A Surprise Peace Corps Reunion!

After the Cu Chi Tunnels, I opted for a pedicure/manicure spa treatment for the grand total of...$8 including some nail art consisting of sparkling flames of glitter. During this, Brandon was off to the internet and making contacts with Jeff Crosby, a very good friend of ours from Peace Corps, who happened to be in Saigon, just a few blocks away. Completely unaware of this, I left the salon and walked outside to find Jeff and Brandon waiting for me! Quite the surprise! We went to dinner, reminiscing about Peace Corps for hours and before you know it, it was almost 2am! The next day, we postponed our tickets for the Mekong Delta boat trip into Cambodia, and hit the waterpark with Jeff! His friend is from Vietnam, so she knew all the ropes and we were lucky enough to get a tour on motorcyles throughout the city. The waterpark was a blast! Haven't been to one in years, but we had such a great time and it was nice to be out of the tourist center for a day--there are only so many wandering backpackers I can handle. I did, however, get a nasty scrape on my back from the tube slide and Brandon, a bruised tailbone. Afterwards, I found my new favorite drink, sugar cane and lime juice. Pure sugar cane with a splash of lime to balance the sweetness for about $.25!
Before I arrived in Vietnam, I knew I wanted to buy a jade bracelet, I remember seeing one on a family friend years ago and loved it. I dragged the boys on a shopping mission, and found a beautiful bracelet. Then, we wanted to be a bit daring and try some different foods. The fertilized duck egg was first on our list, we cracked the top of the egg, drank the juice and I used a spoon to try the feathered body of the duck. The eyes, head and bill were visible, which made for a great photo but not a meal. I would not recommend this, but when in Vietnam... To continue on with this trend, we went to another restaurant, specializing in different foods, we walked past the caged reptiles and mammals to our table. I could not believe this, it was so terribly sad. We opted for insects, and because, I was recently stung by a bee, I decided a plate of bee larve would be delicious. With enough soy sauce and crackers, they were managable. Fortunately, over dinner, we had convinced Jeff to join us to Cambodia! The next day, the three of us left for a tour of the Mekong Delta and into Cambodia!