Sights, Smells and Sounds of Seduction.

Our stay in Hoi An is coming to an end and it was magical. Hoi An has worked its charm on me and wish there was a way I wish I could live here for a while. Most important is that this week has done what I was hoping which was to find relaxation and beauty and as incredible as the photos are, it is the smells, the sounds and all that surrounds those images that makes it so special.

I will take this moment to go into more detail about the beauty of Hoi An through the eyes of an artist.

One of the very best things about this town is its incredible history through architecture of Chinese, Japanese, French and Vietnamese. The intense yellows, blues, pinks and all colors covering the walls are all in various states of decay due to all the moisture and heat. As beautiful as the outside of the buildings are, it is the inside, the hidden parts that are the most amazing. If you look around the corners, down the narrow passageways and if you are lucky, behind closed doors, you will see the best of the best. Everywhere you look there is a photo to take if you want that postcard photo. If you look deeper, closer, you will see things that are only possible when you are fully aware and in a wonderful mood. This is the way life should always be, but we are too distracted.

Flowers and insects. This is another incredible quality about this place. There are so many textures and shades of greens with leaves of every shape. It seems as if every plant, tree and bush blooms with the most exotic flowers in every possible color. Plants seem to have a life of their own. As fanciful and alien like as many of these flowers are, they have to compete as if in a beauty pageant. Some of the smallest flowers are the best, but require you to look closely and often are in large clusters so they can be noticed. Like the flowers, the insects are in the same competition. There are all kinds of butterflies and moths that seem to float in the air. The dragonflies almost don’t seem real, especially the ones that have fur. Walking sticks, praying mantises and who knows what else these other things are. Every day is a new discovery.

The smells. There is a lot of incense burning around here and not everyone likes it, but I do. I used to think incense was more of a religious, ceremonial or hippy thing, but now I think it also adds to cover up those nasty smells I won’t tell you about. Food as you can imagine is so wonderful in Vietnam and so much of it is cooked outdoors. The sweet, sour, bitter and spicy is to be smelled everywhere. Also, you have meat and seafood that has been in the heat too long and you are thankful for the incense and good smells to hijack your nose from the bad. At one moment you will smell the most intoxicating, glorious smell and in a split second something horrendous and assaulting. I have found all you need to walk to the left, the right or turn around and you will be back to the wonderful.