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Coffee plantation worker watches as weasel eats the ripest beans.

Reports this to manager.

Manager swears ($#!@*!!), runs to get his 9mm.

Manager misses the weasel.

Worker finds some weasel s**t and picks it up.

Calls Manger over, points out the coffee beans imbedded in the weasel s**t.

Manager swears again ($#!@*!!), runs to get hand sanitizer.

Worker shrugs his shoulders, picks up lots more weasel s**t, and starts drying them out.

Weeks later, the worker decides to clean the beans in some red wine and then processes them like he normally does.

Manager sees this going on and swears ($#!@*!!) at the worker, runs to report him to HR.

Worker secretly makes a batch of weasel s**t coffee, closes his eyes, preparing for the worst, and sips.

And sips again.

And again.

Worker gives the manager the side-eye and grins to himself.

Worker quits the plantation, opens his own place using the weasel s**t coffee, it sells for over a hundred dollars a pound.

Worker becomes a millionaire, buys the plantation, fires manager.

Manager swears (S**t!!!)

Yup! says the Worker

If you think that I am making this stuff up, you would be mistaken. In fact, with a few small changes for accuracy’s sake (like it was a rifle, not a 9mm) that is exactly how it all happened!

                        Sort of.

                        But the process is simple, basic science, that makes everyone want to gag.

                        But the end result is apparently quite good!                     

                        And no worries….. when the boiling water hits it it’s all pure!

                        Only kidding! It’s sanitary way before that stage!

Here’s the whole story. Back in the day these “weasels” (who are not really weasels but are civets. Unfortunately, Civet S**t Coffee doesn’t sound nearly as cool as Weasel S**t Coffee does. (These weasels have a good marketing team working for them!) were observed eating only the ripest, sweetest coffee beans. Their little tummies dissolved the outer casings and left the best part, the ‘meat’ of the beans, intact, but….. chemically altered by the enzymes in said tummies. The beans then take the Low Road and get “processed” by the rest of the weasel’s guts until we get to the part where the “Worker” walks around and picks up the weasel s**t and further processes it. It needs to be dried for a few weeks; then it is washed in red wine. A 1945 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC) Grand Cru is usually preferred but if that is not available then a Gallo Brothers Red Wine (bag-in-box) will do nicely.

                        Bet you can’t wait to try this s**t out!

                        The verdict is still out on whether this process yields something spectacular or whether the spectacular yields the process…. namely a marketing gimmick.

                        But…… there is some verified science behind the little guy’s preference for only the choicest, ripest, sweetest (?) coffee cherries and their ultimate treatment down inside. The underlying progression and systematic treatment of the coffee cherry by a certified chemical process that showed that the Robusta beans ingested and then pooped (there now 😊 no more need for asterisks!) contained significantly elevated levels of total fat….. of not one, but two different fatty acids that are commonly used as flavoring agents and are associated with creamy, dairy-like notes.

                        The source of this discord amongst the Juan Valdez’s of the Coffee World probably explains some of this dispute. The Specialty Coffee Association of Americas (SCAA) has generally pooh-poohed (sorry, I couldn’t resist that one!) the taste and acceptability of it. I suspect it’s because they don’t got no weasel poops themselves and have GPE (General Poop Envy) and probably need a laxative.

                        C’mon you guys!

                        Let the rest of us have some fun!

                        No one can afford this s**t full-time anyway, so what’s the big stink? (Oops!… there it is again!)

            So, we will just have to rely on our own El Exigente (pronounced Alexa Hente), standing in for Juan Valdez (pronounced Waaaan Valdez) ….. Ms. McCarthy de Paola (pronounced ‘Goldilocks’ because she’s so particular) who was afforded the opportunity to have a cup o’ s**t on the house, or weasel, if you prefer.

            The verdict was firmly placed in the Aye! column with all of the supporting evidence (twenty-seven 8×10 colored glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back explaining each one…..) for your perusal.

                        So… run, don’t walk to you local grocer and demand that they carry some Weasel S**t Coffee and let’s all watch the local Board of Health have babies!

(It will soon become evident)

Our route was a ride out into the countryside; our destination was a home-hosted luncheon given by a lady whose mom had been in a relationship with an American Serviceman. No worries, this one has as a happy ending as possible, but this story and multitudes of others like it (most not as satisfying) needs to be told and acknowledged.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“Be careful what you wish for Donny”

That phrase is being whispered in my mind with a frequency that I had not believed possible, but far from having the usual negative inference, it always brings this experience to another level.

                        It is being uttered by the Manta Maven back at O.A.T. whose sole purpose in life is to provide experiences that you didn’t know existed, had no initial particular interest in, but now wonder how you’ve lived without them enhancing a daily life……. mine.

I am (with permission!) going use some of Sherry’s blog here. When it comes to describing in detail what went on, Sherry does a masterful job! She’s been doing this for far longer than I have. Plagiarism is a no-no, so after I read Sherry’s post I realized that I had been infected and the cure was not to fight it, but to accept it and just copy it! Why re-write something that works just fine…… hence this discloser!

            Sherry’s words will appear below in italics…..

Sherry:

We flew from Da Nang to Nha Trang, a beautiful city on the coast. From the day we landed in Hanoi, we have enjoyed the preparations for TET, the lunar New Year, marking the arrival of the Year of the Horse. From the flowering peach blossoms in the north to the huge displays of chrysanthemums in the south, the New Year is a time for flowers, family and fun. Everything is cleaned: homes, streets, cemeteries, even shoes and motor scooters. Special food is prepared and people travel back to their villages. New clothes are bought for everyone. It is New Year’s Eve in Nha Trang, and our hotel faces the beach which provides us front row seats to the celebrations. There are thousands of motor scooters parked along the roadway as people walk thru the sand, waiting for the fireworks. Many shops and restaurants are closed to allow for family time. 

TET is celebrated for three full days plus additional celebrations for the whole month after. Day one is for family: parents enjoy early morning with their children then go to the home of their parents and siblings. Food and gifts and exchanged and then all go to the Buddhist temple to give thanks for the past year and pray for peace, prosperity, health and happiness for the months to come. While the country has freedom of religion and there are Catholic and even Sunni Muslim areas, Buddhism seems to be the primary faith that is practiced. We visited two temple areas today which were crowded with families, dressed in fine clothing, honoring Buddha. The second day is reserved for visiting aunts and uncles followed by another visit to the temple. The third day honors teachers and mentors who have enhanced your life again followed by a temple visit. TET is a joyous time in Vietnam, and we have been very lucky to share in their New Year. 

