"Tourista" hits, two last temples, a swim & the hobos return to Sunway Hotel

Roberta was felled by tourista overnight, not sure if it was the chicken wing at lunch or the spring rolls.  She stayed in bed with the blanket over her head.  I soldiered on with a more mild case.  We first visited Bantay Srei, a small but magnificent temple about 45 minutes from town with most magnificent carvings that are in remarkable shape.  This temple is from around 900AD.  The trip through the country side was also fabulous, very lush, able to see how some of the villagers live in houses on stilts to keep the water away, many children everywhere, some schools.  Education is not mandatory in Cambodia, only about 60% of the population finish the 6th grade.  Learning English is a big issue.  We talked a lot about the ways in which we could be helpful, perhaps another Global Volunteers site?????

Onwards after a quick rain storm to Ta Prohm.  The pictures tell the tale of this wonderful temple, it's the one with the trees growing out of the top, and with roots growing down.  It is gradually being restored but hopefully they will  keep the trees.  It gives a wonderful feel for what it may have been like when the temples were first discovered deep in the forests. The carvings here are more simple, but also in remarkable shape.

Back to the hotel for a swim, shower, packing up and a late lunch before heading for the airport.  Roberta , now rehydrated, and even with lipstick on, looked and felt much better.  By some miracle I was able to squeeze all our treasures into our bags(well....ok....so we have one more shopping bag to carry on than we had planned!).  Goodbyes shared with the hotel staff and our local guide and driver.  On arrival in Hanoi we had an enthusiastic guide for our transfer to the hotel who gave us a very succinct overview of the whole history of Hanoi! We shared a tearful goodbye with Terry & Roberta: how could this long anticipated adventure be drawing to a close?    We arrived back at the Sunway Hotel(remember we dropped our bags here just last week) in a comfortable van and well dressed: our reception quite different than last week.  A drink, a snack, some more organizing and we are ready for the long and tedious journey home.

I know that Phil, Roberta & Terry all have stories and memories from the last 3 weeks.  For me, I will always remember the warm smiles of the Vietnamese, the crowded streets, the honking of horns, the Old Quarter(our neighborhood for 2 weeks), the sights and sounds of markets, people, produce and history all around us.  The warmth, curiosity, smiles and humor of our students will not be forgotten.  In Vietnam we learned about war, recovery, and forgiveness.  In Cambodia the lessons of ancient civilization and the enduring art of stone work and carvings will be engraved in my memory for a lifetime.

I know this isn't a book, but still seems in order at the end of this once in a lifetime trip to say a few thank yous(trite I suppose, but sincerely appreciated), so here goes:
Global Volunteers(and especially Francoise) for laying the foundation and providing the opportunity to provide service

The medical center team at Wind Crest for their enthusiastic support during the planning stages, and for taking care of all of our patients while I was gone and for keeping the residents well informed about our progress

Terry & Roberta  for being our willing partners in service and travel, for their strength of mind & character, their incredible sense of right & wrong, their willingness to go beyond the usual, and of course to Roberta for her willingness to shop anywhere, anytime

My family at home(and especially Alice) for keeping us well connected and informed of everything that was going on , and Martine for keeping the Genesee house visited and looked after

Evan & Shari  our two incredible kids, who are thriving in their own lives, very independent, and made it possible for us to leave the country without any worries(well....ok....we did manage to worry a little bit)

Phil  my partner in life, service, and travel, always willing to venture into new places and new ideas, always teaching as he goes

