Lunch in the City
Our last days in Saigon were not uneventful, but calm, and slow compared to the last few weeks. Diem and I met a friend for lunch. A Texan, whose name is James, and who lives in Saigon. I don’t get to spend too much time with my fellow countrymen, and it’s always a treat to enjoy some food and fellowship with a fellow American. We enjoyed a hotpot style restaurant in district 2 of downtown Saigon.
Downtown Saigon is incredibly beautiful. It has those massive trees lining the streets towering over the tall buildings. It provides a beautiful scene and much needed shade from the blistering sun. We spent quite a bit of time at lunch and it bled into late afternoon. Our waiter had cleared our table quite some time ago and had declined our late request for bottled water. Being the only table left in the restaurant, they clearly wanted us to leave.
Immeasurable Traffic
We said our formality of goodbyes and agreed on a later date in Da Nang in which we would do some overnight fishing. Diem and I collected our motorbike just in time to get caught in rush hour traffic on a Monday afternoon in Saigon. With little traffic we were an hour from Luan’s house. It would be much longer than that before we made it there now.
I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like this. The traffic was as thick as honey, and the thing that made it most peculiar to me, was the makeup of motorbikes. At one point we came to a place on the road in which we descended down onto the main section of the thorofare. It gave us a vantage point far off into the distance, of the massive sea of helmets, that just faded out into oblivion.
And Then Comes The Rain
We were not very far at this point from where we had started, and the low rumbling thunder and darkening skies seemed like an unexpected punch in the gut. Both unwelcome and unwanted. The clouds swirled around over there, and popped up over here, but were relatively clear in the direction we were going. The unspoken hope that both Diem and I projected was that we could reach the open patch of skies before the pincer-like weather pattern closed in on us.
Alas, It was not to be. The lack of movement in general and the eventually filling in of the entire heavens with dark and ominous clouds, proved to have only one outcome. As soon as the drops became heavy and constant we pulled over into a side shop. In an act of great salesmanship they had just loaded a mass of ponchos on hangers at their store front. We purchased two ponchos and threw them on. We then placed our phones and other belongings under the seat. In the little waterproof compartment and continued on in the rain. At this we had a rather enjoyable ride home.
Arriving Back at Luan’s
It was wet. But the cool rain was wonderful in the 100 degree heat, and it was more dancing in the rain than being miserable in it. It was hard to keep all of the rain out. Eventually the traffic began to move. This created tails of water that shot up off the back of the motorbike tires. A scenario of rain seeming to come from below as much as from above. We laughed some, tried to keep our faces as dry as possible and just soaked in the experience. By the time we arrived at Luan’s the rain had stopped. It was almost twilight, and I was absolutely soaked from mid thigh down, and around my neck line.
A Good Day
We took our time getting moving this morning. Hai had showed up the night before, and Luan, Hai, Diem and I, took our time heading out to breakfast. It was around 10am when we arrived at the incredibly beautiful Ăn Uống bờ sông Cafe. The restaurant was a substantial property with multiple buildings, many covered outdoor sections, and a pond lined with huts for some more private dining. It was a very impressive facility.
We found an indoor table next to a window and just enjoyed the view. We ordered coffee and breakfast. I ordered the grilled steak with tomato and baguette and took some time to roam the property. After a few minutes Diem called to me through the window and I headed over to eat. The steak was thinly sliced and in a very agreeable sauce, a slice of tomato and baguette. Just as advertised.
A Breakfast Guest
As I tucked in and started to cut my steak, a cry came from under the table. A kitten sat under the table next to the window. He cried out in juvenile meows and I just couldn’t resist. I haphazardly misplaced some of my steak on the floor near me, such a klutz, and the kitten came over and wasted no time in cleaning the floor. Diem and I both had our fill and I left a little behind for the house kitten that none of the waiters seemed bothered with. Luan left for work after breakfast and Diem, Hai and I headed off to purchase a little food for dinner.
