We rented a motorbike today, which was a trip. Not the riding -- we've gotten used to how traffic works around here -- but the renting itself. The process literally took about 30 seconds. A guy right across the street from our hotel was renting for $5 a day; we said okay, and he gave us a key, asked our room number at the hotel, and that was it. No forms, no instruction, no anything; we didn't even give him our names.

This is truly the freest free market I've ever seen. You have a bike? Rent it out. You have a kitchen? Sell food. A washer? Do laundry. Set up anywhere, even on the sidewalks, and charge anything you want. Copy anybody's business name you like. Pirate CDs and books and sell them if you want. Walk into anyone else's business and sell your wares. It's crazy.

Speaking of pirated books, I've finished reading (and almost completely re-reading) "The Quiet American" (which was great), and have moved on to Irving Welsh (sp?)'s "Trainspotting", which I bought at a book trading place up the street. It's pretty obviously a pirated book; the print is fuzzy like it's been photocopied. It's raining, and we're stuck here, so you're going to get a lot of trivial information like that in this post.

I'm getting a shirt made today, for $8. I didn't even try to talk them down. Clothes-making is a big thing in Hoi An. If I had to live here, before long my whole wardrobe would be custom-made, I'm sure. Marjorie's getting a blouse and skirt for $12 and $9, I think.