             Today we enjoyed another scooter tour of the area, stopping at temples, winding thru little streets, eventually heading out into the countryside. As in Hoi An, the extensive flooding and devastation from the November typhoon was still evident. The water level reached the rooftops and thousands died. When the floodwaters receded, the people worked together to clear out the mud and repair the damage.  OAT helped by sending in large equipment to clear mud and debris.

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Don:

                Bụi đời

          Now there’s a phrase that we don’t ever hear but when you know the translation, it may send a shiver through your being.

                   “The dust of life”

                   Bụi đời

                   It is the local name given to the countless children fathered and then left behind after our involvement in Vietnam.

          Why?

          Because they were shunned and as ostracized as any ‘half-breed’ ever was. This type of situation is not new to humanity, rather it is quite common in history to dilute a conquered people with the seeds of the conquerors. The difference here is that at the time, we were not in that situation….. all we had were a bunch of really young lonely G.I.’s who didn’t know if they were going to be alive the next day.

                   That will set the stage for Sherry’s next couple of paragraphs….

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Some more from Sherry….

We have talked about the 150,000 AmerAsian children left behind when the war ended. From 1975 until 1989, these were the ghost children that no one wanted to acknowledge. They were the living evidence of relationships with the American soldiers. Some were abandoned, some were sent to grandparents in remote villages, all were discriminated against. Paperwork that proved paternity or even marriage had to be destroyed as that proof would be used by the government (North Vietnam) to punish the mother. That all changed in 1989, when the U.S. Congress passed a law allowing them to come to the U.S. Suddenly, they were valuable tickets to a new life in America. Rich people would “buy” them and secure fake paperwork to prove they belonged to the family. A mother and child (now grown) could relocate, become citizens and eventually sponsor other family members to join them. 

This still left mothers with terrible choices: take the AmerAsian child to America for a better life but leave behind the fully Vietnamese children she also had? She was not permitted to bring her entire family. Our home hostess today has two half-sisters who went to America with her mother while the three older siblings stayed in the village. 

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Some last words from me….

                        As you have seen, we have had any number of interactions with local peoples, from the Hill Country Tribes up in the North, to little old Grandmas down here in the South. Each one has been fascinating in its own right. This particular encounter really struck a chord when we sat there and could still feel the anguish of relatives re-telling their families stories.

                        To what end you may ask…. maybe its just the opportunity to give someone a chance to tell their story, to someone who will listen, ask intelligent questions, commiserate a bit, and then give a hug to as we depart their home.

            I dare say that there have been times when any of us wished that someone paid that much attention to our own stories, warranted or not.

   Bụi đời

                        I think that I’ll whisper back to the Mantra Maven for a lot more “wishes” like this.

We are in Nha Trang for only two days before moving further southward. This is another seaside city, a bit smaller than Da Nang. It is curious to hear and then see the names of the cities that we heard on the TV every night during the time that we spent over here in the 60’s and 70’s.

I have assembled some random pics for you here, in no particular order because I’ve had both camera and Lightroom crinkles as of late. So far, I got them solved, and there was some collateral damage, but mostly just to my nerves!

I think that we are fortunate to be here during the TET holiday…. the decorations and flowers are just crazy!

For your perusal……

Lot’s more to come, but I actually have to decide what to include because if I didn’t, then you would all just click off from sheer boredom and the combined weight of photos and verbiage!

So….. I will leave you right here. 🙂

Hi, my name is Don and I have FOMO.

                        Hi Don!

It’s been six hours and thirty-five minutes since my last excursion…..

                        Oh man….. you’re sick, finished, there’s no hope for you! You may as well just give up and go to try and find another add-on excursion; there’s not another regular one ‘til tomorrow!

                        That’s how the regularly scheduled 12-Step program for those of us with FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) usually starts because no one offers any support because no one really wants to get cured!

                        When we first looked at the Itinerary for this trip we thought, “Gee, there’s an awful lot of ‘Free Time’ that seems to be scheduled in here.”  What we didn’t know is that we needed to read between the lines and where it says:

             ‘Your Tour Guide may have some suggestions for you during this time period’, we should have inserted, ‘Your Tour Guide will schedule another Local Event, prepare the transportation, and arrange for a meal during this supposed Down Time that you may have been looking forward to…. of course, your participation is COMPLETELY optional.”

                                                FOMO!!!

            And off we go on another adventure that can only be arranged (or even fathomed) by someone who has roots in their community. In our case, Phil has these roots sinewed into the very fiber and soul of his tour regions and this is exactly what we were looking for.

                        For example.

                        The other night we set out on a local ‘Tour’ that needed to be accomplished by using one of those larger, little golf carts, the ones that can hold about eight or so, depending on how ‘friendly’ the group has become! The plan was to get on the river, go upstream to town where all of these festive boats ply the waters using tons of hanging lanterns as decorations as they cruise past the equally festive shoreline. I am hoping that some photos can exemplify, (hopefully) about, at least 10% of what we saw because it’s impossible to show you this stuff for real! Then we were to be dropped off somewhat near the restaurant that would be dinner for the night. The ‘somewhat’ ensured that we would be able to amble through the local Night Market before arriving at our waterfront restaurant. Timing is everything because the mask of darkness is essential to the sights of this nightly spectacle.

                        Off we went, it’s about 75 degrees or so, very comfortable for whizzing around on the cart. The reason that we need the cart is that soon we found our way onto roads that no bus could ever negotiate…. these ‘paths’ wind in, and around, bayou-type environments that are the basis for the topography around the river. Agriculture is on everyone’s doorstep, as they all have gardens in one form or another, some for sustenance, some for business.

                        Peanuts are one of the favorite crops that are grown here. I did not know, nor had I ever given any thought to the fact that peanuts are a root-type plant…. The little guys spend their developing lives underground until they get harvested and mature into the ultimate alliance with some grapes…..peanut butter!

