Wow! Papa and I just celebrated our 13th anniversary! It included a huge surprise! I thought I was meeting Papa for lunch and then a spa treatment. What I didn't know was that we would meet after work at the Pan Pacific Hotel too!!! For an "executive overnight stay"! Our room with a view was extra amazing because we could see the Conrad Hotel with the number 13 on it...I will include a photo later so you can see what I am talking about.
We enjoyed the executive club and the hotel made an anniversary cake for us. The next day, after breakfast, Papa headed back to the office and I had another spa treatment. He met me later in the evening for good bye drinks in the club before heading home. We got home to find our children as happy as can be...Frunty slept all night, Pit showed up beside Gramma and Grampa's bed at 4:30am for a snuggle!
The four of them had their own adventure with two days of fun: they saw the movie, "Yogi Bear", ate Carl's Jr burgers and the following day, went out for lunch downtown and spent the rest of the day by the pool. Too much fun!
It was the best anniversary to date and I really don't know how Papa can top this one!! Let me see him try! Thanks, Papa. You are really "ultra fun". (as Frunty would say!)
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
Christmas at D'Manor
On the 24th, Grampa, Gramma, Pit and I headed over to Cold Storage to get a multitude of goodies to make our Christmas extra special at D'Manor. We then had a traditional, German dinner of sausages and potato salad with fine, Weizen beers. On the 25th, we headed over to Pit's school which is located beside a church where we enjoyed Christmas carols and a few testimonials. The 1 hour sermon was long but we made it through and came home to get ready to celebrate in the party room beside the pool which we had rented with two other families. Niamh, Sam and Killian (from Ireland/Oz) and Anna, Daniel, Alex and Lea all helped to make our first, tropical Christmas fun and memorable. Later in the evening, some other neighbours from the Czech Republic and Slovakia joined us and brought beautiful, homemade cookies.
It was a very cheerful Christmas and we were grateful to be able to share it with new friends and with Gramma and Grampa. We hope everyone had as special a Christmas as we did. Friends and Family in North America and Europe enjoyed a white Christmas and we were really excited for them! All the best for a wonderful 2011!
It was a very cheerful Christmas and we were grateful to be able to share it with new friends and with Gramma and Grampa. We hope everyone had as special a Christmas as we did. Friends and Family in North America and Europe enjoyed a white Christmas and we were really excited for them! All the best for a wonderful 2011!
The Rex and the Mekong Delta
We arrived early in HCMC and was picked up by our guide who would spend the next three days with us. Hoang and our driver took us directly for breakfast, at our request, to the Caravelle, a beautiful hotel which let us enjoy the buffet breakfast earlier than normally allowed. We invited Hoang to join us and afterwards, we drove directly to the Cu Chi Tunnels. We were the first to arrive to visit these amazing tunnels near HCMC. When we left the place, the parking lot was completely full of tour buses. It was so nice to be early and enjoy them alone.
We checked into the Rex after being absolutely "freaked out" by the accomodation I booked on-line through Hostelworld. It really is hit or miss as some places are fine but this mini hotel was down two alley ways and not appropriate. Hoang took us to the Rex and we never looked back.
The following day, we drove to the Mekong Delta and enjoyed an overnight trip visiting floating markets and taking a small boat to a little village to try tropical fruits. It was really nice. The boat was called Bassac and it was a different experience compared to the Bhaya cruise of Halong Bay. Not better, just different.
We arrived back at the Rex and got upgraded again into deluxe suites where we enjoyed beautiful rooms and eventually cocktails and flamenco music in the famous bar on the 5th floor. We managed to get in some cd shopping and enjoyed the Christmas, window decorations at a nearby mall. With all the motorbikes whizzing by, we really found a refuge at the Rex even though HCMC is a fascinating city. Grandpa especially loved the French influence. On the 22nd, we head to the airport after a visit to the nearby market. We were ready to return to Papa in Singapore after having an incredible trip in Vietnam. Arriving home safely and healthy...who could ask for anything more?! Ah yes, big hugs from Papa!
We checked into the Rex after being absolutely "freaked out" by the accomodation I booked on-line through Hostelworld. It really is hit or miss as some places are fine but this mini hotel was down two alley ways and not appropriate. Hoang took us to the Rex and we never looked back.
The following day, we drove to the Mekong Delta and enjoyed an overnight trip visiting floating markets and taking a small boat to a little village to try tropical fruits. It was really nice. The boat was called Bassac and it was a different experience compared to the Bhaya cruise of Halong Bay. Not better, just different.
We arrived back at the Rex and got upgraded again into deluxe suites where we enjoyed beautiful rooms and eventually cocktails and flamenco music in the famous bar on the 5th floor. We managed to get in some cd shopping and enjoyed the Christmas, window decorations at a nearby mall. With all the motorbikes whizzing by, we really found a refuge at the Rex even though HCMC is a fascinating city. Grandpa especially loved the French influence. On the 22nd, we head to the airport after a visit to the nearby market. We were ready to return to Papa in Singapore after having an incredible trip in Vietnam. Arriving home safely and healthy...who could ask for anything more?! Ah yes, big hugs from Papa!
