Day 4. "Six Treasured Hours"

Shing Tai,
Beore I get started I want to send a Great Big Hug & Kiss to all the Mother's of the world! But especially My Own Mom! Mimi Kack who is visiting my sister PJ in Stevensville MD!

where do I begin? My emotions have been sô front and center guys & Gals! My last day in Ho Chi Minh City was Steller! The nicest Motor Bike driver named Hai found me...he really found me! He found me staring at Dentist 2000 office! I met the receptionist at lunch and she told me her office was really a nice place. Hai found me about to go in and said; "Sir, get on my motor bike and I take you to the Nicest Place for your teeth in all of Ho Chi Minh! So off we went! I had a Check up and cleaning for 250 dongs....$15 USD

After I received Four Gold Stars from Dr. Lung, Hai took me via his motor bike to all of the sites of the city! Riding through the streets I felt like a Salmon swimming Up stream with my fellow bikers just inches away from me. I must have reached out to probably about 50 fellow drivers and pasengers on other Motor Bike giving knukkle Bumps ie. Michelle Obama style! Not one refussed. well thêre was the one very Sour faced young man who was holding out! I was persistant and he finally cracked a grin and got the "woodie magic." and caved in and we bumped Knukkles! I won!

My friend Frank Sherer in LA reccommended a great place to have a pint of Beer and Vietnamesse Cuisine. He told me it was their version oF The Red Lion so I could not refuse! As soon as I arrived I quickly knew why,,, when he comes to this City he likes it thêre sô much....It was like a open Beer Garden and with every table came a lovely Vietnameese young girl dressed very provocatively. At one point my server went as far as to pick up a Spoon and force fed me a bite of my fried rice dish! :-0
( i must add hêre that I'm trying to be modest but....what the Hell...I'll just come out and say it! The ladies Like me hêre....They Really really like me...Thank You Sally Fields!

By the end of the Day, Hai; 39 and I were like Brothers, He quickly picked up on my humor and as God is My witness ( and he really has been on this trip) Hai and I have the same exact LAUGH!! (Sorry Barbara...I had to say it) we would be riding around and notice the same odd thing and both break out in our same..."Ha/Ha/Ha", Then we would look at each other very puzzled be the laughter style and laugh some more!!

Hai doesn't own a cell phone. He took me to the Corner later that day to the place he calls his Office. He said upon my return ọn June 2nd to come hêre at 8am and just Hell his name and he will take me to the Tunnels out side of the city Jenna!

AT the corner he pointed to a building some 50 Yards away in China Town and informed me that this was his home that he shares with his wife and 2 children. I asked if he would have me in for téa. Hai was extremely hisatent for which he then told me it was because he was very poor and also afraid of what the older men out front of his Building would think of him bringing a well dressed man with such pretty white clean teeth into his home! Quite the funny man,,,,hey Joseph? My guides inside me told me not to press the issue and respect his wishes! I waved and said Shing Tai to the men as they Scowled at me....This was my first moment of feeling any Hostility from the Country! They were from a generation who remembered what it was like for a white man from America to intrude their country and create war killing nearly 1 million Vietnamesse dủing the Vietnam war. when we walked away just a half a blook away from the Scowling men I rêcived quite a different welcome of "Cheers and Hello, Hello Sir!" I saw both sides of a coin in just minutes! (Im Channeling you Pussy Cat!)

Later I spotted a man and wife selling used sandles and shoes infront of their home like a yard sale. Guess what I have on my feet while I'm blogging this to you? A lovely pair oF black used open toe sandles. I feel so proud wearing them cause I'm truely walking in the shoes of a Vietnamesse man! (Lauren Lee is Skeeving at me right not saying EWWWWW Grosss,used shoes)But I find myself looking down at them constantly with a smile ;-)
fyi....they cost 200,000 dong...$11 USD

I will also tell you that I've been the biggest cry baby blubbering woodiewade thêse last 4 days( I still have a month to go) So hêre came another installation of whatI will now call: " Niagra woodie", sort of like Hanoi Jane! My day came to a close with Hai to utter sobbing! Hai spoke very good english and after our 6 hour day together...I got off the bike infont of my hotel! I got 700,000 Dongs for Hai! Earlier that morning a man at my hotel suggested I pay a quide only 400,000 or 500,000 dongs for a day of touring. I put in his hand 700,000 Dongs but Hai would not allow me to pay him sô much as he put it....He said; "Ruddie....that too much." He put 100,000 back in my hand. I took him by both of his shoulders and Thanked him from the bottom of my heart for everything...My eyes filled up while telling him as they are again now! Then I gave him a great squeeze....he was blown away by my appreciation...then, when I finished my hug....Hai looked right into my eyes and burst into laughter and said: "Ruddie....men hêre dont hug....we just hold up our hand like this and say Sank you!" I said: "Oh well, Too late! I won âgain! LOL
I will definitely be going to his Office June 2nd and yell out his name for another adventure together at the caves. (and free for your education...600,000 dongs is:
$33.33 USD)

"Six Treasured Hours" by: me

Ok my friends, family and loved ones....Until next installation....I'm leaving you with a Teaser of my next Blog....This morning I got up very early, clean shaved,put on my wk cloths and walked a 19 minute stroll and rolling behind me was 75 lb of your heart felt Toothpast, brushes and bars of soup you so gểnously donated to my cause.id tellall about it now...but you see, I Have a wedding to attend in 1 hour from now. That's right, I was invited this morning to a wedding at a familes home today at 3pm....So until next time......follow your dreams and don't be afraid to make them really big ones....Cause ít really fun when they DO COME TRUE :-))

Much Love,
woodiewade xỗ
ps. My computer is running on Vietnam windows...so please excuse all my blunders..Especially my Kindred...LLF