The Beach 2

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I went to the other beach this morning and awished immediately that I hadn't! This is a building site for yet more resorts, hotels, beach apartments and bungalows. There are kounds of samd being dumped on the beach by a dumper truck - it's an eyesore but doubtless the local Peoples Committee have had their bung to turn a blind eye to it or it would be stopped!
The beach is empty which makes me a huge target for the tat sellers and veach cafes. I was dropped at one in particular who gave me her card and told me to come back later for food - this is easiest as there is no way of telling who is good and who isn't and they all allow the tat sellers to pester you at the table. By agreeing to come back here I can put all the others off easily.
I walf for 45 minutes and see far fewer fishermen here. There are 2 men pulling a net ashore from the beach - they have 1 reasonable size fish for their trouble. All along the stretch I walked were beach resorts and building sites. Sections of the beach are marked by flags to denote that stretch and the sun loungers are for that resorts use only - how they get away with this in a communist country where only the state can own land I don't know - bribery is the obvious answer. I find all this very depressing and turn around to go back and concentrate on the shore line and the sea instead. Almost all of the shells here are clam shells and the more exotic types I collected yesterday at An Banh 5 miles away are not to be found.

Th rain has been getting heavier and the wind off the South China Sea stronger and O head back to the cafe fending off 2 touts for rival cafes in the final approach. The tat seller pounced from a shady corner amd was very elderly - as much as I didn't want to I had to say 'no' because if I don't the other 3 who are slowly heading this way across the beach will never leave me alone 'you buy from her and not from me, I have no money and a baby to feed' and so on. Anyone who thinks I am being hard hearted should try coming here and see how long they and their wallets survive by being 'kind'. It's like being sucked and nibbled at by a shoal of pirranas!

By 13:00 it's very clear thie weather is on for the day and my host calls the cab for me - he is there in minutes. Back to the hotel for a shower.

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