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Pillow Fights on night train to HCMC!
Our last and most fun train ride from Nha Trang to Saigon...fun pillow fights and other laughs and snuggles on board and our meal we brought from Louisiane Brewhouse who did take out especially for us!
Night train from Nha Trang
Last night we took the night train from Nha Trang, a beach side city where we enjoyed the Louisiane Brewhouse and pool, to Saigon. Honestly, I dreaded it after seeing the other trains in Vietnam which are quite grubby. But when we got on board the Blue Train, we were thrilled to find a really nice cabin with comfortable, clean bunks. One day, maybe by 2017, there will be a Shinkansen linking Hanoi to HCMC and the travel time will take 5.5 hours. Right now, Vietnam has very old trains and the trip takes 30 hours.
We arrived early in Saigon at 4 am and so were not picked up til 4:30am which was the scheduled time. Our guide, Hoang, and driver took us to the Caravelle for breakfast. The only places for breakfast that early are either road side stalls or 5 star restaurants. Actually, when we got to the Caravelle, the lights were off in the restaurant but by 5 am they turned them on and let us start eating soon after...thank goodness. We invited Hoang to join us and he said that he had never had a buffet breakfast in a fancy hotel before...I don't know if I can believe him or not but I would like to think we gave him some nice backsheesh off the bat for further good service.
We headed over to Cu Chi Tunnels and were the very first visitors! It opens at 7am and we got there shortly after and thank goodness because we had the place to ourselves and when we left at about 11am, the number of tourist buses was astonishing for such a tiny parking lot. The masses had arrived and we were off!
We were taken to our guesthouse, Hotel Vykhanh, which was down two little alley ways in an area that was quite seedy where our guide used to live and told us about drug busts. It was not appropriate for us. I had already checked to see if the place we stayed in with Papa was still available last night before the train. I wanted to know just in case we needed to change places but unfortunately, Mini Saigon Hotel #5 was fully booked. Tis the season.
So we checked-in at the Rex and were upgraded from the regular room to a suite which is very nice! The kids are resting while I type but in an hour, we'll walk to a nearby restaurant suggested to us by our guide for a vietnamese meal. It is in a French-style building behind the city hall and is apparently very inexpensive but has great food.
Tomorrow morning we leave for the Mekong Delta for an overnight trip on the Brassac. In a few more days, we'll be back in Singapore to see Papa! The kids have been doing just great. Amazing little troopers and I am so proud of them for traveling so well!
We arrived early in Saigon at 4 am and so were not picked up til 4:30am which was the scheduled time. Our guide, Hoang, and driver took us to the Caravelle for breakfast. The only places for breakfast that early are either road side stalls or 5 star restaurants. Actually, when we got to the Caravelle, the lights were off in the restaurant but by 5 am they turned them on and let us start eating soon after...thank goodness. We invited Hoang to join us and he said that he had never had a buffet breakfast in a fancy hotel before...I don't know if I can believe him or not but I would like to think we gave him some nice backsheesh off the bat for further good service.
We headed over to Cu Chi Tunnels and were the very first visitors! It opens at 7am and we got there shortly after and thank goodness because we had the place to ourselves and when we left at about 11am, the number of tourist buses was astonishing for such a tiny parking lot. The masses had arrived and we were off!
We were taken to our guesthouse, Hotel Vykhanh, which was down two little alley ways in an area that was quite seedy where our guide used to live and told us about drug busts. It was not appropriate for us. I had already checked to see if the place we stayed in with Papa was still available last night before the train. I wanted to know just in case we needed to change places but unfortunately, Mini Saigon Hotel #5 was fully booked. Tis the season.
So we checked-in at the Rex and were upgraded from the regular room to a suite which is very nice! The kids are resting while I type but in an hour, we'll walk to a nearby restaurant suggested to us by our guide for a vietnamese meal. It is in a French-style building behind the city hall and is apparently very inexpensive but has great food.
Tomorrow morning we leave for the Mekong Delta for an overnight trip on the Brassac. In a few more days, we'll be back in Singapore to see Papa! The kids have been doing just great. Amazing little troopers and I am so proud of them for traveling so well!
Friday, 17 December 2010
Thap Ba Mud Pools near Nha Trang
To help some of us with our aversions to mud, we got downright dirty today and clean again in our private mud bath, sauna, mineral pool and jacuzzi.A great way to unwind after our long train ride from Quang Ngai to Nha Trang the day before!
My Lai
After Hoi An, we took a private car down to Quang Ngai where we found a hotel called The Riverside which was really Vietnamese. We arrived rather late and so we enjoyed room service and watched Mr. Bean. We were the only westerners and the following morning, camera crews came and filmed us in the lobby. At some time, we will appear on television here in Vietnam!
We have had excellent weather most of the trip but the following day, it was really stormy and started to rain. We managed to visit My Lai and then got on the train for Nha Trang just before it really started to storm. The scenery was so gorgeous along the way...green, rice paddies and mountains...so lush. Traditional scenes of rural life that you would find in the National Geographic. The train itself is...well, a really "interesting" experience as I am teaching the kids to say instead of something negative. The "deluxe" cabin I thought I had booked through an agent did not seem like a cabin or deluxe. It was pretty...interesting.
