Cooking up a storm!

Another quick fitting this morning at the tailors, as then off to Hai Cafe for my cooking class.

First off, our guide Lin took us to the local market. The market opens at 3am and runs til 7pm at night. She showed us all the fresh fruit, veg and meat and fish we would be using to cook that day.

Next it was on to the Red Bridge Cooking School by way of boat. A nice refreshing way to travel. With the high of 37 expected it was nice to have a breeze.

On arrival we were given a Lime Tea Punch - made with orange and lime, tea, 7up and grenadine. Very refreshing!!

After a quick tour of the herb garden we started our lesson.

First was Hoi An pancakes - essentially a spicy omelette with shrimp, spring onion, bamboo wrapped in rice paper and eaten with peanut sauce.

Next we made rice paper from scratch and then eggplant in a clay pot. Very tasty dishes I will endeavour to replicate back in NZ!

After returning to Hoi An, I returned to the swimming pool where I met a kiwi couple from Greenlane in Auckland (Claire and Marcelle) and their 2 boys. Another visit to the tailor and then I got a taxi to the beach.

After being dropped at An Bang Beach, I walked along towards the next beach but got a little lost. I asked a local young woman, Hung, if she could show me on the map where I was but she didn't quite understand. Instead she very kindly gave me a lift on her motorbike ask to my hotel. I tried to offer her some money but she wouldn't accept any money from me. Such a sweet girl :-)

Next a walk down to the ancient town to see the lights and check out the markets. It is apparently good luck to put a floating candle in the river so I gave my $1.60 to a young girl and popped my candle in the water and watched it float away.

A lovely final night in Hoi An.