Back to Hoi an - Trilogy (artviet travel diaries)

Part I - I Discovered Hoi an.

I first walked into Hoi an late in january 95, when the sun barely showed up after an intermitant rain. That was a few days after I left Hue, where I enjoyed the most, contemplating the immensity of the Imperial citadel, wandering from one court to another, in search for the spirits of the Nguyen Dynasty's 13 emperors. It was almost as fascinating to visit Hue and its historical sites, and one can't stop wondering what will be the next destination to go, back both in time and in space. And I landed in Hoian like Michael Fox in "Back to the future" movie. The city has the characteristics of an old quarter named after FAIFO, the oldest port which traded with Japanese, Chinese and Europeans merchants way back in the XIII century. Its traditionnal architecture showed undeniably the passage of time, with its old houses, temples and pagodas once inhabitated by those traders. And there is the legendary Japanese bridge built in 1593. According to an old man's account, the bridge's location was carefully studied by Japanese Fenshui experts to better control the resurgence of the Dragon, which tail was under the river bed that the bridge was crossing. Interestingly, the Dragon is associated with the Vietnamese people, and the bridge built over its tail was a perfect metaphor for the Japanese colonization...

Part II - The Quiet american.

Those were the pictures of Hoian I kept in my heart before I returned to the old city a few years later, and just like in "Back to the future Part II", there was a sense of renewal. Yes, for another Cao Lầu noodle that I was still craving for, for unfinished stories I had heard like the mystic tombal stone yet to be demystified. And there was The Quiet American(*) movie's famous quote which really dragged me back to the old town: "They say whatever you're looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived." For a while, I had my share of real life experiences with new acquaintances in this city. Starting with Thành, I helped him overcome the fear of going broke in his efforts to fight a long battle against his wife's cancer.

With Duy the artist or the Crocodile Dundee of Quang Nam, I laid out a blue print for an after SARS reorganization of his art gallery. Good moments, I had with KThoa who introduced me to her favorite restaurants and relaxing gaden cafe of Hoian. Often we finished the days at the beach, having delicious sea crabs. My journey in the old town was quite meaningful for what Hoian had offered me, not only for its beauties but also its own problems and intricaties, then like any short stories, mine too just fizzled out...

"Part III - Il n'y a jamais deux sans trois". News of Hoian made the headlines again, with photos of its streets submerged in the water. Eric's email from Seatle to Hoian' friends reached me like a wake-up call just a few days before I flew home. The Xangsane typhoon took its tolls in Danang and hurt the old town badly with casualties...

The cleanup effort was mobilized in the most pressing manner for the hosting role Hoian had to play in the days to come for the APEC summit, and one can witness that on everyday's news throughout the country. Against All Odds, there was no delay for the Tourism Ministers' Meeting held in Hoi An on Oct the 18th. There was a great sense of relief among the hoians mixed with proudness, not mentionning the joy of the tourists who were trapped in the old town, either by choice or by circumstances...I finally met Thanh and his wife a few days later and was more than glad to see them in good shape. I learned from Hoang that KThoa had been successful in her efforts to join her new mate abroad, but had left behind her two kids. I missed the artist by half a day and met Minh, his eldest son who showed me sustainable damages to the arts gallery...Hoian's life seemed to take on its course again, for better or for worse with the typhon aftermath: hoian repair

signs of repair or modernization were visible here and there. Undoubtedly it gave me some backthoughts about the preservation aspect, but with little time I had for an unscheduled trip, I just strolled thru the streets of Hoian, revisiting familiar places before saying goodbye...

Epilog.

I might be back to Hoian again, in some distant future. I am pretty sure the old town will recover gently in the days ahead. Of course, in the aftermath of a such a disaster, every city needs some time for revival efforts but also to introduce changes. But besides immediate benefits, there is always a cost to all the changes we made and one will wonder if Hoian can measure up to the challenge of preserving its once Designated Unesco World Heritage, the reason I first came to town, it was almost 11 years ago.

Pham do Trieu

(*) The Quiet American is a movie based on a Classic Novel by Graham Greene. It's about a murder mystery centered on a love triangle set against the French Indochina War in Vietnam, around 1952. Partly filmed in Hoian, the film was released in the theaters Nov 2002.

**HOI AN OLD QUARTER**
Gallery: Take a stroll - See Artviet Photo coverage of Hoi an Street scenes and main attractions.	Related Best Silk Lanterns from hoi an Lacquer and Oil Paintings

1 Comments

Renate said:

This is really a travelogue that wets one's appetite. Well written and interesting.
The author paints a picture of life as it is. Of the good and the bad. A tapestry that is real.
Well done
Renate
artist, poet & the author of 'From the Promised Land to the Lucky Country'.
http://www.promisedland-renate.com/

September 11, 2007 4:58 AM