Since we had bought the bus tickets to Nha Trang already, we figured we would take a chance. Surely there were some places with vacancy. There was a street that was nothing but hostels and hotels and we just went to one from the next asking if they had any vacancies for the night. After asking 15-20 different places, one said that they could do something for us. They put out a bed for us in a back room. However, since there was still foot traffic around that area, we had trouble falling asleep. They saw that we weren't falling asleep, so they were nice enough to give us a room that they use for their Buddhist prayers. So, really, we shouldn't have been too surprised when one of the employees came into our room at 6:00 a.m. to light incense and say some silent prayers. It was slightly surreal, because I was woken up by it, and thus still in a half-dreaming state. But at the same time it was quieting and peaceful. It was just one of those little experiences that defies a simple description.
I could tell that Nha Trang would have been a nice place to visit...if we hadn't decided to visit during the Lunar New Year. There were just too many people everywhere (as evidenced, of course, by the trouble we had finding lodging). Not only were there a lot of Vietnamese, but there also seemed to be tons of Russians. It seems to me that the only times I've seen a significant amount of Russians in other countries has been around beach resort areas. This is not too surprising considering how cold Russia can get, and I can't say for sure, but I would imagine they are severely lacking in the beach department.
Besides getting some beach time (and it was a beautiful beach with a great view), Daniel and I went to a Buddhist temple that had a great view of the city. While admiring the view, I asked Daniel, "Where do you think you are right now?" He said, "Somewhere in Southern Spain." There were many places in Vietnam that did not look at all like how we had pictured Vietnam in our heads. Of course, most of the images of Vietnam that receive unfortunately come through Vietnam War Movies and travel shows. Sometimes, I feel like travel shows only show parts of a country that will fulfill the viewer's expectation of that country. I may just be cynical, though, Nha Trang and our next destination, Dalat, looked nothing like any of the images I remember seeing of Vietnam.
There is not much more to say about Nha Trang, actually. Daniel and I were both put off by how crowded it was everywhere, and there wasn't a lot to see beyond the beautiful beach. It was much better when we came back for an afternoon between buses a few days later.
One other notable experience we had in Nha Trang was when we drank a sugar cane drink. There were a number of street vendors who had these carts with machines that would crush/juice the liquid out of sugar canes they fed into it. Usually, the vendors would add a few lemons and limes and finish off the drink with some ice. Let me tell ya, it was the ultimate refreshment for the hot weather! We also had coconut juice straight from the coconut. Delicious!
While swimming and body surfing, my dad's late 80s/early 90s swimsuit that I had been wearing ever since last summer was torn down the seam of one leg, and thus had to be retired.
Next: Dalat!
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