                        We screeched to a halt (metaphorically) in front of a rather imposing-looking home way down by the water. Imposing because it is both tall and relatively new. This area is a crazy juxtaposition of homes/shacks/hovels that are quite comfortable existing as neighbors to themselves, no judgment offered, nor taken….. at least in public. This is because the usually well-to-do have one of those state-affiliated connections that helps pave the way for some of the perks of life around here. In this case we were standing in the front of the home of Phil’s ‘Grandmother’  As it turns out, wherever we go in this thousand-plus mile long country, we meet up with one of Phil’s ‘relatives’. “This is my sister, (cousin, aunt, uncle)”, etc. has become a hallmark of an introduction, always given with a knowing smile. We now get it. The truth is that Phil has such a disarming and charming way about him that you can tell that the relationships that he has cultivated along these Vietnamese backroads of life, are genuine. The Locals feel very at ease with him, and this is obviously to our advantage as that cultivation of friendships is easily passed along to us, his troop of travelers. We gain access and insight into the daily lives, and past histories of, these genuinely forthcoming folks.

                        ‘Grandma’ is 93-years old and as cute as button. She lives in this home that her son built for her as he cannot be around as much as he would like to help take care of her. The other reason that she has this place is her husband’s affiliation with the VC (Viet Cong) that underground organization here in South Vietnam whose sole purpose was to irradicate our soldiers and those of the South Vietnamese Army, from these very soils. Remember, this is still a Communist-based government that won their civil war. ( I wonder where we’d be if, in our own case, the South had defeated the North back during our Civil War in 1860’s?)

                        “To the victors belongs the spoils” could not be a more apropos statement in this case. From respect, to pensions, and special favors, the current government seeks to keep a separation of, and exultation of, that victory. She and her family are the benefactors of that position. But that was over sixty years ago and as we all know, unless a coup or other more immediate result/action takes place, these wheels of history turn at their own pace, but turn they do. I will tell you that the feeling that I get while here is that those wheels are moving a little faster now, lubricated by the once hated term of ‘capitalism’. That Red Capitalism that I spoke about previously is very, very much alive and the population can feel its effects. These feelings are the seeds of change that get planted and cultivated just like the peanut plants that are sitting underground under our feet. Who’d have ever thought that a group of Americans would be welcomed into a country that we once fought to have defeated or at least divided.

                        Our visit concluded, we scrambled (a relative term as we all are in that seniorly-challenged age group) back into our chariot and continued on. As we got closer to a point where we would rendezvous with our boat, we chanced upon a man with the cutest little water buffalo. Well, at least he looked kinda cute, I’m sure that his mom thought so, and apparently so did Phil. Always on the lookout for another experience for us Phil, called out to the man who was ‘working’ the young cutie around a small patch of land. We were encouraged to join the man and beast for introductions. The guy and his wife thought it was a hoot as they encouraged us to climb upon the critter to have photos taken. The lady even took off her typical conical hat and placed it on the ladies for this photo op. Their smiles and obvious enjoyment of our smiles and enjoyment were all the payment that was needed to help forge a meaningful relationship between our two cultures.

                        This is where the fun part of the evening started. Abandoning our wheeled vehicle, we trudged through the bayou on a well-worn path that led us to a questionable facsimile of what could be very loosely termed a ‘dock.’ Clambering aboard we were introduced to the ‘Skipper” for our less than Three-Hour Tour. It was still light out, but the sun had set as the Plan was unfolding on the waters in front of our bow.

Apparently, it is a custom to have a shot of whiskey, or in this case we ended up with a local Vodka which had a very nice flavor to it. This was my first introduction to Vodka, and it went rather well. …. but I will not be ruining any good Coca-Colas with additions of this libation. The usual toasts were given, and then consumed, with a few more added just to make sure that the boat, and fun, were underway.

In the distance, those lights that I referred to before were getting more and more distinct as we approached them, kind of sneaking in the back door of the party. That coveted cover of darkness was soon complete, insuring our acceptance into the Fleet of Fantasy. This was not the captains first cruise as we soon found ourselves surrounded by a squadron of incoming vessels that looked like a version of the swirling Teacups’ s at Disneyland. Each ‘saucer’ had its own coxswain, and it was worth it just to see us try and get aboard a vessel with no keel, no determinable center of gravity, and an incredibly shallow freeboard. These baskets are traditionally used down here to hold the gathered fish, or fronds, or whatever of what it is that is being harvested at the time.

                        They are somewhat unique to Hoi An, the city that we’re presently in, and they had their roots set down in the French Colonial era as the locals argued that they were not boats (which were taxable under French rule) but were simply baskets. Genius! These are still made the traditional way with strips of woven bamboo, but instead of being sealed with water buffalo dung, are sealed with a resin of sorts. The guys that pilot these baskets are quite skilled at spinning them around (hastening and heightening any lingering effects of our libationious toasts) and dancing around the edges which makes them sway and dip back and forth.

                        Dramamine anyone? 😊

                        No worries! No ‘ralphing’ occurred as the rides did not last long enough to garner the effects of the descripted motions. Safely back aboard we continued up the river to the sounds of ABBA  blaring out of some loudspeakers. I believe that some more Toasts to ABBA were given, and then consumed, because some dance-like behavior broke out amongst the crew and passengers.

We were soon safely woven into that rainbow like fabric of lanterns and lights that was now surrounding us. We were an integral part of the scene that was visible from the equally festive shoreline!

Up, and then back down the river we sailed until we arrived at our destination of the public dock, a few feet away from the equally festive Night Market. A stroll through this collection of live fish, cut produce, fried locals (food!) and ubiquitous chachkies, eventually led us to our Dinner Destination.

                        There is a very real part of us that longs for a good cheeseburger and fries as the steady diet of the local cuisine is taking its toll on us. It’s not that the local food is not good, its that we are trying in vain not to eat the seven-course extravaganza that gets spread out in front of us with acute regularity.

I could say that “It’s all the same”, but it is, in fact, not!  While the spring rolls, summer rolls, pork/bacon lollipop type things, bok choy-based salads, calamari, really good rice, and various beef and chicken dishes all have a familiar resemblance to previous editions, it seems that each place we go has its own iterations of the same. This makes us always say, “This is really good!’ and then the ensuing comparisons start being bantered about as each meal has its own advocate amongst us.

Translation: It just keeps getting better and better as we go along.  

            It was just a short amble to where our patient golf cart was waiting for us, and we arrived back across the river to our hotel just in time to make that night’s meeting of FOMO’s Anonymous.

                                    Everyone happily attended.

And then promptly signed up for the next unscheduled excursion.

Having never traveled with a Group before, all of this is a new experience for us. I cannot compare what, and how, we are experiencing with Overseas Adventure Travel with any other Tour group available.

                        I also cannot imagine that it could get any better! I guess if we had hired Personal Tourer just for Paula and me, it might be a little better, but then, a lot of the fun is being with these wonderful like-minded folks that only number fifteen in total.

