Leaving Hue took us first to Hai Van Pass, a pass that was militarily important to both the French and to the Americans during their respective wars. It commands a terrific view north and south and we were fortunate to have left behind the rain for the first part of the journey. Below the pass to the south is a leper colony, an attractive beach front location and beyond that is Danang. In Danang, we viewed the Cham Museum which has many stone carvings from the Cham people's past, some of it mystical and has clear connections to Java, Indonesia, as well as some buddhist roots in India. There are still Cham ceremonies celebrated each year and there were photos and costumes in a new part of the museum that had been added since '98. Onward from Danang, after a lunch at which I was accused of ordering too much, we climbed Marble Mountain and went into several caves, one or which is large and has a hole in its roof. From Marble Mountain, we then stopped in Hoi An to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, built in 1593 to connect the Chinese and Japanese communities, and the old town. Different to Hanoi, it was still very interesting with its shop-houses. Then to our hotel on the beach. More moans from the others about too little time in such a nice resort to enjoy the facilities! But, we had Margueritas on the verandah before sunset and enjoyed a nice meal in the bar.
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