Hello from Saigon in S. Vietnam.

18 January 2006 Traveling day. Leaving Hue for Hoi An. Hoi An is a seaside city just 150 or so km south along Highway 1. Just 90 miles in USA driving, it takes a good Vietnamese driver, going the speed limit, around four hours of honking and slowing and swerving to make the drive. This drive took almost ten hours. I have a bunch of good pictures and lots of memorable stops were made.  First stop out was in Hue at the Hue Cathedral, a newer building built in 1992, combines Asian and European architecture with a huge Marble Mountain alter. The church was quiet but has mass each day. Purchased a pin for grandson, Jeff for his collection. Have another from Hanoi. He will like those. Then, off down Highway 1 towards Danang. The first place of interest is the choice of roads that one must make as the mountains come down to the edge of the South China Sea or the Pacific Ocean. One road goes through a tunnel, not scenic, and the other goes over Hai Van Pass, scenic. Of course, the scenic one was taken. UP, the road goes until, on days such at this, one hits the clouds. Driving up the pass today, the clouds formed into a river of white, flowing down between to green peaks. Half way down the mountainside, the ever-widening white river disappeared. Simply explained, the hot air was pushing up from the south to be forced through Hai Van Pass. The hot   moisture laden air condensed as it flowed up the mountain meeting the higher cold air. On the other side it reversed the action. I saw the  river that ended but did not end. Did I say that the mist was pretty thick at times on the Pass? This pass marks the northern edge of the   Cham Empire. I took a misty picture of the Cham gate, that was repaired by the French with an empty American bunker hunkered below it. Another sign of the conquered and the conquered. The red star flag flew on a communication tower above them all. I wonder what will be next?

Out along the southern side of the Pass, one can glimpse the ocean and the first beach along the way, Lang Co Beach. Stopped there to collect a bit of sand and have a cold beer. Had tea at Hai Van Pass as we stopped at the haunt of the driver. Was attached by some of the souvenir peddlers because I would not buy their stuff. They were very persistent and so was I. As we drove off, one of the ladies spit at the vehicle and offered some choice words. All of the Vietnamese cannot be kind, loving and happy to meet me. The drive down the south side of the pass is beautiful. The ocean sweeps out to ones left and the mountains come right down to the water. Out in the bay, small islands cut the horizon. Small craft dot the blue waters. Close to the shore one can see what look like pens out in the water. In these pens the fishermen have learned to raise all kinds of ocean going critters. Much of the fish, shrimp, shellfish and even squid are raised in these pens. From what I read, this sight is typical of what one can see all up and down the coastline.

Lang Co Beach was the last stop before driving into Danang, the third largest city in Vietnam. Danang is a port city and the site of a former American Base. The drive took us on the western edge of the base but I could not really see much of what remained. On the way back to the Danang to catch the plane to Nha Trang, I did see the large buildings that looked like hangers. If I had wanted to, the driver could have taken the ocean road and much of the facility could have been observed. The Vietnamese army uses the facility but much of what I saw looked abandoned. No SE Asia takes care of its facilities like the American services do. The buildings are still there so we must build well.

Arriving in Danang meant lunch so I asked the driver to find us a place to eat. He picked out a local noodle place and we sat down for lunch. The bowls of noodles arrived and in them were pork knuckles, noodles, veggies and a dark red cube. Picking up my chopsticks, I began to eat. The pork knuckles were largely fat so I picked each one up and chewed out the lean. Remember, only chopsticks. Then the noodles. These were egg noodles; I prefer the rice noodles. Out popped the red cube. A quick glance told me nothing. It was rubbery in the chopsticks and had small holes like Swiss cheese. I tried a bite off one corner. Hum, I guess that it is some form of Tofu. Glancing over at the driver, I noticed a faint smile. Hum? He explained in broken English and Vietnamese what the red piece was. I told him that I did not understand. He motioned with his hand a swift striking, like a knife, across his throat. Then he cascaded his hands down his throat to his chest and said,“pork”. I got the picture. You know that I never did like blood sausage back in Montana? I did finish the bowl of soup but left that little dark red cube right in the bottom of the bowl with one corner missing.

