Over another scrumptious breakfast at the Hoang Trinh Hotel, Steven and I laughed that he had been writing things down to remember in his little blue book that he always carries with him. But he had forgotten to check the notebook!
After a long day yesterday traipsing around the temples at My Son, we decided to rent bikes this morning next door and go for a bike ride out in the countryside. The area around Hoi An is perfect for bike riding if you're like me and want some exercise but like to ride when you have flat terrain. None of those steep Boulder hills for us, thank you!
We had a very rough map of some bike trails around Hoi An and off we were. Steven has been the map reader all trip so he was in charge of planning a fun outing. Our goal was to stop first at Van Duc Pagoda but who knows what we'll see on the way?
Photos from our bike trip:
Passed this massive shrine to Nguyen Duy Hieu so we paused to take a look. No idea who he is and haven't the time or that much interest to google him!
War Memorial Photos:
Listing of those who died.
Glad Steven saw this waist high sign for the pagoda as I didn't notice it at all.
Photos of Van Duc Pagoda:
This Buddha figure was so small I had to crouch down to take the photo.
Lions guarded both sides of the entrance to the complex. It initially appeared that it was still a work in progress but later we realized that there was a new structure being constructed in the center only.
A large prayer room for the monks. Note the wafer cookies as one of the offerings in the photo below.
Meal time for the monks.
We wandered behind the pagoda through the vegetable gardens and saw lovely old shrines and a cemetery.
As Hoi An is located so close to the coast, we rode our bikes to An Bang Beach next which we had read was the loveliest in Vietnam. It sounded like, and was, a great place to chill out and read our kindles for a couple of hours.
Photos I took while riding my bike en route to the beach; gotta love those point and shoot cameras!
We rented chairs on the beach and watched people having lots of fun swimming despite the no swimming sign. If we had ordered something to eat, our chair rental would have been free.
Decided to hop back on our bikes and ride to the next beach Cua Dai and see what it was like.
Unfortunately there must have been major sand erosion and flooding problems there as the closest we could get to the beach was these huge sandbags.
Sad seeing women walk up and down the sandbags selling their wares.
Back on our bikes and camera at the ready!
Our bike ride was stopped by water buffalo!
This young woman chatted with Steven in very good English for quite a while; she mentioned that she worked on nearby Coconut Island.
Water coconut palms.
Saw a number of these machines in the water; no guide nearby to ask what they're for this time.
A little tough to ride a bike along this very narrow dirt path, let alone taking photos at the same time; not sure I'd recommend it!
Coconut baskets used for fishing; we had been asked earlier on our ride if we wanted to take a spin in one.
Palm leaves drying.
Headed back to Hoi An as the skies looked rather threatening and we didn't want to be out in the middle of the country on our bikes caught in a deluge.
We still had a few of the tickets left we had bought for Hoi An's cultural sights so we stopped at the Quan Cong Temple. It was built in 1653 and dedicated to Quan Cong, a Chinese general who was 'Vietnamized to be the symbol of loyalty, sincerity, integrity and justice.' The temple is the belief center for Hoi Anians.
The rain began to fall in the temple's inner pool. We were hoping to wait out the rain in the dry area of the temple but the guardian decided to close up and shooed us out the door.
We just took refuge on the front step keeping mostly dry and watched the rain come down in torrents for about 40 minutes.
The rain finally let up enough so we headed to the nearby Chua Ong Pagoda.
Sign in restaurant indicating the floods that have besieged Hoi An.
Steven normally can eat rice til the cows come home but even he needed a break from all the rice and veggies we've had lately!
Posted on 10/22 from Hanoi, Vietnam.
WOW, the sky was blue for a while. And the water buffalo are BIG!! I think you had an interesting day. Lil Red
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