July 6: finally, the beach!

So right now, I am at the most popular beach in Nha Trang, drinking a cup of avocado shake and right across from me An and Elizabeth are sharing a large coconut size of coconut ice cream and a cup of fresh orange juice. Right next our table is white, pearly sand that is warm but not too hot to walk on. The sound of rippling blue water lapping against the sound, the chatter of Vietnamese friends, and the calls of seagulls greet our ears.

Suffice to say, I think I'm in paradise.

An, Elizabeth, and I took a cab (on our own) to the beach and that cost us around 5 dollars in total. We were at a store that sells fabric for áo dài (the traditional Vietnamese dress) and had just finished choosing two designs for our dresses. We need them for our cousin's engagement party and wedding which are on the 10th and 16th respectively. The wedding is the main reason why we're even in Vietnam.

I'm really relieved that the wedding stuff is not taking up too much of our vacation. We have time to relax and sleep, and just have fun.

I don't remember much of our beach adventures ten years ago, but now I have the beauty of the beach engrained in my memories. The beach stretches miles and miles along the busiest road of Nha Trang and the best restaurants and shopping places can be found on the boardwalk.

As expected, the three of us got weird looks because of the way we dressed. Add in Elizabeth, who is Italian-American, and anyone can tell that we don't exactly 'belong' in Vietnam. I hate it that people talk to us in English. I mean, my sister and I are clearly Vietnamese, and even though we are also American, we still know basic Vietnamese language. Plus, I want to practice speaking Vietnamese.

I got so frustrated that I decided to be funny (and mean?) and started speaking Spanish to one of the people who tried to sell us stuff on the beach. The guy looked completely confused! What a shocker. Next time (or tomorrow), I'll try talking in Japanese (or as a good friend says 'Nihongo!')

It was so nice to just rest on the beach and get tan. One of my aunts said, however, that natives of Vietnam rather be white because it seems more "western." Some (crazy) people wear long-sleeved sweaters and long pants to try and block the sun (I don't know why they don't try wearing sunscreen). People even peel some of their skin! Scary!

But it's quite the opposite in America, right? (in Fairfield, CT, haha)

Also, while the other two were swimming, someone starts calling my name, but I just ignored it because I thought: “Out of all the spots on this big beach, who would come and find me?” Well, it was my cousin’s intended. His name I always forget, but it’s not like I don’t like him; my memory is just bad. But yes, he came by my chair and I was ready to attack, thinking it was some pervert (because there’s a lot in Vietnam—and my sister said that she thought the same thing and was ready to help me) but no, it was this nice, unassuming guy who just wanted to take his cousin-in-laws out to lunch.

He really is a nice guy for my cousin. He’s quiet, considerate, and thoughtful like my cousin. They’re a good match.

Later, when we went home, the scariest thing happened! My uncle let us try his motorcycle, and of course, I refused, knowing I could not operate it at all. He just said no and practically forced me on the vehicle.

He shouldn’t have.

I guess I had pressed the accelerator when I should have pressed the brake, but next thing I knew, I was getting helped up by my sister. Apparently, I crashed into one of the coconut trees and broke a flower pot, and then I fell to the ground and was unresponsive for a few seconds. Yeah, good times.

Guess I’m not gonna ride a motorcycle any time soon. My uncle, my dad (who was there), Liz and An promised not to tell the tiger moms about the incident as they would turn to blame my uncle and not me. And—poor guy—I don’t want that. Nor do I want to get in trouble!

Later, we took a quick nap, then headed out with the guy’s family—sort of like the meet and greet before the wedding week. We went to this really cool restaurant called in Vietnamese, Yellow Straw, that sits right on a river. Now, we Vietnamese tend to order way too much, and that’s what my cousin and her fiancé did!

Mì quảng, noodle soup for breakfast

Yellow Straw

First of 5 entrees!

Beach (many people are working during this time so that's why it's so empty :) More room for us!)

Here comes the food coma! Day 4, we plan to get even more tan :)