Selling opportunities are everywhere in Vietnam – and ‘shops’ come in all sorts of guises. The mobile version (as in this opening photo and below) appealed greatly to us:
Market stalls may not be mobile but they are equally compelling, as Hoi An’s market proved early this morning:
The market stalls can be quite challenging to move around (particularly with a hulking camera) as Vietnamese people seem to shop from their scooters, driving from stall to stall:
The stall holders prepare their goods carefully (presumably the facemasks are to ensure hygiene?):
The produce on sale is beautifully presented – even if some items are not quite what we want to buy:
Conventional shops specialise in bewildering ways – the helmets below were obviously for the Thai women who had those extraordinary hair-dos:
Some goods seem bewilderingly inappropriate when sweat springs from every pore – but I guess fashion stores are always planning for the next season:
Others are more appropriately seasonal – we watched the careful assembly of this shop over half an hour as all the hats and bags were laid out in the morning – and presumably brought back in each night. Note the young woman with a jacket on – we were opposite rehydrating as we were drenched in sweat after our stroll through the market:
And then there are the shoppers of course – the matching family look seemed big in Hoi An (something to do with the many tailors’ shops around delivering garments quickly – ‘What shall we have made? Oh I know- matching pyjamas!’):
And if there are tailors, then there are fabrics! And as many of you know, I am an enthusiastic sewer – though I couldn’t be persuaded to look at the fabric, let alone buy – there was too much!
And if there’s fabric, then there are sewing machine shops – a whole street of them back in Hanoi:
I think I’ll give the sewing machine shop a miss too.
Irresistable … wish I was there! Ax
I thought of you as we were passing a particular tailors shop which offered : ‘ Linen, with pockets’ – right up your street I think..
All that fabric and the machines – must be like a candy store for you Miriam! How did you resist?!
I know, Tash – incredible self denial on M’s part but it was just too darned hot to start fingering viscose and cotton, let alone silk!
The presentation of duck’s heads/bodies beside the lavender wrapped shellfish proved one step too far for this little vicarious shopper… But I loved the kitchen implements (or back scratchers?) on the earlier cart.
I’ve looked carefully at the backscratcher/ noodle comb but can’t work out what it is either. I found the lavender wrapped crabs rather moving – such a pretty colour for keeping those claws firmly closed. M missed, you’ll be pleased to know, an entire tail ( probably water buffalo)..
Oh Miriam, wasn’t there a small travel sewing machine that you could sneak into your carry-on? Thanks for the great photos. Almost like being there with you!
It was a tough call, Jens, but in the end we decided not to bring the sewing machine, cutting table or overlocker. In fact, we only acquired a tiny sewing kit ( those little packages of pointless buttons and the wrong thread) very recently as a way of soothing M’s sewing cravings…
All those people beavering away trying to earn a crust! V impressed by Miriam’s restraint over the fabric shop but do hope the family in matching outfits has sown the seed of an idea…..
How can you even joke about such an idea!