I am guilty of being a "homebody" (someone who spends a lot of time at home) and even though that seems bad to some people, it suits my life perfectly. I live in a relatively exotic part of this country yet other than going to the beach which is only a few blocks from my house, I haven't really gone out to explore the nature that is around this city.
There is a good reason for this though. I do not have my own transport and if I get into a taxi I don't really know where the hell I am going and then there is always the threat, if the area is remote enough, that I wont be able to get back by using taxi apps and that could be big trouble since I do not speak any Vietnamese.
I made my way out the other day anyway and I got to see some of the more natural areas here, even though most of it is cultivated farmland.
There are a ton of bridges in this area since the sea is so nearby and there are a bunch of estuaries. I wouldn't say that this particular view is anything spectacular, but the sun was hitting the water in such a way that inspired me to take a photo.
I was kind of surprised at how many cemetaries there were just on the outskirts of town and I will also admit that I know extremely little about the burial rites or whatever you call them because I know very little about Vietnamese culture. I know I should learn these things but like a lot of the people in the world right now, I didn't exactly intend to be here as long as I have been. Since I spent so much time learning the Thai language and culture I don't know if I have it in me to learn another one. Learning Thai was easily the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life and I'm not in a hurry to repeat that process.
It appears as though the graves are all above ground. I don't know if this is because of the ground being too moist as is the case in New Orleans, or part of a religion or culture. But that does seem to be the case. It was very peaceful here and peace and quiet is a rare commodity in this country, trust me.
This last image is of one of the most common things in the world - rice. I just thought it was a great backdrop and according to a friend of mine this is what rice looks like just before it is ready to be harvested. I think this was probably my favorite scene of the day.
The issue I face with getting around this city is that unless you enjoy the beach a lot (and I do) everything else is really far away if you don't have a car or motorbike and I have neither. Before you can exit the concrete jungle that is Da Nang you have to travel at least 15-20 km and well, for me that is a bit far.
I am a little disappointed in myself that I have waited over a year before ever venturing out here but it is what it is. Maybe I'll have to get a motorbike and explore a bit more. I already get around on my bicycle and basically just use other cars as shields due to the rather insane traffic... I suppose there is nothing stopping me from doing the same process on a bike.