Chuc Mung Nam Moi! (Happy New Year!)

"Welcome to the year of the lovely dog."

Celebrating two New Years in the space of one month is a little strange but fun nonetheless.

We've been in Hoi An for a couple of days. It's a lovely, world-heritage protected town and spending New Year's Eve here was certainly an experience. Floating candles drifted along the river and Chinese lanterns lit up the ancient house fascias. The tranquility was then shattered by some of the worst singing I have ever heard. It even beat the Thais doing karaoke or watching A1 in Battersea Park on Bonfire Night.

They played bingo. Every number that was picked up had to be sung about for five minutes. Same song, same duff notes, every time.

Midnight arrived with a speech from Hoi An's Communist Party's general secretary. Not what one could call rousing stuff but he welcomed us to the year of the lovely dog. We couldn't find out what made the dog so lovely.

And finally, it all finished with a traditional parade of dancing dragons around the streets of the old-town.

Today, the town is dead. Most places are shut up. In theory, things return to life tomorrow although that might not include us: we're leaving at 5.30am to get to My Son (that's a place name, not something that we've not told anyone about). A few old ruins but they say it's worth seeing...we'll let you know.