We arrived in Nha Trang half an hour early though and made it to our hostel, Kim Yuen Hotel. After checking in, we hiked over to an Italian resto run by a Milanese and had pasta and pizza. So hungry...had to ignore the diet.
Today we had an incredible buffet breakfast at the Sheraton followed by a VIP mud pool experience with massages, our own swimming pool full of mineral water, a mud pool in our room which also had a jacuzzi with mineral water plus lunch and house robes and after all of that, we felt clean again. Sorry to say, Vietnam can be pretty filthy if you get off the beaten track! Although I have enjoyed the train rides scenery-wise, they are pretty grungy. There, I have said it. Sorry for being negative!
We ate dinner at Lanterns, a restaurant which supports two orphanages here in Nha Trang. Our trips in Asia have been about trying to get to know the locals by staying in guest houses and traveling on their trains/buses etc. and in so doing, supporting local businesses like restaurants that help street children. In part, we have done this to save money as most guest houses are $5 per person per night. Once in awhile though, we need to indulge by staying somewhere more luxurious or eating a buffet breakfast with waffles and maple syrup instead of a bowl of pho at a roadside stall...just to recharge our batteries.
We have had excellent weather most of the trip but the following day, it was really stormy and started to rain. We managed to visit My Lai and then got on the train for Nha Trang just before it really started to storm. The scenery was so gorgeous along the way...green, rice paddies and mountains...so lush. Traditional scenes of rural life that you would find in the National Geographic. The train itself is...well, a really "interesting" experience as I am teaching the kids to say instead of something negative. The "deluxe" cabin I thought I had booked through an agent did not seem like a cabin or deluxe. It was pretty...interesting.
We arrived in Nha Trang half an hour early though and made it to our hostel, Kim Yuen Hotel. After checking in, we hiked over to an Italian resto run by a Milanese and had pasta and pizza. So hungry...had to ignore the diet.
Today we had an incredible buffet breakfast at the Sheraton followed by a VIP mud pool experience with massages, our own swimming pool full of mineral water, a mud pool in our room which also had a jacuzzi with mineral water plus lunch and house robes and after all of that, we felt clean again. Sorry to say, Vietnam can be pretty filthy if you get off the beaten track! Although I have enjoyed the train rides scenery-wise, they are pretty grungy. There, I have said it. Sorry for being negative!
We ate dinner at Lanterns, a restaurant which supports two orphanages here in Nha Trang. Our trips in Asia have been about trying to get to know the locals by staying in guest houses and traveling on their trains/buses etc. and in so doing, supporting local businesses like restaurants that help street children. In part, we have done this to save money as most guest houses are $5 per person per night. Once in awhile though, we need to indulge by staying somewhere more luxurious or eating a buffet breakfast with waffles and maple syrup instead of a bowl of pho at a roadside stall...just to recharge our batteries.
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
Fishing near Hoi An
Frunty and Pit cannot get enough of fishing so we have made sure this trip in Vietnam has a lot of time on boats. From squid fishing at night to learning how to throw nets with Grampa, the boys are enjoying their trip immensely. Here they are wearing glasses made by the crew of our Hoi An Eco Tour boat made from coconut palm reeds. Later you'll see the boys unwinding in the room in their silk house coats and conical hats which they wanted to go to bed in...ha ha!
On our Way to Hoi An
We took the train from Hue to Danang and then a taxi for 30 km to the coast. The stretch of coast we passed on the rickety train is said to the be the most beautiful in Vietnam. Indeed it was gorgeous with the sea and the Marble and Monkey mountains surrounding us. It was a great trip south.
Arriving in Hoi An, we were discouraged to find that the hotel did not meet our standards. We have had a lot of success with hostelworld.com and the hostels have been like mini-hotels. Totally acceptable: quaint and comfortable. While our "ocean view family suite" was clean, it had the feeling and appearance of a war time prison camp. (booked through agoda.com) Discouraged, we all felt like cutting our losses and moving on the next day to Quang Nai. And what a mistake that would have been because Hoi An is so beautiful and we would have missed it!
After one night in the camp, we moved to the very beautiful Victoria Hoi An Hotel on a nice beach and joined our new friends whom we met on the Halong Bay cruise, Heather and Sanjay, the "newlyweds"! They told us they were staying at the Victoria which was a stone's throw from our hovel. We received a welcome package which included free massages/mini bar/cocktails and transfer from our old place, Cua Dai Hotel. They threw in free laundry service...perfect timing!
Gramma enjoyed a good rest in the morning of our arrival at Victoria while Grampa, the boys and I headed out across the road to a river where we took a boat to do some fishing with the locals and visited an eco home where the husband and wife make all their furniture etc. in bamboo. There were supposed to be thunderstorms later on but that did not come to pass so it meant that we could explore the very beautiful, old center of Hoi An (which fortunately was not destroyed by the war). We stopped at a tailor/seamstress to pick up Heather's jacket and I could not resist having something made for myself for Christmas and then the 6 of us headed to Cargo, a wonderful, little restaurant overlooking the river, where Sanjay had reserved the best table in the place. With all the lanterns shining around this very pretty, UNESCO town, I was so grateful that we did not throw in the towel when the going got tough but instead, made a new plan!
