As I journey through the beautiful country side of Vietnam on this train, I see the need to record these visions. The visions from the Artist’s Viewpoint. A viewpoint that I would take amiss if not cared for and not nurtured carefully.

This very moment is Friday; the night of 18th November 2011 and is my first experience on the express train from Saigon to Da Nang. With all said and done, I repeat… it’s Friday’s night. What vision is there to see at night, what beauty is there to observe in the dark, what feeling does this night excites me?

Looking from an artist’s viewpoint, there are countless angles and perspectives which excites me on this train. The viewpoint I’m standing allow me to see all lovely Vietnamese people resting on their seats, yarning through their tiresome, laughing through their conversations and myriad activities happening at this very moment. Despite all the madness which occurs around me, I rest peacefully on my headset with wonderful instrumental music enduring me through the journey from the South to the Central region of Vietnam.

This short writing seems very much similar to a journal, in fact it is an introductory diary of this trip viewing everything from a perspective I’m hoping to see beauty in all things. Through these series of blogs, I will capture nature’s kindness and beauties given to us.

Bon voyage

The moment I walked the street of Ancient Town Hoi An is the moment I painted my dream home.

That sentence say it all about my impression and my viewpoint of Hoi An’s Ancient Town. It’s a town full of of life, artistic at all perspectives and preserves the authenticity heritage of Viet Nam.

Alike most other towns, Hoi An functions normally during the morning and noon hours. Unlike most other towns, Hoi An makes its transition at approximately 3:00pm. Motor bikes would be forbidden to make room for bicycles and walkway. At three O’Clock, the city slowly emit its artistry and peacefulness. The scents of alstonia scholaris gives off fragrance. Everything begin to calm down… but for a very brief period of time. This brief moment almost seems like the city’s pausing note to prepare for its upcoming transition.

Hoi An then bloom and glows at the start of dawn. The mixture of rusty yellow and uneven aged houses truly gives Hoi An an unique theme. The addition of green moss on wall building textured the city to make stationary walls and huts danced lively together.  Everything were all seem unplanned yet feel absolutely harmonious.  Perhaps… a Protecter has always been a quiet guardian to Hoi An Ancient Town all these years….

Hoi An is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and have inspired hundreds of artists to paint this small town.

Hoi An – 2011/11/20

Hoi An – Lantern

Hoi An – Town walk

Hoi An – Architecture

Hoi An – Riverside

Spending the remaining morning at Da Nang city, I attended Sunday’s Holy Mass at the Cathedral of Da Nang to celebrate Our Lord Jesus Christ the King. At the Cathedral, it was a different viewpoint, a different perspective, a different feeling at a completely different settings. This was my first presence at Da Nang city and the language spoken here brought the foreignness-feeling.  At the sometime, I felt connected by our Catholic Church which bond and attach all of us brothers and sisters living and sharing the same believe in our Jesus Christ the King.

“Protect me O Lord, so that I may worship You
Grant me strength so I may have victory over myself
Conquer my heart so I may find inner peace…”

The hymn were repeatedly uttered through the duration of Mass.  This Sunday’s Mass energizes our believes, cleanse our sins and spiritualize our lives…

As I slowly moved to receive the Eucharist, an astonishing scene were at my viewpoint: Children of the Cathedral with shoes off on the alter.

“Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” (Exodus 3:2-5)

If there was one Moses during the Exodus, then there are classes of Moses today at the Cathedral of Da Nang…

Da Nang, Viet Nam: 2011_11_20

Da Nang Cathedral – Sandles off

The lingering memories of Hoi An demanded me to write a little more of it. The sceneries of Hoi An city at dawn have already spoken for; its beauty cannot be denied. The viewpoint that deserves more attention is Hoi An’s cuisine

Wandering the roads in Hoi An, special cuisines were recommended by the restaurant owner standing on the street pavement: Banh Bao, Banh Vac, and Hoanh Thanh. These names are common and are well-known throughout Viet Nam. However, at Hoi An, these special cuisines surprised every new customers because the serving dishes are quite different than their anticipation. Beside presentation and characteristics, these hot delicious dishes are tasty with common ingredients: pineapple, dried rice platter, onion, shrimp and secreted dipping sauce.

Of all three dishes, my most favorite Hoi An food is Hoanh Thanh. The look and smell of this dish made me not wanting to resist; and once ate, its exquisite taste made me not wanting to stop….

There are numerous restaurants in Hoi An that serve these dishes; normally all three dishes are serve together: Banh Bao, Banh Vac, and Hoanh Thanh.  The restaurant I enjoyed Hoanh Thanh most was at the ring border of Hoi An Ancient Town on Hai Ba Trung street.

Hoi An – Banh vac

Portrait to Painting – Banh bao & vac

Hoi An – Hoanh Thanh