Taking the Big Break

What a fantastic day here in Hoi An, Vietnam.   In order to give our family something to do in this city of cheap tailors and souvenir shops, we booked a tour called “Fish and Chips” which turned out to be a magnificent day out on the water, throwing fishing nets, floating through coconut forest, and hunting for crabs.  What more could a couple of boys want?

Hoi An

Before breakfast, a couple of bikes were dropped off at our hotel and promptly at 9am, our trusty guide, Hoang, showed up.  We started with a lovely (albeit harrowing) bike ride through town and out in to the countryside.   Nathan, Lorenzo and I each had our own bikes, and Elio got to ride on the back of the guide’s bike.  With all the scooters, big buses, and people, traffic in Vietnam is crazy busy here so we started right off with adventure.

Selling glasses off his motorcycle

There was even an opportunistic sunglasses salesman who tried to make a sale from his motorcycle while we were on our bikes.  Once we got out in to the countryside, the traffic subsided, and we found ourselves bicycling through lush countryside and narrow rice fields out to the boat dock.

Fishing village

Fishing village

The only four people on the tour today, we climbed on a fishing boat with our English guide and a friendly fisherman and took off into the delta passing by several little fishing villages.   After about 20 minutes, we met up with a lovely elderly Vietnamese fishing couple who took us on their smaller boat and paddled us out to their bamboo scaffolding in the middle of the river.  We climbed up and proceeded to turn a log that had spokes attached, winding in a heavy rope.   Using our hands and feet to turn it, we slowly pulled up a huge net.   Five large poles slowly emerged from under water’s surface, raising a huge net (about 50 x 50 feet) capturing fish in the middle.    We took turns going out to the scaffolding.  The first time it rose out of the water, I was sitting in the larger boat.  I wasn’t expecting it but it felt like a large whale surfacing next to us.  Amazing!

Pulling up the large nets

Winching the nets up

The huge fishing net

There was a large light hanging above the net, and we learned that these fisherman usually fish between 7pm – 11pm.  The light is used to attract the fish which they sell at market the next morning.   It was fascinating and so fun for all of us to have a chance to pull up the enormous (and heavy!) net.

Casting nets

After we left this couple, we motored another few minutes and met up with another elderly couple who fish with nets which they cast from their small boat.  Again, all four of took turns going out on the small fishing boats with the smiley couple and trying our hands at casting.  The fishermen sure make it look easy.  It is hard to imagine the lives of these fishermen and how different it must be for them – working late in to the night and then raising early to take the fish to the local market.  This couple too was a complete delight to spent time with despite the fact that neither of us spoke each other’s language.

Our basket boats

Just when we thought it wouldn’t get any better than this, we continued on and met up with another younger couple (our age this time) who took us out in their beautiful basket boats.   They were engaging, taught us to paddle the little boats, and how to call out our paddle strokes.   We paddled directly into a beautiful coconut forest where we stopped for 15 minutes or so to make beautiful jewelry out of palm leaves.   We made rings, watches, and even a pair of glasses.  Such fun!

Glasses, ring and watch made from coconut palm leaves

Crab fishing

In our little basket boats, we then started crab fishing.  At the foot of the palms live small crabs that are apparently tasty when cooked.  With bait on the end of a string, we hunted down the crabs and, when they grabbed the bait, we’d pull them up on the string.   We caught several crabs, and we dropped even more (accidently) into the water.   The crabs we caught were left with the fisherman, but I don’t imagine they will make much of a meal for them.  But it sure was fun.

Paddling through the coconut forest

From there, we paddled through the coconut forest in our little baskets.  The palms were endless and as we drifted through them, it felt like a different world.   Lost in the coconut palm forest with no one around except the occasional crab?!  Surreal and beautiful!

Coconut forest

Coconut forest

Coconut forest

Boat drivers

With much kicking and screaming from me, it was time to head back to the big fishing boat and back to town.  The ride back to the dock was equally lovely.   Back at the dock, we got back on our bikes and rode 20 minutes into the countryside to a delightful restaurant located back in the middle of a farm community.   It was a hot bike ride, but the outdoor patio restaurant was wide open and cool.  It was called Vegetable Village, and the farm food was fresh and well seasoned.   Vietnamese cooking is known for being very fresh tasting.  They use a lot of fresh herbs, greens, and spices.   (The food here was so good that a conversation was started with the chef in which several members of my family ended up in the kitchen in an impromptu cooking class, but more on that later…)

Banh Xeo

Ca Xao Chua Ngot

We were the last restaurant customers of the day so the manager ended up sitting down with us and when we started talking coffee, she immediately offered Vietnamese coffee.  Not wanting to be rude, we of course accepted her tasty offer.  It was strong and very sweet.  We lingered for a while with the chef and the restaurant manager and enjoyed the end of our tour today before our bike ride back in to town.

Us with the gang at the Vegetable Village

A fantastic day was had by all!

Time to ride back.