Hawaii Tribune-Herald from Hilo, Hawaii • 35

Hawaii Tribune-Herald, Sunday, October 7, 2001-35 Full moon, silk lanterns illuminate charms of Vietnamese city For many, central Vietnam remains synonymous with the Vietnam War heart of the country. Only a fraction of the 2 million foreign tourists who trek through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City each year make it to the country's central region. In August, Vietnam launched a splashy multimillion-dollar tourism campaign to lure international visitors to central Vietnam, capitalizing on new direct flights from Hong Kong and Bangkok to Danang. Negotiations are underway for flights from Seoul, Singapore, Shanghai, and Taipei. For many, central Vietnam remains synonymous with the Vietnam War the site of the demilitarized zone that separated North and South Vietnam and some of the fiercest fighting of the decade-long conflict.

In past years, most of the foreign tourists were war veterans, but for growing numbers of visitors, the area has much more to offer than simply memories. The miles of white sand that popularized Danang's China Beach as a rest and recreation site for American soldiers during the war remains a big draw as a favorite seaside escape for foreigners and locals alike. Travel By Tini Tran Associated Press a OI Once fully AN, a narrow ripened month, Vietnam streets under moon, of this riverside town are lit up solely by the glow of rainbowcolored silk lanterns. A stroll through Hoi An's Old Quarter becomes a walk back in time as glimpses through old shop house windows reveal the original dark wooden beams and carved teak furniture typical of the 1800s. Evoking a bygone era, this jewel box of a town is betting its future revival on its meticulously preserved past.

The full-moon celebrations highlight the town's historical heritage, says Vo Phung, director of Hoi An's Center for Culture and Information. started doing this three years ago, and it has become very popular with tourists," he says. From the 17th to 19th centuries, Faifo, as the town was named then, was a flourishing international port where Asian and European merchants traded silk, cinnamon, timber and lacquer. The town's elaborate Chinese assembly halls, fantastically painted Buddhist temples, and Japanese covered bridge are the architectural legacy of traders from China, Japan, PARK From Page 33 police station. The Hilo Chamber of Commerce recommended erecting the new structure on the site of the Coney building, and clearing the existing courthouse yard of buildings to create a public park.

This suggestion went ahead, and on Nov. 4, 1932, the new courthouse was opened. At 2 p.m. on that day, a farewell ceremony was held at the old courthouse. The Women's Club of Hilo had attempted to save the old building, but they were unsuccessful.

Apparently, the contract for the job stipulated that the structure be demolished so that some of its lumber could be used in the construction of the police station. On Nov. 14, 1932, a group of Japanese laborers under the supervision of K. Takimoto began the demolition of the old courthouse and the erection of the new police annex and garage (both buildings survive to this day). Soon thereafter, a group of Hilo park commissioners consisting of Dr.

E. W. Mitchell, Herbert Shipman and Mrs. Annabelle Ruddle, with the assistance of R. O.

Thompson of the Honolulu Landscape firm of Richards Thompson prepared plans for the new park. Three steps of a semi-circu- Malaysia and beyond who made their homes here. But over time, the Thu Bon River filled with silt and nearby Danang eclipsed it as a commercial center. By the early 20th century, Hoi An had slipped into obscurity. Largely untouched by the wartime devastation visited on nearby Hue, Hoi An's poverty and relative isolation kept its, buildings remarkably well-preserved.

Since winning its status as a U.N.World Heritage site last year, Hoi An's aggressive preservation efforts have kept modernity at arms-length, sometimes to the dismay of residents who grouse about the strict building regulations. "Times have gotten better for us since the tourists began to come, but now that we have money to renovate our house, the officials don't let us," says Nguyen Thi Linh, who runs a small tailor shop. Closed to vehicular traffic, the Old Quarter's multitude of restaurants, tailor shops, and art galleries add to the town's tranquil charm. Word of mouth has put the picturesque hamlet on the tourist circuit. Local Vietnamese officials are banking on the charms of Hoi An and nearby attractions like Danang's China Beach, the ancient Cham towers of My Son, and the imperial city of Hue to lure more visitors to the lar terrace would be built under the banyan tree.

The terraces were to be of grass with stone edging to form an outdoor state. At the lower end of the park a shallow pool was planned that would be 150 feet long and 15 feet wide, with a spurting fountain in the center. Tropical plants and water lilies would be placed in the pool. An extended walk with a canopy, with vines entwining the pillars and rafters above, also was to be built, and seats were to be placed between the pillars. In April 1933 work began on the park.

