High rises, Marriotts and Sheratons and a 6 km beach on the China Sea coast are the calling cards of Nha Tràng. Because it is popular with Russians during the winter, you see too much sunburned skin. To the west of the city lies a beautiful river valley with rice fields giving way to the Highlands. Very picturesque. We take scooters (as passengers) 30 minutes to the west of the city weaving through narrow streets and markets, stopping to buy produce for our dinner. We stopped at at rice paddy to walk along the irrigation ditch and I wind up on my backside! Lots of fun though and we went into a small village that farms and makes baskets and chopsticks out of bamboo. We raise a glass (sort of a mojito) with the chief of the village. He talked about the the Vietnam war and his time in a re-education camp. Meanwhile the ladies are cooking in the kitchen and we join them to prepare the vegetables and learn to fry in the wok using long chopsticks. The next day on the way to the highlands we stop to watch the rice harvest. Fun stop off.
