OMG, the FATHER of all trips ;-) it was in planning but only some of it came true

I thought that under present circumstances 'Mother of all trips' might not be a suitable title.  The trip starts in Lisbon (don't ask how I'm going to get a bicycle there; it's doable ;-)

It's going south to the Portuguese side of the Straits of Gibraltar.

What's in Southern Portugal?  I have no idea, but I have seen pictures ;-)

close to Faro

Cross over into Spain, and Seville should not be missed.  They have Oranges there ;-)

Cadiz also looks like it's worth a stop

Of course, I couldn't miss Gibraltar when I'm in the neighbourhood, could I?

Malaga?   Hey, it's on the way:

And a highlight:  El Caminito del Rey (With my last name, HOW could I NOT go there, LOL)

Why El Caminito del Rey?  1) Because it EXISTS, LOL.  2) Because one of the most haunting renditions of All along the watchtower, sung by no less than Dave Matthews and Neil Young (LOL), forms the background music to THIS VIDEO (Do yourself a favour and watch it! Note: The video contains a walk along El Caminito BEFORE restauration; it's MUCH safer now ;-)

much mas seguro !

Why Granada?

Rumours of my disappearance have been greatly exaggerated: Too busy to finish posts.

The Beach XII: DONE in the nick of time. And rushing back .......

5:00

I'm exhausted. The hacking cough doesn't help much.

I head to Song Cau at 9 am. The Funds HAVE ARRIVED !  They are sitting in a US$ account and the seller just opened a US$ account at the same branch yesterday.  So I write down the amount of Dollars to transfer to his account and get a head-shake as a response. Moving Dollars from one account to another account at the same branch is NOT possible, LOL.

I got this far and I'm not going to give up now.  2 hours later, I ride to town again.  This time on the back of the scooter of the seller.  I am going to withdraw the amount that I was going to transfer in CASH in Vietnamese Dong. Considering that 1 USD converts to 22000 VND, you can imagine why I wonder whether my backpack is large enough to hold that amount of cash.  It is ;-)

Tanh is Binh's nephew.  Only 10 days ago he returned from Germany, where he spent ONE YEAR as an o-pair type child-care-taker-nanny.  He speaks German but NO English.   I probably don't have to mention that he is ADORABLE.

I ask him what he thinks about Germany and whether he is happy to be back in Vietnam.  Is he EVER happy to be back home. Family, climate, etc. Nothing unexpected there. But he floors me when he adds something:   He had many friends over there, but they didn't have much time for him because they were always busy studying and working.   OMG, that sounds SO familiar to my life in Vancouver.  And I know that I seem to be so much busier in Vancouver.   Western Society is a Lifetime-Eating Monster, LOL.


I thought Binh was joking when she said that Quang would bring his wife AND his kids to the contract signing.  But apparently it's a family affair in these parts.   So we all sign a sale-and-down-payment contract in triplicate.

Then it's time to hand over the contents of my backpack ;-)

I need a second to reflect on that....

This is IT.   THIS is the first step to emigrate to a different society the second time in my life.  At the very least it's now certain that I will spend A LOT MORE time in Vietnam after this.  I have to BUILD a HOUSE after all, LOL.

This is IT.  My ticket out of a society that I have grown to detest and despise.  My ticket to a life where I smile all day long every day.  One episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations dealt with his wish to live in Vietnam permanently.  But it was too complicated for him.  But I'm going to do it.  I'm going to live in paradise ;-)


Stop at Life's a Beach.  Maybe Steve wasn't kidding when he said that I'd be CUT OFF if I'm no longer a staying guest.  Everyone but Bao seems to be much colder today.  But then Steve is acting strangely and maybe that is reflecting on the staff.  Or maybe it's ME who is WEIRD after what happened today ?

I can detect no signs of odd behaviour caused by a WEIRD guest at the Kiwi Connection, where I stop to renew the scooter for one day. Same old, Same old.

NOT QUITE: I order a Crepe with chocolate sauce and what I get is a crepe with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.   At first I am appalled but then realize that it's divine LOL.


The Mini House Hotel in Quy Nhon.  Last time I was here the owner told me that he drinks his 'Medicinal wine" with his guests.  He wasn't kidding !
I am finishing my bottle of Ruou Vang Thrang AND a few shots of his 45% 'medicinal' wine before I even get my room keys at 9 pm.   At some point he vanishes to get some food that OF Course is shared. Pork wrapped in Guava leaves with raw garlic all to be dipped into his wife's home-made chili sauce.    I would pay an arm and a leg to get this explosion of flavours anywhere in the Western World.   
Then he tells me that the secret ingredient has been soaking in his 'medicinal' wine for TWO YEARS.  To kill the TOXINS.   I ask him what the SECRET ingredient is but since it is SECRET, he won't divulge it.   But given that it took TWO YEARS to kill the TOXINS I probably drank snake or scorpion booze tonight, LOL.   

These last two hours perfectly exemplify why I LOVE this country.   Once you have experienced living like THIS, you can NEVER go back !  

There are actual INDIVIUALS living in this country, NOT just Lulu-lemon-wearing Prozac-popping CLONES of a favourite celebrity.  
People here LIVE their own lives, instead of IMITATING those of others!

The Beach IX: Swimming, Translating, Sleeping. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

5:00
I have a cough. I'm tired. I'm listless. I think I'll skip the walk and swim today.

5:30
Screw it.  Soon I won't have this beach anymore. Need to make use of it NOW.

I'm not the only one who went for a dip.   

Most Vietnamese can not swim.  So they stay close to the shore or to another person ;-)

6:00
I'm wide awake, high-spirited and my cough seems to be gone.  Is a beach walk & swim all it takes to turn a horrible morning into a glorious one?   Is it the secret remedy that turns every day into a glorious one?

The consequences of that thought are mind-boggling. Even more reasons to leave Vancouver ! 

6:10
Grandma doesn't sound as chipper as yesterday. A constant worry.  But sitting in Vancouver holding her hand every day is not a good solution either.

9:15
Back to work or a nap?  Both!

14:30
HUNGRY

YES, all you poor schmucks in the lands of the red pre-cooked Safeway prawns.  These are REAL prawns, LOL

Cost of the above meal including one can of Bia Sai Gon: 69,000 VND.

18:00
dinner

Quang's wife keeps smiling at me and keeps taking pictures of me.  But in a nice way.

And I do it again.  The return to my personal Gulag is in sight and to compensate for that I book a flight.   But CAD$ 662 for a March return flight Vancouver Saigon is REALLY a good deal !  Vietnam Airlines now flies to Vancouver !  

Just for fun, I check out an all inclusive single person 2-week trip to Varadero in the same time period.  The cheapest Air Transat package costs CAD$ 1930.  LOL, Canadians REALLY get punished.  Only 2 weeks of vacation per year and then they have to pay such OUTRAGEOUS prices for MEDIOCRE holidays.  Working your ass off in a country that you believe is the greatest but which rips you off every chance it gets.  A fate worth than death!  

But I have a ticket to Vietnam.  I'll sleep better now, LOL.