                        The key to any group experience is the group leader. This person is at the same time a Class Mother, Chief Negotiator, Personal Shopper, Logistics Wizard, and all -around nice person, the kind that you want to be friends with, in a sincere sort of way.

                        Harold and Sherry have been expounding on the attributes of O.A.T. ever since we met them over three years ago. They have been trying to get us to join them on numerous trips that they have been on since our first meeting back then. We looked at Tuscany and Umbria, it looked nice, but we were hesitant….. I thought that we may be able to undertake this venture ourselves and we certainly could! Airfare, an Airbnb, car rental, it is all very possible and common, and yes, less expensive. I forget how much the possible difference was, but it doesn’t matter because we never pulled the trigger on that one…..yet!

                        As far as I can see, the biggest difference is the fact that we wouldn’t get Phil or one of his O.A.T. sidekicks. We wondered about this…. Phil is GOOD, very good at what he does. But in reality, just how good is he? So, I went to our source for all things travel related, especially O.A.T……. Sherry and Harold.

                        “Ok, you guys, you got us into this thing, and we still have that O.A.T. trip in April to Poland and the Baltics, just how good is Phil? How do the other Tour Leaders stack up against him? Because as far as we are concerned, he borders on Divine, but we do understand that he is our first encounter with an O.A.T. Tour Leader, so spill the beans, what can we expect?”

                        Sherry and Harold looked at each other, then back at us, smiled a knowing smile, and said….. “Phil is good, one of the best we’ve had, but he is also what you can expect from the Leader of any of the Groups from O.A.T.”

                        That in itself is a big enough statement, but when you consider that they have been on thirty-three(!) other O.A.T. tours over the last twenty or so years, then their message takes on a different tone and starts to resemble a Gospel-like aura to go along with the Leader Divinity that I just assigned to Phil.

                        This missive has its genesis in the fact that I need to catch up a bit and roll some days together, one of them being an interim fly-day. Vietnam is really long, a little over a thousand miles in total and when the objective is to cover as much as possible, increase the meaningful times and decrease the “sit on the bus” times, then traveling by air becomes a necessity. That means that Phil needs to shepherd (there’s another apropos Biblical inference 😊) all of us through a foreign airport several times as we need to take three internal flights even before exiting this country. We don’t even have our own copies of our Boarding Passes until they get distributed to us upon arrival. And when faced once more with the Line At The Counter, which is even longer than usual because the Tet holiday (Lunar New Year) is coming up quickly and everyone is traveling home….(think Thanksgiving or Christmas) and get this…. remember all those giant taped-up cardboard boxes that we encountered in Tokyo? Well, now we get to add in giant flowering trees (peach blossoms, etc.) that seem to be somewhat essential to a significant celebration. Yup, they get to come along for the flight also! It looks like a veritable forest of little Ents (if you are a Tolkien fan!) are flying to Gondor for vacation!

                        “But what to our wondering eyes should appear but a newly opened counter, with Phil there to steer…”.

                        Hey, I’m not askin! What happens in Hanoi, stays in Hanoi!  The next thing we know we’re all seated by the gate with Phil when he says, “Wait here.” He returned shortly with an armful of snacks that looked like they were purchased by a kid with a hundred-dollar bill before going on a road trip!

                        Well, they were, and we are, so let the snacking begin!

                        Arrivals at our hotels cannot go any smoother and the mantra of “Don’t worry, Phil has this all under control, just go up to the lobby and I’ll be there shortly” cannot ring truer, (he speaks in the Third Person) especially when somehow when we arrive at the lobby Phil is already there, luggage is on its way to our rooms and instructions for the morrow are being disseminated to us.

                        “Hey! Weren’t you just down by the bus and…..” as my voice trails off and Phil just smiles and says, “Have a goodly night’s rest Mr. Don, see you at breakfast”

                        And like the good little kids that we are, trundle ourselves upstairs and try to fall asleep…….. but all those snacks!

                        Anyway…… sorry for the digression, but I just had to sing a few verses of the Psalms of Phil, for obvious reasons! Here now, for your further viewing pleasures are a bunch of Photos that will highlight these past few days and give you another glimpse of what we are experiencing. I really hope that you enjoy them.

In no particular order…..

That’s it for now, lots of photos to come later!

In case you were wondering if this type of Immersive Experience disallows some “usual” aspects of traveling, like stopping at those Tourist Traps disguised as Bathroom Breaks…… you would happily be mistaken!

            The caveat is that we only stop at the really good (expensive!) ones!

            Take our trip to Ha Long Bay for example. Ha Long Bay is situated northeast of Hanoi, just past Hai Phong (Yes, that Haiphong, the one we used to pummel because it is such an important harbor). On our way there, located in a setting that was chosen specifically for its strategic location of BPB (Bladder Point Breaking) we found a service that we were happy to support. Inside this spotless facility we observed an organization that works with some folks over here that have many, and varied, disabilities. This is an Artist’s Colony of a different color, one that helps house those that don’t have homes to begin with, then training ensues, and when the new artist is ready, they start making these incredibly beautiful and detailed silk “paintings”. Upstairs here is a very nice restaurant, obviously catering to larger groups, but anyone can drop by either upstairs or down. The artists are of varying degrees of expertise, and their works are priced accordingly, with the amount of time to complete each one listed on the back along with other pertinent info. Luckily this type of purchase is easily transported as rolling up a fabric entity is rather easy to do!

                        Our destination was arrived at about two hours later, the seaside town of Tuan Chau. This town is the epitome of something that is very observable around here and that is the varying state(s) of construction and neglect that can be found sitting side by each, enough times to warrant a why….. boom and bust occupy the same block, with economics obviously the key factors here. One would think that a project would get finished before another one started but not here! I guess that having some government intervention in these projects is not helping their situation.

When we arrived here, we greeted by an empty harbor/marina as all of the other boats (which, we as yet, did not know that they existed) had already departed for the same location that would be ours, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay. This archipelago is located directly off of the coast here and can be reached in under an hour, even in a plodding-along type “junk” that would be our overnight home here. The etymology of the word “junk” is long, Portuguese, and has absolutely nothing to do with the seaworthiness of said vessel!

