5 a.m. in Da Nang Vietnam is a magical time. I fall our of bed, do my morning devotions and then head to My Khe Beach. The beach had been closed due to Covid 19 restrictions but I could walk along the sidewalk and enjoy the views.
That all changed on April 23. Lockdown is over and the beach is open.
It was actually a bit more crowded than I was comfortable with. However I kept my mask on, stayed 2 meters away from folks and enjoyed the sights!
There were men and women exercising to upbeat music.
Lots of folks swimming, splashing and wading in the waves.
There were people exercising by themselves and in small groups.
The fisherfolk were out gathering the sea snails that I see all the time for sale in the local markets.
Lifeguards were vigilantly keeping watch.
Peaceful Falun Gong practitioners were greeting the morning.
Even though it was quite cloudy and cool it was an amazing morning.
And I was enjoying it all! Thank you for letting me share it with you.
Kathy and I feel very safe here in DaNang Vietnam. We have good reason for this. Vietnam has one of the lowest incidences of Covid 19 in the world. This is amazing when you consider that we share a border with China and are a mere 1200 miles away from Wuhan (where the virus first was documented).
There are many reasons for the low number of cases and the fact that there have been no deaths. This NPR article gives some details as to why this is so. The Vietnamese government was very proactive from the start. When we got off the plane in February we were carefully screened including our temperatures being taken. Masks have been worn for months, hand washing and social distancing have been stressed and for the most part respected.
I feel that in addition to a respect for governmental authority (say what you want, this is a Communist country), there is also a real level of concern for the well being of others. Masks are worn, not just to protect the wearer but for the protection of others. There has been no hoarding or panic buying of food or home goods. To alleviate food insecurity rice ATMs have been installed. While I have heard about some xenophobia, it is my understanding that it is not sanctioned by the government.
So BOLT intends to remain in DaNang until the pandemic is over, maybe even until a vaccine is created. We are practicing social distancing, eating well and enjoying our time together. We know we are extremely privileged during these times. We hold all those who are sick and are affected negatively by the pandemic in our prayers and meditations.
Kathy and I have been talking about gratitude a lot lately. Not just talking about it but practicing it. These are scary, uncertain times. One thing that helps to keep me grounded are gratitude lists.
There are many ways to make a gratitude list. Kathy recently shared about one method on her YouTube Channel. Gratitude lists can be done mentally like I do first thing in the morning. They can be written in many different ways. Today, on this post I am doing a pictorial gratitude list. I’m going to share pictures of 10 things that I am grateful for. They are in no particular order.
1. I can’t imagine doing this alone! I am grateful for our marriage and all the ways we are blessed to be together!2. I am grateful for our extended family and that everyone is safe and healthy. 3. I am grateful for all the wonderful friends we have made while traveling. I’m grateful that we check in on one another even during lockdown.4. I’m grateful for my best friend, Lecia, and for all the ways we support one another.5. I’m grateful for the gift of motherhood and for my 3 amazing sons!6. Being a grandma is awesome! I’m really grateful for my 4 grandchildren!7. I’m grateful for my mom. Even though she is no longer with us, I’m forever grateful for her!8. I’m super grateful for technology, like my phone (https://amzn.to/2wGqMHC) our computers, television, etc. They really help to keep my connected, informed and busy.9. I’m grateful for the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables and that I can walk to this local market.10. I’m grateful for our rooftop pool and for my sweet neighbor. I’m grateful that I can be her substitute grandma while she is far from her home.What are you grateful for? I love doing these challenges. Maybe they can help get you started.
Living under shelter in place rules means that the highlight of my day is a walk to the local market. I try to find and share beauty every day. I often find it in the fruits of Vietnam.
Many of these fruits were unusual to me. I’ve tried to buy and try most of them. Of course there are lots of pineapple, mango and watermelon, but I thought I’d share some of the more unusual ones here.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit has a funky smell but is really sweet and delicious. It can be used as substitute for meat in tacos and curries.
Sapodilla
This is a sapodilla or sapote. It’s really delicious, having sweet cinnamony taste.
Custard Apple
I never had a custard apple until coming to Vietnam. While it’s not very pretty it is really delicious-sweet and creamy, lots of seeds though.