Leaving Danang, the next stop was Marble Mountain and all the shops selling marble objects. Unless you have been to this place, you will not believe what these Vietnamese craftsmen can make. Huge Buddha statues, 15 feet high, sit alongside 10-foot stone lions. Ornate dragons line driveways. Halls are filled with stone figures from two inches high to three feet. Marble from the surrounding mountains comes in a huge variety of colors. The white Buddha's are so while and the black lions are so black. I assume also that the craftsmen have mastered the art of coloring the marble. Never purchased a thing. Too heavy for me with over a month to go. If I were going home tomorrow, then surely something would have hit my fancy. Mixed into each of the shops was a stonemason going about his job. Some were using saws and drills but many were just pounding away with a good old-fashioned hammer and chisel. One of the guys motioned that I could have a couple of the marble chips. OK,they are small. Of course, his next action is that he wanted money for his kindness. I took his picture and walked away. His kindness was met by my kindness. Everywhere people want my money. I will say that the begging here is much less than in India. Here people want me to spend money. Here everyone has something to sell. People begging are usually doing it in the churches and pagodas. That is ok. I carry a pocketful of change. Lots of old people asking for change and the real badly deformed. Saw a person the other day with both hands gone. A middle-aged man. He was working the Catholic Church. The final stop before hitting Hoi An was China Beach. This beach was made famous by a TV show of the same name. The beach is beautiful and has become a surfer’s destination. I stopped for sand and a short walk along the beach. Next stop, Hoi An and arrived there just after 4 PM. Drove the main road down to the Cua Dai Beach. I wanted this first ocean-side stop to have a hotel on the beach. Checked the Hoi An Beach Resort for a room. They wanted a hundred but were discounting to $50. Checked around the corner and a block off the beach. The Sea and Sand Hotel just opened last week and came down from $45 to $25. I was the first person in the room. How about that? Tomorrow would be my first swim in the South China Sea. Nice quiet place and at a point on the street below the hotel, all wheeled traffic along the beach must stop. No bicycles even.

Before the driver left, I had him drop me off in the center of Old Hoi An. This is a town that is entirely given to tourists. The town is full of them. People from all over the world are here to enjoy the beach, the ancient sites and the cheap prices. Had dinner for about $2 and that included a beer. Had one of the noodle dishes that is particular to Hoi An called Cau Lau. I am not sure what is in it but the noodles were large and the meat pork. The sauce was special. Very good! Walked around the city trying to get my bearings. Did find the markets location and will hit that tomorrow after the beach. Trying to get a lift home was interesting. Hardly any taxis run at night and maybe there are none. One just goes to the corner of the main street looking like you need a ride and a motorcycle will pull up and you bargain for the price. Usually the cost is a dollar each way. If I had stayed in a motel near the city center the need for a cycle would have been eliminated.
One pays extra for the simple pleasures.

19 Jan 2006 In Hoi An this morning as the Sun first began to light up the sky it came. The sound of the rooster. Who would know that right behind the hotel and out the window of the room wound be a farmstead with all the associated critters. That rooster would great the day during each of my nights at the Sea and Sand. And later in the morning he would be joined by pigs, cats, starting motorcycles and various poundings and banging that go along with farms. However, there was no partying at night as only 3-4 of the rooms in the hotel were occupied.

Breakfast was included so each morning I ate the typical noodle soup of the Vietnamese. Such good soup. Then this first day I spent the entire morning loafing on the beach. On part of the beach was a line of roofed huts with chairs for the lounging guests. It was a different hotel from the one that I was staying but I toughed it out and when the attendant asked if I was with the hotel, of course, I replied, “Yes”. I thought that in this case is was good to be old and gray. If I were a young man then surely the attendant would have asked for my room number. The young ones stay at cheap hotels and sneak on the beach. The old ones stay at 5-Star hotels and look that way. I looked 5-Star and did not have to lie on the sand but on a fine beach bench. Some kind of deception on my part? But only a few of the sites were filled so the guys did not worry too much. No use making an old tourist irritated.

Headed back after noon and stopped at one of the seaside cafes. It offered a line of seafood and I tried a soup dish with crab and noodles. This was a great soup. I would eat it once more. Lots of veggies, cut up real small and packed with crabmeat. Good. About two caught a motorcycle up to the town. Spent a couple of hours exploring the market and the Quarter. The night before I had discovered that the café that I had chosen had a daily cooking class. I signed up for that class and had to be back at 4 PM to begin the two and a half hour class. There were five of us taking the class at the Sao Mai Café. I can recommend the menu.

I have written down the recipes and helped make:
Green Papaya/pork Salad
Morning Glory greens with garlic
Vietnamese Veggie Springroll
Grilled Fish/Saffron in a Banana Leaf
Shrimp fried Rice

We made a dish and then ate it. The cook teacher was just 22 and was a patient teacher. We finished up the fish and fried rice just after 6:30 PM. Finishing the meal in VN means a cup of Green Tea and some fruit. I had just eaten my way through 2.5 hours of food and learning. Such a delightful and different way to spend an afternoon. Walked up the street and found an Internet location and dropped a few messages before catching a local motorcycle man and a ride to the hotel.

