Any fun events?
None. yet... none yet haha.
Since it's not an actual vacation, it's digital nomading haha. So work, play, normal stuff to do like when I'm at home but it's just happening in a different country.
So what did I do this weekend?
Eat
Sleep
Nap
Walk
Cook
10th Day
I started the day early with a walk by the beach. There were a lot of locals already swimming, having fun, playing volleyball and basketball nearby. I watched the very red orange sunrise, the sun looked very big and round. The photos I took doesn't do justice to what the eyes can see. The water isn't crystal clear but swimmable, the sand is not white in this area but it is fine and powdery that you can walk meters and meters from the shore and still nothing would hurt your feet in the water. Although there were a lot of people, it was sort of relaxing just sitting there because I couldn't understand the language that I really didn't care what was happening around me. There are other areas with better beaches when you search but it needs a ride to go there.
An older woman sat near me as she was preparing to go into the water, but first, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I did the same. I closed my eyes, took deep breaths, and listened to the waves crash. It is indeed a wonderful feeling to be able to do that once in a while. Just sit and do nothing. After some time, I got up and walked by the seashore until it got hot and I started perspiring. I walked back to the condo and looked at the surroundings to see which food stores were already open. It is really nice to see establishments far from the seashore. They are actually across the road and not even one vendor was selling whatever on the beach. I like it - the coconut and palm trees, the garden pathways and some public exercise stations. Maybe coastal cities in this country really have it this way and I say good job. I wish it were the same in mine.
Where are the foreign tourists you might ask? The reason I came here is because of that. Not a lot of foreign tourists come to this place, and I think I've only seen 5 Caucasian tourists while I'm here. The other Caucasian people seem to already live here. I prefer a less touristy place, even if Hanoi is one of my favorite places, this, I can say, is peaceful, safe, and less noisy and busy.
People here have a hard time with a foreign language, which is why it's very important to have your phone handy for translation apps. Also, bring cash or prepare not to have lots of options for money exchange.
People are friendly, welcoming, and when I smile at them, they smile back. They talk to me in their language, but I always say either "English" or "Philippines". I know I am Asian; some of them even thought I was Thai but some of them think I am from this country, even though I think I look different from them. I can see that I look different from them, especially their skin color and body. They are more "yellow tea" and slim, while I am "coffee with milk" and have more meat and fat in the bones hahaha. And some stare because they know I'm not from here.
Anyway, after the beach, I went back to the condo and made breakfast.
I went out past 10 am to walk around and see what was there to see or eat or visit. There are a lot of other places I could visit but it's going to need me to hire a motorcycle or car service, I'll see where my budget will take me since I have a whole week to be here and I'm in no rush. Maybe see one or 2 places each morning or late afternoon or on May 1st, Labor Day. No work! yay! haha 😆
While walking, I saw a chicken and rice store, I was hungry, and because I haven't had rice in a long time lol!
Then walked again for what I thought was an ice cream shop. Sadly, the store is now a milktea shop. So sad, so sad.
Walking back to the condo, I decided to get another massage but focusing on my painful arm. I saw an affordable place on Google Maps and went there. I saw a man about to have coffee but he wasn't looking at me while I was heading in. As I stepped on the entrance, a bell rang. That was when he started talking to greet me. I was typing on my phone to ask if someone can massage my arms only, no body. But he wasn't looking at me and he pointed to his eyes. I thought - Oh a blind man. It was a massage place where blind people do the massages, like something we have in my home city. I was sort of taken aback because I didn't know how to communicate with him without typing on my phone. But thru touching and saying okay and no, we handled it haha!
He led me upstairs and started with my neck, head, then shoulders, then arms. He found some parts or pressure points that were maybe not feeling well, and I groaned every time I felt the pain. He laughed and stopped, asking, Okay? I said okay, then he continued. After sometime, he let me turn to lie on my stomach. Then he touched my lower back and legs, asked, "No?" I said no and he said okay haha. Then he pointed to my shoulder blades and asked, "Okay?" and I said okay. Every time my right side from wings, shoulder, neck, and arm were the focus, I groaned more because it was really painful (my fall from a month ago). I found a way to Google Translate with voice now, haha. I used the conversation button. I said on my phone, "Painful because I fell on my arm before." I clicked on the sound button so the translation would be spoken. And there, that's how I communicated with him. He was now more focused on the right side of my upper body.
For only 110k, it was worth it. Not only because it was affordable, but because I was able to support a business of people with disability. In another room btw, someone just finished a massage too. When I went back downstairs, a blind woman was sitting on the floor, waiting for someone else to come in. I thanked them and tapped the man's shoulder and said thank you and goodbye.
For dinner, I walked a different way to see what there was, if there were any restaurants or food stalls. There were a lot of people now 5 pm on a Saturday, locals enjoying the beach, the breeze and the company. I saw a store where people had fruits, condensed milk or coconut cream in glasses. Then a woman greeted me and I said english. Then she spoke english too, Yay! She helped me order, suggested which ones to order and asked where I am from. I told her that she's good in english hehe, she giggled and said thank you. I also asked her if she could tell me how to eat them haha.
11th Day
I said I was gonna sleep in... NOT!
haha I woke up past 5 and decided to just try to go to the beach, magtampisaw haha. Just splash around and stay in the water. Feel the water, taste the water 😆
After, went back to the condo but passed by a banh mi store. I didn't have my phone with me so it was a challenge to buy "ONLY BREAD, NO INSIDE" haha. then finally pointing to the bread then gesturing No inside bread. They finally got it hahaha that was about 2 minutes of trying to understand each other haha.
Back in the condo, I cooked bacon and eggs. Sliced cucumbers, spring onions and culantro (i missed this herb) then in a bowl added the sauce I bought from the store, added a bit of soy sauce they have here and water to lessen the saltiness. I made a bacon egg banh mi haha and had durian yogurt. The bread was hard because it wasn't warm anymore but when I added all the filling, it was good again. The bread is yummy!
I went to the grocery again to buy something to cook for dinner and more. Bought a cup of sugarcane juice and has a light lunch of dumplings. I asked the lady if they sold rice, she said no. She asked if I wanted rice with pork, I said only rice hehe so I can buy only cooked rice. She said she'll give me cooked rice for free haha. I said I'll pay for it and she didn't want me to pay haha. I said it before, people are nice here. Then she asked where I'm from too.
Now dinner, I wasn't able to buy garlic and red chilis. So whatever haha, make do of what I have and bought. Next time MSG haha
Leng Saeb but with vermicelli.
- Your Digital Pulubi 🥷 who got a free cup of rice! 😆
My damn food baby belly needs to back down for a while please haha
p.s. i hope some time this week i have the budget to go around, visit the better and clearer beach, go to the sand dunes to sand slide or surf haha, then this beautiful area where they said is perfect for sunset, maybe hike a higher altitude to see the beauty of the peninsula and some other tourist attractions before I leave
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