That's all for now.  Pictures to follow when we get home,

Barbara

Flooded streets, a boat trip, 3 more temples & our last market excursion

Oh boy, headed out today for our excursion on Tonle Sap lake to see the fishing villages.  The streets in Siem Reap and surroundings are flooded today.  our driver is an expert though  and gets us through about 6-12 inches of water.  The people here seem to take things in stride:  going about their business pretty much as usual.  Kids enjoying the change:  using inner tubes to float down the street and jumping off bridges to enjoy the water.  As we arrived at the boat dock, our pictures were taken by a local kid.  The boat driver appeared to be all of about 15 years old, he headed off confidently onto the lake.  We saw the local floating villages, including the homes, grocery store and even two schools.  Mothers in small canoes came close, using their children to pose for pictures and receive money.  This aspect was heart wrenching as we saw the hard lives and overwhelming poverty.  Most of these Cambodians and Vietnamese spend their lives in these villages, never really managing to leave.  As we exited the dock, a surprise awaited:  our pictures on souvenir plates(of course for purchase).  In light of the lack of resources and poverty, we were quite shocked by this creative and high tech end to our trip.

After negotiating the flooded streets again, we had a tour of the local Artisans school where local people are trained in the many arts include wood carving, stone carving and silk making.  You can guess where the tour ends, and where we spent quite a bit of time picking out some beautiful items to accompany us on the trip home.

Lunch found us in a lovely spot by the river with orchids and plants all over.  The local people are welcoming and friendly, the food was simple and hearty.

Off to 3 temples in the Roluos Group.  These were built about 900 AD, and although much smaller and less elegant that Angor Wat & Angor Thom, still overwhelming to see.  The brick work and carvings have been well preserved.  Many steps lead us to the top of Bakong, the King's temple, affording a marvelous view of the surroundings. 

Sweaty & hot, we returned to town, where Roberta convinced me to do one last market excursion.  Terry & Phil headed for the pool!  The old market in Siem Reap was filled with goods: some things we hadn't encoutnered before: silver and Buddhas galore.  Roberta can really shop, her endurance is better than mine.  After a wonderful and productive time, we headed back to the hotel, picked up "the boys" and had a lovely dinner at the Khmer Kitchen: curry, dumplings, soup, etc.

Off to bed now, hard to believe that our last day is tomorrow before we start the long trek home,

Barbara

Two temple complexes, very hot, a cool swim & traditional dancing

Slept late: 8:00am wake up for a civilized 9am start today.  We headed through Siem Reap City to our first temple complex:  Angor Thom, this contains an unfinished temple( Bayon) and royal city with a dramatic entrance and gate as well as a very large temple complex.  Climbing to the top we found a beautiful view, and a small Buddha shrine tended by the nuns.The weather was hot & humid again, like doing the tour in a hot yoga room  Exiting the temple complex, we were surrounded by vendors and children(some things are the same world wide) selling all manner of items:  postcards, scarves, bracelets, books etc.  . They followed us around, until they realized we weren't buying.  Although I did succomb and buy some bracelets from some very  insistent and eager children. 

Lunch was in a blissfully shaded small restaurant across from Angor Wat, our guide suggested we "rest and recover" before heading off again.  As we approached the entrance of the Angor Wat complex we were all stunned by the beauty, the size, and the details of this place that we had heard so much about.  The complex is surrounded by a lovely moat with water lillies.  The initial structure has many nooks and crannies to explore with extensive carvings throughout.  Little did we know what would come next!  As we arrived at the "main" temple, we were overwhelmed by the mammoth size and the beautiful carvings, especially of the Apsara women(the royal dancers).  These adorn almost all the walls and columns.  The bas relief carvings tell many tales of the Cambodian people including the stories about heaven, our time on earth and hell(and who goes where).  Exploring the temple involved a lot of steep steps, and many ups and downs.  As we approached the last challenge, Terry realized his knee wasn't going to hold up, he found a spot in the shade to wait for us. Roberta, Phil, the guide and I headed up the last very steep set of stairs to the top of Angor Wat.  The view was magnificent, and the last floor of the temple stunning.  Carvings, nooks & crannies, and a sleeping Buddha were all explored.  The condition of this ancient temple is remarkable.  47 steep steps later we found ourselves back down.  Very hot.  Very sweaty, a trip well worth the effort and poorly described until you see the pictures.

The cool sea water pool at the hotel beckoned:  after a swim and poolside mojito, a nap was in order.  Now just back from a buffet dinner during which we were entertained by traditional Cambodian dancers.  A little ice cream, and now it's time for bed.