Arriving in Hoi An, we were discouraged to find that the hotel did not meet our standards. We have had a lot of success with hostelworld.com and the hostels have been like mini-hotels. Totally acceptable: quaint and comfortable. While our "ocean view family suite" was clean, it had the feeling and appearance of a war time prison camp. (booked through agoda.com) Discouraged, we all felt like cutting our losses and moving on the next day to Quang Nai. And what a mistake that would have been because Hoi An is so beautiful and we would have missed it!
After one night in the camp, we moved to the very beautiful Victoria Hoi An Hotel on a nice beach and joined our new friends whom we met on the Halong Bay cruise, Heather and Sanjay, the "newlyweds"! They told us they were staying at the Victoria which was a stone's throw from our hovel. We received a welcome package which included free massages/mini bar/cocktails and transfer from our old place, Cua Dai Hotel. They threw in free laundry service...perfect timing!
Gramma enjoyed a good rest in the morning of our arrival at Victoria while Grampa, the boys and I headed out across the road to a river where we took a boat to do some fishing with the locals and visited an eco home where the husband and wife make all their furniture etc. in bamboo. There were supposed to be thunderstorms later on but that did not come to pass so it meant that we could explore the very beautiful, old center of Hoi An (which fortunately was not destroyed by the war). We stopped at a tailor/seamstress to pick up Heather's jacket and I could not resist having something made for myself for Christmas and then the 6 of us headed to Cargo, a wonderful, little restaurant overlooking the river, where Sanjay had reserved the best table in the place. With all the lanterns shining around this very pretty, UNESCO town, I was so grateful that we did not throw in the towel when the going got tough but instead, made a new plan!
Pictures of Hue: once an Imperial City
We spent the day on motorbikes and on the Perfume 
River, exploring the sites of Hue in the sunshine. It was quite an adventure!
Monday, 13 December 2010
Hue and the Perfume River
Grampa did a great job yesterday organizing a Perfume River adventure! We were picked up at our hotel, Waterland, near the river in Hue and taken to a really neat boat for a trip to some pagodas, temples and the citadel. A Vietnamese couple with a small boy and a baby girl were our driver and cook for the day. When we got off the boat, we were taken on the back of motorbikes to several temples. I was pretty proud of everyone for taking another motorbike trip because it can be pretty scary at times. Some huge trucks were coming towards us on some sandy, narrow roads and our expert drivers didn't even bat an eyelash. Personally I think I am pretty much finished with Vietnamese motorbike adventures!!
We treated ourselves to a lovely dinner at an Italian restaurant called Little Italy near our hotel in Hue after visiting an incredible market inside a building on the other side of the river. Everything was for sale. We were looking for a few tshirts in particular but it was so overwhelming that we ran out of that place as fast as we could to find somewhere calmer, cooler and less chaotic. I think living in Asia for me is a constant challenge (struggle?) to find an oasis! As I type this, some young women are sitting near me, listening to their music on their phones and talking at the top of their voices. I gotta skidaddle.
Tomorrow we will check into the Victoria Hotel down the road where some friends we met in Halong Bay are staying...we went for dinner tonight and realized we had to move over. Most nights we have been very happy with our hostelworld.com bookings but this time, the surroundings of the hotel are so run down and derelict, dangerous with construction and dead animals, that we have to move! Sayonara Cua Dai Beach Hotel. Xin Ciao to the Victoria! (thanks for your support, Papa, as usual! And hope your ankle gets better soon!)
We treated ourselves to a lovely dinner at an Italian restaurant called Little Italy near our hotel in Hue after visiting an incredible market inside a building on the other side of the river. Everything was for sale. We were looking for a few tshirts in particular but it was so overwhelming that we ran out of that place as fast as we could to find somewhere calmer, cooler and less chaotic. I think living in Asia for me is a constant challenge (struggle?) to find an oasis! As I type this, some young women are sitting near me, listening to their music on their phones and talking at the top of their voices. I gotta skidaddle.
Tomorrow we will check into the Victoria Hotel down the road where some friends we met in Halong Bay are staying...we went for dinner tonight and realized we had to move over. Most nights we have been very happy with our hostelworld.com bookings but this time, the surroundings of the hotel are so run down and derelict, dangerous with construction and dead animals, that we have to move! Sayonara Cua Dai Beach Hotel. Xin Ciao to the Victoria! (thanks for your support, Papa, as usual! And hope your ankle gets better soon!)
Sunday, 12 December 2010
Photos of Vinh Moc
Our guide, 55-year old Quang, spreads the message of anti-war to us on our day trip of the Vinh Moc tunnels and the DMZ.
Children's laughter and the sound of waves are now heard on this beautiful, peaceful beach near the tunnels.
