The Floating Lanterns of Hoi An
Candles adrift on the river (c) A. Harrison
The paper lantern floated down the river, a soft light against the darkness. Dozens of others, red and yellow and blue, orange, purple and every combination of colour imaginable drifted nearby, dancing along the current.
From the bridge, I stood and watched the ebbing lanterns. They slowly drifted out of sight, and I wondered how far they went and where they would finally sink. Maybe some would drift ashore, and a child would find them in the early light of dawn.
The lights of Hoi An (c) A. Harrison
What had once been an annual Buddhist Festival in Hoi An is now a nightly event, but I like to think somewhere amongst the glowing colours the spiritual purity remains. In the old part of Hoi An coloured lanterns adorn every house, and an ethereal glow fills the town with the softness of candle light.
More floating lanterns (c) A. Harrison
Although I could see no clouds, lightning flashed across the sky, and a distant rumble sounded. The humidity rose even higher, something I thought impossible. All day the tension in the sky had been growing, and was now close to breaking point. The coming rains promised release. The wet season is an interesting time to visit Vietnam, where it be a coastal town like Hoi An, or travelling the waters of the Mekong.
On the other side of the river the night markets were packed. Lanterns, of course, were for sale, plus everything a tourist needs: cards, hair-clips, fake pearls, clothes, memorabilia from the war. Whole stalls are devoted to selling lanterns of every colour and shape. Whatever the size, the stall holders can pack them flat, ready to be taken home across the world.
A colourful street corner (c) A. Harrison
Suddenly fat drops fell from the sky, and in a burst of frenzy tarpaulins were stretched across the stalls. We dashed for a restaurant, and a few minutes later, glass in hand, we stood on the balcony watching the downpour. The heavens had truly been ripped asunder. Despite the torrent, people still bustled amongst the stalls, and the shopping and bargaining continuing unabated. Music from various cafes and bars drifted up to where we stood. Now the rain was falling I felt I could breathe again. As if everyone had been holding their breath, waiting for the release the evening rains bring.
Across the river, the old town wavered in the storm. I could still see a few lights floating on the river. The lanterns of the town flicked, and it seemed as if Old Hoi An was floating away, back to a forgotten time.
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