Thursday, 28 October 2010

CHINA BEACH and DANANG ~journeys 2010: journal with pfotos~July 2010


~ deleted! ~


The first day on China Beach the weather was overcast. You were lucky the day you went over to Non Nuoc the stone carving village. The fine weather persists. A beautiful one again as you have a day of combing the beach. You don't mind the odd overcast one followed by these! 'New' China Beach as the locals are terming it is the beach out front of Hoa's Place. You're a bit shocked to come across the old broken glass on the beautiful beach trick. From those late night beach parties? You should add that this occurs on only a small area of the beach you traversed. As I've said elsewhere, I don't go looking for such troubling shots.

Seems like you need a change. You decide to move up to the Benh Xe Khach area. That's near Danang's intercity bus station a few kilometres on the road north. You stayed at the SauBang Hotel in May. It's good value. You check in there again. They give you the same room for the same price. VND100k per night. It's virtually new. The rooms are very good. There's a reasonable local food joint nearby.

You manage to get motivated. You've been in Danang twice before but haven't been there yet. The Cham Museum. You ride the HoiAn-bound bus from the station...for VND 10k. It's on the river at the south end of the esplanade.These older yellow buses pass it before they head completely south out of town. You pay the VND 30k entry fee. This allows you take all the photos you want too.

It's a fascinating experience. The displays are somewhat static. They're pretty well documented though. It's a museum after all. But there's something unlucky about the day. Something fishy going on. Later back at the room that is. That's how you think of it later. This has happened to many a photographer, I'm sure. But you've not made this kind of blue before. The good ones that got away. They're always the best. The fact is that you let 'em go by mistake. The Cham Museum photos. Before backing them up you accidentally delete all but one shot. Funny, it's your favorite. You now refer to her as your one and only 'Champa girl'...