Staff field trip

As a bonding activity, the school sponsored a day long trip to Phuong Nam.  We rode buses and ferries to visit the beach and monkey island.  In actuality, this was more of an eating trip, which is right up my alley!  My first taste sensation of the day was an ice cream bar at monkey hill.  It had three layers with the top layer being dipped in a white chocolate hard coating.  This ice cream bar will be forever in my memory because the monkeys kept jumping on me trying for my treat.  It was too good to give up so I had to punch and kick them, plus, the keeper had to snap them with a giant rubber band.  Muddy paw prints decorated my pants and shirt.  Of course the ice cream bar was my coworker Pat´s idea and I was telling her, " I'm going to get you for this."  By the end of the day she had already had her water bottle grabbed by a monkey and been bitten by a monkey, so it looks as if we are even.  Unlike my ice cream, my money and glasses were hidden and secured in my vest as I had learned about monkey stealing in Belize.  In Belize, tourists were placed in a cage with cute little baby monkeys whom we allowed to steal out money from our pockets, but these thieves were full grown roaming monkeys.   Aside from water bottle and ice cream thievery, they stole prescription glasses from Kim, and although they were retrieved, they now sport permanent bite marks as a reminder of monkey island.  As you can see, there were a  number of us who did not enjoy the experience.  A couple of the Vietnamese gals and I were cowering and screaming, the whole time.  Also on the tour were crocodiles.  I took some pictures on my new crummy new cell phone but they are too crummy, so the pictures below were taken by PAT. 

After monkey island we went to the beach and ate, family style.  Then after that, we went to a seafood restaurant and ate, then we went to an ice cream parlour and ate.  In Vietnam, food continues to be ordered until everyone says they are done.  The drinks appear to be beer, tea, Vietnamese root beer and Vietnamese energy drink.  What a great day!!!!!!

Footnote:  The ocean water was very warm but muddy.  The shore was covered with thousands of tiny white shells.