                        One of the things that O.A.T. does well is source places to stay that appeal to us Westerners. Let’s face it….. while we love getting to see and interact and meet with all sorts of people, we are not interested in finding various stages of clean facilities either to take a shower in or sleep for the night. I can speak for many of us, and I know for a fact that if we wanted to have a “questionable hostel” experience then we would, but we don’t!  So, having an organization that has decades of experience honed by thousands of opinions and comments from their clients, well…. that just helps to make the future travels that much more of what we are looking for. This was evidenced by the boat that was ours for the day/night. The size was perfect, just enough staterooms for a group our size, which made it private. The bathrooms on board were three times the size of what we’ve found on Cruises, and the talented Staff was versed in all of the duties that they needed to switch hats for, from basic seaman to chef/mechanic, to Cabin Steward and navigator.

                        I do have to admit that the varying stages of inclement weather has started to affect us. Some nice bright blue skies would be the perfect tonic, but that elixir will have to wait because it won’t happen on this voyage. We were surrounded by murky mist which looks kind of interesting as these monothetic shapes materialize out of the distance, but it does not come close to what we could have experienced if the weather had been nicer!

                        Now for what you’ve all been waiting for…. This trips edition of Tectonic Effects We Have Known… aka, Oh No! Not that again!

No worries, this one’s easy!

                                    Critters Croak.

                                    Fall to the bottom.

                                    Solidify.

                                    Make limestone.

                                    Water levels rise and fall.

                                    Erode.

                                    Humans come in the future to gawk at the results!

            Now, that wasn’t so bad now was it? 😊

I will need to resort to my pinch-hitting ally, the Internet, in order to supply you with what this place looks like normally, but you will still get the mysteriously inviting pics that represent what we experienced also.

Back in port the next day at noon and then off to head to the airport and the central Vietnam city of Hue where more adventures await! Don’t forget to check in and get your Boarding Pass as the next few days promise better weather down there!

Yesterday we spent a rainy day in the homes and businesses of some of the people that live on an island in the Cau Nguyet River. This village, Tho Ha, has been the rice paper making center of the Hanoi region for the last thousand years and has just recently lost its ranking to mechanization. But we all know that the good stuff is still made by hand!

            We started with a visit to a local Veteran’s Cemetery which even in the rain was preparing for the upcoming big Lunar New Year holiday…. this will be the Year of the Horse. This cemetery enjoys all of the respect and admiration that a Veteran’s Cemetery should….if you fought for the North Vietnam army. If you were from the South, then even now your family suffers from your inclusion in that Army. So much for unification and letting the past roll into one history for the story to be told from all sides, but we do know that the aphorism “History is written by the victors” is true until (here comes the other side, attributed by some to Mr. Churchill) “Until the lion (prey) learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter,” highlighting that the silenced (the “losers”) often have their stories buried. And we do know how good a Communist government is at burying the opposing sides of their positions.

            I’m not sure of where this will go today as at the end of the day, we plan to visit the infamous Hanoi “Hilton”, the century-old French prison, turned POW camp in downtown Hanoi.

                        We shall see.

            Back to the earlier part of the day.

            We needed to take a ferry ride across the river which lasted an interminable 😊 two minutes! I am constantly amazed at what transpires in countries that do not have the resources to enforce any kind of safety measures. Most of the time absolutely nothing but then we have all seen the videos of “Construction Gone Bad” and nine times out of ten they are from countries with little or no safety parameters in place. Our voyage was perfectly safe.

            We were greeted on the other side by the “chief” of the village, a low-ranking Party Member at whose home we would learn how to make the rice paper, then enjoy a lunch made from what we had just produced. But first we went off to visit the local “moonshine” operation! This little family-run business was quite busy when we arrived, and yes, there were samples to be had! Whiskey here does not seem to be quite as potent as some of our own homegrown stuff, but then that opinion is coming from someone who has never been inebriated even once in his life! (I needed to rely on some of the more “seasoned” members of our group for an accurate positioning of said moonshine).

            After imbibing we walked down a few alleyways and entered the front of Mr. Viet’s home where the family still makes these rice paper round things, (think tortillas). We watched the very simple but effective Rube Goldberg type machine in action and were then invited to try it out for ourselves….. with modest success. We then proceeded to make our own Spring Rolls with some nifty ingredients. (Think rolling big cigars).

            After a discussion period of Q&A with Mr. Viet he treated us to an impromptu concert with some of the instruments that were hanging on his wall…. the instruments are about as authentically ethnic as they could get. Mr. Viet was a member of the Viet Cong (VC) during the war and I’m fairly sure that subject was going to be on our agenda when someone from our group asked about those musical instruments and then all bets were off as the conversation went in a different direction. It was all very innocent, I got the impression from his personality and demeanor that had we been able to have that planned discussion, it would have been incredibly interesting.

            Lunch was served right after that and Mr. Viet and his wife sat with us as we thoroughly enjoyed our homemade vittles and accompanying accoutrements. This probably was the best meal that we’ve had, as the meals keep outdoing themselves as we go along! But even the first meal was great!

                        Lunch finished, Happy Room visited, we then marched back out of the alleyways and boarded the ferry for another unassuming voyage across the 100 yards or so of the river. Back on the bus we followed course and as Senior Citizens used this opportunity to nap. It was still drearily raining.

                        Upon our arrival back in Hanoi some of us elected to stay on the bus and continue to the Hanoi “Hilton”, the rest returned to the hotel. To be clear, the Hanoi “Hilton” was never a hotel. That moniker was hung on this facility by our very own members of our Armed Forces, a good, snappy use of fortuitous alliteration that I ever heard!

                        I am going to dive in here and try my best to stay as apolitical as possible on a totally, highly political subject. There is nothing more polarizing than the subject of the Vietnam War, or Communism vs Freedom(?), or Socialism vs Capitalism, and what is, and where does, Fascism enter this picture?

All great questions, that (on a different platform would be great to have meaningful discussions over and about) are valid, but this forum is not that one. I’ll leave it at I’m glad (in that weird sort of way) that I went, but I was uncomfortable being there, but only for the POW aspect of this place. Its long history is as entwined with Colonial Vietnam’s as anything that they have and remembering that these were an oppressed and subjugated people for generations and generations puts some perspective on the past sixty-plus years that included the Vietnam War.

    

     

                        Context: The Vietnamese peoples had been subjugated for over a thousand years by various waves of conquerors including the Chinese, Japanese, and most recently, the French during the Colonial Period (when the Countries of Europe were trying their best to outdo each other.) They wanted their freedom and who wouldn’t? Ho Chi Minh wrote to President Truman to ask for help in getting France out of his country. Truman, valuing our alliance with France over Vietnam’s, said “No”. Ho Chi Minh then approached China/Russia who eventually agreed. This put the Number One Fear (Communism) on the doorstep of another emerging country (Vietnam) which in the 1950’s and 60’s, was the primary concern for the USA and our allies.

