Next we went to the Han Market which first required crossing the street. this was not fun so much as an adventure in itself. we stood inches behind Binh and blindly crossed with him. I refused to look either to my right or left, convinced I'd see a truck barreling right towards us. but we made it across the street unscathed. entering the market is an experience, to say the least. the moment you walk in the vendors all approach and beseech you with cries of Madam Madam come buy. We'd try as politely as possible to say no thank you. when you first enter the market -- which is an extremely hot, two storied, closed in affair, you're immediately assailed by the sights and smells. the smell really bordered on a stench, a very overwhelming, almost sickening smell. i quickly glanced at the foods for sale and seeing nothing with a face attached, i relaxed a bit, but deciding not to take any chances we headed straight up to the second floor where they had children's clothes for sale. we stopped by the first vendor and i did the best i could to bargain a fair price for an Ao Dai (traditional dress for Vietnamese girls). of course A) i have no idea how big Emma is, B) what is a fair price? C) what is an Ao Dai and why are there so many suspiciously Chinese looking ceremonial dresses instead? So i find one i like and we haggle a bit, with me pretending to walk away. Jeff and Binh lean against the rail. Jeff amused with my antics and Binh ready to head out as soon as possible. I ask Binh if he can help me haggle the price but instead he tells me This Very Good, You Buy, Cheap I think. So not being any use to me i turn back to the vendor and we settled on $6. which really sounds dirt cheap after all. A few stalls away there is another vendor. This lady is one smart and aggressive cookie. I think seeing a "customer" with a bag in hand suggests this person is SHOPPING and SPENDING MONEY. so i start to look at the boys and girls outfits. it's really sad how the shop keepers will do anything to make a sale. she started racing thru her stall pulling out every color, size, shape, of boys and girls outfits. Off came the wrappers and out flowed the silk and satin miniature ao dais. I felt compelled to buy something just to get her to stop and take a breath. I felt better when some passing Vietnamese families admired the goods in my hand and bargained a rate and purchased things from her. How tempted i was to hand them a few dollars and hire them for all my shopping pleasures. I managed to get an outfit for both David and Emma at the cost of $13 for both. I felt so bad haggling over the last remaining dollar off and i could see Jeff and Binh were anxious to get out of there, so off we went.
Next stop was a marble and jade market. Binh told us it was run by the same family for 200 years. Emma was born in the year of the elephant, and David the monkey. so i wanted to buy some small trinket for them. we found a few items we liked, including goodies for the "kids" back home. I'm well aware this is a rather "upscale" market so when she tells me $60, I'm not entirely surprised, but still not feeling the need to pay that much for a handful of souvenirs. so we start the song and dance and finally agree on $50 US CASH. Ooops we don't have that much US cash. will you take Dong? no, she says Visa better. so then this young and very pretty saleslady-- who speaks remarkably good English pulls me aside and conspiratorially starts miming the Shhh sign. okay, i'll play along. you did us a "big favor" by discounting the items. then she says, You Give Me $1. we're not sure if this is some Visa charge, or tax or what. then the other gal says You Give Me $1. Ahhh payola is it? Jeff looks at me and i shrug. We give gal #1 a dollar and tell her to share with the other gal. she deftly stuffs the money in her back pocket without so much as a glance to her buddy. we grab our goodies and leave them to their cat fight.
