Home's a Beach 15: Home without Hosts

Racism in action:

Grandma HATES all her care-takers, EXCEPT the one from Germany.   A brilliant move by the Nurse Next Door manager !  And I don't have to start the day with the heavy luggage of a spiteful phone call.   

It's cold in Vinh Hoa.  19 Celsius.  I even postpone my morning beach walk in the hope that the sun will make it through the clouds and warm me.  Sure, I'm complaining on a high level:   It's raining at 5 Celsius in Vancouver ;-)

No reason to fear though:  the beach walk is fabulous as usual.  

There are only a few places and times on this planet when heart, mind, and the universe manage to seem to come together for a brief moment, and on this beach it happens almost every single time.  

 How can I leave here ?

A quick scoot to Song Cau and I am able to deliver my second down-payment for Chez Chris.

Quang (the 'person who does not drink alcohol' according to 'well-informed sources') opens a bottle of wine to celebrate. Ung Ruou !!!

Advice to Caucasians:  NEVER let yourself be photographed next to a Viet person, because you will look like an ELEPHANT in a China shop ;-)

There is some Google Translate confusion.  I won't repeat the Google text here (Google spoke too racy, LOL), but whatever he was trying to say, the most important thing is not to hurt his feelings because he such a DARLING of a human being.  Elke & I end up visiting his house and encounter hospitality and genuine friendliness on a level is hard to find in the Western world these days.  I am invited to receive 'free bed and drink' whenever I am here.

How can I leave here?

Another trip to Song Cau to fill up the war chest and eat at A-Stop. On the way out of the village, another scooter rider stops dead in the middle of the road in front of me and then keeps eyeing a roadside palm tree suspiciously.  Why?   A giant coconut just landed right in front of his bike and he is NOT wearing a helmet, LOL.

I can't drive faster than 40 km/h because I'm afraid it'll blow me or my helmet off the road.  Wind gusts up to 50 km/h will increase to 65 km/h tomorrow.

 The ocean shows it too ...  the first day I haven't gone swimming .....

Dinner time rolls around.    As usual the dishes are different for the locals and the neo-colonials.  But when Quang announces that he is eating HUND and invites me to try it, I just can't help myself and I have to accept the invitation.

YES, I admit it:  I ATE SQUEASEL !!!!

For a second I remember the 'Tulip Girls' in Sa Pa, who would not eat ANY meat on their Viet Nam trip for fear that the 'dishonest' Viets would give them cho without telling them.  Little do they know what they missed ;-U

I LOVE it. So much more tender than beef and almost as juicy as lamb just off the grill.

Cam On Nhieu, Quang !