Today was a down day (a day to ourselves). We were able to lie in and just gather our thoughts. Quan had a bit of an upset stomach so just as well. Six of us met up for coffee in our favourite coffee shop before collecting our tailor- made items and returning to the hotel. I was very pleased with my shoes – they fitted perfectly and the soft leather smelt wonderful.
Some of the others were more adventurous and had several suits made as well as shirts and shoes.
We were casually looking in shops afterwards when I somehow managed to get lured away and into buying not one, but two shirts I didn’t really need….and having them specially tailor-made and delivered to the hotel… well I guess we all make bad decisions!
Eventually, Gill and I met up with Michael to go to the beach. We took a taxi as Michael and I desperately wanted to swim in the ocean. When we arrived at Cui An Beach, the waves were huge and it looked to be foolhardy to attempt to swim – but in we went. However the waves were pretty powerful and after a quick dunking, I climbed to the safety of the sandbags.
We spent several hours just sitting in this little piece of paradise, coconut palms, yellow sand and turquoise rollers topped with white froth! In fact I felt the need to paint and did a very quick watercolour before we headed off back to the hotel. In fact Michael had commented that it was getting a bit overcast and by the time we reached the hotel the heavens opened.
We had booked ourselves on to a cooking course in the evening which consisted of five Vietnamese dishes. The first was a veggie and chicken pancake, followed by spring rolls, then mackerel steaks marinated and cooked in banana leaves, lemon grass, carrot, taro, ginger and garlic salad and finally an aubergine dish…. all eaten as we made them.
sorry I had to post up all the foods pics.
Last night in our lovely hotel so here’s a goodbye pic or two. Got to be up before dawn. Huge electric storm this evening just as we went to bed.
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