June 22 - Nha Trang

We've been in Nha Trang for three days. With countless bars and 7k of beach, It's the beach resort and party capital of Vietnam. We spent our first day here lounging under a bamboo canopy on the beach. The sand was crisp white and the water was a deep blue. Just like at Coney Island, people combed the beach trying to sell you anything. We could have bought postcards, sunglasses, lighters, or even live lobsters. We settled on the "sambal" flavored chips. Yes, it said "sambal" on the English translation side of the package. It tasted kind of like a mild barbeque, but the chips, which can be more accurately described as extruded dried mashed potatoes, in cute little twisty shape.


After lunch, we bargained with the wandering beach masseuses and got two full body Vietnamese massages on the beach for a whopping $6 - that's $3 a piece. We were not about to pay the full $4 they wanted. If there is one thing we've learned in Vietnam, everything should be "cheap cheap."

Okay, so everyone gets it and we shouldn't have been surprised when it befell us. No, not a visit from the tooth-fairy. A visit from Montezuma, so to speak. After the massages, it was all downhill (although how could it not be, really?) We'll spare you the details, but suffice to say we didn't leave our room yesterday and not because it is our honeymoon (if you know what I mean...) But, thank goodness, our hotel had an English movie channel. We were able to watch a full day's worth of movies we never wanted to see in the first place. Although, afterwards Jillian was glad she watched Mighty Ducks 3 (that was the best this station had to offer.)

Today is a brand new day, though. We have sworn off Vietnamese food for the rest of our lives, and had pizza for lunch. When New Yorkers are feeling down, there's nothing like a good slice. We caught a little bit more of the beach and tonight we will board an overnight train headed for Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as everyone but the government calls it.) While we're in the mood to write things off for the rest of our lives, we are adding Vietnamese overnight buses to the list. It wouldn't be so bad, but the drivers feel the need to honk, and loudly, every time they expel air from their lungs. They also have fabulous taste in music and love to play it over the loudspeakers all night long. Oh, and did we mention the seats are made for Vietnamese tushies? OK, enough kvetching for now. We don't mean to complain - we are having an awesome time. We'll catch up with you later.

Lots of love,
Jillian and Ari