Last stop was Marble Mountain. okay.... now you've been patiently waiting for my day's follies havent' you? we start the very steep climb up the mountain. I'm kinda proud of myself that I'm not struggling much at all. I'm watching as Vietnamese families are stopping and catching their breaths. I see an extremely ancient western woman and think okay she's hoofing it up this mountain so can i. We get to the top and the most horrid acrid air instantly blasts you. it's a sweltering furnace up there with the temperature at least 110 degrees. the air is beyond terrible. there are folks sitting around smoking cigarettes of all things to which i glare at them. having... trouble.... breathing..... here!!! i realize too late that we hadn't brought a bottle of water. next thing you know I'm in full panic mode. i can't get my breath. I'm trying as hard as i can to suck in some air but it hurts so bad from the acrid air. Jeff suggests i sit down and breath thru my nose. i try. too late. once panic takes over there's no turning back. I'm claustrophobic and I've learned that is not limited to confined places. I'm trying to tell myself, yes you're breathing. you made it to the top. it's really pretty here. catch your breath and then you can walk around. nope not going to work... Binh helpfully calls out and says the caves are back there. you crazy man!!! and with that, i tell Jeff i will head down one level and he's to go off and take as many pix as he can. I'm kicking myself big time. Weenie! Big Fat Loser! dorkusaurelius!!! i go down one set of stairs. much cooler here. but my mind has gone over to the dark side already. I know I'm in bad shape when a vendor looks at me concernedly and tells me to sit in front of her stall -- no need buy, she calls out. i know there is no way i can wait up here where the air is so thin, so i start on very wobbly knees down. one level, two, three. I'm not stopping anymore. i know i need to get to the ground. i NEED to get to the AC'd car. i keep checking my forehead. i feel sweat. very good sign. as long as I'm sweating i know I'm not suffering heat stoke. my brain is somewhere between surging and throbbing within it's protective scalp. okay this is concerning. i try to find cool, breezy rest places, but my legs and body have a mind of their own. i get all the way down to the entrance. the scorching heat is unbearable. it must be close to 120 degrees. i feel all the color has rushed to my face while my lips have simultaneously turned white. folks are staring at me and i know I'm not looking good. i look all over for our driver but he's no where in sight. finally Jeff and Binh head down. i call to Jeff. he waves hello. NO, i need you!!! they walk over and i repeatedly insist they get the car super pronto. I'm holding on to Jeff, without regard to how i must look. I'm doing everything i can to keep standing. I'm tempted to just cave and collapse right there. but i man up and wait until the driver comes by. i glare at Binh and accusingly keep asking him are you sure you called the driver? finally he arrives and i hightail into the car. i gulp the remaining gatorade (thank god we brought it) with no regard for Jeff. sorry dude, there's some water around here, knock yourself out. we head out and I'm fantasizing about our icy cold room. I'm wondering how long til we get back to the Sandy Beach. the driver turns right onto the main road, a few inches later he turns left. oh we're here? who knew we were right across from the hotel?
we enter the hotel and again stares from the alarmed hotel staff. i don't care. i have no shame or embarrassment. i tell Jeff we can take the elevator. the elevator btw, is this micro-tiny-ultra-small box. Jeff looks at me quizzically. You sure? yeah, i heave and sigh, can't deal with the stairs. we get in, i close my eyes and bing, Second floor. we rush, me trailing behind Jeff, to our room. ah damn! the housekeepers are in there. we sit down, patiently waiting for them to finish. i still manage to whisper to Jeff, hmmm anyone could have walked in here. how do they know this is OUR room?
recovery came quickly. in fact after laying down a very short while, Jeff and i decide to head down to the good pool -- the one by the ocean, and have some lunch. Jeff orders the hamburger which i warn him is not necessarily cow meat. i decide not to risk it and order the ever safe and popular grilled chicken. after lunch we decide to head to the world famous china beach. we foolishly leave our shoes by the chairs and hotfoot it down to the water. Jeff starts to head out and i warily call out Be Careful. we don't know what the currents or sea life is here... such a big worrier i know. the rest of the afternoon was incredibly nice. so beautiful and relaxing here.
The one thing to know about this place is while there are areas that are beyond beautiful there is a lot of poverty too. Binh took us to an area that was ravaged last year by Hurricane Xangsene. The vast contrast between such opulence and staggering poverty -- is hard to see. Jeff quietly whispered to me at one point, Thank God we're taking our kids away from here. He was not making a derogatory statement of the country, but a true observance of what their life would have otherwise been like.
tomorrow, Saturday, we meet the kids for the first time. wow... i can't believe we've finally come this far.
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