traveling early in the morning,
to renew my visa, and stay in this country
that I am loving more each day
streets filled with people
wearing masks on their motorbikes,
riding two, three, and four on the seat,
everyone with a fierce determination
to get where they are going
no rules of the road,
like the wild west,
driving on sidewalks
carrying adults, infants,
families, friends, and paying passengers
the old people
sitting on the sidewalks,
smoking their cigarettes
and watching the world go by,
not in a hurry anymore
foot massages, body massages,
hair and nail care shops everywhere,
with street vendors chasing future customers
“Mister, let me shine your shoes,”
looking down at my tennis shoes,
and thinking to myself,
everyone is looking ahead to a brighter future
Reflections after living in Saigon for the past year and a half….
My friends ask me “How long am I going to be living in Saigon?”
and I can only tell them, “I am happy living here and will stay until I am no longer happy.”
In this travel diary, I have tried to show the wonderful food available here,
the entertainment and sports available to enjoy and stay healthy, some of the many places
to stay and visit in Saigon, and the culture of the country. Another benefit to being here is
the central location of Vietnam and the accessibility for travel to different countries.
I was recently asked, “If I had made many friends in Vietnam?” and my reply was
that I had spent years staying busy building my business and now I was staying
busy developing relationships and friends. Here is part a poem I wrote after a visit to
seaside town of Vung Tau and I think it best answers the question.
Visting Vung Tau by the Sea
Waiting at the Hoa Mai VIP Transport office,,
traveling by bus to the seaside town of Vung Tau
and hoping to make new friends along the way
I don’t feel in a hurry anymore,
just letting life happen and see where it takes me,
arriving in the evening to our hotel
and our waiting motorbikes
Riding around Vung Tau on a motorbike,
feeling the wind in my face
and secure with my arms
wrapped around my new friend’s waist
Having pho for breakfast
with lots of laughs,
not understanding a word
but who cares with lots of pretty girls to look at
On Saturday we go to the Cafe Lang Xua for coffee,
sitting in the shade with my new friends,
being confused by the board game Coup and
learning to play Pentangle
In the evening we go to the beach,
swimming in the sea which relaxes me,
my inner darkness lifts as I come out of the water
and join everyone in taking goofy pictures of each other
On Sunday we enjoy breakfast sharing pics,
going to the fish market,
and buying fresh crab and squid to take back to Saigon
as presents for family and friends
Onthe bus ride home,
I reflected on what I liked the most,
doing what was most difficult for me,
being emotionally involved with others
Tom