20 Jan 2006 Still in Hoi An and am making this a lazy day. Headed up town late in the morning and spent the day roaming around the city. I visited and took pictures. And I stopped many times for tea so that I could just sit and watch the people. One of the spots visited was a silk factory where one could watch the silk being made from worm to weft. Then in the front rooms, young ladies patiently embroidered silk pictures that are so realistic that one would think that they are photographs. I surely yearn for one of those pictures. Most fine finished pictures run from $200-500. I just cannot carry that around, as I would worry that it would be ruined and of course a Vietnamese picture might clash with my Western collection.

The Trieu Chau Pagoda was one of the places that I chose to visit. Because this is an old city, many such sites can be found. Fukin Hall was another and Tan Ky House. Over the years the city of Hoi An has moved from a place of prominence in trade and government to a lesser one. The biggest reason is that the harbor silted in and became too small for the larger ships that came into existence. But during the old times, both the Japanese and the Chinese came to trade and build large constituencies of their people. Each of these groups built their special meeting and worshipping place. The entire Old Quarter is on the Registry for World Heritage Sites. So mixed with all the foreign houses are ancient Vietnamese. Some mutual agreement kept both sides from harming this city and the building exist for me to visit. But when you have seen one pagoda you have seen enough and I have seen dozens. I did my duty and visited a few before stopping to have a beer and tea. I guess that I am not a very good student of the history of Hoi An. But I have a feeling for it. And I feel very comfortable in Hoi An. It is a relaxed and friendly city.

21 Jan 2006 Up early with the Rooster. Sat and read and drank tea until the airport taxi came. The flight out to Nha Trang was at 2:00 PM. Made it to the airport with time to spare. So have been chatting with fellow travelers and waiting for the plane. That plane ended up being a Russian turboprop with four seats across and little legroom. The flight was just over an hour so I survived. The plane was full and overhead space was limited. The in-flight snack would again put Southwest to shame. The Vietnamese have wonderful food on the ground and real plastic in the air. The stewardesses are lovely so I guess that one can sacrifice. Arrived in Nha Trang and had the luggage by 3:30 PM. Caught local transportation into the city to a hotel recommended by the manager in Hoi An. This hotel is just off the beach and is 22 days old. Because of its location, it is much busier than the Sea and Sand. The owner has a hotel listed in the Lonely Planet and must have made enough money to purchase more. The Phu Quy Hotel is quite nice and is worth thinking about as a place to stay in Nha Trang. Mr. Quy was trained as a shipbuilder in Poland. He spent 6 years there studying during the early 70s. I guess that hoteling is a better way to make a living. He has done quite well and Phu Quy 3 is being built around the corner. This hotel has 15 floors and a swimming pool on the top. It is close to everything touristy.

22 Jan 2006 In Nha Trang Rented a car today and am exploring the far parts of the city and surrounding area without the hassle of a group. The first stop was the Pro Nagar Cham Towers. Hi on a hill overlooking the harbor. The Towers remain from a series of buildings that must have been a place of worship for the Cham people. The towers were built during the 7-12th centuries. I wonder if our monuments will last that long. The Cham People lost their power to the Viet from the north in the 16th century, although, ethnic tribes in the country are called Cham. Many of the artifacts from here are in the Cham Museum in Danang. The Cham were Hindu and the signs of Shiva are all around including many Lingas. It is still a sacred site for many in the area and a number of the towers had ladies worshipping.

North of the Cham Towers is the on Chong Headland and Promontory. On this point of land, hundreds of huge boulders are stacked in a pile. The boulders are stacked upon each other. I passed a school group visiting the site. As in all of Vietnam, a set of ladies had spread out their wares for sale to the unprepared tourist. I purchased some nice shells.

The Long Son Pagoda straddles one side of a hill in the north of the city. At the top of the Pagoda is located a huge all-white Buddha. It was built in 1963 to commemorate the monks that set them selves on fire to protest the S. Vietnamese government of the Diem regime. Another Buddha, this one reclining was recently built and this one is about 15 feet long. Of course, many other Buddha figures are found in the various sanctuaries of the Pagoda.

