Happy Tet! (Vietnamese New Year)

So we were in Nha Trang for Tet, which was described to us as Christmas, New Yrs, and Thanksgiving all rolled into one. Upon experiencing it, however, we would add 4th of July, Halloween, and your birthday all to that list.

HIGHLIGHTS
- Experienced Tet complete with cotton candy, fireworks on the beach, a dancing Chinese dragon (same you see at the HS multi-cultural fairs), a free concert, and wall-to-wall Asians and mo-peds.
- Got my laundry back! Clean clothes in I won't say how long. - Here's the highlight of highs. You ready? On the boardwalk at night was a big stage with various Vietnamese performers. Singers, dancers, mimes, you name it. The odd part was that it was apparently a really big deal but with every act the Asians just kind of stood there. Not much crowd participation or even clapping. A lady comes out to sing--fog machines and everything. As the music starts, we hear something familiar. Suddenly the woman busts out with "What's Going On?" by Four Non-Blonds. In English! (Google it if you don't know what I'm talking about. You all know it.) We got SOOO excited and started singing along at the top of our lungs. Every Asian head turned and stared. Did I mention we were the only white ppl as far as the eye can see? It was amazing. Our excitement was sustained for the entire song...and even longer. We loved our lives.
- While Cakes was getting scuba certified, went with Blair to the Giant Sitting Buddha. Sat and had deep religious conversation. Just the kind I imagine Buddha himself would've liked.
- Blair's half-eaten apple somehow found it's way to 5 happy mouths of some little kids. At least they were good sharers.

LOWLIGHTS
- Still recovering from the back-to-back bus rides, Blair and I had a rough morning and had to go back to bed and start over. (You know it's true friendship when you can acknowledge when that happens.)
- So Nha Trang's crime rate isn't great because of the loads of tourists. On the way home from Tet festivities, a buddy of ours was half-mugged by a Vietnamese transvestite. That's a story for the kids.
- While enjoying the tranquility at the Buddha, a small child ran up and slapped me in the back and screamed. So I screamed. And she laughed and ran away. It's as though I have a sign on my back that says "I'm jumpy. Please terrify me."

Enjoy the movie: