Back from Vung Tau!

I got back from Vung Tau and then I was very busy! Today I get to rest a little bit after a somewhat stressful week. Things are changing at my school very quickly after some new leadership was apparently brought in, and I'm not totally sure it's all for the best. We'll see how I feel about things several months from now.

Overall, Vung Tau was pretty nice. I was VERY glad to get out of the huge sprawling city of Saigon for a bit. The countryside was quite beautiful. I really, really missed seeing things like trees, hills, and water. I went with my friends Brian and Olivia. Traveling alone can still be fun, but it's so much more satisfying to share your experiences with others. We got there by taxi, although it would have been better to go by bus. We live and learn, I suppose...

A View of Vung Tau from a Hill.

We arrived on Monday evening not long before the sun set. The city is quite striking at night, but my camera is terrible with low-light situations! I should really purchase a new one soon. We had dinner, talked, and walked around. I can't think of many things that are more relaxing after dealing with the stress of working and adapting to a new life.

The next morning, we had breakfast and went for a swim. The beach was kind of dirty, but I momentarily ignored my need for cleanliness and enjoyed the warm waters of the South China Sea. We had an interesting interaction with some locals. We sat in some beach chairs for about an hour and a half. No one was around or bothered us until the end when we were asked to pay an enormous fee for using the chairs! We left in an awkward fashion. I would have been happy to pay a bit (not the full amount!), but I forgot to in the confusion. Lesson learned for the future: Always agree on prices before using any services around here! (if you can find someone, that is)

Oh...Have I mentioned how aggressive Vietnamese cats can be about getting a bite to eat? I was of course scared for my life.

In the afternoon, we walked around a lot and did some sightseeing. We went on a cable car ride to the top of a mountain, saw an old French lighthouse, and enjoyed some inexpensive local food. Vung Tau is famous for a colossal statue of Jesus, but we ran out of time to see it. We took some pictures from a distance though.

Old French Lighthouse from 1910

There are some beautiful temples all over in Vietnam!

That's a lot of pictures for one post! The next morning, we caught a bus back to Saigon and life went on as normal. Where do I want to go next? Perhaps Phu Quoc Island? I just love tropical islands! I hear the beaches are nice and clean, I could go hiking in some tropical forests, and there's great seafood!