Once
a bustling trading port, the town of Hoi An in central Vietnam inspires artists
and writers with its beauty.
In
Hoi An, Ancient, winding roads call for hesitant steps. This is a place to
wander and to backtrack, to go slowly. I advance, turn and come back to where I
started my path a series of triangles. Each street corner and wall is wrapped
in damp moss; each roof sprouts weeds that catch my eye. Straight lines and
tight angles are rare in Hoi An, a town in central Vietnam that flourished as a
trading port from the 17th to 19th century. All of the old houses are of
different heights, their verandas offering places to rest. Low and tall roofs
from different triangles against the sky, and beams of sunlight fall upon
patches of moss on the ground.
On
the smooth Hoai River, slender boats wait for visitors, the boat-women wearing
triangular palm-leaf hats, Accompanied by the sounds of splashing oars and
gentle ripples the boats congregate to create slanting lines, a dreamy sight
for visitors. A flimsy net is lifted from water overshadowed by coconut palms.
The pale golden sunlight that falls onto the green water soothes my eyes, which
are tired from the harsh sunlight of the region. Turning a triangle-shaped
corner I fall into a worn chair and order a bowl of cao lau, a popular local dish, a soup of white noodles bean
sprouts, greens and pork slices. The food vendor stands silently, silhouetted
against a moss-covered wall. Beyond him, an old house rises against the blue
sky. Various slanting lines from intricate patterns in these ancient streets.
A
bamboo bridge lies next to the town, a place for children to gather in the
afternoon. Silhouetted against the sky at dusk and against the smooth water at
dawn, the bridge, sky and river form another huge triangle.
Hoi
An is small but miraculous, a place full of discoveries, open but also closed
like a triangle.
This
article written by Lanh Nguyen from Vietnam Heritage Travel
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original article, please visit:
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