Doug was stationed in Nha Trang during 1966-1967 with the 297th Transportation Company of the US Army. After graduation from college in 1972, Doug returned to Nha Trang for another visit. He was chomping at the bit to get back to Nha Trang and check out the old base there, the beaches and the local attractions.
We arrived by bus at about 7:00 at night and found a reasonable hotel along the beach. The next day we set out to find a good hotel for the duration of our stay and by noon we had checked into Bao Dai's Villas.
Nha Trang has a long, sandy beach running from one end of the town up to Bao Dai's Villas. There are lots of places to shop, including a busy marketplace. Many of the people in Nha Trang speak english and it is easy to communicate your needs while there.
Doug rented a motorbike for us and we explored the town. One of our favorite finds was a restaurant called the Candle Light Cafe on Tran Quang Khai Street. While dining there we discovered a lantern shop directly across the street. We went over there several times and got to know the young people who owned it - a sister and her brothers. They make the lanterns there and we watched as they put them together. I thought this lantern shop was one of the loveliest places I had ever seen. When I was a little girl I never would have dreamed that I would have a chance to see such a colorful and beautiful place. I layed right down on the floor and took this photo of the lanterns hanging overhead.
We went down to the marketplace several times and found quite a number of things to take home. Doug found a vendor who carried the hard hats the VC used to wear and he bought one for himself. As we walked through the market the women pointed at my blonde hair and my makeup. They seemed to be particularly impressed with my rouge and they would reach out and touch my face, if given the opportunity. The day before we left I took my makeup bag down to the marketplace and we went back to several of the girls who had liked the makeup and I applied lipstick, eyeliner, mascara and rouge. They are so sweet and beautiful that they actually shook to have someone put this kind of makeup on them. I'm glad I took my camera so I could get their photos.
