Nha Trang, Vietnam

Thursday, October 20 Nha Trang, Vietnam
This was the only port that required tenders. We were docked at Phu My, an area outside of Nha Trang. This was also the first day of this cruise that had less than ideal weather. It is the beginning of the rainy season and in the morning it poured. The good news is that the sun did come out, but not before we were all soaked. We were part of a group of 18 that had arranged a private tour with a local. The tour began with a visit to an embroidery factory where young girls make about $100 per month to hand make beautiful silk embroidery paintings. The next stop was at Pagoda Orphanage. We had such a great time interacting with the children. They seemed quite happy and well cared for. Next was a bus ride followed by a hike on foot thru flooded alleyways to see a typical home where the locals are making mats. By now the rain has stopped but the area is still flooded. We are taken to a restaurant where local music is being played and we had an opportunity to try some of the local fruits including dragon fruit, papaya, watermelon, pineapple, bananas and some fruits I was not able to identify. After such a great appetizer, we then traveled out of town to a restaurant on the river for a true Vietnamese lunch. Following the lunch, we went by boat down the Cai River to the Ponagar Temple, an outstanding example of Cham architecture, situated on Mount Cu Lao. This temple dates back to the 8th century. As with most tours, this one ended with time to shop at the local market where bargaining and fending off hawkers is a way of life. Nha Trang was much more of a resort town than I had realized. It has a 7 km beach that runs the length of the city and resort hotels throughout the city. The city is alive and vibrant with new construction, but still had the character of the old world.