With Hai the point man, Diem and I followed him around the crisscrossing streets of the urban sprawl. We came to a roadside market, purchased some vegetables, fruit and half of a boneless pig face. Chopped up and simmered away, you would never know. We hopped back on our motorbikes and headed home.
Let’s Go Hunting
After we arrived back at the house and unloaded, Hai invited me to go hunting in the rice fields. It was basically whatever we could find, and I jumped at the chance to do a little foraging for some sustainable and local ingredients. We grabbed a plastic bag and started walking down the lane towards the bridge. We turned left before the bridge and walked down a thin path, barely big enough for a motorbike. Around the rice fields are man made irrigation canals filled with slightly flowing water. The ditches are used to provide water for the rice fields and also provide a habitat for many local delicacies.
We discarded our shoes at the edge of the fields and Hai immediately went to work. Not to be undone I jumped into the canals right behind him. Patty crabs and large snails were on the menu today and we began our hunt in earnest. With dark shells, both the snails and crabs could be difficult to spot. But, after a few minutes in the fields it became marginally easier. Often the bottom of the ditches were a foot or more of just mud, and sometimes it became difficult to maneuver. You would lift a foot to get a better footing to move your other foot only to sink to the edge of your shorts at each step. It was intensely hot, muddy, and a lot of fun.
Fade Into The Night
Hai was of course staying for dinner, and several other An Lao friends had also been invited over for one last Karaoke, food and beer fueled fun in the night. BBQ pork jaw, sauteed pig face, an assortment of vegetables, fresh fruit and rice were served and the day quickly faded into night. I spent quite some time in the twilight mesmerized by the massive fruit bats that swarmed over us. No doubt enticed by the smell of sweet, ripe fruit in the air
As night completely overcame the day Karaoke broke out in the still jungle night. It was the typical round robin of singing and laughing. It was a little bittersweet, as the moments often are. Tomorrow we will prepare to leave for Da Nang. Packing, purchasing tickets, tying up loose ends and preparing for an early morning departure the following day. So tonight we had fun. I was not sure when I would see my brothers, my friends again. There are just so many questions still unanswered. But tonight those things didn’t matter.
The Last Day
The last day was somber. It rained quite a bit and we mostly got our things together and tried to stay dry. We were both ready to go home, but I knew that I would also miss Saigon. I learned many things about myself, about Saigon, and about Vietnam on this trip. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was always beautiful in a special kind of way. My time in the south has been some of my most inspirational and learned times in Vietnam.
I spent some time in the midmorning staring out of the house at the bags of trash that hung from the trees. It’s an interesting garbage system, but it works. Eventually, every day or so, a man will come by on a motorbike. Attached will be a small makeshift trailer with a couple of blue plastic drums. He will collect the trash that hangs from the trees and on life will go.
A Walk In The Jungle
Eventually in the late afternoon the rain finally let up. The ground and lane were saturated and this misty fog like haze fell upon the earth. I had done little exploring on my own, but was now drawn into the misty thick jungle by an uncontrollable urge to lose something in it’s hazy embrace. Grabbing my phone, and nothing else, I headed into the mist.
I came to the bridge that marks the border of the little village Luan lives in. But this time I took a different path. A path that goes deeper into the marshy jungle mass of wilderness. The path became narrow and dark, calling me further and further in.
It’s hard to express the draw one gets from spending time in such a green and jungle like environment. Only 11 miles from the center of a mega city of 10 million people. Yet here I am walking down muddy paths no wider than a motorbike tire. Looking for something I can’t define, a place that doesn’t exist.
I came to a clearing not very large at all, but large enough to get a sense of the thickness of the vegetation around me. Staring out into the jungle, I listened for a moment to the sounds of the insects and the rustling of the wind in the palm fronds. I half expected to spot a snake or jungle mammal, but from most conversations I have had, many of the larger reptiles and mammals had disappeared from this area long ago. Today one has to truly travel to the jungle, far away from any city to see such sights.
