Last Days in Vietnam--Snapshots

I only stayed in Vietnam a few days, since I have Nate and our boys, but it was lovely. Since our time was short, we decided to change our plan to motorbike all the way to Ho Chi Minh City (AKA Saigon), and just hang out in Hanoi. We love that place and decided to stay (not to go elsewhere in the north either, though that would be cool too--maybe I'll go back again someday).

Here are some snapshots from those last days. This pic is a common sight in the entrance of most places we went--hotels, stores, restaurants...it is like a shrine to a god with offerings on there. I need to learn more about this, but it is interesting to smell the incense burning and to see different food and drink offered to the gods.

One of our favorite things to do was to find these awesome tailor shops! Daniel is about to start his first job and needs work clothes anyway, so this is the place to shop!! He can pick out his own material and in just a few hours/days he has a tailored suit just for him! The prices are low, as suits go, but even better since special-made!

My favorite shop was this one on Hang Gai street, in the Old Quarter, which I totally recommend if you go there! The dresses are also handmade in the back and are cheaper than Target clothes! Very cute! I find it hard to shop for dresses in the Philippines, AND in the US, so this was just perfect for me--once in five years! (Plus I'm not pregnant anymore...so that makes it fun too).

I love the Opera house in the French Quarter! I read in a book that many brides often get their pictures taken here, so I was pleased to pass by here later and find that very thing happening (pictures below).

In another great tailor shop (in the French Quarter), Daniel is getting a fitting. The young guy did the work but then the "old sage" came out from the back for perfect adjustments and scrutinizing the work. "This is a lost art" Daniel comments. What attention!

(By the way, if you are a young man like Daniel, he advises instead of buying tons of clothes in the US you should fly to Vietnam and get these made. It will cost the same as all the clothes, but you will get a trip in addition and you will have them special made--all for the same price!).

One night we happened by this group of local musicians. I thought of Nate with his world music classes and took this picture. Various instruments are unique in this picture, but also notice the other things lying around--a common sight.

One night we went to a traditional "water puppet theatre" performance. This is supposedly unique to Vietnam. The stage was water and the puppets were attached to bamboo poles. It was very creative and entertaining.

The musicians were to the left, and here you can see the set-up and stage. I always like to try different cultural events like this, so I was glad Daniel was game to go with me!

Lots of different kinds of scenes were presented: animals, boats, folk stories, and this harvest festival. The music was all native too, so that was fun to record, once again, for Nate's classes.

Every night we saw tons of local people sitting on low plastic stools with low tables and just hanging out. "This is the place to hang out," we realized, so one night we joined in the fun. I have no idea what we ate, but it was a truly Vietnamese experience.

Here's a groom waiting for his bride on the steps to the opera house. I like to see how different people around the world look on their wedding day (lots of western influence with the wedding dress scene you will see...).

This bride was beautiful and could be seen in a magazine. I kind of felt bad, because there were two other brides on their special day to the side of this one. She really took center stage, so even I did not post the other two ladies here!

Here's another random snapshot--Daniel getting a shave the local way! A guy just randomly sets up a mirror on a nail on the sidewalk, plunks his chair down and sets up shop! We tried this place another time but he was gone. Then we tried again and found him! It was the old fashioned "wild west" blade, so you had to be really trusting! Thankfully, Daniel got a clean shave!

We did go outside the culture a few times and ate frozen yogurt at this Canadian shop three times! It is called Yogen Fruz, and they mixed in frozen raspberries and mora berries! I love berries, and we do not have those in the Philippines, so I got hooked to this place! Thankfully, it was two for one, for a whole week. Perfect! (Notice my new dress and Daniel's clean shave).
We are loving Hanoi!

Very handsome, Daniel! Time to pick up his suit. He looks ready for his first day of work (without the shoes of course!). Thankfully he doesn't start til September, so he's still able to enjoy some of Asia!

My time is almost done...we headed to the airport and here is the waiting area! About to fly to Saigon...HCMC.

Here we are in the big city of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). I prefered the North, but how can I really say, since I didn't really make that many memories here. There are many places I did not yet explore, but it was amazing anyway. Tons more motorbikes here in Saigon, and less of the character of Hanoi...I don't know...Daniel will have to tell you more about that.

Well, thank you, Lord, for letting me have this dream. I didn't think I'd ever get to go there (though it is SO close to the Philippines!), and I certainly never dreamed to get to go with my brother! Thank you, Lord! Thank you for sharing the journey with me, Daniel! Unforgettable!