Our off days this month in Vietnam were mostly spent enjoying the beauties of Da Nang and its surrounding area. We had one less off day this month (more on that in the next blog post) so we made the most of our time in this special city, but also made time to visit an ancient town nearby. Take a look!
DA NANG
Honestly, it’s hard to remember what we did on our off days vs. our normal ministry days because so many memories of Da Nang just blend together — in a good way. So even though some of what I’m about to share wasn’t technically an off day experience, they are still highlights of my time in Da Nang. Hope you enjoy!
[New ‘Do] OK, so this might not be a highlight for you but it definitely was for me. I finally shaved my head while in Da Nang! Before I started the Race, I planned on shaving my head at the end of my first month in Thailand. But time just ran out and I couldn’t get it done then, but I figured I could in Cambodia. NOPE. Who knew it’d be so hard to find a good barber shop in the Cambodian countryside? So when the first opportunity came up in Vietnam for me to finally do it, I jumped at the chance — and I love it!
I shaved my head mainly for practical reasons — to stay cool in all of the hot places I’d be going to during the year and to also save money (and weight and space in my pack) by not carrying around shampoo. But there was a symbolic reason as well. I last had my head shaved during college and for me, I view this World Race journey as something similar to my college experience. Each “year” (or season) of the Race brings new friends, challenges and triumphs — and I’m excited for the new memories I will make thru each of them, head shaved and all!
[Beach Baptism] A very special moment that our team got to share in was the baptism of one of our teammates. She had shared with us some of her past struggles and how being baptized was a big part of both her pain and healing process. And when she finally decided that she was ready, she wanted the baptism on the beach! We read some Scripture, prayed and then proceeded into the water as a group. There were locals and tourists on the beach that day as well so for her to make her declaration of commitment to God in such a public place and way made her baptism that much more meaningful. Our entire team was blessed and humbled to be a part of it!
[Farewell Bonfire] For our last night in Da Nang, one of the staff from Orphan Voice (and his wife) treated our team to a bonfire on the beach. He said that locals have bonfires all the time and it’s perfectly OK…but we didn’t see anyone else having one and had to walk to a more secluded area of the beach to do it! Didn’t matter — the bonfire was great as it kept us warm from the cool evening sea breeze, and it was particularly memorable for me because it was my first one ever! It was such an awesome way to end our stay in Da Nang — enjoying the natural beauties, reflecting on our time there and spending it with great people. Maybe one day we can all come back to Da Nang and do it again!
HOI AN
So the one definitive off day experience we had was a day trip to Hoi An, an ancient town about 40 minutes south of Da Nang. It’s essentially the top thing to do while in Da Nang because it’s so close by, and everyone told us that it’s worth a visit. So we decided to check it out for ourselves and see what all the fuss was about!
[Streets of Old] During the 15th to the 19th century, Hoi An was an important port city for central Vietnam, as it was a major trading and commercial center. The town no longer has that same purpose, but now serves as a preservation and celebration of that bygone era. Hoi An is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it goes to great lengths to preserve its past roots and educate visitors on its rich history.
You enter into Hoi An thru one of its many quiet, old streets. Yes, it has become commercialized over the years and you’ll quickly see a plethora of restaurants, stores and street vendors (and lots of lanterns). But one thing that might take a while to notice — no motorbikes! OK, you might see one on occasion but the old town part of Hoi An is mostly a walking and biking only area. How refreshing it was to walk around all day without getting honked at!
[Japanese Bridge] Because of its significance as a major port city, Hoi An was influenced by many different cultures. And it can be seen in the architecture of some of its buildings, ranging from Chinese, Japanese and European. And one of the first examples that you may see of that is the Japanese Bridge. I’m not really sure what the importance of the bridge actually is, other than to cross over a small canal, but it is nice to look at. Apparently it’s the most photographed thing in Hoi An too (as evidenced by the couple taking a wedding photo) so we obviously had to get in on the fun!
[Assembly Hall] Immediately after you cross thru the Japanese Bridge, there is an assembly hall that is also a popular tourist spot. You enter thru an impressive gate and into an open courtyard that is centered by a fountain sculpture of dragons, fish and I forget what else. There is also a Buddhist shrine inside and an outdoor garden in the back with another fountain sculpture of dragons, fish and whatever else. Surprisingly, we spent a lot more time there than we had imagined!
[Coffee Break] After a few hours of sightseeing, we decided we needed a little break. It was a bit chilly and an overcast day so some hot coffee was in order. We didn’t think much of it when we stopped in for coffee, but afterwards we were all in agreement that our little coffee break just felt really good for whatever reason. Plus, I ordered an egg coffee for the first time…and it was delicious!
[Traditional Show] The next attraction we saw was a traditional Vietnamese folk show (not sure if it was unique to Hoi An or not). We were treated to some beautiful music using traditional Vietnamese instruments and also saw a variety of dances, ranging from elegant ones using fans and jars to drama-like skits with dancers in masks. There are only two showings each day so the house was packed — we’re so glad that we were able to squeeze in and see it!
[Hoi An River] And of course, a port city can’t be a port city without a waterway so by the end of our day, we made it out to see the Hoi An River. Both sides of the river are lined with restaurants and bars for people to wind down and enjoy the view. The Hoi An Bridge also teems with life, as people are constantly walking across it and also stopping for that perfect photo of the town. As you walk along it, you can’t help but think of how lively and busy Hoi An must have been during its heyday!
[Hoi An at Night] So our group decided to stay in Hoi An into the evening because we heard that the place comes alive at night — and that was certainly the case. The streets are lit with lanterns and the river glows and flows with more lantern boxes — basically lanterns everywhere! We stayed for dinner and then walked around a bit to take in the nighttime festivities and energy that the town had to offer. And when our visit had finally come to an end, we were all glad to have stayed longer and got to experience Hoi An at night!
