At 6:10 I received a call from Un announcing his arrival to my hotel for our excercise. "I'm sorry my father is very busy today. He will pick you up at 8:30 for breakfast." So now a word about that 'very busy' comment. That is the catch phrase for everything when someones mind changes and they don't want to do a certain thing. It's a polite way to say no. It's a way to make it sound like it's out of their control but they cannot do something they originally planned. Flat out, it's an excuse. While we were walking I asked Un if his dad gets up early in the mornings and he said very early but not today. Ah! Truth revealed! He slept in.
Un and I exercised by walking up the hill and toward the big Jesus on the top of the hill - - a similar-type miniature statue like the statue in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. A beautiful morning to look at scenery, enjoy the quiet and listen to the waves. It's surprising how many people are out and about at that time of day and earlier. I began to sweat so much and didn't bring a towel so I asked if we could turn around. Un stayed with me, riding his bicycle beside me talking and telling me about the points of interest along the way. At some point I told him I'd just make my way to the hotel and he could go on ahead so he took off like a streak and headed home. I showered then rested until 8:30 when Son and his family picked me up and headed to breakfast, a buffet place that stops serving at 9:00 - - so it was slim pickens.
Mr. Tom met us there. He's the interpreter for the time when Un can't be there so at least we can all communicate. We ate in the huge banquet hall-type restaurant - - it looks like a wedding facility which are so common here. Weddings are held in these huge halls then it moves right in to a reception. During breakfast Catherine (Ngan) called from New Zealand. They handed me the phone and had me talk with their daughter and then evaluate her English ability. It's a big deal for them to know their kids speak clear English. Catherine and I have emailed each other and spoken on the phone before so we "know" each other and are able to communicate quite well.
After breakfast we drove around town. It's strangely European-esque. The mountains, the terraces, the flowering trees, the ocean make it so but in a lesser way. We drove to a place called 'Paradise' which is a beach/carnival/garden/golf course place - - very large and lots of tourists. Flowering trees and bushes all over with bright pinks and oranges - - Lily (my niece) would have loved it as those are her favorite colors. It was strikingly beautiful against the blue sky.
We drove to Chi Linh, a new golf course (turns out it's just a driving range) so we could practice hitting balls. Son wants to learn to golf so we can golf with Terry and Hoe when I come back next time. So he started hitting balls and became quickly frustrated. Frankly, his form was horrible and very wiggly - - like his upper and lower bodies were operating independently of each other. We were all laughing but tried not to. And the sweat! Oh my it was unbelievable. At that point I was thankful they didn't have any left-handed clubs or else I would have been out there doing the same thing! A guy walked up and started talking to him and even in this foreign land I knew immediately that this was the Pro: he's tall, tanned, flashed a big smile with big, straight white teeth, and was dressed to the nines. They all look the same the world over. After a lesson with this guy Son actually did well and was able to hit the ball 100 and 150 yards. After a few bottles of water and many moist serviettes (to wipe the sweat) later Son announced to all of us that this is not good for his health.
We drove next to pick up Un from his studies (studies every day of the week) and then drove to the big mountain. The views are beautiful up there. People stop and stare at Son's car, truly one of the most beautiful cars in Vung Tau, especially when most everyone owns motorbikes and no cars. I can see that a vehicle is definitely a status symbol; much more so than in the States.
We passed a huge flat cement structure that was built into the ground. It looked like the base of a building yet didn't look incomplete so it baffled me. I asked about it and Un said "It's a fortress to protect us against the enemy. We were having problems with the enemy." It took me a split second before I said, "I was the enemy! Me. Us. We were your enemy!" *silence* What a profound realization for me. We were the enemy and today I rode in the car with these four Vietnamese people just one generation later looking at scenery, flowering trees, and laughing together and being treated like a VIP. It hit me like a ton of bricks especially when Son turned around and nodded affirming the fact that he understood what I was saying and thinking. Un said, "I don't want to say who the enemy is but we did have an enemy." To this minute it strikes me so deeply. Here I was with four Vietnamese people and me in this car sightseeing; it was profound.
We enjoyed lunch by the sea - - literally right next to it with water splashing up on the rocks in front of us! We enjoyed seafood galore and again, there was so much food with course after course arriving even after I was satiated. One of the dishes were squid that are flash fried to a crispiness that is unbelievable. No batter, just a tasty crunch. Yum! I was informed that it was a gift from the manager - - a friend of Son's from when Son ran a restaurant (the one that his cousin now lives in on the hill). We drank Heineken (beer of choice due to great marketing strategies by Heineken) and laughed together for a few hours; we all had so much fun and commented on it later. Often Son will speak to someone in Vietnamese and I will completely know what he's saying and will respond before the other person can interpret for me. Why is that!? I have no idea how I can pick that up but it's just an adaptation to the culture and an understanding of the person speaking. It's weird and we all commented about it. It happens with him when I'm talking, too. We talked a lot about visiting the States, Un coming to the States, and what we'll do when I come back again. We'll visit Cambodia and Laos, according to Son. He wants his kids to go there, too, so 'we all go same-same', he said. It probably won't happen but was fun to talk about it.
From 1 until 5 we rested. I slept at my hotel then took a shower and enjoyed the outdoors for a little while until Son picked me up again for the evening.
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