Vinh Moc Tunnels
Imagine living in tunnels 23 metres below sea level for up to 5 years and only leaving at night to go to the bathroom? Such was the fate of many Vietnamese throughout this country during the war. We visited one such rabbit warren where we found 2 kilometres of tunnels where many lived and worked. 17 babies were born under ground too with only candles to brighten up their lives, so we thought. Later we saw photos of some of the people in a museum: young men and women singing and playing musical instruments, small children studying their books, doctors and nurses operating, elderly people making crafts etc. How the earth must have shaken when the bombs were dropped overhead. Imagine how scarey it must have been and yet the triumph of the spirit was clearly seen in the photos.
As in Belgium when we visited the trenches, the children were enthralled by these tunnels. Trying to give as little, graphic information as possible, Frunty and Pit understood, I think, that the people lived underground to keep safe. Pit was a little reticent about going underground but after we left one tunnel and came up for fresh air, he wanted to go back under again. I liked it down there too...dark, cool and so quiet. It was great for 20 minutes and with the knowledge that we could ascend any time we wanted. But to stay under there day after day, night after night for months and then years...it is hardly imaginable.
We were the only visitors in the tunnels although it is clearly set up to welcome tourists. I think many stick to a prescribed, tourist trail here in Vietnam. We were happy to have gotten off the beaten track and visited a quiet place away from the crowds. In Asia, I feel that this is one of my biggest goals...to find peace and quiet. Do I actually have to go underground though to find it?!!
As in Belgium when we visited the trenches, the children were enthralled by these tunnels. Trying to give as little, graphic information as possible, Frunty and Pit understood, I think, that the people lived underground to keep safe. Pit was a little reticent about going underground but after we left one tunnel and came up for fresh air, he wanted to go back under again. I liked it down there too...dark, cool and so quiet. It was great for 20 minutes and with the knowledge that we could ascend any time we wanted. But to stay under there day after day, night after night for months and then years...it is hardly imaginable.
We were the only visitors in the tunnels although it is clearly set up to welcome tourists. I think many stick to a prescribed, tourist trail here in Vietnam. We were happy to have gotten off the beaten track and visited a quiet place away from the crowds. In Asia, I feel that this is one of my biggest goals...to find peace and quiet. Do I actually have to go underground though to find it?!!
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Train to Hanoi to Dong Ha (north of Hue)
Photos from Halong Bay!
Fun on the different decks:
wrap and roll! How to make fried, rice
wrap and roll! How to make fried, rice
paper spring rolls! Listening to Grampa's fun stories, squid fishing at night...well done, Frunty, for catching the biggest squid the crew has ever seen...(photo not included because of all the ink excreted by the squid made it hidden in bucket!) Playing pirates was exciting too!
Bhaya Junk Boat Cruise
From December 8-10th, the 5 of us stayed on a luxury, junk boat on Halong Bay and sailed around sipping cocktails, kayaking in private areas, visiting fishing villages and searching for shells on private beach. It was absolutely heavenly. When we arrived on board, rose petals rained down upon us but luckily, the sky was clear and glorious for our 3 days. The 7th and the afternoon of the 10th were both rainy/grey so we feel extra lucky to have had such a great experience out at sea with calm waters. A highlight for Frunty was trying squid fishing both nights. On the second night, he caught the biggest squid the crew had ever seen! A highlight for Pit was everything!
A highlight for me was being upgraded to a room at the front of the boat with a king sized bed, a bathroom with bath tub, a huge bouquet of red roses by my bed, and our own deck with two lounge chairs to enjoy the sunset. We befriended Ronald from the Philippines, the boat manager, on our first day. He came to us at breakfast the following day and told us to pack our bags and leave the rest to him while we went out on our private boat to Cat Ba island for cycling. When we arrived back later, we were handed a new key and opened the door to our beautiful new room. After that, we did not want to leave the room for the rest of the cruise!! But the cooking class was waiting for us and so off we went to learn how to make deep-fried spring rolls with rice paper while the sun set. I will now include some photos so you can see what I am talking about...too amazing! I recommend this very special way to see Halong Bay!
A highlight for me was being upgraded to a room at the front of the boat with a king sized bed, a bathroom with bath tub, a huge bouquet of red roses by my bed, and our own deck with two lounge chairs to enjoy the sunset. We befriended Ronald from the Philippines, the boat manager, on our first day. He came to us at breakfast the following day and told us to pack our bags and leave the rest to him while we went out on our private boat to Cat Ba island for cycling. When we arrived back later, we were handed a new key and opened the door to our beautiful new room. After that, we did not want to leave the room for the rest of the cruise!! But the cooking class was waiting for us and so off we went to learn how to make deep-fried spring rolls with rice paper while the sun set. I will now include some photos so you can see what I am talking about...too amazing! I recommend this very special way to see Halong Bay!
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Gramma and Grampa Arrive in Hanoi
It was a very exciting morning waiting for Gramma and Grampa to arrive in Hanoi. Reuniting was lots of fun with big hugs and our children are glued to their grandparents which is very nice to see.
A private car picked us all up and took us to our very nice hotel in the old quarter called Hanoi Deluxe Hotel at 28 Bat Su where we left our luggage and then took another taxi to Koto for lunch. It is really good food and service and it is nice to support the street children who work there. It was funny when Pit knocked the bowl of ketchup off the table and it miraculously missed Grampa's white shoes. I don't know how those shoes are going to stay white this trip. I think I will take before and after photos!! (our shoes are filthy!)
