Catching up after Ho Chi Minh's revenge

Ho Chi Minh's Revenge - I am sure that everyone has heard of Montezuma's revenge so we came up with a new term for this calamity that can occur while traveling to Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh - Long considered the figurehead of the Viet Cong and the communist movement of Vietnam during the Vietnam war.

It seems that both Mark and I were afflicted with a bad stomach disorder which left us down for the count for a few days.

We are not sure whether it was the breakfast of Vietnamese beef soup, Calzones from a Pizzeria run by an Italian, or the BBQ'ed shrimp we cooked over coals Saturday night.

Needless to say we were hurtin' pups for a few days with a slight fever, cold chills and just a down right crappy feeling.

We were however in the very good care of Harry's mother-in-law who got us re hydrated and fixed up with enough Immodium to get us back on track. She owns and operates one of the most modern and premier Pharmacies in Vung Tau and always takes good care for us when we get sick or hurt.

Harry's Mother in Law -
"Me" ( Mother in Vietnamese)

After feeling much better in a few days we resumed riding our motorbikes around the peninsula where we were able to dodge traffic of all kinds.

An afternoon chillin' out at Pineapple Beach with Thoa and Nini. - we took Thoa and Nini over to Pineapple Beach which is a great place to swim, relax - swig Heiney's and watch the sunset.

Thoa and Nini chased little sand crabs which are very fast and about the size of a dime. If you are fast you can catch them and if not they go into their little hole in the sand. Those two love chasing and catching these tiny crabs and then bringing them home to stick in the aquarium for turtle food.

Thoa and Harry enjoy the Sunset at Pineapple Beach

Temple at the top of the Mountain - Harry, Mark, Thoa and Daniella took a trip up the Biggest Mountain in Vung Tau to see a Buddhist temple / Pagoda situated overlooking the Beach part of Vung Tau City.

We met the main Monk there and he told us a lot about his life and the history of this temple. He was really cool and smiled a lot telling us about the recent destruction of the temple from a Typhoon.

The temple grounds are located just below an army post on Big Mountain.
The Monk, 35, is Cambodian. His name, written, is just swirls and dashes. Life in his homeland was so bad he became religious to turn his life around, came to Vietnam and is now the head monk here after 18 years.



Three years ago a typhoon destroyed the compound, but there are now signs of the wreckage now except in pictures on a wall in the main shrine where we left a donation.



At 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. each day they pray and during the day they study their Buddhist Bible. He says they will go out on mission trips only when asked.

He is a pleasant man who offered us cold bottled water and allowed us to walk the grounds and take pictures.

L to R - Mark, Harry, Nini (bored and ready to go) Monk and Thoa


Vung Tau City in background of Temple

Lan Rung Resort - Vung Tau, Vietnam - One of the nicest Hotel's in Vung Tau where we stayed for 4 nights. We loved this place because we had our own private beach and also the swimming pool below was just a few steps from our room.

Mark and I decided to splurge our last few days in Vung Tau and after seeing the pool while scouting Hotels we were sold. The pool was immaculate and very close to the front door of our hotel room so we could quickly go for a swim whenever we wanted.

The water temp was 82 degrees and the air temp was 85 degrees so it was perfect on all accounts.

Here is a picture of Harry enjoying an evening cocktail at Sunset in this beautiful salt water pool after a long day of motorbiking (hard work) through the heavy and intense traffic of Vung Tau city.

Next......... Video of Mark and Harry riding through
heavy traffic in Vung Tau