1/21/16
Truth to be told, I am not quite sure what to do at the beach. With my heavy duty spectacles and general discomfort of taking clothes off ( I have to admit: I don’t look that good bare chested). I often end up just sitting around, reading a book, and then get bored very easily. This is especially bad when I am alone on the beach, and I have no one to chat or play games with. I also tend to get really sticky (heh) from all the sweat and salt water, and get bitten by insects, especially around my abdorminal area (I guess the insects probably like fats?). Yet, I also get a yearning to go to a beach, especially when the sun is shining on a summer day. The smell of sea, the sound of crashing waves, the sight of people in skimpy clothing and the cacophony of children screaming coupled with adults yelling: the perfect setting for a lazy summer day.
Today is my last day in Nha Trang. I woke up later than usual and went for a pretty good buffet breakfast: ending the last two days of really bad breakfast in the hostel. I was actually at a loss on what to do today: I wanted to try the 4 islands cruise, but a detail look at the itinerary made me paused (say that a lot faster and you get menopause). All the tour agencies advertise this tour, but each also reserves 2 hours for lunch and entertainment, and another 1 hour for games and wine. I guessed the boat must travel a long distance, but it does not sound that productive for a 6 hours cruise. After some lazing around, I decided to go to the local market: Dam market. It was a short 1.4 miles walk away from my lodging, and I passed by some non-touristy neighborhood. Even though I have seen it many times by now, the contrast still grips me everytime.
Originally built over a 7 hectares pond in 1907, the Dam market was destroyed in the Vietnamese war, and had to be rebuilt. It can hold up to 3000 people at one time, and is a fully functional market. It seeks dried seafood, fresh produce, souvenirs, clothing, and many more. 3 stories in height, the building is white (well, now a dirty white-ish) in color and is circular. There is even a model layout in the actual market, with lots of nice model trees and open space. Of course, the reality is often quite different: the locals have set up tents and sheds all around the area. Fans of very tight space, low lighting and confusing layout will be delights to shop there. (It would be a great setting for some chasing scenes in a movie.) I wandered around but did not end up buying anything (I think the contents of my backpack is already trying to jailbreak everytime I zip them in), but did engaged in some small talks with the vendors. Business was slow, but I was also there in the morning. I was told more people visits when it is hot in the afternoon, or when it is a cloudy day. The most common item seemed to be coffee, but in packaged instant coffee format. On my way out, I passed by the cooked food area, the produce section and many construction zones. It seems like the area is expanding, and hopefully more attention will be paid to landscaping and cleaniness of the area. One good thing I noticed: the most modern buildings outside of the tourist area are actually schools. From what I have been told, Vietnamese pay a lot of attention to education, knowing that it is the way for a better future. Teachers also get a lot of respect, and it actually a well-respected profession.
With nothing much else going on, I decided to take a slow stroll back and enjoy the sun, the sea and the sun burnt. It all ended pretty well, with me enjoying a coffee that is way too expensive at a seaside cafe. As I watched the sunset, I wondered: why do I like the beach even though there is not much to do (for me)? Was it because I really envy beach goers who can do water sports while I can’t? Or is it because I really like to see red lobster like people at the end of the day? Actually, I think it is because the beach is when a lot of couples and families go for their vacation. When I walk on the beach, I see lots of happy families and couples on vacation. They are happy, carefree and almost always having a good time. Maybe what I really like about the beach is the way it makes people feel: a reminder of good times, vacation, sun and relaxation. It is similar to watching people at the arrival hall in an airport: it makes you feel the world is a great place afterall.
(Well, actually people usually look pretty sloppy after a long plane ride. Beach goers have sun burnt….)
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