Saturday, January 14, 2012

Hoi An and dragon corrections


     I have been corrected about the difference between Chinese and Vietnamese dragons.  It is the Chinese dragons who have the whiskers and they are fatter than the Vietnamese dragons.  The one pictured above is in the Chinese section of the ancient town of Hoi An. Note the big ol' whiskers. Hoi An has many Chinese and Japanese influences since it was a seaport in the 16th century.
    Here Nga the assistant resident director and I are standing in front of an ancient Japanese bridge.  This bridge and the town of Hoi An are World Heritage sites.  In the 18th century Hoi An declined as a seaport because of the rise of Da Nang

     This was a picture taken in a museum and depicts what a Vietnamese home might look like.  The curtained area is an alter to the ancestors.  Pictures of ancestors would be displayed here.  Reminds me of a Wicccan Samhain alter.....half way around the world.  Things that make ya' say hmmmm. 
    This is one of two monkeys who guard one end of the bridge seen in the previous picture.  There are two dogs who guard the other end.  Nga asked us if we wanted western food for lunch.  I said, "I am in Vietnam, I want Vietnamese food.  I can have western food when I go home."  We had a Hoi An specialty of pork and noodles for lunch.  It was most excellent.  
     After our trip to Hoi An Nga took me to the pharmacy on the back of her motorbike to get something for my cold.  I got an assortment of 4 capsules to be taken at meals until they are gone...about 4 days worth all for 80,000 Dong....about 3 bucks.

Till next time
Jim

2 comments:

  1. 80,000 Dong = approx. $3 US? Wow! Can you take a picture of what their currency looks like? Is it all paper? Paper and coin? Do they have checks and credit cards like we do?

    It is SO beautiful over there! The day is coming when Bernie will be joining you and you can share all of this first-hand with her! How wonderful... and romantic!! :)

    I hope you get over your cold quickly!! What exactly are in those capsules? Actual pharmaceutical medication or herbs and such?

    Feel better!
    -E

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  2. O good! Pictures! Thanks you so much!

    On the Pagan Blog Project someone asked if any of us follow any Eastern spirituality practices. In my reply I started listing them and was amazed at how many are consciously part of our workings. The Ancestor Altars at Samhain and the fact we call them at every ritual and light a candle for them again make us say Hmmmmmm.

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