Another stop is the Nha Trang Cathedral. This French gothic structure was built in the early 30’s and one walks around the church on a winding path lined with all the Saints of Europe. In the interior, the signs are mostly dedicated to Vietnamese. The church holds two masses each day that are well attended. Religion both Christian and Buddhist are alive and well.

The Bao Dai Villa is located in a prime spot overlooking the Nha Trang harbor. IT is the former home of the last Emperor of Vietnam. The buildings are run down and the grounds are very quiet. I walked all over and met few people. The Villa was built during the 30’s and one can rent some of the rooms for a night. Lovely site but not well attended. It makes a nice and very easily photographed walk.

The last stop to be made was the Pasteur Institute and the Museum of Alexandre Yersin. He is Frenchman who moved to Vietnam at 27 to spend the rest of his life here. He is best known as the discoverer of the Plague Bacillus. Because of his work in Vietnam many veterinarian studies were conducted. He started a medical school in Hanoi and was a very productive person. Because of his work, the French Pasteur Institute began a branch in Indochina. Unfortunately, when we arrived the museum was closed. One big disappointment.

Several village industries were also visited during the day. One made clay ovens that were fired in a huge brick kiln. These ovens or stoves are used in many Vietnamese homes, burning charcoal. I visited one home that day with all three types of stoves: One gas, one electric and the other charcoal. All of them were in the outside kitchen that keeps the heat out. That places was called the Ancient Home. The house was built in traditional Vietnamese style. Outside was a garden with many different fruits that were ready to gather. The people made furniture from weird forming roots and branches into huge, heavy tables and chairs. Too heavy to bring home.
Another stop brought us to several ladies making rattan sleeping pads and place mats on a hand loom. Interesting. Wish that I could have purchased more samples. My house needs more junk.

23 Jan 2006 Nha Trang. Today would be the tour out to the Islands that lay offshore a few kilometers. The tour was scheduled to have two snorkeling locations. I was ready but the day turned out to be rainy and cold and quite windy. Hon Mun and Hon Mot are supposed to have some great coral and good snorkeling. Maybe they do but we arrived at the Mon a bit after 9 AM in a slow off and on drizzle with a good breeze. I could see the rest of the day with a wet outfit. If I were leading then I would have been in the water. But being old and cranky, I just watched a few of the younger ones get and stay cold. No one went in at the next stop, Mot Island. At Tam, we all went ashore and walked the beach. I collected a bit of sand and chatted with others from the boat. The final stop for the day was at Hon Tam where the local fishermen live in floating homes. Some people walked on their wooden walkways to view the fishing impoundments where they house either growing fish or
captured fish. Like the Chinese, the Vietnamese prefer their fish fresh. This village provides Nha Trang with fresh harvest from the ocean.

24 Jan 2006 Nha Trang to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) Early departure to Saigon. Left at close to 8 AM for a 40 minute flight down to Saigon. The airport for Nha Trang used to be right in the city. It has been moved to an old US base on Cam Ranh Bay some 25 miles from town. . I believe that even the Terminal for the base is old American. One can see the remains of the former American base. Many have been left to ruin in the tropical environment. The runway is good old US military and made to last. We do concrete good! The airport in Saigon is probably also left over from the War. It is about a 40 minute drive from the city.

Traffic in Saigon is incredible. There must be a 200-1 ration of motorcycles to cars. And the stream of them both never ends. Starting at 7 AM the constant stream of vehicles never ends until midnight. One of the skills one learns in any Vietnamese city is to cross the street in full traffic. You do this by looking both ways and finding a lull in the traffic coming either way. A lull means the there are few cards, busses and big trucks. Then you begin to cross. Slowly? Not ever in a rush. The cycle drivers see you and move away. You stop for big vehicles but the small ones just bend around you as you walk. Everyone gives to everyone else. People want to do a u-turn in the middle of the block, and they do it, but slowly allowing everyone to go where they want. I watched a blind man with a cane cross a very busy street today. He jus put his cane down and held a hand high and went across six lanes of traffic. No horns, no scolding from other drivers, just patience with
someone else’s decision to go his own direction. I have never seen an angry Vietnamese driver.

In any case, I am lodged at the Duna Hotel in District 5 of Saigon, The Hotel is located a few blocks from he Ben Thanh Market, one of Saigon’s biggest. I headed there first and have made several trips. Right across the street from the market is a Pho 2000 Noodle Café, where Bill Clinton stopped to have a bite to eat. Of course, I was delighted to have eaten where Bill ate. The noodles were just like those found throughout Vietnam – good and hot. I add a bit of lime juice and some chili to mine. Pho means noodle. And PHOtunately they are good. YUM.

