A Princess in Vietnam
After 17 years of corporate life it seemed time to escape. We had visited Vietnam many times and loved the country, people and food so after 6 years in the Philippines, we decided to make the short hop to Hoi An, South
Central Vietnam. After 6 years of living in a busy metropolis plagued with pollution, overpopulation and traffic congestion, Hoi an seemed the perfect antithesis to Manila, a small town on the South China Sea in Quang Nam province with a population of around 120,000. It was awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 as a well preserved example of a Southeast Asia trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries with an overwhelming number of buildings cataloguing the architecture from the period.
Whilst the beautiful small town environment has never really appealed to the high maintenance element of my personality, the influx of visitors (over 1.5 million in 2011) ensures all my needs are met. There are 152 restauarants listed on tripadvisor alone, shops galore specialisng in made to measure clothes and my personal favourite, shoes - a dream come true. I bring with me fond memories of previous visits when left unattended I had 10 dresses made in December 2010.
The picturesque riverside location on the Thu Bon river offers boat trips, dinner cruises, and glimpses of local life enjoyed from riverbank cafes whilst enjoying a glass of red wine (mot ly ruou vang do), my first vietnamese phrase. When the hustle and bustle of riverside life gets too much, escape to Cua Dai or An Bang beaches just 3km away or retreat to one of the numerous spas.
So it all begins to make sense now - an idyllic paradise where at every street corner you can marvel at the beauty of the town, whilst mentally designing your next pair of shoes.
So armed with my wonderful husband, Alan, my learning Vietnamese app, a map of Hoi An, a couple of emails exchanged with local real estate agents, thoughts of rest and relaxation and a vague notion of starting a business we began the adventure.
We arrived here in February 2012 with only 3 suitcases, but suitably supported by a 40ft container crossing the South China Sea bringing my necessities to begin our new adventure.
Central Vietnam. After 6 years of living in a busy metropolis plagued with pollution, overpopulation and traffic congestion, Hoi an seemed the perfect antithesis to Manila, a small town on the South China Sea in Quang Nam province with a population of around 120,000. It was awarded the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 as a well preserved example of a Southeast Asia trading port from the 15th to 19th centuries with an overwhelming number of buildings cataloguing the architecture from the period.
Whilst the beautiful small town environment has never really appealed to the high maintenance element of my personality, the influx of visitors (over 1.5 million in 2011) ensures all my needs are met. There are 152 restauarants listed on tripadvisor alone, shops galore specialisng in made to measure clothes and my personal favourite, shoes - a dream come true. I bring with me fond memories of previous visits when left unattended I had 10 dresses made in December 2010.
The picturesque riverside location on the Thu Bon river offers boat trips, dinner cruises, and glimpses of local life enjoyed from riverbank cafes whilst enjoying a glass of red wine (mot ly ruou vang do), my first vietnamese phrase. When the hustle and bustle of riverside life gets too much, escape to Cua Dai or An Bang beaches just 3km away or retreat to one of the numerous spas.
So it all begins to make sense now - an idyllic paradise where at every street corner you can marvel at the beauty of the town, whilst mentally designing your next pair of shoes.
So armed with my wonderful husband, Alan, my learning Vietnamese app, a map of Hoi An, a couple of emails exchanged with local real estate agents, thoughts of rest and relaxation and a vague notion of starting a business we began the adventure.
We arrived here in February 2012 with only 3 suitcases, but suitably supported by a 40ft container crossing the South China Sea bringing my necessities to begin our new adventure.