We had added another night in HoiAn since Emmett has enjoyed it so much on his first visit to Vietnam.  Adding an afternoon drive into the nearby villages was a perfect way to see more of the culture. their handicrafts and learn about their lives.

We visited the workshop of a man hand making rice paper for over 40 years.   I expected writing paper in the end!  What do I know?  It is an ancient way of making a sheet of rice,  essentially, used in cooking  to wrap vegetables,  meat,  shrimp,  etc, like spring rolls. Our evening dinner included the modern version,  very thin, see-through, pliable, and a useful wrap for our and Vietnamese pancake

We saw craftsmen and women,  making incense, sleeping mats, 

Inlaid mother of pearl is often found on Asian furniture.   We watched a master,  cut,  shape,  and smooth pieces of abalone or oyster shell for beautiful inlaid wooden pieces.

Traveling along village road, seeing fishing boats,   between rice paddies, peanut fields, small farm gardens. seeing cattle, even a water buffalo named Se! Quite a slice of everyday peasant life in rural Vietnam

We visited a garden where farmers share the land in small strips, growing vegetables for their own use and for market.

Coffee is part of the culture and we visited a coffee shop where you can see the beans roasting and packaging

For fun,  we went on a small basket boat ride.   These “boats” were created when the government had mandated taxes on the fisherman’s boats, so they decided to fish from baskets instead!  Today,  they are a reminder of all governments over reach and how every culture tried to find a way around taxes!  and they are fun!

Emmett found a lovely rooftop restaurant on the river for our dinner and we enjoyed another night along the lantern lighted streets of old HoiAn