Sa Pa has cool weather.
During my last few days there, I thought a few times about missing the heat.
Yesterday, on my first day in Ninh-Binh, I was happy to feel 45 degrees again.
And it wasn’t just the air that was so warm.
Early in the morning
As soon as I got off the bus, I felt at home.
It felt so good, everything was familiar.
I knew right away where the bathroom was and which way to turn on the street.
It was funny that a woman stopped me right in the middle of the bus station. “Can I help you?” she asked. I said no thanks. “I have photos,” she said. I have an idea what she meant, but I repeated thank you a second time, but it was still a no.
Excitedly, I made the 800-meter walk to the hotel where I spent 20 days. I wondered who would be awake at around 6:30.
No one was there.
So I sat down at my usual desk, opened my laptop, and got to work.
The day started
Then one of the owner guys appeared, he had apparently woken up. He looked at me. He was surprised. Then, when he recognized me, he immediately started smiling. “Here again?” Yes, I’m here again.
After a while, his wife appeared. She not only smiled, but also put her joy into words. “Here again? It’s good to see you!”
Then the cleaning ladies arrived. We smiled at each other and greeted each other, as we did almost every day. Then they started talking quietly among themselves. I knew they were talking about me being here.
Then the receptionists arrived one by one. Since I left three weeks ago without knowing if I would ever come back here, they were surprised too. And each of them said a kind word to me. The main thing was that everyone was happy for me.
A last breakfast together
Then my German friend arrived, who got up an hour earlier because of me.
One of the bartenders excitedly showed him that I was here. It was so nice to see the genuine excitement as she said this.
When we hugged each other, every member of the team working here looked at us and smiled. A few even applauded. That was a really good feeling too. Apparently, it wasn’t just the two of us who were happy to see each other again.
Then of course, the series of questions immediately began/continued, why aren’t we a couple, we look so good together. We’ve said it several times that we’re good friends and that’s the story. The reason why, it’s enough for the two of us to know.
There was also someone in the dining room who only saw me here for the first time today. Plus – like every morning for 20 days – we went there together again. That made the smiles go away again.
Then of course, they added another layer of insult. The chef doesn’t speak English, so she texted me a few times, showing me her phone. “Why don’t I get married here?”, “Why aren’t we with my girlfriend?”, “You look really handsome.” etc.
Now, before breakfast, she showed me her phone again: “In the few weeks you’ve been away, you’ve become even more handsome.”
I’m slowly starting to feel like I”m a bottle of wine. I’m quietly becoming nobler with the passing of time.
My girlfriend left at noon. Before that, we spent our last hours together talking by the pool.
Then we went to our favorite restaurant, where the women were just as enthusiastic about our appearance together as the team here at the hotel.
One more month!
Then the happiness passed and everything went its own way.
Today I am alone, but I am waiting for my Belarusian friend, he will arrive tonight.
So today I went to breakfast alone for the first time.
One of the young girls gave me a little tip.
She asked how long I would stay.
I told her I didn’t know, maybe two or three nights.
Not three nights!
Stay another month!
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