After lunch, we walked through the chaotic streets of Hanoi to Hoan Kiem lake where we took G&G to the Temple of Literature. A cyclo back to the hotel for rest time and then a taxi to Luyen's for a special, southern Vietnamese dinner and a chance to pick up all my dry and clean laundry that I had left hanging all day. We were all pretty excited from our day together, a happy kind of tired. Tomorrow we leave for Halong Bay for our two night cruise so I had better hit the hay too. Good night, Papa! Thanks for sending along the items, especially adaptor and from Amy, peanut butter cookies...back to our special diet! Talk soon! xo
A private car picked us all up and took us to our very nice hotel in the old quarter called Hanoi Deluxe Hotel at 28 Bat Su where we left our luggage and then took another taxi to Koto for lunch. It is really good food and service and it is nice to support the street children who work there. It was funny when Pit knocked the bowl of ketchup off the table and it miraculously missed Grampa's white shoes. I don't know how those shoes are going to stay white this trip. I think I will take before and after photos!! (our shoes are filthy!)
After lunch, we walked through the chaotic streets of Hanoi to Hoan Kiem lake where we took G&G to the Temple of Literature. A cyclo back to the hotel for rest time and then a taxi to Luyen's for a special, southern Vietnamese dinner and a chance to pick up all my dry and clean laundry that I had left hanging all day. We were all pretty excited from our day together, a happy kind of tired. Tomorrow we leave for Halong Bay for our two night cruise so I had better hit the hay too. Good night, Papa! Thanks for sending along the items, especially adaptor and from Amy, peanut butter cookies...back to our special diet! Talk soon! xo
Monday, 6 December 2010
No Chance!
Today the children wanted to take it easy and so we hung out at home, walked to Luyen's cafe and I had a massage while the boys watched Space Chimps 2 on the laptop at the spa. We also looked for Chance, our host family's Vietnamese "meat" dog who is gorgeous and has been missing since last night. Nicholas sometimes lets him come home alone from the park. Normally, Chance shows up. But not last night and not tonight either. We are all very worried. I have offered to hang up signs tomorrow morning before Gramma and Grampa arrive. This reminds me of when we stayed in BKK and the very first night, our host family's dog passed away. So sad. Anyway, cross your fingers we'll be lucky and Chance will return. I'll keep you posted, pun intended.
Sunday, 5 December 2010
A few more scenes from Mai Chau
We enjoyed a bit of hiking these past two days in the fresh air. The children did very well...sometimes Pit went on strike though but bravo that he eventually kept going!
Overnight in Mai Chau: noisy pigs!
Luyen's colleagues, friends and fellow couchsurfers spent the night in Mai Chau in this bamboo home on stilts surrounded by rice fields. We ate and slept all in one room and below, the noisy barnyard creatures tried to keep us awake! This village and the surroundings offered many, traditional, Vietnamese scenes of rural life.
Our home in Hanoi and the old city
Picture #1:We are couchsurfing with a Vietnamese-British family in Ciputra International City, between the airport and the center of Hanoi. The Shells: Robin, Luyen, Nicholas (17) and meat dog, Chance, have warmly welcomed us into their home.
Chance did not come home tonight so we have prayed for his safe return.
Chance did not come home tonight so we have prayed for his safe return.Picture #2: We were driven around Hanoi by this chap on the bike who apparently knew where Koto restaurant was located. He really did not but we had fun anyway!
Picture #3: Hanoi has some picturesque lakes that add calmness to a chaotic but very interesting city!
The temple in the middle was very peaceful-looking.
The temple in the middle was very peaceful-looking.
Pictures #4-5: 
The temple of Literature is Vietnam's first university. We crossed a red bridge and entered this beautiful temple where we learned about the mysterious, legendary lake turtle. (picture of Frunty holding the sword on the turtle's back and Pit looking on, wearing their new, comfortable backpacks!)
The temple of Literature is Vietnam's first university. We crossed a red bridge and entered this beautiful temple where we learned about the mysterious, legendary lake turtle. (picture of Frunty holding the sword on the turtle's back and Pit looking on, wearing their new, comfortable backpacks!)Frunty and Pit in front of the Temple of Literature
Overnight in Mai Chau: noisy pigs!
We headed to Mai Chau with Luyen and her colleagues/friends for an overnight visit of this village full of White Thais with black teeth. We enjoyed some delicious, sticky rice stuck in bamboo and came home with a stack of sugar canes sticks. The trip took a long time and Pit did not do well on the way there but on the way back, he mostly slept and did not feel sick thanks perhaps to the orange peel he sniffed the whole trip. We all slept together in the upstairs of a bamboo house on stilts. The driver snored but he was not the loudest in our group. The roosters cockadoodled for hours upon hours, the pigs and puppies squealed ad nauseum and fighting dogs were fierce. So we all woke up slightly stiff and sleepy but still enjoyed a marvelous hike through the rice fields and Pit did not fall in like he did in Bali!
