So Long Hoi An

My last night in Hoi An was a fun one.  I met up with some traveler friends at the favorite restaurant and ended up closing them down.  All of that in a major flood.  After all it is the rainy season in Southeast Asia.  Last night was actually the first time I pulled out my deluxe poncho and had to use it.  It's incredible to see these mind boggling  huge rains that go from not being able to see across the street to a complete stop in a few seconds.

 I did manage to take a ride on the local water taxi during the day.  Just a short trip

to get to the other side of river.  My driver/paddler is the very old lady sitting on the back of the boat in the photo.  My tele lens has bitten the dust so I was a tad far away. I'm taking the lens back to Texas for the proper burial.  Sort of like Captain Cal taking Gus back to Texas in Lonesome Dove.  Anyway, she wouldn't let me take a photo of her on the boat.  Since that was really the only reason I took the boat across the river...(there is a bridge just out of frame in the photo), I was buggered as my British buddies would say.  So, she dropped me off on the steps and started to paddle away but I called her back.  It was damn hot and I might as well have her take me back.  She looked up from under her cone hat and just pointed to the other side.  I  just went ahead and got in,  as I as a did I think I could see her look out and make sure the bridge was still there.  When I got out she took my twenty-five cents and never looked up.  Actually she paddled hard to the other side and stationed there. I'm sure she was afraid I would want to go back.   Those ridiculous Americans.   Hoi An was fun but now on to somewhere else.  I'm just not sure.  I'm now back in Saigon and will do the planning tomorrow.  The difference between Hanoi and Saigon is unbelievable.  Carry me back to old Hanoi..do do do..do!