Monday, August 8, 2011

Mui Ne: Our deserted beaches on the South China Sea

     After trucking around and feasting our eyes on the White Sand Dunes for a couple hours we grabbed our bike and let the onward gusts of our bike slide the accumulated sand off of our skin. Even now, it hasn't quite sunk in the brilliance on the sand dunes. I felt like I was in "The Mummy", expecting to see Rachel Weisz and Brendan Frasier bumbling towards me, or Harrison Ford galloping towards me with angry snakes slithering behind him. The ends of the dunes looked like blue-screen effects. All so surreal.
     Caked in sand and more than parched, as we rode past the deserted beaches, the fact that our suits were on hit us both simultaneously. The naked beaches stretched for miles, it was ours.
beyond that mountain are the dunes (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     I haven't gone to a beach in years, let alone swam in nature's waters... The last time was skinny dipping in Lake Champlain with the crew. I like deserted places, areas seemingly untouched by other people. Being on the South China sea, and the only soul on it being Ani, beauty, splendor...a secret GIANT spot!
our beach goes on for miles (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     The sky was clear, and the waves gently crashed with confidence, salt tickled our nostrils,traces of shells and soft sand welcomed our feet...a stunning beach. I've avoided beaches for so long due to the congestion (too many people) and the fact that I don't own a bathing suit. I used to be on the swim team back in high school and swam at UVM's pool. And the times I was swimming in Lake Champlain, I was skinny dipping at midnight or swimming with Spy in our spot. I mustered up the courage and aging promise to myself and strapped on a bikini. In a land such as Vietnam, full of beauty and troubled history, in Mui Ne, with a beautiful soul, insecurities fell willingly...
yoga by the South China Sea (photo taken by VeganBeats)
showcasing the mountain in the distance (photo taken by Ani)
     The sun and morning adventures gave me so much energy and life and genuine joy. Vitamin D does wonders!
tree pose..so much beauty in this picture! (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     I still can't believe we were here...our beach! And for several days, our waters.
early warrior pose...eeek (photo taken by Ani)
     The water was clear and the salt was strong, not burning but 'gracefully' sucking our bodies dry. The sun son brightly, feeding us generous doses of Vitamin D all while the clouds floated serenely. I realized then and now so that I've neglected to have this type of feeling(s) for far too long. I could feel the whole of my being truly benefiting from the ocean and my experience thus far.
     I need to go out even more...
starting to explore (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     Taking a break from plunging into the sea, Ani and I grabbed our "cameras" (I have an iPhone  and went wandering along our beach. As we were walking, those disputed waters lazily tried to play tag with our feet. Marinating the hot sand around us, creating wet cushions to comfort our toes as we discovered some unlucky victims of the waters.
a massive washed-up jellyfish (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     Nearly every twenty yards, Ani and I would come upon a massive washed up jellyfish  beautifully colored and looking like slimy spaceships, they speckled the beach like an early Pollack painting. They felt like cysts, a hard structure in the middle otherwise surrounded by slowly solidifying jello. Their intestines were captivating, though a bit 'dark' to study corpses, these creatures are so alien to me, and I found my child-like parts brimming the forefront as I sat petting the tops of these creatures and studying them wide-eyed. Parts of me wanted to play with the tentacles, discover that texture...but...I know a bit better.
another HUGE washed up jellyfish (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     Aside from the alien deaths lying around (>.<$) Ani and I did discover some sea life in action. Tine crabs scurried about and buried themselves into the sand in hopes of finding dinner, or protecting themselves from later afternoon predators.
snappy little guy (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     Some of the more beautiful parts were the hidden starfish. Being washed up, and som of the sand hugging their bodies, we found stars littering the beach. Cute indentation securing their existence and silently asking others to avoid stepping on them.
green circles of algae and a starfish in the sand (photo taken by VeganBeats)
     We went to our beach nearly everyday...I still can't believe we were here...

No comments:

Post a Comment