Star Fruit
Star fruit are really lovely as a garnish on a fruit plate. I’ve yet to have one that is anything but bland and sour.
RambutanLongan
I fell in love with rambutan and longan in Thailand. They are well worth the effort it takes to get them out of their skins and into your mouth. Their taste reminds me of a green grape.
Mangosteen
Mangosteen has all sorts of health benefits and it’s really good too.
Bananas
The bananas in Southeast Asia taste different than the ones in North America. I like the small ones the best. They are sweet and firm.
Dragon Fruit
Dragon Fruit gets my vote for the prettiest fruit! It has a very bland but not unpleasant flavor.
I’d love to hear from you about which of these fruits have you tried. I’m sure I’ve left some out. Please let me know.
These are trying times for us all. Kathy and I are safely in Vietnam and doing well. We are practicing social distancing which is not so easy for these 2 Black old lesbians! This blog is about some of the things Kathy and I are doing to stay physically well, mentally strong and emotionally positive during the pandemic.
I assume we’ve all read all the information about hand washing, avoiding crowds, corona statistics, etc. In fact, I feel like I’m reading the news more than I should. We feel a lot of concern for our family and friends all over the world. There’s a lot of uncertainty, fear and anxiety. Here are some of the things we can all do instead of spending time in worry or the 24 hour news cycle.
Spend Time in Prayer, Meditation and Quiet
I think this is probably the most important thing that we each do daily. We give each other time and space, every morning and evening, to attend to our individual spiritual practices.
Get Plenty of Fresh Air and Exercise
Even in “shelter in place” situations going outside for a walk or exercise is allowed, and even encouraged. But people are asked to keep their distance from others. I’m participating in the Girl Trek 30 Day Walking Challenge. I’m also extremely grateful that we have a pool and I swim daily. Kathy goes out for a daily walk. She says that if she didn’t walk daily her days would feel very empty.
Keep Mentally Active with Reading, Hobbies and Creative Activities
I’m writing this blog and fool around with Pinterest pages. Kathy has created a YouTube channel. We both read and play brain challenging computer games. These are all great ways to pass the time when faced with stay at home situations.
Keep Your Immune System Strong
There are lots of beautiful fruits and vegetables here in Vietnam and we have found plenty of healthy choices for food. We drink lots of water. Devise at home self care rituals. A silver lining of the pandemic is that we have plenty of time for rest.
Reach Out, Be of Service, Stay in Touch
Even with social distancing or quarantine I think we can find ways to connect with and help one another. If you are member of a 12 Step fellowship there are phone and online meetings. You can brighten someone’s day with a phone call. You can arrange a treat to be delivered to a neighbor or friend or offer to shop for an elder. We’d love to hear from you. Please share your ideas for thriving during these difficult times.
I felt like a celebrity yesterday! You know, the one who rents out the entire amusement park in order to avoid lines, crowds, etc?
Our small group of 15 had the Nui Than Water Park almost completely to ourselves!
This place is amazing! Acres of traditional water park spaces with slides, lazy rivers and splash zones.
The hot springs are really hot! We enjoyed a wonderful, long soak in beautiful, natural surroundings.
The park is amazingly designed with a lot of attention to detail. They have a tram service to take you around to all the sites.
There are lovely plantings and lots of very cool dinosaurs, dragons and other beautiful statues and displays.
Kind of unusual at a water park was the virtual reality theater. We thoroughly enjoyed an amazing 9D roller coaster ride!
There is a restaurant and options for mud baths, beauty treatments, and massages.
Of course, for us the best part of the day was spending time with friends and family!
We hope you enjoyed these pictures (visit https://amzn.to/2wGqMHC for the camera phone we use) and this account of our day. We love questions and comments!
Kathy and I are really enjoying our time here in Da Nang. This coastal city in central Vietnam has so much to offer. I love all the photo ops and keep my camera phone handy at all times.
We love talking long walks along the clean beach and breathing the fresh clean air. There is usually a nice breeze blowing too.
In Da Nang you are literally surrounded and by water as the lovely and peaceful Han River runs through town.
The river has played a significant role in the development of Da Nang. There are 10 bridges crossing the river. The city is on both sides of the river.
