SnapDragon in Vietnam: Part 2.

Hi! I’m still here, Dear Reader. And I don’t wanna leave.

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I feel like a bit of a heel, writing about the wonders of my three-month vacation while the horrors of the news continue to shock us all. At the very least, I hope it can be a distraction for you, Dear Reader.

(sends a digital hug to everyone, everywhere)

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We’ve been in this beautiful country for two months now. It feels like ages have passed since we had our first breakfast here; it feels like we’ve lived many lives since then, and in the best possible way.

Light freckles have emerged on my SPF-covered face, smiling at being someplace new. My eyes crinkle with laughter at how easy life is here. Is it time for another salt coffee? Should we go to the beach, or wait until it’s cooler tonight? We’re low on water, so let’s go buy a five-gallon jug for $1.16.

Now don’t get me wrong: there are tough days. When the heat is next-level and the kids have decided to press every possible button to its max, I have moments where I miss my closet of clean dish towels, and yearn for my beloved vacuum cleaner. Either way, I fall into bed most nights feeling like new muscles have been activated. I’m the newest version of myself, and I like her.

And I am so, so happy we’re doing this.

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So what have we been up to in recent weeks? Here’s a little breakdown for ya.

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Hoi An.

By the time of my last posting, we were finishing up our time in Hoi An, the ancient town. Our villa was very quaint, with a gigantic tiled bath tub right outside our French doors, serving as our own personal pool.

We weren’t able to comfortably walk into town, so Grab rides were a daily thing. Unbeknownst to us, Hoi An is a massively popular tourist destination, and crowded nearly every day of the year. (We sort of thought we were going to a more rural place, at least compared to Da Nang.)

But we did our best with our two strollers, taking in the sights. More delicious coffees. More friendly locals. I bought a tote bag hand-woven in bright, SnapDragon-approved colors. We skirted around moped-choked sidewalks, walking right along with traffic and placing good faith in our fellow human beings. (You do get used to it. Basically, no one has the right of way. Everyone belongs, and you just gotta keep three eyes open, moving where you need to. Seems like good life advice, right?)

Overall, we enjoyed our stay in Hoi An. If we had to do it over, we would stay right in town, so we could walk to everything. (Although our villa was relaxing, as I said.)

An Thuong.

For those not in the know, An Thuong is the ex-pat area of Da Nang. Things are much more expensive (still much cheaper than back home), but there are so many coffee shops, restaurants, and shops to explore. There’s a hopping vibe (gosh, how old do I sound) that makes it seem like something is always going on. It’s a fun feeling, just like I felt while living in Philly.

We stayed there for just under two weeks. Our hotel was called The Livie, and it was very comfortable, and really very quiet. (Except for us, of course. Blaring Ms. Rachel and whatnot.) But it felt like a perfect fit for us.

I also discovered a little artist’s shop, not even a block away. The postcards displayed on the sidewalk definitely called my name, so inside I went. Kindred spirits, for sure.

As far as food goes, we continued with a lot of western food, due to the kids. The pizza and burritos we had were quite excellent, as was the service. (Back home we pay like $12 for a mediocre burrito made by a postgrad with a bad attitude. In An Thuong our entire family ate for about that much, and the people working made sure I was comfortable as I waited, making small talk about my travel plans, and asking about my daughter in the stroller. And no tip expected, of course.*) The burrito was also the thickest I have ever seen.**

But alas, we did not travel to Vietnam to eat very good pizza or burritos. We wanted some authentic Vietnamese cuisine! Would it ever come to pass? Would the embassy revoke our visas on the basis of us being so completely lame? Stay tuned!

And then we moved a bit north in San Tra. . .

But this post is long enough and I’m tired.

Sending love to you, friend.

Photos to come.

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SnapDragon is a teacher, writer, and painter. Follow Snippets of SnapDragon for irreverent musings, book reviews, and more.

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*Don’t get me started on how completely effed tipping culture is in the US. (And I wholeheartedly believe in a good tip for exceptional service.)

**I know, I know. Opportunity missed for a joke.