25 Jan 2006 Saigon, Vietnam. Today walked out of the hotel and arranged with a motorcycle driver to give a lift to the Jade Emperor Pagoda. He would wait for me and then give me a lift to the Notre Dame Cathedral. I would walk home from there. The walk, today, would take me too many of the important sites of Saigon.

The Jade Emperor Pagoda is supposed to be the nicest one in Saigon so I chose to do one and could have done 21. Seeing one Pagoda and you have seen them all. I did get a big josh stick and placed it on one of the altars. It was big so it is still probably going strong. It is for me some kind of gesture to the people who find Buddha a way to follow. Lit a candle at the Notre Dame too. Have to cover all the possibilities. The Jade Pagoda has lots of small rooms dedicated to the various Buddha figures, ancestors and deeds. One room has the statues of 12 women in pose exemplifying one of the good or bad human traits, one for each month. The 12 are supervised by Kim Hoax than Mau, the Chief of all Women. Women come there to pray for help for and against these habits.

The Notre Dame Cathedral was finished in 1883. This cathedral has little stained glass. Lots of Frenchman are commemorated in the Stations of the Cross. Mass is held every day and partially in English on Sunday. Across from the Notre Dame is the main Saigon Post Office. And across the street from there are lots of people selling Vietnamese Stamps. I did purchase a few. Two books worth. The country produces some very pretty stamps. Across the street in the other direction is the Diamond Plaza. This is a one store mall equal to that found in any American City with all the same merchandise. You can buy Nike shoes and Polo Shirts. And I did not go into the women’s section. Most of the items were cheaper or the same price as in the USA.One attraction was on the top floor and that was KFC. Had a Coke and chicken strips. Was joined at the table by three 8th grade girls who wanted to practice their English. Or one did and the others came along for moral support. One spoke and the other two giggled. JHS kids are as goofy in Vietnam as in the USA.

Left the Diamond for a three block hike to the Reunification Hall. Just upon arriving they closed the gates for an hour for lunch. So I walked to a souvenir store and looked and found a café and had a cup of Vietnamese coffee. Finally, at one the Hall opened and the tour took a couple of hours. The Hall used to be the Presidential Palace for S. Vietnam. I joined a large group for a guided tour and indoctrination lecture. It was like an open trip through the White House. The only difference is that most of the building probably had not been painted since 1975 and in places the carpets were in pretty bad shape. The thought that went through my mind about what a difference it would have been to this country had the Viet Cong not invaded. Like S. Korea, it would be a vital country full of all the technology and competing world wide. And likely the North would be behind in all ways. The Vietnamese people are industrious and work hard but they have to overcome 30 years of Communism and it still stifles them in many ways. The Internet has changed much and continues to change the country as it is really wired. But I do not know what it is to be Vietnamese and be watched. I do know that the people do not talk openly and when I kidded the guides about the government, they look around to see if anyone is close. I would like to talk to some educated people to get a real feeling for this place. I had to be careful and keep my mouth shut too. Lots of things to argue about but not the time and place? Sis you would be proud of meJ

A couple of blocks away were the War Remnants Museum. Lots of tanks, helicopters, old shells and other war junk. Mostly captured American stuff. And the walls are covered with pure propaganda. It is a three story building with only the ground floor with photographs. One sided is the rule but one cannot help being horrified by some of the pictures of wounded and burned men, women and children. War is never pretty. The Viet Cong won but the suffered much and so did the civilians.

From the Museum, it was just a short ten block walk back to the big market and when one goes by the market one must market. Bought some ginger to eat. The ginger is candied and sugared and is fine as a candy substitute. I presume that it has some good health effects as I was given ginger for my cold in India. Good stuff. Got home in time for a hot shower and a change of clothes. Met Tri Ta and his wife An for dinner. Tri is the adopted son of my fellow teacher at SIUE, Don Darnell. Through Don’s actions Tri and his sister were brought to America in the 80’s. Tri is a SIU grad and has returned to Vietnam to run a steel plant. I never wrote the name of the Restaurant down but it was wonderful. They have a crispy rice that they throw around the hall and catch it before serving. Dinner for four at a gourmet establishment and the bill was $31.
Not what one would find in the best place in STL? The night ended with Tri driving us around the downtown area is his new BMW. I would say that he is doing quite well.

