Hoi An, the the Golden Bridge and the Dragon Bridge


After an afternoon flight from Hanoi to Da Nang we traveled about 45 minutes to Hoi An.  Hoi An is a historical fishing and trading village. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and although much of the village charm still exists, it is very much a commercial tourist destination.  Scooters are limited to 11:00am to 3:00pm  and then late in the evening.  This provides for a peaceful morning for walkers yet opens the market area to scooters in the middle of the day.

We began our morning taking a cyclo tour of Hoi An.  It was so peaceful and we were able to appreciate the vivid colors of the lanterns being hung for the New Year and other products being sold in the market like the lacquerware bowls.






After the cyclo tour we continued with a walking tour of the market.  It suddenly became very busy with scooters, beeping horns and walkers sharing the side streets with the scooters.  When we tour these markets, the thing that always strikes us the most are the meat and fish markets.  The smells are so overwhelming.  And the butchering of meat out in the open where nothing is wasted is amazing.







 We are always surprised how electricity is delivered to residents and businesses in other countries.  Vietnam has numerous electricity poles that all look as though no one could figure out which wires go where.  Below is a typical electrical pole and a local electrician at work.





And our best part of the day: Gerry and I hired a driver and guide to take us about 1 1/2 hours out of Hoi An to see the Golden Bridge and later, the Dragon Bridge (in Da Nang).
The Golden Bridge is a pedestrian walkway 3,280 feet above sea level and extends over the treetops from the edge of a cliff. it was freezing at the top!
It was designed to evoke the image of the "giant hands of Gods, pulling a strip of gold out of the land," Beautiful!






To celebrate the 38th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, authorities in the port city of Da Nang have opened the world's largest dragon bridge. Featuring more than 2,500 energy-efficient Philips LED lights, the dragon changes colors, is capable of releasing bursts of fire from its mouth and can spit water during the country's major festivals or at weekends.




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