bomb craters, now softened by overgrowth, are still evident. Despite this, ‘Mỹ Sơn’ retains a sense of solemn beauty and historical importance, transporting visitors back to a time when these temples were at the heart of religious devotion.

After thoroughly exploring the excavated and partially restored temples at ‘Mỹ Sơn’ and capturing countless photos, we took a break at a small café. There, while enjoying ice creams, we struck up a conversation with a couple from Texas. To our surprise, the elderly gentleman mentioned that his last visit to Vietnam had been during his time flying B-52s in the war, likely contributing to the destruction of the once-beautiful Hindu temple complex. Not a trace of remorse was evident in his recounting, which added a bittersweet note to our visit.

Returning to our taxi, we broke up the return journey with a stop at a silk factory, where I treated myself to a shirt. From there, we continued to the hotel, where we crossed the road to our usual restaurant for a lunch of beer and spring rolls. Afterwards, a refreshing shower back in our room prepared us for the evening.

At 4 pm, we caught the shuttle bus to ‘Hoi An Old Town’. This time, we decided to explore the opposite bank of the river. Crossing the bridge in the centre of town, we ambled along, taking our time in the muggy weather. Whenever we found an empty bench, we rested, watching life pass by before moving on to the next seat.

Reaching the end of the road, we turned around and crossed to the opposite side, gradually retracing our steps. A side street eventually led us to another river. Here, we found another bench and became captivated by the bustle of boats ferrying mopeds, bicycles, and locals. It seemed to be the changing of shifts, with day workers heading home and night workers arriving from downstream. Every few minutes, another boat would pass, brimming with the energy of ‘Hoi An’.

When one docked near us, we finally saw how they managed to load and unload the mopeds and bikes without mishap; they manhandled each one with care, lifting them off and onto the dock. It was fascinating to witness this slice of daily life in Vietnam, a testament to the resilience and ingenuity of the people here.

We continued our walk along the riverfront, passing by local village houses. Many of them kept their livestock on the shore just across from the little path we were following. We stopped a few times to take a closer look at the animals, and when we came across a cage with a dozen ducklings, their owner approached and began feeding them with a bowl of what appeared to be bean sprout soup. She tried to strike up a conversation, but communication proved difficult. Her daughter then came over and asked, in halting English, if we wanted to buy a duck. Unfortunately, she didn’t understand my attempt at humour, so we moved on.

As we continued along the path, we realised that the new river we were following was actually the same one we had crossed earlier. Turns out we’d wandered onto an island, much to our amusement. By then, we were in the mood for a break, so we stopped at a riverside bar to refresh ourselves and hopefully stimulate our decision-making skills. The break worked, and we ended up buying a couple of flashy toys from a young girl hawker who came to our table, explaining she needed the money to buy food for the night. Shortly after, a very sad, crippled man tried to sell us a free newspaper, and feeling compassionate, we gave him some dollars as well. They both showed gratitude, but the man’s need was more apparent than the girl’s.

Eventually, we decided on a restaurant across the river in the Old Town, which had a table on the second-floor balcony. From there, we had a splendid view of the river and the bustling life of the town below. The scene was enchanting, especially with the little lucky lanterns floating down the river, so beautiful and serene.

As we ordered our meal, we couldn’t help but notice a dramatic light show overhead. The clouds were lit up with frequent lightning flashes, and the breeze picked up noticeably. Despite the stormy display above, the stallholders and street vendors below seemed unfazed. We crossed our fingers and decided to stay put with the other diners. Luckily, the storm passed by without much consequence. The breeze calmed down, the lightning faded into the distance, and we were able to enjoy our meal, satisfied after another full and eventful day.

After a final ice cream at the pick-up point, we caught the bus back to the hotel, feeling content after another enjoyable day. As soon as we arrived, it was lights out, and we quickly drifted off to sleep, ready to recharge for whatever adventures awaited us the next day.