Sticky, sunny Sunday

Today was going to be a beach day!
The weather was hot and the only thing we had to decide was how to get there.

I have had an itch to scratch for a while and the scratching would be done by renting a scooter and going for a ride.
Over breakfast, with Georgia, we discussed the days plans. Georgia and Emma were going to do there own thing in which the only certainty was that the beach would be involved.

Tiz and I discussed the pros and cons of walking to and from the beach or variations which included catching the hotel shuttle, which every hotel has.
The timetable dictated that we bus it in and then walk home.

Here we are on the way to, at and leaving the beach. Random beachy pics included

  

I look like a guy that should be puffing on a Gauloises.

The pictures above remind me of what I thought was exclusive to the Welsh - the coracle

No selfie stick needed

A bloke with little sense of direction and even less dress sense looking at his Google Maps trying to figure out how to get back to where he came from.


The bridge that crosses onto the island with Tra Que village on it.

Here is a bit of a clip we put together of the village and its surround and The Waterwheel Coking School and Restaurant.

Spring rolls with pork  - 1st lunch course

Papaya salad with seafood and tamarind shrimp - 2nd lunch course

and that and more for ~AU$16

Below is what you see as you walk around the central garden area of the village.
The beds are all ~1m wide and ~12-15m long. All irrigated and able to be covered if needed.
It is every gardeners and cooks dream. 




















They grow all the above and so much more.
What exactly do they grow you ask?
Every herb and vegetable that is common to Vietnamese cuisine, it looked to me.

After a long and relaxed lunch we headed along the road to the Old Town. It was getting to the hottest and most humid part of the day as well as the busiest time on the narrow road.

We took it slow and easy but nonetheless we got home well and truly ringing wet from perspiration and very tired.

For dinner Georgia had a hankering for something western and one of her friends had recommended The Cargo Club.

We had gone there when we visited Hoi An together 6 years ago so it was interesting in that sense, but also the fact that Georgia was looking forward to eating some chicken, which is not that common in places that Georgia patronises.

The Cargo Club seems to rate very highly but I found it to be just another place that caters for visiting westerners that are reticent to step out of their eating comfort zone. 

It is extremely busy and crowded with cashed up backpackers and well dressed and beautifully coiffured and wonderfully tanned seniors ..... of which we are neither.

Back home it wouldn't rate more than a 5/10 whereas every other "standard" Vietnamese place that serves up normal Hoi An-ese dishes would score 8-9/10.

Yet another example of how lucky we are in Melbourne.  

I must say though that The Cargo Clubs desserts, which we had no room for this time, merit an honourable mention. 

Next time I'll just head in there for a dose or two of chocolate something or other.

Tonight we have the penthouse suite, after mentioning to reception that the people above us had kept us awake the night before. 

On the way back Georgia bought Emma a banh mi, with no meat or other animal products, for dinner. I must find out if she enjoyed it, tomorrow.