After lunch, some members of our group went cylcing to another village but Frunty, Pit and I explored another area and came across a woman, ushering her white geese through the rice fields with a stick while wearing a conical hat. It was a scene right out of a movie and we followed, at her request, through some tiny paths to her house. It was a beautiful walk. I will post some photos soon to show our latest adventures. Time for dinner back here in Hanoi! Welcome, Gramma and Grampa to Singapore. So glad you made it despite the snowstorms and hope you have some restful days by the pool with your Slings!
After lunch, some members of our group went cylcing to another village but Frunty, Pit and I explored another area and came across a woman, ushering her white geese through the rice fields with a stick while wearing a conical hat. It was a scene right out of a movie and we followed, at her request, through some tiny paths to her house. It was a beautiful walk. I will post some photos soon to show our latest adventures. Time for dinner back here in Hanoi! Welcome, Gramma and Grampa to Singapore. So glad you made it despite the snowstorms and hope you have some restful days by the pool with your Slings!
Friday, 3 December 2010
A Day in Hanoi
The kids did not want to leave the aircraft carrier and all the jetfighters yesterday but I was able to convince them somehow to come for a little visit to Hanoi. The day before, we stayed "home" mostly, just playing, catching up on "admin", doing laundry etc. We did go for a walk to the Donkey Doughnut, a cafe owned by our hostess, Luyen, for lunch.
But a short visit out to see such a beautiful city was in order. Hanoi is one of Bella's favourite cities so I wanted to explore it a bit. A tiny white taxi picked us up and took us to the Puppet Theatre where most performances were sold out. The kids said it looked too scarey and they did not want to go anyway so we took a brief look into the old quarter and bought a few backpacks that the kids find comfortable to wear. They looked like little troupers and it was so funny watching Frunty and Pit scoot around parked motorbikes and other items for sale on the sidewalks for the rest of the day.
We went over a red bridge to the Temple of Literature which was Vietnam's first university. It was lovely and the kids were enthralled about the story of the legendary, giant lake turtle and the sword. Afterwards we walked around the lake to try to find a restaurant called Koto. At one point, a persistent cyclist with carriage finally got our business and said he knew where Koto was. He did not. He cycled us all around Hanoi...I am sure we saw just about every neighbourhood and asked dozens of people the way. Finally I suggested asking a taxi driver but the cyclist did not understand, as per the entire trip, and thought we wanted to get into the taxi.
Luckily the taxi driver spoke English and I explained the story and showed the address and he told our cycle driver the way. I think the other people were just waving their arms around and did not really know where the restaurant was! Anyway, I guess the 5 min. trip actually took more than an hour and we were finally seated in a lovely restaurant called Koto which employs street children and teenagers. We had a delicious meal and then tried to walk around the area to find a bookshop called, Bookworm.
When we finally found it, after more waving of arms by locals who really did not know where the shop was...but guess what, it had moved! A lady with a food stall nearby handed us a bookmark with the new address on it so we jumped in a taxi and when we got to the new, and improved, Bookworm, we were pretty relieved. We spent many hours reading childrens' books and having a coffee and mango juices in the quiet, green courtyard. With the sun shining, it was a nice escape from the chaotic and dusty but very interesting city streets of Hanoi. I really like it here, Bella.
And best of all, Frunty and Pit said they had a great day. I was happy to hear that because this trip is for them too!
But a short visit out to see such a beautiful city was in order. Hanoi is one of Bella's favourite cities so I wanted to explore it a bit. A tiny white taxi picked us up and took us to the Puppet Theatre where most performances were sold out. The kids said it looked too scarey and they did not want to go anyway so we took a brief look into the old quarter and bought a few backpacks that the kids find comfortable to wear. They looked like little troupers and it was so funny watching Frunty and Pit scoot around parked motorbikes and other items for sale on the sidewalks for the rest of the day.
We went over a red bridge to the Temple of Literature which was Vietnam's first university. It was lovely and the kids were enthralled about the story of the legendary, giant lake turtle and the sword. Afterwards we walked around the lake to try to find a restaurant called Koto. At one point, a persistent cyclist with carriage finally got our business and said he knew where Koto was. He did not. He cycled us all around Hanoi...I am sure we saw just about every neighbourhood and asked dozens of people the way. Finally I suggested asking a taxi driver but the cyclist did not understand, as per the entire trip, and thought we wanted to get into the taxi.
Luckily the taxi driver spoke English and I explained the story and showed the address and he told our cycle driver the way. I think the other people were just waving their arms around and did not really know where the restaurant was! Anyway, I guess the 5 min. trip actually took more than an hour and we were finally seated in a lovely restaurant called Koto which employs street children and teenagers. We had a delicious meal and then tried to walk around the area to find a bookshop called, Bookworm.
When we finally found it, after more waving of arms by locals who really did not know where the shop was...but guess what, it had moved! A lady with a food stall nearby handed us a bookmark with the new address on it so we jumped in a taxi and when we got to the new, and improved, Bookworm, we were pretty relieved. We spent many hours reading childrens' books and having a coffee and mango juices in the quiet, green courtyard. With the sun shining, it was a nice escape from the chaotic and dusty but very interesting city streets of Hanoi. I really like it here, Bella.
