Da Nang

Another train hop from Hué to Danang……shorter than the overnighter from Hanoi to Hué, which incidentally I found utterly relaxing, and any time I woke up during the night, the rocking of the train lulled me back to a wonderful slumber.

Our intention to spend a few days relaxing under palm fronds sipping fresh coconut water on the stretching white sandy beaches, kids splashing around in blue waters, us dipping in to the sea to cool off, just as the brochures promised, was somehow dashed by darkening skies and afternoon downpours. The waves were tremendous however, rather what I would imagine it would like to be in the inside of a giant washing machine. Ilona and I ventured in, and got thrown about the place. I kind of had to hang onto my swimming togs, as they were nearly torn off me in the tumult. I couldn’t get Ilona out of the water! Eventually a downpour dumped on us (which didn’t make any difference to us, as we were sea-wet-drenched), but it was enough to coax Ilona out of the water. She really is a dare-devil.
All the rain hampered our attempts to dry clothes, so we spent a while trying to organise a laundry – such domestic trivialities!


We all shared the one room, which has proven tricky with the few times that has happened on our travels. I think we all need our space, when travelling conatantly together. We have gone back to telling bedtime stories, something that we are getting joy from.

I went to the Cham Sculpture Museum, and learned a bit about the Cham/Champa people. The Cham people ruled part of Vietnam between Hué and The Mekong delta for 1,000 years, with evidence of their presence from the second century, with their hey-day in the ninth century. They originated from India, via Borneo, and much of the sculpture focused on Hindi Gods. The Cham people converted to Islam in 11th century, so the sculpture had a range of different styles. We visited a Cham Village on the Cambodian border, outside Chau Doc the following week. The museum itself was purpose built by the French, and is a funny crumbling down, part open roomed sanctuary, with collections from different excavated locations in a somewhat haphazard way.

The Champa people used sandstone to sculpture, and there were interesting influences from Ancient Greece, especially in the clothes depicted in sculptures. Interesting to see the spread of ideas and culture in former times – not like the instantaneous memes of 21 century!

Another insignificant triviality – I saw a rat, the first while travelling in South East Asia. Wasn’t too freaked out by it!