19 June
This morning I set off early for a bike ride. I headed out of Hoi An and to the island of Cam Kim. This is connected to the mainland by a bridge which cars cannot cross, and you very quickly find yourself in quiet rural farms and villages. It was very peaceful, and because the countryside is so flat the riding was very easy. I spent about 3-4 hours just riding around exploring the area.
Quiet country lanes
The rice fields are all a beautiful shade of lush green.Some kind of aquaculture, but I am not sure what.One industry here is making mats from the rushes – the cut pieces are laid out in the sun to dry all over the place, particularly the edges of pathways.Wooden boat building. The village here was historically famed for its carpentry.
Tough life for a dog with all this countryside to run around in.The bridge to the island. Before this was built all transport across was via ferry.
After leaving the island I headed to terracotta park, west of Hoi An. The cycling here was pretty horrid due to roadworks.
The park has a very nice setting, with tiered circular ponds.They have recreated famous buildings from around the world in terracotta, with remarkable detail.
Inside their “museum” there are four large three-dimensional murals.
You can watch them workingYou can also try making a pot on the wheel yourself
For lunch I visited a restaurant near the hotel and tried a Hoi An specialty, white rose (dumplings with meat) and beef with crisp fried noodles.
In the afternoon I had arranged to go out fishing with a local fisherman (and an English speaking guide). It was a great experience.
Heading out in the boatMe pretending to do some of the workFishing here is done with a netThe net is fed out along the river, then collected again only a few minutes laterI did do some of the work, feeding out the net.This water buffalo kept an eye on us while enjoying a wallow in the mud.The first fish is brought inThe total catch – there are no size limits here.Cooking the catchServed rolled in rice paper with salad
For lunch I visited a restaurant near the hotel and tried a Hoi An specialty, white rose (dumplings with meat) and beef with crisp fried noodles.
