Hoi An and points north

Hoi An, our most recent stop, is awash in tailor shops (as Gwynne mentioned) and lantern shops. It's incredibly beautiful at night; this is also the only time of day where you don't sweat just by virtue of existence. (The Vietnamese appear to beat the heat by rising before dawn -- about 5:30 a.m. here. Amy reported that the beach was even more crowded at sunrise than during our time there yesterday afternoon.)

Today we fly to Hanoi, where we have a quick night before our cruise in Halong Bay, our fourth and final World Heritage site. Our time in Vietnam has proven especially relaxing -- with time on the beach and smoother sailing with travel snags.