5.Weekend downtime, tourism and a football trophy!

Can't believe a week has passed already!  Time to continue(!) shopping plus a leisurely wander around the ancient town which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Hoi An is situated by the Thu Bon River, so an ideal location for a South-East Asian trading port, and known for it's well-preserved timber houses, architecture and street plan of the 15th to 19th century of Chinese, Japanese and later European influences.
I was also invited to a fundraising event for CHIA, held at the Silks Resort hotel, by the Hoi An Expats, where 200,000 Vietnamese Dong was raised through raffles and a silent auction.  Prizes included dental treatment, tailoring, kayaking, and yoga lessons (which I won, and I never win anything!).
There was quite a big distraction that evening - Vietnam beat Malaysia to become the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) champions.  It seemed like all of Hoi An swarmed the town centre on motorbikes and any form of transport really, in mass celebrations mirrored across the country.  The last time they won was a decade ago, and it was very special to be here at this time and a part of the celebrations!











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