Blogging
From Abroad

We just finished a great weekend in Ha Tien, Vietnam. It is a small resort area on the southern tip of the country, right on the ocean. The sky was a constant medley of blues and grays, somewhat resembling an 80’s Corolla with faded & missing paint. The hotel we stayed at was probably the nicest I’ve seen here so far. Although it is owned by the local police department, but I didn’t see any Five O’s hanging around.
Along with us westerners came two students from the University; Loi and ‘Larry.’ This was their first trip to the beach, ever. Although they live about 3 hours from this place we went, travel isn’t what it is in the states. They had child-like smiles constantly during our adventure to the ocean. When the sun departed for the day, a group of us went to this bar/club at the top of a nearby mountain. After walking up a stone approach, we entered this elevated establishment and approached the bar. Every eye in the entire place was watching us. I still wonder what these folks are thinking when we walk in.
After ordering a few Saigon Lagers, the group hit the dance floor. It is safe to say that we rocked that place! We had to keep the dancing much cleaner than it tends to be in the states so as not to shock the locals too much with social norms much different from theirs. We adapted. The students who went with us were dancing for the first time, and loving every minute of it. To see these guys having new experiences, learning and adapting is very fulfilling.
When the people were tired and ready to descend the mountain, I paid the tab & a fellow traveler Wesley covered the tip. If we traveled from the other side of the planet for no reason other than giving our new friends this experience, it was all worth it to me. Times like these make all the B.S. worth dealing with.
On a side note, a constant of this journey was the hustle of the locals. We were charged an extra fee at dinner for the food being cooked. A couple of us were charged for sitting in chairs along the beach. These were not huge amounts, most were less than an US dollar. I am not bitter at all. It all relates back to that hustle I mentioned in an earlier blog. People will do what they must to get by, I can respect that.
After spending all day on a bus driving through the undeveloped countryside of Vietnam, I am exhausted. The bus driver seemed to be either a great or crazy driver. The jury is still out on that one. His insistence on flooring the pedal on dirt roads while swerving to dodge water buffalo made it a little hard to relax.
I did however enjoy one specific roadside attraction. It was a mountain with a series of caves and tunnels running through it, which I explored. I climbed and crawled to heights and depths. The most satisfying part of the journey was reaching the mountain top. The view was unbelievable. (See attached photo)
I was able to stand on a mountain in a far-away land and ponder life. I looked out into the landscape to see the great beauty contrasted by the widespread poverty. Thick green foliage highlighted by old, tall palm trees were offset by a series of tin or bamboo roofed dwellings. Some had only 3 walls and most had with children.
Maybe this contrast so evident in the Vietnam countryside is a reflection of life in general: It’s the good, the bad and the rest of the story, and at the same time, simply is.