One thing we really love about Da Nang is the towering Kwan Yin statue that watches over the city. I really feel the energy of her loving compassion.
There’s an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables in Da Nang. I especially like visiting our local market, Bac My An.
Being right on the ocean, Da Nang seems to be a seafood lover’s paradise.
I’ve been super pleased with the vegetarian options I’ve found.
One of the best things about Da Nang is our ex pat people of color community. We meet frequently for brunches, game nights and outing.
We are looking forward to at least another month here in Da Nang and have found a great apartment with a rooftop pool, 2 blocks from the beach!
We have found the people of Vietnam to be friendly, helpful and kind.
We are very happy here and feel quite safe. I know people have concerns about the Corona virus but Vietnam is currently considered one of the safer countries to be in Southeast Asia. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions, comments or concerns.
Any visit to DaNang is not complete without a trip to the ancient town of Hoi An.
Hội An is a city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals. The former port city’s melting-pot history is reflected in its architecture, a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shophouses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda.
Hoi An is also a well known spot for bespoke and tailor made dresses and suits. On the recommendation of a local we visited Naly Tailor and Cloth Shop. For a very reasonable price we are having some pants and dressses made. The owner, Twi, is very lovely and creative.
I do have to say that Hoi An is quite touristy and the vendors can be very assertive. There are beautiful lanterns, kimonos and jewelry for sale everywhere. Be sure you bargain for your souvenirs, etc. Remember, the first price is never the final price!
Be sure to stay for the evening in Hoi An as that’s when the town really comes alive. The lights are so beautiful!
We ended our day with a lazy ride down the river. It was so peaceful and our boat captain was fantastic!
By the way, BOLT is now an Amazon affiliate. Throughout our posts you may find links to Amazon products you may be interested in. For instance, I took all the photos for this post using my Redmi phone. Click the link for more details. As always please let us know if you have any questions or comments to share.
Take a deep breath, face any fears of heights you may have and ride the world’s longest non-stop cable car to the beautiful Golden Bridge.
I had been looking forward to seeing this bridge since I knew we were coming to DaNang, Vietnam.
Little did I know, Ba Na Hills, home to the Golden Bridge, offers much, much more.
Bà Nà Hill Station (or Bà Nà Hills) is a hill station and resort located in the Trường Sơn Mountains west of the city of Da Nang, in central Vietnam. The station, advertised as “the Da Lat of Danang province” by local tourism authorities, was founded in 1919 by French colonists. The colonists had built a resort to be used as a leisure destination for French tourists. Being located above 1500 metres above sea level, it has a view of the East Sea and the surrounding mountains.
Today it is home to a world class theme park and a must visit when in DaNang. There are several levels of the park with cable cars and walking paths connecting each level. The Golden Bridge is the first stop and of course, everyone spends lots of time marveling at the bridge and taking pictures.
There are meticulously maintained gardens and lovely statues to enjoy. We certainly got a lot of walking done on each level.
There is a whole amusement park level full of rides, exhibits and arcade games!
I was especially impressed as all the games and rides were included in our admission price of 750,000 Vietnamese Dong ($32 USD). Its really a great place to take children of all ages. You could really spend the whole day just on the amusement park level.
We enjoyed a modestly priced Asian buffet ($14 USD) and there are lots of snack options throughout the park.
We went with a great group of people which of course made the whole outing more enjoyable. I highly recommend BaNa Hills to anyone visiting this part of Vietnam. If you have any questions or comments please leave them here. We’d love to hear from you.
We are in Vietnam, in the beautiful and historic city of Hue. Today we visited the root temple of Thich Naht Hanh, the world renown Buddhist monk and mindfulness teacher.
This is the temple where Thay, as he is affectionately known by his students, received his monk and where he wishes to end his days.
We understand that Thay is currently in Bangkok for medical care but I felt his influence and presence at this peaceful spot.
We enjoyed our time here, walking mindfully throughout the beautiful grounds.
Portions of the temple closed to visitors and are reserved for the monks only. We understand there are tours and meditation teas available.
For today we felt very happy and blessed to just stroll around. We do hope to find and return for a meditation retreat soon.
BOLT: Black Old Lesbians Traveling 