Day Seven

I'll start off with a few more random facts that we've learned/noticed.

1. Nose picking is widely accepted and I've even witnessed someone on the street performing an advaced double-nose-pick using both the index and the middle finger in perfect tandum.  I feel like I could openly pick and fit right in - Jaydee wrote this when I stepped away from the computer.

2. Vietnam was wise enough to remove the primitive coin money form. Only paper - how refreshing! Oh to be rid of the eight pounds of jangle in my pocket bottoms totaling a dollar seventeen - what a delight.

Our day started at the massage huts (where Jade received a facial yesterday). Jade briskly signed us up for a Thai massage after her facial - as she was quite impressed after her services. Welcomed graciously by the well manicured young man, we were escorted thru the garden and into a private hut where Jade and I removed our close except underwear (we were told) behind an assisted hand-held towel via the massager's helpers. We laid face-down on low strung and wide massage tables, cut outs for our faces and plenty of room for our body and our masseuse's. The entrance was draped off making our little hut rather dark and cool with the smell of humidity still lingering. Reminded me a lot of my childhood viewings of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - of course in the most pleasant way possible. This being my first 'real massage', I looked over at Jade a time or two to make sure we were receiving the intended service. Jade remained face down, seemingly enjoying, so I assumed we were good. Smashing the backsides of our feet and moving row by row up our legs pressing deeply into our meaty thighs - I was torn whether this was good for my muscles or going to leave bruises (or potentially both). Moving into some stretching of our legs, I was strangely reminded of an old football stretch our football coaches called the 'Sir Walter Raleighs'. Our legs were compressed and pulled and wiggled and waved around. At one point I was convinced the masseuse would only stop after my leg had been pulled completely off. Up our backs - down each arm - poking deeply into our bodies working up and down as if they were working a pimple from our foot up our body and out our heads. The masseuse was standing next to me, then on the table next to me, then straddling over me, then I think standing on me...? Next the masseuse worked on my one shoulder, tapping, waiting, tapping some more... I thought, this is an odd section of the massage. I looked up and the masseuse was smiling and signaling for me to lie on my back. A little embarrassed I complied quickly. More of the same for the front of my body and all of the sudden Jade and I, in unison, were gently rocked forward into a cross-legged sitting position. We both opened our eye for the first time in 60 or so minutes feeling ready to take on the world...  Or.. ready to run a marathon...  Or... ready to walk to the next pho street cart we see. Walking to the central hut to pay, my body felt weird. Almost invisible. Like my head was taking a ride on a vehicle other than my body. I did feel good afterward - and Jade confirmed with me that that was indeed a good massage. We tipped our masseuses with a $2.00 bill (US dollar) as we had heard the Vietnamese like them. This was our first test to see if they did, and they did! Very gratefully they accepted and the well manicured guy at the register asked if we had any more that we could exchange for VN Dong. He wanted one too. Since we only had one left - we said no and went on our way.

We trekked the long way around town to get to the local town market. It took longer than expected but we got a great workout. In the heat of the day we stopped numerous times reapplying sun screen. During a long unshaded straightaway, Jade ducked us into a little courtyard toting street food and cold beverages. We shared some of the best pho we've had on the trip to date, and a cold Saigon Green hit the spot entirely.

We made it to the town's market and have photos to prove it. Yet another lively - bustling - colorful commerce center - freshly stocked flopping fish, squawking chickens, quiet vegetables, flip-flops, t-shirts, chopsticks you name it. Walmart couldn't beat the selection that's for sure. Being the big spenders that we are, we splurged on a 50 cent set of 16 wooden chopsticks.

Our bodies were still working desperately to keep us cool by sweating and sweating some more, and when the intermittent breeze whispered by it worked. Ready to head back for the night we hopped in a taxi, and let me tell you how happy we were to feel the air conditioning of that taxi! Easily one of the most pleasant taxi rides we've had.

The night was topped off drinking an ice cold (well close to it) Saigon Green and watching the sun drop below the perfectly flat line of the sea.

Day Seven - still in tact - still having a great time.