Design

We don't always properly appreciate the spaces that can be used to grow vegetables. Here's a small roadside planting in Hoi An, Vietnam. And a riverside one.

We were lucky enough to bumble on a Full Moon night in Hoi An. They don't take place literally on the Full Moon (like we thought) but the 14th day of the lunar month (I think I'm remembering that right). My gardening companion was a bit under the weather, so I ventured forth. It was quite wonderful, with paper lanterns (similar to Mexican and Southwestern US luminaries) launched to float on the water. Locals and tourists alike were there -- and there were many local folks enjoying the rituals. Quite nice.

Hoi An is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and well-deserving of the designation. A historic seaport and trading center (think 250-300 years), it declined into obscurity as the river and harbor became shallower, as silt and time made the town less accessible. Now about 3 km from the coast, Hoi An has a nice historic center, with extraordinary buildings (maybe overly filled with silk shops, galleries, etc.), but that's what supports tourism. We were there five years ago and loved the area, and bicycling into the countryside. There are still rice and vegetable fields just out of the town center. We enjoyed our time there again -- a wonderful place, and it seems to be developing as a tourist destination in a very attractive way.