The Twilight Zone

Have you ever seen the movie "The Truman Show" with Jim Carrey? He realizes that his whole life has been filmed for a show and he is trapped in an alternate reality. That just happened to us. We know we said that Hoi An was beautiful, but that was only after the first night. This quaint and picturesque town soon became a repetitive tourist trap. We made the best of it and enjoyed ourselves, but it served as a learning experience for the types of traveling experiences we prefer. 

As we reflect on the places we've visited thus far we decided to read a little more about Hoi An. According to the always trusty Wikipedia, "Hoi An is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Hội An Ancient Town is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century. Its buildings and its street plan reflect the influences, both indigenous and foreign, that have combined to produce this unique heritage site." And while all of this is certainly true, the town's overwhelming obsession with tourism puts a stain on it's reputation in our eyes. 

We found our spirit Buddhas!

Although we visited beautiful temples, assembly halls, and a few museums, we couldn't help but be distracted by our surroundings. Every storefront had the exact same wooden sign with yellow lettering despite being a restaurant or one of the many identical shops. Every store, including the famed night market, sold the exact same souvenirs. 

One of our observations during this entire experience has been the use of children to sell items to tourists. We've had children try to sell us postcards, candles, and other goods during what should be their school day. Our waitress at the street food cafe last night could not have been more than 9 years old. They begin by smiling and complimenting you, but as soon as you say no they become very aggressive. These kids know more English than their parents and are clearly an important part of their families' livelihood. Many of our students, especially at Patrick Henry, translate for their parents and Arelys has shared her own experience doing so as well. It just happens for a very different reason here that ends up exploiting children. 

We do not want you think that we didn't enjoy our time here. Renting bicycles gave us the opportunity to view a different side of Hoi An as we rode through the countryside. We saw the diverse farming and fishing communities on our way to An Bang Beach. Here we met wonderful Spanish and Swiss friends who we ended up running into later that evening in town. 

We did end up enjoying our time here, but we believe that Hoi An is geared towards couples and recreational tourists. 

 

Our new favorite kind of pod! (Shout out to our Disney fam!)

Today we arrived in Hanoi. Due to Typhoon Rammasun we almost changed our travel plans. Fortunately, we learned that the storm will not be affecting Hanoi in any major way. We are thrilled to be here and excited to experience all of the rich culture this city has to offer!

A Batman carrot in Vietnamese noodles!

We feel so fortunate to have this experience especially with the international tragedies occuring in the past few days. As we watch and read the coverage about the Typhoon, flight MH17, and the Israel-Gaza conflict, we can only count our blessings and think of our friends abroad and at home. 

With love,

The Frizzy Girls