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Album.Busan, one of the most surprising cities in Asia
Once upon a time there was a boy named
Thahn
.
He lived in a black and white town, so he always ended up getting lost without finding his way back home.
Until he came to a distant
rice field
and discovered the color green.
Then the blue of the
beach
and the pink of
sunset
.
And so, little by little, he collected all the colors necessary to give life to
Hoi An.
This is one of the many legends that tells of the birth of the
ancient Lamp Ap Pho
, belonging to the Kingdom of Champa, of Malay-Polynesian origin, and the most important port in Southeast Asia during Antiquity.
Silk
, jewelry, spices and ceramic pieces came here from all over the world, marinating a splendor that would reach its peak in the 17th century.
By then, the Vietnamese were already living with Chinese, Dutch, Indians, Portuguese and Japanese in this microcosm perched on the banks of the Thu Bon River, in the coastal province of
Quang Nam.
However, the final icing on the cake would be the
French
at the end of the 19th century.
Influenced by the colonial airs of French Indochina, Hoi An became a
piece of Europe
trapped in an exoticism of old colors.
Decades later, Hoi An is the result of all his memories.
And for this author, the
most beautiful
place
in Vietnam
.
The world by a river
After eighteen hours of travel, the bus leaves me next to a rice field on the outskirts of Hoi An. As I go, the picture of every other corner of
rural Vietnam
follows
:
women wearing their conical
non là
hat
,
some wandering ox and of course,
motorcycles
;
many motorcycles.
Until I see a
lantern
, and then another;
And so, like a particular version of Dorothy on a yellow brick road, I follow the trail until I reach a river, the Thu Bonh, which overlooks the main streets of the old town.
Only then do I know that I have entered another dimension.
Looking up, I see the flowery balconies, the mustard-colored facades and the garlands of lanterns that wait at dusk to illuminate the streets.
Also the ideal monuments to visit early in the day: from the Cantonese Assembly Hall to the
Quan Cong Temple,
run by the Han dynasty 2,000 years ago;
passing by a
local market
of fruits and dying fish and, especially, the Japanese Bridge.
Boats on the Thu Bon River that runs through Hoi An.
Symbol of Hoi An, the most earthly say that this bridge was built to integrate the Japanese who lived on the other side of the river into the Vietnamese trade, while the most mystical allude to
Chua Cau.
It is said that this sea monster supported its head in India, its tail in Japan and its body in Hoi An, which is why these last two places suffered constant
earthquakes and floods
.
The presence of the massive wooden posts under the bridge would have been the final spear driven into the heart of the beast.
Protected by two statues of dog gods and two monkeys, this
habitable bridge
(it contains a small temple inside) is the best link between all the cultures of Hoi An. Between fantasy and reality.
But especially, between day and night.
The magic of 'lanterning'
At 5:30 pm,
dusk
begins
in Hoi An. By then, the army of
selfie
sticks
is already prepared at the entrance of the Japanese Bridge and in a street the
Four Seasons
of Vivaldi are ringing.
Of course, nothing is accidental.
Along the river, two
instagrammers
wear typical fitted silk suits, while the
river boats
full of lights invite you to a magical walk.
Suddenly, a lantern flashes.
The
show
begins
.
The famous lanterns that are lit every night.
Brought by the Chinese and Japanese in the 16th century, the
lanterns
are Hoi An's main hallmark. Their importance against evil spirits and the decorative charm promoted by ancient Chinese merchants today unfurl a map of lights that encompasses virtually any corner of the world. the old City.
A moment of ecstasy in which Hoi An becomes the closest thing to a
living tale.
You can be an accessory to their artifice or not.
But only here we all feel strange insects attracted to light.
Walk across a lighted bridge to connect with the night market and eat a delicious
Thai-style
ice roll
.
Buy a candle and launch it into the river in search of a wish.
Have a
coconut coffee
in its bohemian places or watch folkloric shows in a park.
Even buy you a
colorful headband
with which to camouflage yourself among the rest of the visitors.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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