Nha Trang:  A brush with the famous of Vietnam or at least the Infamous...

While reading the Lonely Planet about Nha Trang, the beach city in Vietnam I've been chilling at for the last 3 days, I read about one of her infamous  - Mama Hanh.  Well the lonely planet I have is 1998, and it talks of Mama Hahn’s boat tours with such endearment and accolades, albeit respect in a party animal kind of way, that I wondered if she was still doing it - or alive.  She runs an island boat cruise that rivals the full moon parties of Ko Pha Ngh  for their debauchery and decadence.  Well, word on the street was Mama Hanh fell out of favour with the conservative Vietnamese government, did a year of 're-education' and the boat tours are no more. 

I was at the Blue Gecko, a funky little beach like cafe, having some tiger beer; and this little late 40something Woman breezes by me, and says, ”Hey Coconut (I had just cut my hair really short) I saw you on the beach today, you so lazy".  The fact I wasn't on the beach that day didn't matter, when I said so, her reply, "you on the beach you so f***ing lazy". I laughed, with everyone else in ear shot.

After having a couple, I ventured outside right by where the feisty old lady was seated, she grabbed me and said, ”come sit have a beer Coconut".  How could I resist.  I said, “let me guess, are you by chance, Mama Hanh?”she looked at me, and smiled.  I said, “wow, I'm honored to be abused by such a famous Woman”.

So we had a beer and talked, weirdly, about life and relationships.  A party animal she is but she's still human first, she is a lovely eccentric Woman.  In the end I was giving her some motivation about where her life was going - weird!  I felt like Anthony Robbins to the Vietnamese stars, I was awakening her  coconut within.  It was surreal, really.  I enjoyed her, but when she pulled out a bag of dope and started rolling a reefer that would've made Cheech and Chong proud, I knew that was my curtain call.  *And it was BC Bud! Her daughter lives in Burnaby and sent it to her, weird, again*. I snuck away in the cloud of ensuing smoke "hey coconut, where you go? Ah you good man coconut." That was the last I saw of Mama Hanh. 
Renting a Catamaran today and challenging the wind and surf of the South China Seas, it looks wild out there.  

Greg's Vietnam Beach painting:  Vietnam Nha Trang Serenity