The Amazing Zoom

It 6:23pm as I start writing this entry. I'm at the Eden Resort on Long Beach in Duong Dong, Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam. I'm sitting by the pool and beach and listening to a horrendous mix of Celine Dion, Norah Jones, Richard Marx and Kansas(?) or maybe Chicago. The sunset finished about 20 minutes ago. This day did not go as planned.

We got an early jump on the day, rented a motorbike and found the fish sauce company. They were very nice but today was a day off for everyone, so we will head there tomorrow morning. We headed to the local market, surprise surprise! A more rural or small town kind of market right on the water. This market broughtna good mix of everything. Live chickens and ducks, eggs, beef, pork, vegetables, herbs and, of course, fresh seafood. Some seafood I hadn't seen yet anywhere else. Diver scallops, shark, conch and sea urchin. More on sea urchin later. In some regards I am really done with markets but the new items were cool to see. I did take many pictures but I feel like I have already posted enough detail shots from the market. I am not sure if I made any good portraits in the market yet or not.

Too early for lunch, so we headed across the island to a fishing town called Ham Ninh. We headed up and over a mountain or two and come into a great little fishing town. It has a pier about a half mile long out to sea. Head out and back and then we get some lunch. Fresh grilled prawns and sea urchin. Shrimp was great and the sea urchin was pretty good I thought and Zoom thought it didn't have much flavor. We finished everything and then headed down a side street that Zoom had found while I was on the pier, and we were welcomed to use some community hammocks right on the beach. We hung there talking to locals for a while and then headed back. We both had gotten enough sun, so when we got back to the hotel, we decided to push the fishing boat till tomorrow or Sunday. A good thing.

After heading back to the rooms, Zoom knocks on my door with itchy skin and hives. Too much sun? Reaction to the sunscreen? Seafood allergy? She decides to wait an hour and rest. About 30 minutes later Zoom knocks on my door again and says she had to go to the pharmacy. Here, that is kind of a quick care place. They said it was a reaction to the sea urchin, which she had never had, and sent her home loaded up with drugs and she took a nap. I can't tell you how worried I was. Well I checked on her a couple hours later and the hives and itching were gone. She actually wanted to head out for dinner. Night market, here we come...

We had another great meal of grilled seafood. We stayed with the safe stuff this time. Grilled prawns, scallops and squid. Some rice and cold cold beer and Zoom had sugar cane juice. I think we are both craving some spicy beef noodles soon.

Now I think I have talked about how great this trip is, but most of the "great" part is because of Zoom. Her easy way and jump right in attitude has gotten us into many things that I wanted to do but wasn't sure if it would, or could happen. So far, we have gotten to do anything I wished for or though about. The amazing Zoom!