 And all Vietnam wanted was their independence.

So here I am at the Hanoi “Hilton” viewing the cells and facilities erected by the French in the late 1800’s. The exhibits show how the French used their torture techniques on the local folks who defied their laws, etc. male and female alike. Then we moved to the next obvious timeline and that would be the POW era. These exhibits showed photos of US service men playing volleyball, making Christmas trees, getting medical care, and the like. All of which is true, but we also know that it shows (in true propaganda/communist regime type form) only a small sliver of the story. Even up to today, most citizens only know what is allowed to be known and that is the “Approved Edition” of their history. Are the Vietnamese folks better off under this present government than they were under the French……

 Or during the War?

Or when they were just emerging and there was far more influence from China and Russia?

I’d venture a probable ‘Yes’! They are better off now, at least from my observations. They do emphasize “Red Capitalism”, which is thriving! And I can see where “Westernization” is creeping (and allowed) into some daily aspects of their lives.

I did not leave the Hanoi “Hilton” feeling good, actually rather empty as there was no way to even attempt to correct (?) any of the information that was given inside without trying to convince the other person that all we wanted to do was stop the advancement of countries like China and Russia from taking over so much of the world that our way of life would eventually be threatened by sheer numbers.

            In a way I’m glad that it was raining because it matched my mood.

            So, I’ll move on, change gears a bit and thank you for getting this far…..

The Question of the Century seems to be…. Why Vietnam?

The answer, or answers, to that question are as many and varied as the folks who ask us.

We could be humorous and reply with the quote British explorer George Mallory said in 1924 before attempting to climb Mt. Everest…. “Because it’s there” but that may end the conversation without gaining any insight into the answers.

            Maybe I should start by flipping this around…. why does someone ask that question to begin with?

                        If we were traveling to say, maybe ….Florida, would the first response be to ask, “Why Florida?”

                        Maybe, maybe not.

            I will hazard a guess that the question stems from our involvement back in the 60’s in the military conflict that tore our country into mostly two factions, for and against.

                                    That war was a long time ago, sixty years or so puts us in the ballpark of the timeline.

                        The caveat to this is it all depends on one’s perspective and that perspective is as true to each person as their own being is. I have two brothers-in-law who served in Vietnam, and I would never presume to tell them how they should feel about returning to Vietnam.

                        So, do you want the real answer?

                        If you’ve gotten this far without clicking the X at the top right of the Page, then you deserve an answer.

                        “Because it’s there!”

                        Only kidding! In reality, Harold and Sherry said that they were looking at this particular trip with Overseas Adventure Travel and wondered if we’d like to come along. To be honest, I hesitated. I had never had in my brain an incredible desire to visit this part of the world. Then it happened….

                                    This is the “Dangerous” part of traveling…..

                                    Meaning that we did some research.

And found lots of things to like about this trip!

We watched the video of this trip by O.A.T. and saw what looked like a fascinating glimpse into the lives and customs of a people that have their own stories to tell, their own version of the local diaspora, their own ways of clinging to their culture before it disappears. Especially when we throw in our visits to the Hill Country tribes at the beginning of this trip. Maybe a good “home grown” example would be our own Native American tribes and their quest for recognition and longevity in their own right. The more we watched the trip unfold before us and listened to the comments of the Travelers that had been on this Itinerary, the more we wanted to say “Yes”! Plus we got to travel again with H&S with whom we had so much fun with on the World Cruise!

                        So we said that one little word, Yes!

                        We’ve been here a Grand Total of about ten days and we’re already totally sure that we made the best decision!

                        Traveling anywhere and experiencing whatever it is that brought you to that location is reason enough for travel.

 Always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower?

Go  to Paris!

Always wanted to experience the crystal-clear waters of the South Seas?

Go to Tahiti!

These, and the rest of the millions of places on this planet, are reason enough to go and see them. We have elected to dive in just a little deeper and get to know the folks that live on the planet with us.

I’m baaaaack…… 😊

Sorry for the hiatus but that’s what happens when we travel to places without any Internet Access. We were out on an overnight foray into the incredible scenery of Ha Long Bay, a rather otherworldly location. More on that in a few days as I endeavor to catch up with this. The other related issue is actually having the time to put everything together as there is almost zero downtime on this trip! No “Sea Days” as we affectionally call a day without any Ports or Excursions when Cruising. On this trip its Go! Go! Go! (and then some!)

                        So, here goes as I pretend that I’m just proceeding along on schedule as that is the way that this was written, and I’m too tired to change it!

  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yesterday was another installment in the ongoing series, A Day in the Life of….. a program that O.A.T. brings to every Trip that they run. This is probably their signature feature when it comes to the immersion aspect of this style of travel.

It was another rainy day which made this indoor activity all the better. Travel we did to another riverside village, one that has been around for….. you guessed it…. about a thousand years. Their skills at ceramics have made the villagers of Bat Trang quite famous in this world of pottery. When Mr. Obama made a visit to Vietnam, it was an item from this village that was chosen to be the ceremonial gift to be given to him. This is quite an honor and secured Bat Trang’s status in the world of ceramics.

Back to the ceramics……

 Making vessels and figures out of clay and then firing them to achieve that “Ceramic” level, has been around ever since a guy accidently dropped his clay figurine into his wife’s cooking fire and received a ranting scolding over it. That was until the fire died down and his “Mistake” was able to be retrieved from the flames and eventually cooled down enough to hold. It was at that moment that he became a hero because he, and only he, now knew the secrets of this art. His wife became the envy of everyone on Triceratops Boulevard because her pottery collection had turned into beautiful artistic items. Mr. Caveman was out of the doghouse, sold some of his bestest pieces and bought his wife a new Bronto Benz 500SL to tool around the village in.

            The End.

Or something like that, history is cloudy on this subject as it may have actually been a Jaguar Jurassic that he gave her.

            Anyway, the Craze for Glaze had begun and peeps all over the world eventually learned how to make beautiful ceramics for fun and profit!

