A Ride in the Country

A free day today, no scheduled anything, so I borrow a one speed bike from the hotel and head into town and 3km beyond to the pottery village first established in the 16th century. Here I met Hoa, an 89 year old potter who continues to throw little pots. A granddaughter kicks the wheel for her.





They offered me a somewhat higher stool to have a go at it. Like riding a bike, centering a pot and pulling apparently are talents that haven't left me. Glad I wore pants!!
A neighbor was firing a kiln, using wood, while another worker was slicing off slabs of clay for wedging and throwing.





It takes three days to fire these big kilns and two to cool down.


Mostly utilitarian and tourist stuff is made here. These clay pots are used for several local dishes, like smokey eggplant, which we made in cooking school. I have the recipe to try at home....yummy



The local shrine to the gods of clay?? was rebuilt in 1961.
And for those homesick for Paris, there is Notre Dame or how about the Colesium?





It was such a pleasant ride, flat terrain, not too hot (70,s) a bit of a breeze, rolling along the river. Perfect day for a ride and the added treat of farmers in fields transplanting rice. There


is nothing quite like the color of rice seedlings.Little blips of color in the distance are those raincoats flapping to keep birds away.
Later in town I met up with a Dutch lady who was also cycling about, we teamed up to view ancient houses and had lunch after getting a lesson in carrying heavy fruit trays which this lady does with ease.


Not so for this lady....


-On the road with Kathryn