Sunny days at Nha Trang

This little seaside beauty of the east coast of Vietnam could be seen as a popular and overcrowed resort but it is a little haven.I quite like the place especially during the early morning before the sun gets too hot.It has a laid back feel a lot like the rest of Vietnam.Vietnam may have a disturbing history of conflict and war,constantly over the years having to reclaim itself back.It has done a remarkable job of keeping it's identity and remaining true to its character.A lot of the places i have visited so far have a french colonial feel but that simply complements the people and the places.It's history is in the past.Present day in Vietnam a smiling face and a generous hospitality that is genuine is hard to match.It is easy to feel relaxed and at ease among the locals and within the country.

No religion is practised here,instead each individual is allowed to choose their own spiritual path.You will see places of worship,even christainity exists here,i've started to see churches but mainly Buddha temples are still frequently seen.The other perculiar thing is the woman travel about the place with there faces covered with what looks like surgical masks so like the muslim countries all you see is their eyes.Of course not all the woman wear masks.Most of them are quite liberal and can be seen throwing their leg over a scooter.You wonder sometimes how they manage it considering how little they are,i tower above them and i'm no supermodel!

In case you didn't know Nha Trang is home to a renowed photographer,his name is Long Thanh.Through his black and white photograghs he tells the emotions of the vietnamese people,capturing their expressions of loneliness,happiness,sadness and love.I visited his gallery and in each of his images you can see the moment he has captured through his lense,it speaks poetry.I meet the man himself but he had "little english" so he let his photos do the talking.He has also won numerous awards for his work,i felt very priviliged to meet this acclaimed artist.Another artist that found fame in Vietnam is Nick Ut,he too captured the emotions of a young girl.This time his lense captured fear in the face of Kim Phuc a young girl that was the victim of a napalm bomb during the war.Not only was she the victim of the Vietnam war but also a victim of the propaganda and control her country exerted to benefit from her injuries.But the girl in the picture may have contributed towards stopping the war.I've been reading about her story,the book is titled "the girl in the picture,the story of Kim Phuc,the photogragh and the vietnam war" by Denise Chong.Well worth a read. I'm looking forward to visiting the War remnants museum in Ho Chi Minh to see a portrait of Kim and her first born son hanging on the walls.Also a good book i've been told to read is the Quite American by Graham Greene and it's next on the reading list.I bought a cheap reprint of it and i'm saving it for the train tonight.

I leave on the big old reunification express train tonight and hope to arrive in Ho Chi Minh city Saturday morning just in time for breakfast.There i'm hoping to meet back up with Tom,Alex and Mush whom i spent time with in Hanoi and Halong bay.The other strange thing i've noticed about Vietnam is random playing cards on the pavements face down so you can take your chances at guessing what the lucky card is.