The bus ride was inexcusably bumpy. I tried my best to nap, but it was damn hard. The guide, Van (probably not how you spell it, but that was how you said it) seemed like a very interesting person, he was in the war fighting with the Americans, and had survived being on a chopper that was shot down, but I would have traded his stories for being able to rest comfortably (not that I'd been able to do that in bed). It took about an hour to get there, the last stretch along some mountainous roads that would've made my mother worried.
The Champa were a Buddhist people, who were strong in the Vietnam area from the 7th century to the 13th. Their king gave away 2 provinces when he married a Vietnamese princess, and from there they retreated without combat for some reason, eventually just dwindling into memory (they could fight; they repelled Genghis Khan's Mongols on 3 separate occasions). Though there are some 100,000 descendants around, which I believe were left behind in the inexplicable retreat because they were happy to live among the Vietnamese, with whom they had peaceful relations (I'm not sure on this, I couldn't properly understand Van's explanation, but also didn't care), they cannot translate the Champa writings. Many modern archeologists/linguists/whoever does that stuff have tried, but they have all failed. Luckily for us, my sisters are respectively a linguist and a historian, so I expect them to have cracked it within a week.
The temples were very similar to Prambanam, which I visited a few years ago in Indonesia, perhaps not surprising with both being South East Asian Hindu temples. Prambanam was a lot bigger, but it only had terrorists to compete with, not carpet bombing and LMG fire like this. There were craters from bombs all over the place, and bullet holes, sometimes complete with bullets, in the walls, and many of the structures had been destroyed. Just like the Citadel in Hue and Tu Duc's tomb, Northern Vietnamese forces had hidden here in the war. I think someone should have mentioned to them that ancient temples weren't exactly the best protection.
Our explorations were interrupted by a traditional music and dance show which Van recommended we see. I was not looking forward to it, but the first one was ok, just a dance routine with music that didn't split my skull. Unfortunately, the water carrier ladies went off, and a man wielding a kazoo with reckless abandon walked proudly onto the stage, flanked by some drummers. Indeed it was not the thing for my headache, especially when the kazoo man showed off his lung capacity, blowing consistently for well over a minute (no exaggeration), whilst the note became slowly shriller and shriller. I think I might've enjoyed it under other circumstances, but not today. The third and final dance was very good though, 3 ladies with mesmerising hand movements, who commonly his behind each other so they looked like a 6 armed person.
We finished looking round the ruins after a couple of hour, and got back on the bus. I had just dropped to sleep when we stopped. I then recalled that the others had been very keen on a boat trip home. Oh well, maybe a nice river breeze would do me good. Probably not when the engine of the boat sounded like a helicopter when you are close enough that your ear is being shaved off by the rotor. And did I mention it was damn hot again?! It was no surprise to me that the boat could only drop us off 10 minutes walk away from our hotel, and that it had gotten even hotter when we arrived, it was just going that way.
I trudged back to the hotel alone. The rest of my group decided to stay in town and have lunch, but I needed to get back to the hotel. Because I needed to rest? Yeah right. I needed to meet Dave and Belle so we could go for our second suit fitting. Luckily when I knocked on their door Dave was in his boxers, so I had time to collect myself (read: more coffee) before we went into town. I hadn't put sun cream on since 8am (it was now 1pm), but I was finding it hard to care about anything.
Denise noted I was sick straight away. This didn't save me from the most comprehensive suit fitting ever. The mysterious shoulder problem was still not fixed. First we had to get the tailors on a webcam to look at me while Denise told them off, then 2 ladies in pink dresses rushed over to fuss over the shoulders of my shirt, along with Denise. The jacket came under some scrutiny too, but a man in a black shirt came over and took the chalk thing from them. Looks like he was some sort of suit jacket expert. He made a few executive decisions, then left. This unfortunately meant I had to go back for a 3rd fitting from 4-4.30, and had a few hours to kill. I had to pick up a pendant I had made at 4, so it wasn't all bad news.
Belle and Dave had waited for me, and Dave had been enamoured by the masks I had pointed out to him the other day, so we went looking for the mask shop. But first, we braved a pharmacy. It had a huge Chinese medical section, but since there was a language barrier anyway I decided to go for the more traditional remedies. The lady pulled out some sachets, filled with all sorts of active ingredients that Belle, a nurse, had never heard of. Then I saw it, glistening on a hook behind the lady's head, the most addictive of all drugs. Yes, of course I mean those white stick inhalers. I bought one straight away, basically just throwing my money at the woman. I tore off the packaging, stuck the thing up my nose, and inhaled deeply. The relief was instant.
We went for lunch at a place that did sandwiches, as Belle fancied one, then wandered around looking for the mask shop. We didn't find the original one, but we did find a one with a fairly with selection. Good enough. I got one that is either Ho Chi Minh, or the Buddha of storms, they look surprisingly similar. Whilst looking, I slunk from shadow to shadow, occasionally sticking my white stick up my nose like some sort of menthol addicted vampire. I was regretting not putting any more sun cream on now that I had regained some of my mental faculties.
I then left Belle and Dave since we had successfully killed enough time for me to get my pendant. When I arrived they needed 10 minutes, and sat me at a table with some complimentary water (I had already had one from the suit shop earlier, and still had one left from the suit shop the day before). I sat there breathing deeply from my inhaler, making contented noises, and ignoring the strange glances people were giving me. Next up was the final fitting for my suit. Denise tried to give me more water. I explained I could fill a swimming pool, but wondered if there was a bathroom. There was thankfully, and whilst in there I realised I needed another hit of the white stick. So I sat in the toilet doing my drugs like a proper addict.
Thankfully this time the suit was perfect, even by Denise and co's exacting standards (Denise told me I needed medicine, and did not seem to approve when I showed her the white stick. Maybe she prefers the Chinese section?). I paid, and they said they would deliver it to the hotel later. I went back to the aforementioned hotel to feel a bit sorry for myself and have 2 hot showers (they made me feel much better!), until it was time for tea. The restaurant we went to was called lantern town, and there were loads of Chinese lanterns in it, as the name suggests. It looked really nice, and I meant to get a picture, but forgot. In fact I didn't take many pictures today, on account of being too uncaring to.
The food was nice, but the service was very slow, and some members of our party have 3 courses for every meal, so I was more than ready by the time we left. Me, Dave, and Belle still had to sort out lunch for tomorrow, when we would be on the train more or less the whole day, so went to a bakery that would deliver us packed lunches to our hotel tomorrow morning.
As we stepped out, another thunderstorm hit. Luckily one of the million poncho sellers appeared as if by magic. Normally I wouldn't bother, but I didn't want to take any chances with my cold. She opened at 40,000 (£1.33), but I just kept saying no until she hit 20,000 (£0.67), a price I felt happier paying. Belle got one for 10,000, but only after I was out of earshot (the lady didn't want to hurt my feelings), but I didn't care. When we got back to the hotel, my suit was waiting for me. Belle had earlier explained that I shouldn't take anything at night for my cold, as sweating it out would see me cured sooner, but regardless offered me some panadol to help me sleep, which I gladly took her up on. I don't think I got sun burn in the end. Praise the gods!
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