Hoping my feet hold up for tomorrow,

Barbara

Early am floating market, oldest temple in Saigon, trip to Siem Reap, ready for bed

Wow, another amazing day.  Early wake up for boat trip up the river to the largest floating market in the Mekong Delta.  Boats everywhere selling fruits and vegetables of all sizes and shapes.  These families live on their boats, making their living from the goods they receive to sell.  Old wooden boats, but atop each one is a television antenna.  Quite a contrast.  We made a quick stop at the "wet" market: this is an amazing place, rows and rows of vendors with live fish, crabs, dead fish, rat meat,snails, catfish , fruits and vegies.  No other Westerners anywhere in sight.  this is the day to market for people in the Mekong Delta.

A quick trip back to the Victoria, where I had a quick swim in the pool while Teery & Roberta checked their email.  Lunchtime brought us to the "Mekong Rest Stop", not like any rest stop you've ever seen on a US highway.  This would had lovely covered areas for dining, beautiful flowers, delicious food(especially the nexcessary iced Vietnamese coffee) and a gift shop filled with beautiful handicrafts.  Then back in the van for the trip back to Saigon, and since we were lucky enough to have no traffice, we had a chance to take a quick tour through China Town and visit the oldest temple in Saigon:  a Chinese temple devoted to the Goddess of the sea.

Roberta & I had to have last look at all the shops at the Saigon airport before our flight departed for Siem Reap.  We were greeted warmly by our guide here as well as the hotel staff of this small boutique hotel.  Big day tomorrow with a trip to Angkor Wat in the morning, and another group of temples in the afternoon.  What a change it is to be in this city, which has apparently rapidly grown over the fast few years.  Apparently there was little here until recently, now Siem Reap boasts a beautiful modern airport, 103 hotels, and many modern conveniences.  What a change from the hustle bustle, noise nad flavor of the Old Quarter in Hanoi,

Time for some sleep, more tomorrow,

Barbara

Goodbye Saigon, Mekong Delta, a boat, a horse cart, and a sampan

Wow, what a day, filled with the sights and sounds of the Mekong Delta.  Left Saigon early, rain continued to pour down.  The streets are flooded, the motorbikes bravely plow ahead, even though they are getting soaked.  Arrived at the boat dock and adorned in brightly colored plastic ponchos headed for our boat.  Had a lovely cruise down the river, our first stop at a fruit grove for a nosh, with accompanient by traditional music.  A short walk in the rain and mud and we jumped on the horse drawn cart for a quick trot down the island.  Next conveyance was a woman rowed sampan through the small canal with dense green foliage.  Rain continued to pour down.  Back to our boat to shed our ponchos, and on to the coconut candy factory(also a sip of snake or rice wine).

After a bad traffice game, and a game of scrabble, finally arrived at our luscious hotel in Can Tho.  This place reminds one of times of old.  Beautifully furnished in a tropical style, right on the river, a lovely pool , fitness center, and yes, another spa.  Time for a massage, manicure & pedicure for Roberta, a swim for Phil, and a pedicure for Barbara.  Terry took a nap.

Dinner by the river with a delightful breeze, and a mosquitoe lit "coil" to keep the bugs away. We bid the attentive staff good night, looking forward to another day on the river tomorrow, which will be our last full day in Vietnam, now that's hard to believe,

Tired and full of images from today,

Barbara

Black Lady Mountain, Cao Dai Temple, & Dinner with a friend

After a stunning and delicious early breakfast buffet we headed out of town.  Leaving Saigon and the "suburbs" behind, we drove through small villages on bumpy roads, past the Cu Chi Tunnels to Black Lady Mtn.  Up the cable car we headed, amidst lush green foliage.  At the top was a beautiful pagoda and temple, with throngs of people offering rice, fruit and money while they prayed.  The temple and pagoda are cared for by a group of monks who live on the top.  A truly amazing experience, and we were the only Westerners on the cable car and at the temple. 

