Took a bus from Northern Hotel in Da Nang, the base of my operations, to Qui Nhon near the village of Hoi Nhon, where the Tran family gathered on the day of Tet, Jan. 31, 2014. This bus pick-up spot was only one block from the Northern Hotel, to which I walked with just a back pack of a few things. The accommodations inside the bus were totally different than what I expected, but comfortable. Entering revealed three double-deck tiers of a laid-out contour seat with blanket. The person in the foreground by the bus door is putting his shoes in a provided plastic bag, which everyone had to do before entering the main interior. It was quite comfortable and was able to sleep away part of the eight-hour trip with several stops at modest road-side restaurants.
Flew back to Da Nang when Test was over.

Extended family came from near and far to be together with their grandmother, mother-in-law, or mother. They were so gracious. My tea cup wasn't empty very long. Many school-age cousins played and brothers and sisters talked about many things. We snacked on sunflower seeds while my contact person,Thuy, in the left foreground, translated. Nobody spoke English except her, and I certainly couldn't speak Vietnamese except one sentence: Your village is surrounded...no just kidding. That attempt at humor referred to a long time ago when we were not at peace, but now we are and the Vietnamese people are very happy in their lives that focuses on family. They don't think about their own government much nor America either, for that matter. An old Vietnamese saying is: The emperor's rule ends at the village gates.

The couple on the right are from The Netherlands. They employed a travel agency in Vietnam, the two guys on the left, who met them in Hanoi and are half way down the coast on two motorcycles for an extended vacation that will end in HCMC. They have an itinerary that includes sites of historical significance, such as the battle of Quang Tri in 1972, that the leader is pointing out. He really knows Vietnam's history and was kind enough to let me enjoy some of his discussion. All their stops and hotels were booked in advance, made seamlessly through the internet. and emails.

Saleslady can put you this Toyota Camry for $80,000.  She is a university graduate who earns a salary of 5,000,000 vnd (Vietnam dong) or 238 usd (US dollars) per month. She gets no commission. I asked if Korean or other foreigners were the main customers. Surprisingly, she said on the contrary, they are mostly Vietnamese, but not a lot of sales per month. Found out later from other sources that high-ranking government officials make a killing by knowing in advance decisions that may effect the economy and thereby purchase land along a future road project, for example.

The Trans invited this writer to experience Tet on January 31, 2014 and to see the results of a donation earmarked to construct a bathroom for the family home in Haoi Nhon. Inexpensive airline tickets are to be found if one searches long enough and has a little luck. Taking off from Iowa on Jan. 23 on first leg to Detroit, then Inchon, Korea, and landing at Da Nang two days later for $821 through Cheap Fare Guru. There are three international airports in Vietnam: Hanoi, HCMC, and Da Nang