We arrive in Hoi An from the north. It was a very rainy last few days which prevented us from hiking in the Bach Ma National Park. The rice paddies and rivers are full with water.  The park rangers said no to the hiking, due to landslides.

In Hoi An, the Thu Bon River has spilled over its banks, preventing driving and walking in the Ancient Town area. It prevents  a walking tour! So we head to our hotel, Thuy Duong 3. It is another beautiful boutique hotel, of which there are many in this area. Also many restaurants.
We have a cooking class while here, but we think we will start with some simple local food tonight. We try a banh mi at Phi Banh Mi. Basically they are a sandwich on a French style baguette. We go for the vegetarian, cheese, tofu, papaya, carrot and herbs and the egg sandwich. A great deal and great taste at less than $2.50!
We walk off a few of the calories around the nice town in the drier areas and in between raindrops. We go to check out our meeting spot for the cooking class tomorrow. It may be a challenge to get there as we end up not being able to walk there tonight with the flooded streets. Announcements play over loudspeakers in the town asking to stay vigilant over night as the flooding could increase.

Day Two in Wet Hoi An

Our first full day in Hoi An starts with a cooking class. Amazingly, we make it! The streets are flooded from the continuing rain. It is an adventure just to walk the fifteen minutes to the cafe to meet the teachers for our cooking school.

The class starts by traveling through Hoi An’s local markets. This is in the rain as well, but it does not stop the locals. These markets are where the locals do their shopping everyday, on the streets and in some covered areas indoors.

We learn a bit more about the vegetables in the outdoor market. We also learn how to shop for freshness for shrimp, prawns, fish and squid. Good to know, especially these markets, or anywhere for that matter.

As we wade through more water we move indoors. Inside there are some stalls to eat prepared food and butchered meats. There are also package goods such as spices, oils and sauces, as well as, coffee and teas. The Vietnamese are proud of their sauces and spices that are MSG- less, such as Vietnamese five spice and fish sauce.

One stop along the way has the weasel coffee beans that are a delicacy. The bean passes through the weasel’s digestive track before the bean is roasted. Apparently sought after and pricier than regular roasted beans.  Thankfully, I have no way to brew the beans so I pass on this purchase.

Other areas indoor have cooking utensils, knives, graters, pots, pans etc. for purchase. As we are visiting the power goes out, so we shop by lantern, the battery powered variety.

We are supposed to board a boat to take us to the grounds of the cooking school, but the river is beyond its bank with a strong current. So ironically, we don’t take a boat but are driven through flooded streets in a van.

Once we arrive at the Red Bridge Cooking School, we can see the river beyond its banks. The school has a couple open air buildings with kitchens, dining areas and cooktops for students. We walk across a makeshift bridge of milk crates to cross the flooded herb garden to the classroom area.

The chef and the school are outstanding. The chef is very good and with a great sense of humor. He would rival many I have seen on the Food Network!

We learn some great recipes including fresh Hoi An pancakes, spring roles, shrimp rice paper rolls, quang noodle chicken, and rice paper. Along the way we eat our own prepared food topped off with fresh steamed ocean fish and vegetables. The fish we pick up at the market was mackerel…very tasty.

We wade our way back home as the river has risen a bit more. After a relaxing afternoon at our hotel and a bit of self imposed yoga and exercise we head out for dinner.

Tonight the plan is to sample more Banh Mi. We head toward Banh Mi Phuong that was made famous by Anthony Bourdain a few years ago. We only make it a couple blocks and the weather is nasty so we turn back.

We eat across the street from our hotel at Gidorni. We try some local specialties, the bach van, little shrimp filled dumplings in the shape of a flower. Hoi An is also known for cao lao which include slices of pork in a broth with noodles.  The secret lies in the water as  cao lao is prepared only with water drawn from ancient Cham wells around Hoi An. They are a delicious yellowish noodle.

Vin, the owner sits with us and shares his 333 beer after dinner. He tells us stories of his visits to the US, including New York and Chicago. He talks about the pho noodle bowls served in the US, nearly twice the serving size of that in Vietnam!

He says he will be moving his furniture up to the second floor by midnight. More water is being released from the dams in the mountains making for more flooding on the way to the streets of Hoi An.

Day 3, Still Wet

As we awake the next morning, Friday here, the water has come over the back of the hotel pool area. The once blue pool had about a foot of brown water over its top.
There is still no water over the first floor in the hotel, but the street water is rising inch by inch. 
We spend some time doing a bit of “work” on the internet in the morning. Tracey takes the afternoon to relax and to see if she can visit the spa. I venture out to view the flooding. The water is just above my knees as a wade to the end of our street where the flood waters cease.

I make it to Banh Mi Phuong for lunch! I did have the same Banh Mi that Anthony Bourdain ate. I figured if he tried it and survived it should be ok. It is on a baguette with pork, pate and a bit of spice. Absolutely delicious!

I walk back through the local markets and a few of the flooded areas. I stop in to warm up with some coffee at Hai Cafe.  This is the cafe we had met at the day before as a meeting spot for the cooking school.  Today to use the restroom you must cross a flooded area of the restaurant using boards stacked on milk crates. Back to the hotel, yes through the rain for a little siesta.

We spend the evening at the hotel since we need a boat to leave it. It feels a little like a “hurricane party” back in Sarasota as we dined in the Bamboo Bar at the hotel with our stranded friends from around the world.

Because of all of the rain, we decide to cut the Hoi An trip short. But despite the rain, Hoi An has a great feel to it and we must leave some to explore another time.  Perhaps we will return one day. Onward we go to Da Nang for an overnight before we catch a flight to more adventures in the mountain town of Dalat, Vietnam.