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Hoian Shopping
Hoi An has a long history of flogging goods to international visitors, and while the port's no longer in business, the people of Hoi An haven't lost their commercial edge. It's a common occurrence for travelers not planning to buy anything to leave Hoi An laden down with extra bags - which, by the way, are easily purchased here. The big lure is the clothes. The number of tailor shops is just extraordinary somewhere around 500. For a look at the material available locally, take a peek at the Hoi An Cloth Market (Tran Phu Str.,). Hoi An has long been known for fabric production. It is not only clothes that are being turned out in quantity - shoes are now a popular purchase. The cobblers here can copy anything from sneakers (trainers) to the highest heels or the coolest Cubans. Prices are very low, so it's a great place to pick up sandals, copycat Campers or anything else that takes your fancy. Reaching Out (Tell: 510 862 460; 103 Nguyen Thai Hoc Str.,; Time 7.30am-9.30pm) is a great place to spend your dong. It's a fair-trade gift shop with profits going towards assisting disabled artisans. The presence of numerous tourists has turned the fake-antique business into a major growth industry for Hoi An. Theoretically you could find something here that is really old, but it's hard to believe that all the genuine stuff wasn't scooped up long ago. Proceed with skepticism. On the other hand, there is some really elegant artwork around, even if it was turned out only yesterday. Paintings are generally of the mass-produced kind, but are still hand-painted; for a few US dollars you can't complain. A row of art galleries (Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Str.,), inside the gorgeous old buildings just across from the Japanese Covered Bridge, are great to browse through. And now that you've bought that lovely artwork, you need to light it properly. Lighting is a major growth industry here and lanterns lead the way. Popular Chinese lanterns come in various shapes and sizes, all easily foldable. Woodcarvings are also a local specialty. Cross Cam Nam Bridge to Cam Nam Village, to watch the carvers at work. Woodcarving is a specialty on Cam Kim Island. Vietnam has a great reputation for its ceramics, and while much of what is on sale here comes from around Hanoi, it is worth stocking up if you are only visiting central Vietnam. The black pottery wish a glassy glaze is particularly striking. It’s be
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