On The Road To Nha Trang

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Across the fields we spotted a rural wedding where we, unexpected but not unwelcome guests were assured it was good luck to have strangers at your wedding.  We were seated at the 'best' tables and fed by the bride and her groom, she wearing the first of her three western style rental gowns, followed by my favourite her traditional  ao dai
We were charmed

 

 

The wedding cake in pride of place by the family altar.  It tells us that Nam and Nga were married on this 17th day of March 1994

  The Matriach, Grandmother

Black enamelled teeth were considered beautiful back in the day, with the bonus of protection from decay 

 

Grooms Father and Grandfather

 Grandma's teeth were treated with a solution of resin from a tiny aphid and lemon juice or rice alcohol which was then left in the dark for days.  Applied every day for a week along with iron from nails, or copper from alum it reacted with the solution and voila

Despite the strong protests of our driver, we offered some of the family guests an almost 200km ride home to Nha Trang.   He, unlike us, realize these ladies had probably never ridden in the back of a mini bus before

Fortunately I had packed my travel sickness pills.  Order was soon restored and we had a pleasant ride, we had been guests at a delightful family wedding, were well fed and it didn't rain.  Vietnam in 1994 couldn't get much better than this

Updating these pages in 2018, I notice today is Sunday March 17th, Nam and Nga's 25th wedding anniversary.  My goodness they could be grandparents,  We hope they are happy
 Po Klong Garai ChamTowers

 Built and at the end of the 13th century and named in honour of the Dragon King of the Jarai, a cowherd who became King of Panduranga  There was a US Air Force Base at the nearby modern city of Phan Rang

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