Spent the day walking around
the backpacker area where there are many different tourist agencies and
restaurants. There were so many tourists walking around with (guess what on
their backs)- yes, backpacks and tour books in their hands. Everyone trying to
figure out where they are going next and how they are getting there. I have
originally thought that I would travel by train thru Vietnam but bus may be
easier and less expensive – but more time consuming. They have what they call open
bus tickets and you pay one price at the beginning and then you can stop
wherever you want and stay the number of days you want in a particular
city. I met a Vietnamese girl in
the park and we were talking and she thinks that it might be easier because
then I don’t have to worry about buying tickets at the train station at each
city. HCMC (Ho Chi Minh City) has a lot of nice parks and they are always
filled with people (day or night).
Many people go there to walk and exercise; a lot of the parks have exercise
equipment. Also groups of people just visiting or playing Jianzi (which
according to the internet is not just a pastime but a national sport which is
played like hacky sack but with a birdie like in badminton but it is weighted). At night, the parks are filled with
couples whispering in each other’s ears or smooching on the park benches. After I had walked around quite a bit,
I went to sit under a shade tree to rest for a little while in the park. Within
a few minutes, a Vietnamese lady came to sit with me and visited. She was very
interested in why I was there and what I am doing and where I was from. Then after she left, a few minutes
later another Vietnamese girl came by and wanted to talk also. She was in her
early twenties going to school for Accounting and we talked about many things
comparing our different cultures.
In a lot of places I have been, women ask about the acceptance of single
women who are older than thirty whether it is acceptable. In a lot of these
countries, women should be married by then or else they get a lot of social
pressure and even looked down upon. But I think in the big cities, women are
slowing changing and not wanting to marry early. They want to go to University
and get a good job.
I am starting to feel like a pro
crossing the streets now. And also getting more comfortable riding behind Thoa
on the scooter. I don’t have to close my eyes as often but sometimes still suck
my breath in to make myself skinner when we get close to other bikes. I have also been riding the city buses
and just when I thought I was doing so good – tonight trying to get back to my
place I ended up in a different part of the city. But I know I got on the 152 bus,
which I was supposed to get on. But luckily, the bus driver took me to where I
was supposed to go. I think it was the end of his shift, so it was very nice of
him. I will have to find out tomorrow from Suong what I did wrong. Oh, well –
the universe is looking out for me – Thanks!