            The highlight of our visit yesterday was not the ceramics retail shops that we visited, nor the hands-on Make-a-Pot experience that were provided, although that was a hoot (more on that later). The best part of yesterday was a visit with Mr. Huy, whose family, one of the most prominent, and successful ones in the Region, were the victims of the 1954 Land Reform laws enacted at that time. These were the perfect Robin Hood scenarios of taking from the rich and giving to the poor…… oops!  I mean State! Because that’s where it all eventually ended up after it was redistributed to the poor, it was eventually taken back and added to the Collective. So, back in the day, when all of this reform started, anyone that had any success, no matter how good they actually were, was considered to be a blockage standing in the way of the goals of the communist ways that were infiltrating the government. If you were a landlord, even a good one, you were branded as an evil person and promptly stripped of your holdings. This sparked huge issues, so much that the government stopped all of it after about two years, and issued forms of apologies, and payments(?) for the land. Mr. Huy’s family received the equivalent of $130.00 for $30,000,000.00 worth of confiscated land. How reassuring.

                        But being the cool-headed intelligent folks that they were, they knew that biding their time, making smart decisions, and playing the game would be far better for them than fighting a futile fight. As time went on, the family grew again in stature, was able to spend judiciously some of their wealth that they had hidden from the government without drawing attention to themselves. The result is that now, the same family, is back in their ancestral home (where we were visiting) although portions of it had already been “distributed” to others. The family employs over two hundred workers in their ceramics studios, and Mr. Huy wore a jacket with the American Flag sewn onto one of the shoulders. This would not have been possible not too long ago. They are not bitter, they are thankful that they are still a family, that no one had been executed as many, many landlords were, and now decades later, are still together. They admit that they are one of the lucky ones.

                        And yes, we had some whiskey when we arrived!

I have to admit that it is fascinating traveling in a communist country that allows us to ask questions of its citizens and they can answer with honesty…. (when they know that they are in truly a safe place and with safe people). Phil has had many an aside with us, clueing us in, and at the same time letting us know that he could be in serious trouble if the wrong person were able to hear him tell us something. Unfortunate but still fascinating.

            After our frank discussions with Mr. Huy, back out into the rain and narrow alleyway went eventually ending up in Mr. Hiep’s workshop     and factory. It was here that we learned more about the actual process of making clay into incredibly gorgeous pieces of art. We had quickly stopped in another showroom at the beginning of our tour in order to use their Happy Room, in exchange for spending some time in their showroom. The prices were fair; some items were procured and on we went to that first stop at Mr. Huy’s home. But it was there that we had the opportunity to examine these masterpieces up front and personal and wonder how they are made.

Our questions were answered here at Mr. Hiep’s factory. He took us step by step through the process from the location where the clay was obtained (sixty feet underground) to the final glazing and firing after they were hand -painted by some very talented and trained artisans. This is the process that has been handed down from generation to generation here in the tiny village of Bat Trang. And we could tell that the village was successful just by the way things were kept up. They had the money to reinvest in their village; the streets and alleys were paved with tiles made by Mr. Huy’s family and it was much cleaner than most of the other villages that we had visited up to that point.

                        Then the fun began as we were led into a large room that had an obvious purpose to it ….. there all lined up against the walls were a series of small stools with turning wheels right in front of them accompanied by small bowls of water. We were instructed to choose a location and then Mr. Hiep proceed to create for us various shapes of vessels and plates from a single blob of clay that he continually worked in front of us. We watched as his trained hands transformed the clay and moved it from an initial cup to a final shallow bowl.

                        We were then given our own Plop and asked to make something of it, learning that here would be First, Second, and “Unique” prize given in those respective categories. I wish that we had more time as my Plop ended up resembling a warped alien’s flying saucer. Some of our group obviously had some previous pottery experience as their creations looked more like the pieces in Mr. Hiep’s showroom. These folks are no longer with the group as they have been conscripted and are now working in the “factory”.

I am glad that mine turned out so miserably!

                        As this was now several days ago and these days are running full speed into each other, I cannot remember what happened after we left this little village. It was raining so I’m quite sure it would have been an indoor activity. Probably it was the day the Paula took a cooking lesson and learned how to make their famous broth, Pho, which eventually can become any kind of soup that you’d like.

Harold, Sherry, and I decided to get some surprisingly good pizza at local joint just down the road which in addition to a fairly good pie, provided some of the best selections of 60’s and early 70’s good ol’ American Rock n’ Roll.

 If someone had told me that someday I’d be eating pizza in downtown Hanoi and listening to Jimi Hendrix’s cover of Bob Dylan’s All Long the Watchtower, well, you finish that sentence because I’m at a loss for words.

I’m not even close to figuring out where this one should start as yesterday was one of those days that was so jam-packed with a myriad of sensory-overload experiences that it could be considered a once-in-a-lifetime event.

                        But I will try.

            Analogies are good tools to use to describe something that the other party has not experienced, so they need a reference point to focus on….. I think that I’ve got a good one…….

“Roger that Blue Angel One, executing maneuver on my mark.”

            “Three, two, one, Mark!”

“Roll on … three, two, one, Mark!”

            “Hey! Bogies! Bogies! Bogies!”

“Keep on target Blue Angel Five!”

            “They’re coming right at me… Evasive maneuverers… NOW!

            “This is  Blue Angel One… stay on target, I repeat , stay on target!”

            This is Blue Angel Eleven, I can’t hold them off either!”

            “Steady there BA Eleven…. Keep in formation and that’s an order!”

            “Roger that BA Leader…. Executing Evasives, still in formation!”

            So, now that I have your attention, I will endeavor to explain….last night we all went on a Motorbike “Foodie” and Downtown Tour courtesy of a wonderful business called Backstreet Tours by Motorbikes (of Hanoi). This was akin to riding with a motorcycle gang. Without the knives and chains. My introductory analogy stays true….. imagine being in formation, flying as a group of precision aircraft while having five thousand other aircraft executing their own individual and group maneuvers while coming at you from all directions and you still needed to stay in your formation…. mostly.

                        And…. our “Pilots” were about twenty-two years of age, which when you think about it, is probably perfect. We each had our own piloted motorbike, my pilot was “Dave” and I am quite sure that was not his actual name, but they do know who their clients are! We spent over four hours touring and stopping at planned intervals to sample either tasty treats or desirable drinks with a few neighborhood stories thrown in for additional flavor. We even stopped in and visited the ringleader’s grandmother’s best friend who at 86 still lives alone because she doesn’t want anyone ragging on her about the cigarettes and liquor! Go Grandma! More on this a little later.

