Hoi An, Vietnam - Faded Gentility Found

After a long overnight bus ride, full of the usual transfer point booking chaos and drama, and ridiculously timed meal stops (ie: 2am), I arrived in Hoi An. The trip had started off rough, what with an ill timed bout of diarrhea exactly at the time that I was to board the minibus to the large long distance bus. Fortunately my travelling companion, Dieter, came to the rescue and loaded all my bags on the mini bus, and the manager of the tour company zipped me over to rendevoux with him a few minutes later. Along the way, we stopped at a local pharmacy for Asian homeopathic medicine, and a roll of toilet paper... all gratis... they were trying to make up for our less than successful Ha Long Bay kayak/tour experience.

I've been aclimating via my previous Hoi An hotel, Hop Yen. Unlike most tourists, I'm in my hotel room much of the time. I've officially started my work month abroad. After almost 5 months of mostly touring and compiling images and cultural information for my 2 projects, it's time to finally pull it all together.

For sheer convenience, I would have loved to have stayed in Hop Yen, since it's only $5/night w everything most tourists could want (except air conditioning). Unfortunately, I'm not the usual tourist. As an artist, I'm willing to eschew the TV, telephone, and the comforts of my own in room bathroom and shower, in exchange for a practical art/work space.

I found it! The price is unfortunately $7/night, but the space allows for spreading out the artwork and tools. I'd hoped for a cheaper room, but "happy factor" is too good to pass up. The bonus (and perhaps more of a necessity than I'd like to admit to myself) is an inspiring upstairs view of the market place. It makes me feel like painting... which is the main goal of my trip. The family run place is a rambling beautiful old dark wood building smack dab in the center of the old town and next to the vegetable market, and 1 street away from the river. It's the same place that my recent travelling buddy, Dieter, and I looked at last time I came to Hoi An. It's a charming old building, sure to tickle the heartstrings of those who prefer old faded gentility to glossy newness.

So tomorrow, I move in! I was disappointed to hear that the Vietnamese artist, Khan, who I'd wanted to meet up with, would not be back from his Japanese exhibition for another week. So be it... I found my own art space without his help. It's more important to get to work, than to save a couple bucks a night or find the "PERFECT" work space.