Working Girls of Vietnam

Nha Trang, Vietnam-

Vietnam has some charming people and boy, don't they know it. Actually, it's not just some charming people , it has loads of them. I've never felt quite so claustrophobic in a country as the two weeks I spent there but that's for another story.

I met these two girls while relaxing on the beach at Nha Trang, just north of Saigon. I say relaxing, but that's kind of hard to do in Nha Trang. Most of these lovely people, mostly girls, stroll along the turquoise surf using their charms and smiles to lure a naive tourist into buying one of the many things they peddle; bracelets, necklaces, hat, towels, umbrellas, you get the idea.

Of course this isn't unique. There are few beaches in the world this isn't practiced. Vietnam is a bit different though in that the girls just won't take no for an answer and eventually WILL wear you down with their outright, upfront, completely unsympathetic cuteness. Really, just look at those girls in the photo. How can you not pay a dollar to those two for some General Ho Chi Minh beer cozies.

The setup:

You (the tourist) spread your blanket, oil your skin, and lay down to catch some rays.

Along comes the cunning girl, all smiles with baby in tow. "Hello, where you from?"

"America! woo hoo!""

"Nice. I love Eminem. You want to buy bracelets?"

"No thanks. I don't wear jewelry."

The hook

The girl sits with you. Not a few feet away or behind but right next to you. Sometimes joined by other girls who witness the sting in progress and want to get in on the goods. Suddenly questions start flying like

"What's your name? Married? How many kids you have?" -- these three are required

"Where you stay? How long you here? You like Vietnam? How old are you? Favorite color?" "Want to buy bracelet?"

The close

I defy any of you, given the circumstances (again, look at the photo) to get annoyed at these people. In the end, you talk to them, you share a smile, you hold out and twitch and tell yourself - they will leave soon - but they never do. So, you buy a bracelet for a buck. They smile again, the inquisition is over and they move on down the beach.

In the end, it wasn't so bad. They made a buck, you got a bracelet, a twenty minute conversation with 3 smiling girls hanging on your every word, and a photo for the scrap book. So you cozy up with a good book under the golden sun, just as a small shadow casts over your face

"Hello. What's your name?"