one of the things people always say
is how quickly everything can fall apart. but if you really stop and look you'll see that you've been falling for a while- you just didn't notice until you hit the ground.
Saigon was the same; familiar, but not a place to find any sort of peace. We always seem to spend most of our time there at Bobby Brewer's, a coffeehouse/cafe/cinema that is truly inspired. This trip promises to be very different from the last in many ways. When we departed in January we had people to meet in France, reservations in Spain, and dates already firmly inked into our Russian visas. None of that this go-round which, in typical fashion, leaves me a bit nervous and Natalie exhilarated.
From there we moved on to Dalat, a hill station in the central highlands that is (I think) quite ambitiously billed as "The Paris of Vietnam", and only somewhat memorable. We spent only a few days before heading back to Hoi An to meet Kip and her mother. Hoi An was a delight, as usual, and it was my first experience with Kip's mother- an experience in itself, for those of you haven't had the pleasure. I resisted the tailors until the last possible moment and then, failing that, tried to be practical in my choices. The only downside was that the wet season seems to have run somewhat long in this part of Asia & the flooding was pretty extreme at times. It didn't affect our hotel much, but we were forced to give at least one of our favorite riverfront eateries a pass. Next time.
After traveling as far as Phnom Penh with the Dorrells, we made south for the beaches of Sihanoukville. Beauty and tragedy are close companions in this country. A common sight on the beaches is a blind or legless land-mine victim, led on a rope by on of his children in search of handouts. To say that such a sight breaks ones heart is a gross understatement. It is a complex combination of pity, guilt, and shame that makes me want to give them all I have. Of course, I am far too selfish for that; if I were to give each of them only dollar I'd be on a flight home within weeks.
So the end result is that this beach, warm, breezy, and all-around tropical (not to mention overflowing with "happy shakes") is not a spot for idle relaxation. It is instead a comfortable place for contemplation and introspection, which as it turns out might be just what I need.
Hope you are all well.
Saigon was the same; familiar, but not a place to find any sort of peace. We always seem to spend most of our time there at Bobby Brewer's, a coffeehouse/cafe/cinema that is truly inspired. This trip promises to be very different from the last in many ways. When we departed in January we had people to meet in France, reservations in Spain, and dates already firmly inked into our Russian visas. None of that this go-round which, in typical fashion, leaves me a bit nervous and Natalie exhilarated.
From there we moved on to Dalat, a hill station in the central highlands that is (I think) quite ambitiously billed as "The Paris of Vietnam", and only somewhat memorable. We spent only a few days before heading back to Hoi An to meet Kip and her mother. Hoi An was a delight, as usual, and it was my first experience with Kip's mother- an experience in itself, for those of you haven't had the pleasure. I resisted the tailors until the last possible moment and then, failing that, tried to be practical in my choices. The only downside was that the wet season seems to have run somewhat long in this part of Asia & the flooding was pretty extreme at times. It didn't affect our hotel much, but we were forced to give at least one of our favorite riverfront eateries a pass. Next time.
After traveling as far as Phnom Penh with the Dorrells, we made south for the beaches of Sihanoukville. Beauty and tragedy are close companions in this country. A common sight on the beaches is a blind or legless land-mine victim, led on a rope by on of his children in search of handouts. To say that such a sight breaks ones heart is a gross understatement. It is a complex combination of pity, guilt, and shame that makes me want to give them all I have. Of course, I am far too selfish for that; if I were to give each of them only dollar I'd be on a flight home within weeks.
So the end result is that this beach, warm, breezy, and all-around tropical (not to mention overflowing with "happy shakes") is not a spot for idle relaxation. It is instead a comfortable place for contemplation and introspection, which as it turns out might be just what I need.
Hope you are all well.