the world for more than it simply is

I really enjoy this city as I have an addiction for beaches.  Yesterday began around eight with the alarm clock blaring us awake so we’d make the six dollar USD tour that we booked–this included trips to four different islands. The previous night we had enjoyed an hour long cyclo ride around town, and then our usual light drinking at Why Not Bar and a local bar with 2500d beers (~16000d is 1USD).

Our first stop was an island suitable for snorkeling with a park fee of 5000d.  I forget the names of all the islands so I’ll just refer to them as islands one through four.  The coral and fish of the first island were a sight, however minimal.  Watch out for the rocks here as they can be sharp.  The second island we docked at was where lunch was served aboard the ship–we ate on the top deck along with several other vacationers.  During the course of the meal, we met Elizabeth and Rachel from Great Britain, Sin-Kahn and Maya from Israel (who I ran into earlier in the day at a camera shop), and the Pham family of Tam, Hang, and Chelsea from the Orange County.  After lunch, we jumped into the sea and floated around in rubber tubes while playing ‘I Spy’ and ‘Would you rather…?’ with the girls from England.  Later, red wine with pineapple was served while lounging in the waters.

The last two islands were tourist traps.  The third one consisted of a rocky beach with a 10000d admission fee if I recall correctly.  There, we shared a lounging hut with the Pham family to shield ourselves from the blaring sun.  The four island was a small ten-minute aquarium with a 20000d price tag.  The only worthwhile thing here was sitting in the mock clams pretending they were closing down upon me.

That night, we ate nem nuong at a place recommended to us in town called Ninh Hoa.  At 12000d for each portion, these were some really cheap eats as the town specializes in this dish.

Later in the night we went to the Sailing Club, a packed bar next to the beach with a dance floor.  With Kenny leaving early to catch some sleep for his early bus ride the next morning back to HCMC, Hac and I headed over to the Why Not Bar where we ran into Rachel and Elizabeth once again along with Marcus who had just taught English in China for five months prior.  There was also Remco from Holland, who didn’t speak much.  We headed back to the Sailing Club with this group where we would spend the rest of the night.  There we danced and met Robin from Canada along with some other people I cannot recall the names of.

Today we stumbled upon Doc Let with crystal clear waters while going around with the Pham family in their van which they had rented.  After an unsuccessful attempt to get a boat to go out to an island, we opted to head to the cleaner waters of Doc Let.  Nestled between some mountains on a slope (Doc), these shallow waters are clear enough for you to see your feet in the water.  After a swim here, we enjoyed some nem nuong, fresh clams, and fresh crabs (ghe).

Before departing for Hoi An in the evening, I met Sandine from France who was looking for an internet cafe since the first one we were at malfunctioned.

My sunburns from Vung Tau are peeling today.  I actually enjoy the feeling of peeling them off, but it looks all ugly.  This morning at seven we took the bus to Nha Trang.  It is hot here compared to Da Lat yet certainly not unbearable.  The beaches here are clean compared to the oil specks in the waters of Vung Tau.  On the five hour bus ride here, we stopped off at a rest area with some Cham towers in sight.  These structures were amazing and I cannot wait to visit them again later on.

Nha Trang at the current time is full of foreigners.  It is a foreigner resort during this season with a few Vietnamese vacationers here and there.  After our first hotel selection was filled to capacity, we took on the advertising of a cyclo driver and his motorbike friends and found ourselves at Pho Bien.  For 20USD a night, this place seems worth it.  Amenities include a view of the ocean, a minifridge, satelite TV, and A/C.

The beach which we went to today near the hotel had a great view of mountains in the background.  The water here is clearer and I can actually see my feet in the sand.  After swimming with sun block this time, Hac and I went in search of some seafood for lunch.  We stumbled upon a place near the beach that served up some moderately priced dishes by VN standards–Tom Chien Bot, Mackarel with mayo, Cuttlefish with Onions and Tomatoes.  The meal was good for its price and a departure from the usual banh mi and noodle dishes of everyday.  Also, we ran into our Australian friend Steve the prison warden from Perth here, and had a discussion about the prison systems of his country along with the status of the Aboriginals.