Da Nang, exploring the town

 Breakfast included at our hotel, and what a huge nice buffet it us. So many choices!

Breakfast done and we have decided to do some exploring around Da Nang today.  One thing on our list is a visit to the Cham museum. Our guide at My Son the other day told us many of the artifacts are in a museum here now so that is first on our list. 

Same walk as last night , but today we cross over the dragon bridge to the other side of the river and the museum is right there.

I'm glad we saw My Son first or I'm not sure how much we would have appreciated what we saw in this museum. One thing that really struck us was the photographs of how these artifacts were moved here along the river.

Museum time done and there is a beautiful pagoda just behind that must be visited. Visit a pagoda beside a museum and you are pretty much guaranteed someone is going to latch on to you for something.   We are getting much better at saying no thanks, but I still feel a little bad every time.

Next walk was to the catholic Cathedral.  Disappointed that we couldn't go inside, but still nice to see outside.

A mango soft ice cream break, and a small purchase at a artisinal chocolate shop called Alluvia Chocolate.

Next stop was Han market, but to get there we walked down beautiful flower street. I have no idea what those flowers are that the petals are wrapped in plastic, they must be very expensive and delicate for someone to wrap each one. Will need to stop and ask someone what they are next time we see them.

Han Market, well what a bunch of stuff! How is all this stuff ever sold? Everyone seems to be selling the same things, and there were definitely people buying, but not us. 

Time for lunch. Our restaurant choices haven't been great that often so open up google maps and look for something close by with lots of stars and few dollar signs. We found it! Pho Thao. I think it is a husband and wife running it. Full of people when we got there but he cleaned off a table and welcomed us, his English was fantastic.  I had Mi Xao Cai and Andre had Bun Cha Dac Biet. He told us they were both local meals, with beer and ice tea 130K. Delicious,  fun watching their kids run around, and always fun eating on the street.  Lots of thanks for coming by, glad they were so friendly and showed us what to do with all the things they kept bringing to our table to eat.

Grab back to our hotel, heat and full bellies too much for a walk back. Rest up and off to the beach we go.

First stop drop off a bag of laundry.  It is so hot laundry is being done much more than I thought, but it is incredibly inexpensive if you take it out yourself away from the hotel. This is the first time we leave it with a woman at a bike rental place , no washers or anything in site. No ticket given, just asked my name. Will be ready in 24 hours, wondering if we will ever see it again...

Beach time. The beach here is beautiful.  The water is a beautiful color, and so warm! Again there is quite a bit of surf today so we are limited to going in where there are yellow flagged areas that are manned by lifeguards. We got to the beach at about 3pm and only a few tourists like us in the water.  We have so much fun playing in the waves. Very easy entry,  no rocks, but lots of splashing from waves. I hate the sun on my head so had my hat on, well the hat now weighs about 10 pounds, it is soaking wet. I think this is the most time I have spent in the water since we got here except for when we were snorkeling,  it was a great afternoon. 

We just sat on our towels in the shade of palm trees but there are quite a few places with chairs and umbrellas along the beach. 

Andre saw some fishing nets being brought in and went to investigate,  I chose my book in the shade. Further north than where we were sitting he said there are some nice beach bars, may head that way tomorrow.  So if you like sitting under a palm tree, or at a beach bar this huge beach gives you options. 

Back to the hotel, we have never swam in a pool on the 22nd floor so now is the time, plus it is happy hour.  Only 2 young kids in the pool with us, nice way to finish the afternoon,  but we still prefer beaches.

Excellent supper tonight at an Indian restaurant very close to the hotel. Walked off most of supper by a detour around the beach, Andre only stopped twice for ice cream treats.

Early night, passing on the dragon show, tour booked for tomorrow. 

Todays pictures:

A couple of nurseries along the walk, 

Dragon on the Dragon Bridge

At the Champ Museum

So many relics from so many sites

Pagoda next to the museum

Love the background behind the buddha

We picked 10 small bite size one

Mango Ice Cream, very yummy

Cathedral, not open inside

Flower market, about 10 shops on the same street, next to the jewelry street and the Han Market

Dragón bridge from a distance, head on the left

Lunch time, delicious

Walking to the beach, looks like a new place

Playing in the waves

I (Andre) watched the fisherman bring in their net

A few long skinny fish caught in the net

They got a few jelly fish which they eat

And a small amount of fish, not much for 10-12 fisherman to share

How the beach cleaner dress 

Fishing boats

Beach bars are busier today as it is Saturday, I think it's Saturday

Lifeguards on duty with the big buddha in the background

Pool time on the 22nd floor

Another fish net being pulled

Mojito time

Our hotel is the tallest

First draft beer I had, was pretty good, More expensive than bottled, 40,000 dong or $2.40 Canadian

Delicious Indian food for supper tonight

Weasel coffee. They feed the weasel coffee bean and then what come out at the other end is used to make weasel coffee. Was told about it in Da Lat when they grow coffee and make weasel coffee

Tons of massage and foot massage places all over Vietnam.