Day 10

Left hotel at 3:45 a.m. for 4:45 flight to Danang from Tra Nang airport which was very small.Note:All baggage tags are matched on these in-country flights so you cannot leave the airport with someone else's luggage.

Arrived at Golden Seal Hotel which is located outside of the main town, about two or three blocks from China Sea.A little isolated and not much to do except walk to the beach.There is a massage parlor next door - this seems to be the norm in most towns - lots of massage parlors, nail salons, spas, etc.Tra Nang is a resort town.As we rode through, we saw a lot of people up early, jogging, doing aerobics, walking, etc. A lot of construction - new hotels, restaurants, etc.

Note: China Beach, Vietnam, an endless expanse of unspoiled white sand beach, is one of the best beaches in Vietnam. It is more famous among the American and Australian soldiers for being the landing ground during the Vietnam War. The beachlies a few kilometers to the south of Danang within close range to the MarbleMountains. The sight of China beach from the heights of Marble Mountains, Vietnam is a must for the visitorsThe beach though does seem to still cling to its past horrors of war with the ruins of the military base like the helicopter hangars lying in the beach.

We all went to Marble Mountains.Most of us climbed up one of the mountains to enjoy a wonderful view and to see the caves and temples.One of the caves was used during the war as a Viet Cong hospital.The temples are occupied by monks and the guide was very helpful.He informed us that the Buddhists believe in "love" for their fellow man.At the base of the mountain were lots of shops selling souvenirs and marble statues built on site.The mountains are right across from a former U. S. base where our soldiers received artillery fire from the Viet Cong during the war.

Note: Marble Mountains, Vietnam is one of the most populartourist destinations in Vietnam and has gained in popularity since 1975.It consists of five peaks. These hills are made of marble and limestone. Nui Ngu Hanh Son is the Vietnamese name forMarbleMountains. It means Mountains of Five Elements. The five peaks are called Thuy Son (water), Moc Son (metal), Tho Son (soil) and Hoa Son (fire).

There are numerous tunnels and cave entrances. One of the caves had two large statues of gods guarding the entrance. Statues of Buddha are present inside many caves.

The MarbleMountainsare also home to quite a few Buddhist sanctuaries. The mountains were used by the war lords in the past to store their wealth and it was the responsibility of the monks to safeguard the wealth, the caves and the passengers. No one knows for sure how much wealth was hidden in these mountains. Only the monks as the custodians had the information and they were the only people who knew the various ways inside the mountains.

Beside the monasteries the area is prominent for stone sculpture making and stone cutting crafts. These are traditional practices and the MarbleMountains, Vietnam are renowned for its excellence in the field. In the mountains is the village of Dong Hai which has around 600 families involved in the business of stone engraving. The villagers are also skilled in jewelry and art work. Vietnam exports stones extracted from MarbleMountains. Recently the government has banned rock extraction in the area which has led to transportation of materials from the quarries in Quang Nam province.

There is a village at the base of Marble Mountains, Vietnamcalled Nui Kim Son meaning Mountain of Gold. Earlier it was the artisans from this village who made jewelry for the war lords. Today it is still the livelihood of many villagers.

Thuy Son (water) is the highest peak in Marble Mountains, Vietnam. Its fascinating beauty has resulted in its development as a major tourist attraction. The Tam Thai Pagoda is a major tourist attraction here. Carved into the mountains are atone steps that lead both to the Pagoda and the HuyenKhongCave. This pagoda has an interesting history of its own. Earlier both Hindu and Buddhist gods were paid tribute here. Today it is devoted to Cham deities. The HuyenKhongCave played an important role during the wars. It was one of the vital bases for the revolutionaries.

Arrived at Danag Street Children Center- founded by five professionals who wanted to help children. This center helps displaced children and street children, provides them with food, clothing, housing, education, health care and employment skills so they can mature into responsible adults and if possible, to reunite them with their relatives. The children have to be willing to attend.There are now five locations called families with 30 children in each.There are 42 social workers that assist with the residential programs.

Note - taken from brochure:The children live in good, well kept houses, have enough personal items and three meals daily.Those of appropriate age are sent to public school; and receive assistance for studying in colleges and universities.The others get education at evening classes and vocational training in the day time.Older girls are taught sewing, embroidery and knitting by machine.Older boys have apprentice jobs with wood workers, or electricians and mechanics.There are over 400 children who receive monthly scholarships from the contribution of charitable organizations.

The officials made a very large deal about our visit.There were cameras everywhere, media coverage, lots of games, and a buffet dinner (provided by Brittany's Hope Foundation) for staff, children, ourselves and some of the community.Vouchers were given to everyone and you could go to five different stations for food and beverages.This way you got to try a little bit of everything (noodles, pancakes, spring rolls, sweet potatoes, fruit, drinks, etc.).Everyone had a great time and we were able to purchase some souvenirs where the proceeds would benefit the center.It was again hard to say goodbye.

Crazy Kim's Restaurant -Some had hamburgers, some pizza.She originated this restaurant, gym, and spa to assist children of abuse by pedophiles.She also has a training center for them.She was gracious enough to come to the table to meet everyone.She is doing excellent work.

Day 11

Visited Danang Red Cross Orphanage.Money had been donated for 20 cribs and 5 beds for the orphanage and vocational center.Most of our time was spent putting the cribs together.They were metal with five sections.After a brief explanation, discovering what went where and having the right equipment, we were all well on our way to being experts.Seemed just as we got the hang of it, a glitch would appear and something wouldn't fit or we would have the wrong screw in the wrong place.If anyone knows me, they know I'm not mechanically inclined.Thankfully, I had good partners helping me.After the cribs were put together, we spent some time with the children and had "play" time with them.There were also special needs children here.One little girl was born with no ear lobes so she could not hear and there were was no one there to help her learn sign language so she had no way to express herself or communicate other than with her eyes and a few hand gestures.Very sad.

Orphanages have lost a lot of funding because of the restrictions on adoptions so they are struggling for funds.This orphanage was appreciative of our help but by no means as welcoming as some of the previous.It appeared to me that we seemed to be disrupting their schedules with the babies. Staff were nice but not as friendly as previous orphanages.

Time for relaxation on China Beach.Very nice beach - water is so, so clear.We went about 4:00 p.m. when the sun is not so hot.Most Vietnamese go around 4:00 or 5:00 p.m.Our guides had fruit on the beach for us afterwardsThey are very thoughtful.

After the beach and on our way to dinner, there was a festival and it seemed that there were millions of people on the beach -There were scooters everywhere.

Dinner was at Aspara.There was traditional music and a wonderful young dancer.She had a traditional costume and performed several numbers.