Respect For The Dead
I continued on deeper into the woods where I came to a gate. Red with yellow lettering and trim, the gate was chained shut and locked tight. It seemed to be a strange sight and I could see a structure further back. Upon further inspection, the entire property was enclosed by barbed wire and some kind of metal fencing. I walked further past the entrance and found it to be an overgrown graveyard.
I know that all graves here are above ground. The tendency for regular flooding and a high water table due to the rice fields makes underground burial impossible. I took a good position so as to see in and took a look across the fence. Filled with tiled graves resting just above ground, the graveyard was flooded, and I could see the graves disappear into the thick vegetation. I sat for a moment and paid my respects and reflected on the scene.
The Exodus Begins
We enjoyed a quiet dinner with Quan, Luan and his wife Duyen and tucked in early. Everyone was up early, off to school and work. Diem and I gathered our things and cleaned the evidence of our presence. At mid morning we left the house, locked it up tight, and walked down the lane. We crossed the foot bridge for the last time and sat in the sweltering sun waiting for our taxi. The driver had some difficulty locating us, but after a half hour or so, he finally turned the corner and headed towards us.
At this point Diem was getting a little concerned as we had to be at the pick up in less than twenty minutes. I was expecting the bus station, and knowing how far it was, I felt we were not going to make it. It turns out we were joining a bus already on route and only had to make it to the pick up location. We made it a few minutes late, but the bus had not arrived yet. It was simply a location on the north side of Saigon. On the street, no terminal, no business, nothing to indicate we would be getting on a bus.
The Bus
The bus arrived a few minutes later, and the steward hopped off, grabbed our luggage, and we boarded. Upon boarding we removed our shoes and found our bunks. It was a very nice bus, each bunk was private, television, WiFi, privacy, and plenty of room to stretch out. It would be quite a long trip to Da Nang and we settled in for a long haul. As I made myself comfortable I looked out the window and saw the Landmark 81 rising in the skyline for the last time.
At one point in the afternoon the bus stopped and two ladies boarded. They offered snacks, drinks and made to order banh mi sandwiches. I grabbed a banh mi and a drink, Diem did as well and I laid back for some peaceful views.
Dusk to Dawn
Slowly the sun set over the fields and it became time to get some rest. As I began to doze off the bus came to another stop. This time for dinner break. We disembarked into one of those wonderful little Vietnamese truck stops and had dinner. It was a family style affair where we were sat at a table with 4 strangers and the waitress just piled food onto the table. Fish, pork, rice, vegetables and strips of beef. I ate my fill and we purchased a few drinks and snacks for the road.
We returned to the bus and pulled out for the open road. It would be the last time we stopped before Da Nang. As I settled in for a night of sleep, a massive power facility came into view. It was the largest facility I had seen in Vietnam and it really caught my attention. It faded into the distance behind us and I fell into a deep swaying sleep as the bus bobbed down the highway.
A Postcard From Heaven
I awoke just before five and checked my clock. Knowing how early the sun rises I pulled my curtain back and saw one of the most unbelievable natural scenes I have witnessed. The sun was just below the horizon and we were outside of Hoi An surrounded by the newly flooded rice fields of the countryside. The light was dancing across the clouds producing the most vibrant oranges, blues and pinks that I can recall. But the thing that made it so alluring was the reflections off the mirror like rice fields below. It was an amazing and almost spiritual sight. These scenes are always a confirmation in the divine. Paintings buy the hand of God himself. I just sat in the awe of the sight until the sun finally broke the horizon and the sky began to fill with warm light.
Back Home in Da Nang
We arrived back in Da Nang a couple of hours early. As we crossed over the Han river parallel to the dragon bridge the clock struck 6 am. We were back in Da Nang and home at last. It had been an amazing journey to the mega city of Saigon, the cool mountain resort of Da Lat and the heart of the Mekong river delta in Can Tho. It was one of the most amazing trips of my life. We saw so many incredible things and experienced some wonderful moments. But we are not done. Just when I think things will slow down they seem to get going again. So even though we are back home in Da Nang, there are many more adventures to come.
Click Here for a short film of our last week in Saigon
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