Retail Therapy

A production along Hoi An's waterfront
After our grueling bicycle ride from Dalat, Lee and I decided we were due some serious R'n'R. And as it turned out, the small town of Hoi An (the final stop on our bike tour) was probably one of the best places in Vietnam to do just that. A World Heritage site, Hoi An's narrow cobblestoned streets are lined with traditional Vietnamese buildings (which were, fortunately, largely spared during the Vietnamese-American war) built with dark wooden frames and moss-covered roof tops. Not only was Hoi An much more laid-back than any other Vietnamese town we had visited thus far, the town goes one step further and actually closes off portions of the town centre to motorized traffic in the evening. Compared to the usual obnoxious pandemonium of motorbikes going every which way, it was a really nice change being able to walk across the street without fearing for your life.

Hoi An is also famous (or perhaps, infamous) for it's shopping; specifically, it's tailor-made clothes. You can't turn a corner in Hoi An without coming across a tailor shop (or five) that will make you made-to-measure clothes -- from one of their samples or from any of a number of catalogues they have on hand -- for next to nothing and in less than 48 hours.

I've always wanted to get a suit made, so after much research we went to a store named Yaly. Although slightly more expensive than the competition, it seemed to have a solid reputation. After explaining what I wanted, choosing materials (with some help from Luna, our shop assistant), and getting measurements done, I ordered a three-piece suit (jacket, pants, and vest), one shirt, and a pair of shoes. (I should mention that the shoemaker took my foot 'measurements' by drawing an outline of my foot on a piece of paper!) With no deposit required, they promised everything would be ready the following day.

Ulrik getting a little helping hand at one of
Hoi An's culinary establishments
True to their word, when we returned the following day everything was ready for the first fitting. A few minor adjustments were needed, but when I returned that evening (less than a day-and-a-half after placing my order) the suit, shirt, and shoes fit perfectly. I was now a nice outfit richer, and only US$237 poorer (the suit was US$130, the vest US$50, the shirt US$12, and shoes US$45). Not too bad. But I have to be careful; I've lost a fair bit of weight while on the road, and since the suit (especially the trousers) are a perfect fit, I can't afford to put any of it back on!

While Lee had originally decided not to buy anything (she is so not a shopper -- most women would arrive in Hoi An and -- with all the made-to-measure clothes and shoes(!) -- go crazy), she couldn't help herself when she saw how "smoking hot" I was in my new suit (her words, not mine) that she ended up ordering one for herself as well. She ordered a jacket, pants, and skirt, and was just as pleased with her new outfit as I was with mine. (And, I have to say, she looked pretty "smoking hot" too.)

Lee in her snazzy new suit
(ignore the terrible borrowed shoes)
Unfortunately, after whiling away many a morning on the Mekong riverfront enjoying pots of Vietnamese tea and warm chocolate croissants (only C$0.30 a piece!), our idyll had to end eventually. With emptier pockets (but, fortunately, not heavier packs -- we shipped everything home from Hoi An's incredibly efficient post office), we finally got ourselves on a bus north to the town of Hué and the DMZ (demilitarized zone).

For more photos, see our Vietnam photo album.