The weekend and Monday...

15th to 17th January....now you know this will take some time...as always get yourself comfortable, i'll try not to bore you too much!!!
Saturday i have to say was seriously uneventful...We went out for breakfast hoping to get the buffet at the beachside resort, with other parties running late we arrived just as they were packing up the buffet so it was the normal menu for us...i got station eggs....not sure why they were station but two fried eggs with a bread roll!!!..not what i had in mind....anyway, breakfast finished at 11am as we didn't arrive till 9.30...i hate the feeling like the whole morning was wasted..lucky i managed a bit of yoga..not too much as my mini pneumonia is still working it's magic....by the time we got home i was so tired and still coughing up my lungs so i pretty much took the day to snooze...and then when i finished snoozing i hyrdrated coughed up my lungs again and snoozed some more...yep, a whole day wasted...lucky the weather was crappy....that night i passed on the invitation out to the 'disco' which opens at 8pm and closes at 11pm and plays hard core Techno music...definately not what i felt like....
Sunday we decided that after breakfast we'd go and walk up to Cham Tower and the War memorial...an easy bike ride and then a 15 minute walk up through their botanical gardens....can i just say this is a highlight...there is no greenery anywhere so i lapped in all up and enjoyed the freshish air, the peace and quiteish and the beauty of the scenery...although smog cloaked was still lovely...from Cham tower you look over the city, river, beach and toward the mountains...i really didn't want to leave...we tried to get into the war memorial but it was closed...we're hoping to do Cham tower at night as it is remarkable all lit up...
We ended our little peaceful tour with a quick trip down to the river and to eat at one of the side restaurants (using that term loosely) and we decided on one where there seemed to be a lot of locals gathered..always a smart move....we wait for Chan to get comfortable (we are seated on little tables made for children and chairs that i'm lucky my arse fitted in!!) and then we ask her to read out the menu...did i mention how much i love this girl...she is so accommodating and helpful but not in the sucky way....she reads the menu out to us and i am happy to hear there is chicken...i've waited a whole week for chicken...everytime i order it they are always out of supply....this time...pot luck...they have chicken...and lots of varieties as well...i order the chilli and ginger and Eva decides on the chilli and Lemongrass....Chan goes for fried rice....the lady takes our order and once we are done she explains to Chan that the chicken dishes are a whole chicken....we all laugh...what is it with chicken dishes in this country!!!...i say f**k it...whatever i don't eat we'll take home to snack on...Eva is happy with that as well....Lucky for us the lady decides to halve the chicken and serve only a half to each of us...i love how accommodating they are...nothing is too much trouble at this little family restaurant...the food arrives and it's devine....best meal i have had in such a long time....the greens had some little caterpillars in them so unfortunately i didn't get my favorite meal....a plate of greens!!!...at least i got the chicken....
we come back home and decide on nap time....or quiet time in lieu of a nap.....and after dinner we decide to head into town for the night market...we step into a glasses shop and find out we can get prescription sunglasses made within an hour...this is now on the agenda for the coming days....the glasses are so cheap here but the quality is really good...they'll even test your eyes on the spot.....worth the $40 it'll cost me!!!
we get to the market and all i want is a hoody....something to keep me warm....i find a really cute top but it looks second hand...the lady tells me it's 130,000 dong...about $7....i know it seems like i'm a teddy tight arse but the material was already pilling...she asked how much i would pay...i say 50,000 dong..she is not impressed....i leave without my warm hoody and am still cold and upset with myself for not just buying the friggin thing!!!...when will i learn...!!!
anyway, we head off to a Cafe Tung...i have to say this is the most amazing cafe/restaurant i have even been in...part of the building backs onto the mountain that Cham tower sits on so the inside is truly unique, they have also decorated with wood slab tables and tree root chairs, there are Bonsai everywhere and all different shapes and sizes...we take a seat and order some fruit juices which is really funny as this place is known for their coffee....too late in the evening for us to consider coffee though....as we sit and eat our watermelon seeds; which is a standard given to your table but charged....and sip on our very fresh juices we notice a rat run across the floor...then up the wall infront of us...which is the mountain side...we watch it for a while as it scales the mountain and then disappears....it's freaked us out but not enough to leave...until it happens again...was it the same fat arse huge rat we saw earlier or a family member....we discuss if rats are solitary or not...we figure out quickly they are not as two of them dart across the floor again and under our table....three girls and two rats running toward them....no prize as to what our reaction was.....yep...squeels and screams with feet flying up towards our heads...lucky for us a table of local ladies had the same reaction....although most of the other guests there just laughed at us....i have to admit...we were funny...especially considering that after that none of us put our feet down again till we paid the bill....we decided to walk up to the third level which is the roof top with stunning views and amazing furniture... fairy light everywhere and the place seems to have multiple split levels and would sit across 3 or 4 of their standard blocks of land....definately coming back here...just have to suck it up that there are huge big arse rats that occupy some of that area!!!
We head back to the house to greet our new volunteers and Tanya (a volunteer that we met when we first arrived in DaNang...i spoke about her in a previous post, stunning Indian girl) and Mr Foop who is our Physiotherapist...well not ours as such but the children with disabilities.....
The new volunteers are twins...Alana and Leah and they come from Queensland...too funny!!!...lovely girls in their early 20's....
Today being Monday (although as i type this it's just turned to 12.07am Tuesday morning...what the frig am i stll doing up!!!)....think i might post this now and add to it tomorrow....not sure how the spelling is but forgive the mistakes considering the time.....
till tomorrow....
love, love and a just a little more love to you all.....xxxxx