Prison laborers were used to cut down some of the royal palms in the area, but that proved to. be a blunder because some of the wrong tees were felled by mistake. During May, Dr. Mitchell suggested the new park be called Kalakaua Square. Safe Feng Shui Gemstone Safe Travel Keychain Safe Journey! Good Fortune! Longevity! PIN KY'S SENIOR SPECIAL KONA SEASIDE HOTEL WITH HILO SEASIDE HOTEL in Kailua From Breakfast From On the ocean 59 WELCOME 54 On the ocean in Hilo plus tax.

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SEASIDE 329 2455 HILO SEASIDE 935 0821 KONA Running nearly all the way down to Hoi An, a 45-minute drive away, the beach stretches past the Marble Mountains, where Buddhist shrines are housed in natural caves. The city of Danang itself, called Tourane during the French era, is distinguished by wide tree-lined boulevards, French-style architecture and a lamp-lit riverside promenade. Though it has little else in the way of historical monuments, Danang serves as a good base to explore the rest of the area. For admirers of Cambodia's Angkor Wat and Indonesia's Borobudur, the ruined brick towers and temples of My Son lie 45 miles southwest of Danang. From the fourth to the 13th centuries, My Son served as an important spiritual and intellectual center for the ancient Hindu kingdom of Champa.

The Chams were an independent people who were frequently at war with the Khmers to the west and the Vietnamese to the north. By the 17th century, they were defeated by the Vietnamese and their descen- county workers began removing the air-raid shelters and cleaning and repainting the lily pond. Plans to install the monument went forward, and on Oct. 31, 1948, the father of two war dead, Shojiro Takayama, unveiled the Danby Imperial monument inscribed with the names of 157 war dead. Further additions to this monument now honor those who died in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Another monument was dedicated in Kalakaua Square on Aug. 6, 1988. That monument, which stands today, is a $40,000 bronze statue of King Kalakaua, the Merrie Monarch Interisland Coupons Credit Cards aloha Accepted! 55 Coupon Expiration. Limited Time Offer. While Supply Lasts.

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24, 1933, the remaining royal palms were removed, and landscape work continued. Coconut and other trees were planted, and by Feb.1, 1934, the park was completed. During World War II, the lily pond was neglected and bomb shelters were built on the park's grounds. In March 1943 the Hilo Chamber of Commerce War. Memorial Committee began work on a war memorial plaque, and on Aug.

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During the Vietnam War, this green valley where the monuments are located became a base for Viet Cong guerillas. American forces heavily. bombed the area, destroying all but a few towers and temples. Walking amid the ruins of Son, Nguyen Van Trung, 62, of Ho Chi Minh City, said it was his first time to visit, even though he grew up just a few miles away. Gently brushing away the grass creeping up a carved stone cow, Trung sighed.

"We were worried about the war then. We couldn't have come here if we wanted to. Now all that's left is this." The imperial city of Hue lies three hours north through the winding Hai Van Pass, a drive with breathtaking views of towering mountains on the right and a shimmering ocean to the left. Home to the last royal family of Vietnam, the Nguyen emperors, Hue lies along the banks of the Perfume River, or Song Huong. More than two centuries old, the Citadel fortress and palace compound is one of Vietnam's biggest tourist draws, bringing in about 150,000 foreign visitors and a half-million domestic tourists a year.

Styled after the Forbidden City in Beijing, the Citadel's credited with the present-day renaissance of Hawaiian culture. This statue was sculpted and cast by Henry Bianchini, and buried within its base was a time capsule. During March 1990, Kulani Correctional Facility inmates under the direction of the county reset the walkway stones in the park, and on Sept. 20-feet-high walls surround the official royal compound, which was virtually destroyed by massive bombing during the war. Bullet holes still pockmark the giant bronze urns inside the gates.

The bloody Tet Offensive of 1968, when Communist forces managed to take over the area for 25 days, nearly destroyed the entire city. The mammoth task of rebuilding the imperial compound has been continuing since then. Rising up in agedarkened majesty, the Citadel remains an impressive sight. But equally majestic are the royal tombs of the Nguyen Dynasty, built along the river. Stone mandarins, horses and elephants stand guard outside the ornate mausoleums designed by the kings during their lifetimes.

In 1993, UNESCO listed Hue as a World Heritage site. Vietnam has spent some $100 million on restoration efforts and has earmarked another $200 million in coming years. Gazing at the Citadel's giant gates leading to the royal palace was Huynh Van Thien, 84, a leathery veteran of the wars against the French and the Americans. "I come here every few years," he said. "I like to remember the beauty of our past." 6, 1991, another time capsule was buried in Kalakaua Square to commemorate the July 11 total eclipse of the sun.

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