Moving right along...Now in Nha Trang

Hey Everyone:

This is going to be a quick post because we are getting ready to leave the hotel but wanted to share some things with you.

Monday evening when we were in Dalat we had a culture night. We first met up with some Catholic group students that were friends with our host and they participated with us on hiking a mountain and spending the evening with us.

The mountain we climbed was called the Lang Bian The place was beautiful, wild horses just roaming around, rolling hills surrounded by mountains all around us. I wish i could upload pictures to show you but the computer i am at doesn't have a usb port. I will share with them with you later. For dinner we joined the K'hoh tribe, we had wild boar, rabbit, and rice that was cooked in bamboo. It was really good. We then were treated to a night of there song and dance. WOW, one of the coolest things i have seen since we have been here. I was one of the ones that got to light the ceremonial fire. We watched them dance and they had us join in on some of them as well. Truly unique experience. We then got to try to blow into a horn that was used to speak to the gods, the trick was to make the correct sound. Only 2 of us got it right, i was one of them. They immediately started cheering and said the two of us were now brothers of the tribe. I got married and have two wives now since i could make the correct sound. 2 women about 5 feet tall came on each side of me and carried me around the fire to signify that i was apart of the tribe. You should of seen these two women trying to carry me, it was a sight to see for sure. HAHA.

It was so neat to experience the culture and dance of this tribe and to be welcomed into it. They were so welcoming as EVERYONE has been here, again the simplicity of the lives here just blows me away and humbles me more and more each day.

Yesterday we spent the majority of the first part of the day traveling to Nha Trang form Dalat. The drive was one of the most scenic drives I have ever been on, coming down from the mountains and just being surrounded by waterfalls and mountains filled with green everywhere. Truly breathtakikng.

Don't get mad about this next part...

We arrived in Hha Trang and pulled into our hotel where we are staying and from my room i can see the South China Sea. Beautiful beach everywhere i look with mountains as a backdrop. Of course after lunch i took a long walk on the beach and it was amazing. Feeling the warm water rush on my feet, the sand between my toes and the sun beaming right over me.

We then boarded the bus and went to Long Son Pagoda. A Buddhist temple here in Nha Trang. It was so unique and full of history. This temple was built in 1886. This particular temple houses about 40 monks, we climbed all the way to the top where the statue of the Buddha was. You could go inside and see the artwork that was done, the Buddha had 18 followers and inside there were 16 statues around the walls and on either side of him were his 2 closest students. At the entrance of it it had a god of evil on one side and a god of kindness on the other side. Every temple will have these before you enter inside. This specific temple had a memorial for 7 monks who set themselves on fire in 1963 to protest the opposition of the practice of Buddhism that was lead by the president at that time. A king is rang every minute of the hour for the first 15 minutes. I still cant get over how peaceful this place was and very tranquil.

This morning we are getting ready to take a boat for the whole day stopping at different islands, swimming, snorkeling, para sailing, etc.. A whole day on the beautiful sea. I will let you know how it is.

Take care and talk soon!!!!