And best of all, Frunty and Pit said they had a great day. I was happy to hear that because this trip is for them too!
Christmas Calendars
I grew up with Christmas calendars from Germany. From December 1st til the 24th, my brother and I would open a door on our calendars purchased from Keil's German butchershop. It was very exciting to discover the chocolate shapes hiding behind each door. I have continued the tradition with our children too. I thought that this year, we would not be able to find the calendars here in Vietnam but boy, was I wrong. The supermarket near our homestay is stocked almost entirely with German products and amazingly, they sell the calendars too. Our two little Christmas elves were so excited to be able to travel with their calendar through Vietnam and are taking turns opening doors: Frunty opens even numbers, Pit uneven. Viel SpaB and great cooperation, little guys! 'Tis the season to be jolly!
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Heaven and Earth
We are couchsurfing with a Vietnamese-British family in Hanoi right now who lives in the most expensive, guarded part of the city called Chuputra. With fancy cars and private schools, beautiful mansions and parks, it is hard to believe we are in Vietnam at all. Around the corner is the Singapore International School, for example, and fancy shops and spas. It is a nice break from the chaos/pollution/traffic of the city and we are grateful for a beautiful home and a lovely family with whom to stay. On the walls of this home there are many photos, one of which is our host family with Jimmy Carter. Our host "father", Robin, works for Habitat for Humanity and our host "mother" has her own bakery just outside of this gated community. Their son, Nicholas, has laughed his head off watching our kids box in their living room! As Grampa would say, "heatscore!"
Last night our family hosted some friends and at one point in the evening, our hostess told me that the woman beside me was Le Ly Hapslip, the author of Heaven and Earth and other novels. The authoress turned to me and asked if I had read her book or seen the Oliver Stone movie. My reply, "not yet". I remembered David Suzuki asking Papa if he had read one of his books on a flight some years back.
Our hostess brings baked goods home which have not been sold and so you can imagine how excited our kids are to try Arnie-like doughnuts! Although we are still gluten/wheat/egg/dairy/soya free, I think exceptions can sometimes be made and in this case, our kids had a doughnut each after their dinner.
Le Ly turned to my children and said, "if you want to grow big and tall like Nicholas (the 17 year old teenage son of our host family) you had better eat more vegetables. If I were your mother, I would not let you eat those doughnuts because you haven't eaten enough vegetables." Earlier she commented on how Asians never eat plain rice. I responded that sometimes, I love to eat plain rice and I do and so do the kids. Especially after lots of different foods, it can be nice to just have something plain. That's my opinion. And anyway, I am not Asian...therefore, a weird alien.
Later I read about Le Ly's life and kind of excused her for her unwanted opinions. I cannot compare the torture of having to watch everything we eat and having to say "no" to our kids because of bad rashes and eczema/diarrhea/sleepless nights and unwelcome behavioural changes to what Le Ly has survived and I will not. However, we never know one's personal story and so passing judgment and making insensitive comments should be avoided, in my opinion. I don't care if you have had spring rolls with Oliver Stone or not. My kids were faced with a smorgasbord of very strange and new foods last night (maybe dog?) and ate a little of everything. For that, a freshly baked doughnut by our hostess was in order and that put a good taste in my mouth, thank you very much.
Greetings from Hanoi! Onwards and upwards!
Last night our family hosted some friends and at one point in the evening, our hostess told me that the woman beside me was Le Ly Hapslip, the author of Heaven and Earth and other novels. The authoress turned to me and asked if I had read her book or seen the Oliver Stone movie. My reply, "not yet". I remembered David Suzuki asking Papa if he had read one of his books on a flight some years back.
Our hostess brings baked goods home which have not been sold and so you can imagine how excited our kids are to try Arnie-like doughnuts! Although we are still gluten/wheat/egg/dairy/soya free, I think exceptions can sometimes be made and in this case, our kids had a doughnut each after their dinner.
Le Ly turned to my children and said, "if you want to grow big and tall like Nicholas (the 17 year old teenage son of our host family) you had better eat more vegetables. If I were your mother, I would not let you eat those doughnuts because you haven't eaten enough vegetables." Earlier she commented on how Asians never eat plain rice. I responded that sometimes, I love to eat plain rice and I do and so do the kids. Especially after lots of different foods, it can be nice to just have something plain. That's my opinion. And anyway, I am not Asian...therefore, a weird alien.
Later I read about Le Ly's life and kind of excused her for her unwanted opinions. I cannot compare the torture of having to watch everything we eat and having to say "no" to our kids because of bad rashes and eczema/diarrhea/sleepless nights and unwelcome behavioural changes to what Le Ly has survived and I will not. However, we never know one's personal story and so passing judgment and making insensitive comments should be avoided, in my opinion. I don't care if you have had spring rolls with Oliver Stone or not. My kids were faced with a smorgasbord of very strange and new foods last night (maybe dog?) and ate a little of everything. For that, a freshly baked doughnut by our hostess was in order and that put a good taste in my mouth, thank you very much.
Greetings from Hanoi! Onwards and upwards!
