Indochina Day 20 Scooter & to Saigon

Thursday June 16^th

I woke up really early this morning, 5:00, and decided to ride the scooter (which I'd paid for last night for another day) to the beach. I got there just as the sun was rising. It was beautiful as it rose over the island. I hung around and watched as people were sorting and buying small fish, swimming and playing in the water or exercising on the sand. Vietnamese people, particularly women, don't want to get a tan. They cover everything up in the sun and will only go to the beach either really early or late in the day after the sun has waned. They don't sell tanning lotion here, they sell whitening cream! Although Westerners and tourists like turning brown, Vietnamese like white skin.

I swam for a bit too to cool off, and then got my shirt wet too so that it would keep me cool as I rode around. I rode back to town and through the old UNESCO Heritage Site part and the old market. I bought some green oranges and some lichee nuts. Then I went back to the hotel by 8:30 and found most of our group still asleep. I had breakfast and then headed out for a bit to buy a couple of souvenirs for people. Then I went riding again. I rode north and through a couple of local neighbourhoods and along the river. Back to the beach for one last swim and then back to the hotel to pack.

We left for the airport by 12:00, and flew to Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City) by 4:00. We met up in the lobby by 7:00 and headed out for dinner. We walked through the area around our hotel, and to me the city seems large, congested and the traffic is harrowing. We went to a little restaurant and I had an omelette or crepe type meal with shrimps and noodles inside. You cut off pieces, wrapped them in lettuce or herb leaves, dip them in a spicy sauce and eat it with your fingers. It was very good. Back to the hotel and some typing for an early night in preparation for an early start in the morning.