                        Our day started almost in the same manner except at a much slower pace as instead of having a zoomy motorbike, we had a plodding rickshaw, but then all rickshaws are plodding by nature. One to a seat, our drivers pedaled us around the old city for about an hour. It was a great way to experience the morning street rituals at a pace that let us actually observe them. My only mistake was not to adjust my shutter speed to account for some movement, so some may seem a little fuzzy, but capture them I did! In order not to look like the obvious tourists that I was, I just kept the camera on my lap and pointed in a general direction and clicked the shutter. The results are below.

                        After that experience we hastened over to Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum.  Have you ever been fortunate enough to visit Disney World with someone who requires a wheelchair (real or fake) and been whisked to the front of the line, bypassing those others that have been in line for a really long time?

                        That is what it was like yesterday when we pulled up to a secret entrance, Phil handed the armed guard our “paperwork” (Isn’t always “Paper’s please? I need to see your papers!”) we were scrutinized as if we were entering the military nuclear research facility with nefarious notions. Our group even had some stuff (a flashlight!) confiscated for the duration. We were then ushered (escorted) basically to the front of the line and instructed how to line up (two by two) in order to proceed into the Mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh lies in state inside, Honor Guards surrounding him and the procession moves on hour after hour during the morning of every day.  This would be really good place to delve into a political discussion with the obvious differences between two idealistic political philosophies being bantered back and forth but we’re not going there now. We are the guests of a country who has been through as much as we have except they are over a thousand years old and just claimed their independence back in 1975 when the war ended.

                        It is interesting to listen to Phil, who may be one of the nicest people on our planet, explain the national stands on politics, positive and negative, defending and criticizing his country’s stance on such.

                        Oops! I said that we weren’t going there!

            On to our next stop and that would be the home of Mr. Liem, the only Water Puppet wrangler left in Vietnam. We needed to wind our way through some back-alley ways in order to get to his front door.

This tradition goes back a thousand or so years and is quite fascinating! His family has been in this business for generations and their handiwork is world-renowned. We visited him and his wife in their home where they have a small water stage set up. They entertain small groups such as ours and sometimes they also the bring their show on the road for schools and the like. The performance was about as unique an occasion that we have ever seen, and after being audience members we were invited to try our hands at manipulating the puppets. It was not easy!

            Oh! And I purchased one of the Dragon Heads from him, duly signed and everything!

                        After another outstanding lunch at a small local café, we headed back to the hotel for about an hour of downtime before we met our Chariots of Fire scooter brigade. This is where the fun starts and since I was not sure of how I was going to hold on and my pants du jour had shallow, non-zippered pockets, I did not even bring my phone for photos. Anything that you see here from now on was borrowed (stolen) from someone else on this excursion!

Our first stop was to the first coffee shop in Hanoi, which happens to be the originator of that Egg Coffee (chocolate!) that we had the other day. It was even better than the first one! We went on to tour some of the neighborhoods, meet Grandma,

get some cool history lessons and ended up sitting inches (almost!) from the train tracks that carry the trains from Saigon to Hanoi. It’s called Train Street and its even crazier than the motorbikes! The tracks are lined on either side with retail and cafes, and the draw is the fact that they set up on both sides of the tracks REALLY close to the trains as they come through.

We were fortunate to be able to catch two trains, one from each direction! After that we went on to one of the streets that has tons of restaurants and their outdoor street dining complete with motorbikes whizzing by your back, but thankfully no cars!

By the time David dropped me and the rest of us off at the hotel (about 10:30) we just about had it as we had been going non-stop all day!

And Bus Call was at 8:15 this morning!

Today we’re going to learn some new Vietnamese words:

                        Quần thể danh thắng Tràng An tại Ninh Bình.

        Roughly translated it means:

 The Trang An Scenic Complex in Ninh Binh

This place was our primary destination yesterday and is a Two-Time Holder of a UNESCO World Heritage Designation….. one for its anthropological history and another for its geologic and natural significance.

It is located almost on the coastline, but more specifically in the Red River Delta area. The Red River is the one that we kinda followed over the days that we spent up in the Hill Country. Now we are at its terminus along with the ancestors of the folks that have inhabited, and farmed, this area for over 30,000 years… hence its UNESCO designation.

        The top activity here is a sampan ride through the caves of Tam Coc located in the delta and these caverns are strewn about this limestone filled location. The 2017 movie, Kong: Skull Island was filmed here and with good reason. The towering cliffs, giant cave and otherwise dramatic landscape make quite the “filmed on location” location! The serrated-type landscape of Ninh Binh is a character in itself. Often referred to as “Ha Long among the rice paddies,” (we’re going to visit the Ha Long Bay soon, so you’ll understand the comparison.) This cinematic (no CGI!) sweep of fertile countryside is the home to that aforementioned pocket of limestone formations springing out of the earth like some huge fortresses. Tam Coc is the flooded cave system that is part of the larger Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. The unpredictable sequence of rolling hills and mountains is evened off by the flowing bends of the Ngo Dong River. It was on this river that our sampan ride was given.

        The ride was about an hour long and was provided by a young lady who spoke no English but was able to make her wishes known, like when I needed to move just a little in order to counter our listing to starboard. Interestingly, most of the rowers used their legs to propel us along, not their arms. We still can’t figure out how they kept their feet attached to the oars!

Into the caves we go!

This was another time when I would have killed for some blue skies and sunlight because there is just no way to confer to you the massive scale of some of these towering monoliths that this area is so famous for. Scale is everything and I’m afraid that these photos do it no justice. I am sorry.

We went from the sampans to a Buddhist Temple. here are some pics….

                Our lunch was at a charming, family-run B&B tucked out in the rice paddies. Friendly does not even come close to describing the people around here!

                As an aside, this adventure was not on the Itinerary as it was supposed to be a free day to do what you pleased. But Phil organized this whole thing because he wants us to have as complete an experience as we can possibly have.

                We may not survive this pace.

        On the way back we encountered the usual traffic which was of the usual volume which makes it unusually exciting for us bus riders as we watch the scooters and trucks vie for the same coveted position in the line of vehicles that moves like so many slithering snakes headed for the same destination. And then we come to an intersection! This is all good because fourteen senior citizens the need to visit the Happy Room were kept entertained, which helped to take our minds off of our bloated bladders.

                Not sure about tomorrow, some rain is forecast and I think we’re going to try and do one of those “Foodie Scooter Tours” which will put us right there in the middle of that terrifying turmoil….. maybe I’ll try and figure out how to show you a video!