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!

Road Trip in Vietnam Day #2

Day #2 in Vietnam! We rented a motorbike and joined the river of traffic south on Highway 1A. Our aim was Ninh Binh, where we were supposed to see limestone peaks jutting from the rice paddies. However, Daniel reminded me the wise counsel that it is not about the destination but the journey. Indeed our whole time in Vietnam was a journey together!

You'll see Daniel in the back left of this photo, but I took this one while we were filling our tank to show how common it is to have fancy nicely dressed women riding around the city on motorbike. Even when I bought a dress later, the shopkeeper suggested I wear the dress and not worry about going on the motorbike. "I often do it, no problem!" she assured me. Women in the Philippines, at least where I live, rarely drive any vehicles, not even motorbike or bicycle!

Here we are at a random stop getting some shade and rest from the dusty roads. Notice my Vietnam map--a find from a bookstore in Hanoi. Notice also I am NOT driving the bike! I don't think I could keep it balanced, and I certainly would not have the courage to face the traffic like Daniel did! I'm a content rider. (We also do not have a photo of both of us on it, since we obviously did not want to hand our camera to someone random while we drove past!)

Down the road, on the "journey", we hit our first roadblock--a flat tire. The bike started wobbling and I got nervous. Daniel pulled over, and praise God, at that very same place "happened" to be a bike shop! We just wheeled it in to the back of this guy's house, he fixed it in no time, and we were off! This is Daniel chilling with his family. I love how the whole family lives at the place the dad works.

South of Hanoi we got excited to see some rural views that were lovely! Limestone crags and green fields.

Rice paddies reflecting the creation of God.

We passed tons of crazy vehicles, but here's one I caught while my camera was out--a guy on motorbike carrying two balancing huge pots!

Lovely rural scenes with boats. I love Vietnam! There was so much we didn't see--hopefully you can go someday too!

Tons of various cemeteries on the way--I think these had some chinese influence (judging by the writing). I like to see how people are buried in various countries.

The sunlight was really striking these graves in a colorful way. I wonder the significance of the roofs of these graves--I'm sure it's religious since I've seen this same pattern in religious buildings in China and Hanoi.

Another Vietnamese woman--I love seeing how they carry things on bikes. Again, in the Philippines it is not common for me to see women on bikes, but in Vietnam it is very common indeed. It truly must be cultural, because it is so practical.

It's hard to capture the feel in one picture, but it reminds me of the day.

A timed photo out in the middle of nowhere. I love my brother!

Me and the ducks!

This was a national geographic find. We tried to avoid the other major tourist spots and found this one off the beaten path on our own! The little town was so interesting and unique, and the valley vast and refreshing.

I cannot name this city on the blog since we feel it is our best kept secret! If we were to come back here it would be populated with tons of tourists, in just a few years, I'm sure! You could tell that they were getting ideas about renting boats to us and having us stay overnight. Daniel was telling him "The sun is setting and we have to go back to Hanoi tonight!" The local man was skeptical that we would make it back...clouds were looming and dark was coming.

Water buffalo, or Carabou, I'm glad to see these friendly animals in Vietnam (also in Philippines). We made it back that night in the dark but I was glad the following day to have a more relaxed day...A full day but good to see a bit of the countryside.

Hanoi, Vietnam--Day #1

Welcome to Vietnam! Daniel and I flew from Hong Kong to Hanoi and arrived late at night. That was not the best time to have first impressions of such a country, but by morning's light we found some great Vietnamese people and culture.

People were selling things, of course, but different from the Philippines they go around to you with bikes or fruit on poles like this. I think it's a great idea!

Bicycles, baskets and these traditional hats were a common sight. I wanted to make a book of all the times I saw funny things being carried on bikes, but then I saw my idea was already published in a book called "Bikes of Burden." Truly Vietnamese! It's amazing how much they can fit on there!

My first experience of Vietnam by daylight. I was ready to soak in everything!

Notice the top of the menu lists cigarettes. I have never seen these sold on a restaurant menu before. People were sitting on low stools and drinking various beverages in the morning together while smoking. I did notice tons more smoke, since in our city in the Philippines there is a law against it in public places (my lungs struggle with that and also the exhaust fumes).

I ordered a drink like a smoothie, but they often add yogurt or random fruits. I have no idea what it was. Communication was not in English here. Daniel got coffee, but with "Swiss milk" which we were to discover was a common use here--also known as, sweetened condensed milk.

We went to a market similar to the one in the Philippines, but yet the baskets and display all looked so attractive here. What a plentiful selection!

All kinds of beans--we do not have this offering in our market (you can't help but compare to what you already know). I like the colors and textures in this pic. Hopefully you can experience some of the sights of Vietnam through my lens.

Various things for sale...rugs, placemats...

My favorite picture of me--looking like one of the market ladies.

Notice the temple, with Chinese writing, and the lady in front with a bicycle selling brooms. Common sights around Hanoi. (Also notice the many motorbikes!)

Older looking housing on top of stores. I like the character of the city of Hanoi. Many tall and narrow houses all connected. There is supposedly a French influence as well as Chinese...you can find a mix. Now there are also lots of international influences in addition, as you will commonly find now in many places in the world, especially the use of U.S. dollars in some stores and English becoming more common (though not yet easy to use!).

One of my favorite shops, the paint store, where we later stayed near. Even though many paintings were copies, they were very well done and cheap also. This lady tried to give me language lessons: "Cam on" (thank you). Vietnamese is tonal with six tones, so I never did well speaking properly, even the one word I would try.

Motorbikes are flowing around the streets like a river of people! Later Daniel and I rented one, and then we couldn't go back to walking!

Daniel walks through traffic the way locals do. Just keep walking and everyone will just miss you (hopefully!).

These are water puppets for sale. I saw this in a book and it was really there in Vietnam. Later I'll tell you about the show we went to--traditional and cultural.

Inside the "Temple of Literature" I found this statue. I later found this actually happening in real life streets (see below).

Here's the "Temple of Literature." I liked it okay, but it was more Chinese than Vietnamese and there were tons of tourists.

I like these natural views better--with the real life buildings and on the top right--the flag of Vietnam (red with a yellow star in the center).

More interesting housing. These sights were common but just catch my eye for a picture!

Here's the real men playing "Chinese chess". I wonder how to play that!

One of the "gods" in a temple on the lake. This reminds me of what I saw in China also. I have much to learn about the religion of the people there.

The Hoan Kiem lake was a beautiful landmark in the middle of where we stayed in Hanoi. Just north of it is the "Old Quarter" and south is the "French Quarter." We went around it many times on motorbike and saw this "pagoda" in the middle lit up at night too.

It was a full first day, but these are my favorite 25 pictures!