Day 91-94: Is the cup a quarter full or a quarter empty?

Either way...in Hoi An we officially reached one quarter of a way through our intended trip (hurrah!) and we celebrated by getting smashed with a few people we'd gotten to know, a few people we got to know and a lot of people that I can remember close to nothing about at all.

Any night that begins with beer that costs 4,000 dong (about 20p) a half pint and ends in a bar, on a beach, with a pool, is bound to be a good'un; and this one most certainly was!
But since we managed between us to take a total of two photos and lost a day to a killer hangover, we shan't dwell on it. Nor shall we get all philosophical about the landmark that is reaching the 25% point.

Instead let's talk Hoi An; a gorgeous town about half way down the long eastern coast of Vietnam that both Rob and I fell a little bit in love with. It's built on the Thu Bon River and, somewhere in the history of time, a genius took the decision to 'pedestrianise' the streets. In reality this means that the small winding walkways are filled with pedestrians, streets sellers, market stalls, restaurant hawkers, bicycles, scooters and the occasional pig. I would argue that the old part of the town has been successfully 'de-fourwheeled'. Labels aside, the result is a town with a calm and intimate feel and we were happy wandering the streets, spotting temples and pagodas and the tiny Japanese bridge that crosses the river until nightfall, where the place really comes to life. Lanterns are lit and the whole town can be seen twinkling in the moonlight - it really was magical.

From here we were also able to visit My Son (pronounced me sun) a site of ancient ruins dating back to the Cham people of the 4th century and, unfortunately, further record of the damage that this country sustained through it's many wars.

Rob has updated the 'ol photobucket account so please pop by and have a look - here's hoping for a further three quarters that are just as eventful!