Since I have been getting up before sunrise, sleeping in means waking up at 7:00. After doing some food shopping, (which I am getting of the hang of given the language barrier and quirky way of doing things) I headed out to see the Thop Ba Ponagar temples. Four main buildings with working Buddhist alters being used by the numerous Chinese tourist. Shoes had to come off and robes worn to cover bare legs. Incense burning, the real deal; it was interesting watching the way the praying was being done. There were some bordering stone pathways and rock fountains to add to the ambiance of the site. There was a museum building giving before and after restoration pictures and some recreated statues of multi-handed Buddhas on display. At one point four Chinese woman in their thirties or forties insisted on me being in pictures with them, each separately. It was very strange but I went along with it. I have noticed the Chinese to be less considerate of others and of one’s personal space. They would bump into me in passing and just keep going without apologizing. The Vietnamese are quieter and more considerate.
Next stop was the large city market building and farm produce vendors outside. Live chickens to wrist watches to vegetables, meats, you name it. The outside area was s mess with trash layering the narrow road way and the smells didn’t do much for me either. I rode around the place and went into one section of the building before I decided I would rather be on the waterfront having a beer or two. I found a expansive beach front restaurant with a patio perfect for enjoying the beach, green water, surrounding mountains and islands. A nice breeze kept the temperature very pleasant. Back at my hotel I took a nap and had dinner at a neighboring outdoor restaurant.
Tomorrow, I will start off at 6:00 and pray for no hills and plenty of cloud cover. Phan Rang is fifty miles away. If I pace myself drink volumes of water, I should do ok.
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