26 Jan 2006 Saigon This was another day for exploring the city and would end up being the last day. I check with one of the tourist places and found out that most things would be closed down during TET, the New Years Celebration. No tours, no people working until the 1st of Feb. Oh boy! I have not been able to do the Mekong Delta tours and I wanted to go visit the Cao Dai Great Temple. Not to be done this time. I should have gone on the two day Delta tour and then come back and visited Saigon. Oh well. I guess that I have missed a few places in my life and many that I will never see. Of course, I have come back to see many more. All is balanced.

In any case, caught a Motorcycle up to the Cathedral and hopped off. Had a cup of good Vietnamese coffee at a Highland Coffee place. No Starbucks yet. Different kind of coffee. It puts hair on your chest. I order VN coffee with milk and you get real strong coffee poured on a bed of condensed milk. The coffee is placed in a metal strainer and hot water is poured into the strainer. All this sets on a coffee cup. When the water strains through bringing the coffee onto the bed of milk. Remove the strainer and mix. I went back for another cup of hot water and it was very good. Just too strong for me. Even my coffee drinking brother in law Wally would be chastened by this brew. I hope to bring his some home.

The main street here is Dong Khaki and it used to be the American districts Red Light area. Now it is filled with upscale stores and cafes. The street ends in the Saigon River. I walked past all the good hotels, the Intercontinental, the Majestic, the Rex, the Hotel De Ville, and the Grand. All will be remembered if you were in Saigon during the War. I just walked by and did not go into any of them. They all have been renovated. My book says that one can walk in and get good discounts. I guess that I did not feel like being pampered. I will buy a jade necklace with the money saved. Went down and walked along the Saigon River. No sand; just mud. People wanted me to join a ride on the river. Was tempting but will save the river ride for another day.

Walked back to the Hotel along Le Loi Street. Every town has a Le Loi Street as one of the main drags. I read a bit in the Lonely Planet and found out that Le Loi was the dud who lead a freedom war in the 15th Century. Like before Columbus. We Americans are such young upstarts. Stopped again at the Market. Was looking for a kimono for my granddaughters. No such luck. Julianna’s favorite color is purple and Katerina’s is red. So I was looking for silk kimonos in those colors and of course in the right sizes. I could have purchases one for every one reading this but no sizes 8 or 12 in the correct colors. Hit a dozen stores. No luck. Some grandpas are not good at shopping for little girls. Walking along Le Loi Street, I passed the Vietnam Airlines and purchased my ticket out of Vietnam for Cambodia for 1 Feb. Then walked to the hotel.

Across the street from the hotel is a huge two block long park. This park is filled to the branches of the trees with live plants. All kinds of plants from Bonsai to flowering sunflowers and daisies. Orchids, Euphorbia, and Cactus have their place. Bamboo is grown in weird formations and sold. And everywhere people walk and take pictures and talk. IT is packed with people looking for plants for homes of friends and family during TET. And the down town area is being transformed in every city by the flowers and plants being brought into the Boulevards. Huge slender rocks are also brought in and artistically placed. One of the rocks had a big 2006 carved on it. Parts of the city are all brightly colored with rocks and flowers. It is very nice.

This has been a very slow day with lots of walking but no pressure. Many stops for coffee and cold beer. In fact, too many. I did not sleep well. VN coffee strong. Finished another book too. Have read a lot. Got to sleep late because I did not sleep and read to long. Dawn is about 6:30 AM

27 Jan 2006 Saigon Awakened with a thought that I would leave Saigon early. Went down to check the email and talked to three different tour agents. All said that they were not running tours and much would be closed until 1 Feb because of the TET celebration. So I walked up to VN Airlines office and asked about changing the ticket. NO problem. Just a piece of paper with the new ticket date. I will leave at 11 AM for Siem Riep site of Ankor Wat. Will be there tomorrow. Just a three day jump and change in my original schedule.

On the way to the computer to begin this E-log, I discovered a silk place. I gave the young lady the sizes and colors and have just picked the made to order Kimonos up from the store. Such a deal. And walking to the Airlines, I found three new beer labels. I think that there are two kinds of beers in VN. Ones for tourists and ones for the locals. I was invited to join the couple of toothless old boys having a beer and did for one. It seems, however, that they were looking for a soft touch and were unhappy that I did not buy a round. Big beer for $.50 and it is good. Bias Hoi is the name for the beer joints that serve only cheap, good draft beer. Some ask you to bring your own drinking container. ALL IS WELL and my collection improved today.

So when I finish this page, I will save to flash drive and get it mailed out. The next message will be coming to you from Cambodia. I plan to stay in that country for two weeks. A month has gone by so very fast. Traveling is good for the soul and I like this country. I will see how the next two shape up.