Leaving Black Lady behind, we headed to the Cao Dai headquarters and temple.  Phil will have to explain this unique religion to those who are interested, but basically it developed here sometime in the 1920s, has about 2 million followers in South Vietnam, and a mammoth, beautiful temple with a set of rituals that are unique.  The pictures(when we get them uploaded) will do a much better job at describing this.  The observant attend a "service", where they sit on the floor, grouped by their "rank" in the church, mostly dressed in traditional white garb, and chant and pray.  We were honored to be allowed to observe part of the service.  Wait till you see the pictures.....

In a torrential rain, (while Terry napped & Phil had a massage), Roberta and I headed out to the big Saigon market.  A maze of hundreds of stalls, and many people(buyers and sellers).  Bargains galore, but almost impossible to figure out what to buy and how much to pay for it.  A unique mixture of Vietnamese items(silk, lacquerware, etc) and "knock offs" of famous brand perfume, handbags, shoes and jewelry.  After an hour we were exhausted, the rain pouring down, so we treated ourselves to a cab back to the hotel, where we had an amusing time trying to figure out how much to pay our driver.

After a quick rest & shower, we met my friend from Wind Crest, Lorrie Lutz, for dinner.  Amazingly enough we had realized some months ago that we would be here at the same time.  She is teaching at a conference this week quite nearby.  We had a lovely time catching up, eating Vietnamese BBQ, and exchanging tales about our travels and adventures so far. Chocolate fondue was a perfect ending to a long and enchanting day.

On to the Mekong Delta tomorrow,

Still raining, streets flooding,

Barbara

Saigon, Working out, and a swim

Uneventful early am departure from Hanoi to Saigon.  We said a fond farewell to our home away from home, the Hoa Binh Palace, and the lovely staff there.  We were greeted in Saigon by our guide for the next 4 days, Son, who helped us get settled and have a tour of the city.  So different from Hanoi:  wide streets, less traffic, more modern buildings and lots of construction.  we stopped for Pho for lunch at the place where Bill Clinton ate when he was here some years ago. Then off to see the grand Presidential Palace, the sight of the surrender of Saigon in the 1975.  Still in use for formal governmental and other private functions.  Seeing the basement bunker and military equipment was a grim reminder of what those years were like.

Then on to a sobering and sad visit to the War Remnants museum.  Here we viewed photographs of many aspects of both the French and American wars here in Vietnam, seeing a side of the war that most of us had only read about in the past.  The photographs of the aftermath of the war, compared with what many of these cities and villages look like now were most striking.  The replicas of the Tiger Cages, used on prisoners, were terrifying.

The Duxton hotel, our home for just 2 nights, is quite luxurious and welcoming.  Phil & I enjoyed a lovely workout and then a quick swim before drinks with Terry & Roberta, and then on to dinner at an extraordinary Vietnamese restaurant with very tradtional foods.  Our waiter was very patient as he instructed us in the art of  the "hot pot", and how to make a perfect rice paper roll with the ingredients.  A rainy walk back to the hotel was quite lovely as it has cooled things off considerably.  Tomorrow we head out of town to Black Lady Mountain and a special church and temple.

Barbara

A Tearful Team Goodbye & A long Walk to drop off luggage

Amazing as it seems, we did our last classes today, a bit more shopping, and then a beautiful final team meeting and dinner at the hotel.  We realized how much we had accomplished, and how we had come together as a team to achieve our goals.  We presented our team leader with a framed photo of the team(now that's something of a story, how I figured out how to get the photo printed!).  She was very touched.  The toasts were to:  the kids, the teachers, the 1000th Year Celebration, each other, the hotel staff, and Vietnamese coffee.  We all agreed to safe travels and trying to keep in touch with each other.

After packing up, Phil & I decided it would be great to leave 2 bags at the hotel we will stay in on our last night in Hanoi before we leave for the States.  It seemed a simple notion to take a taxi to the Sunway Hotel, drop the bags, and walk back "home" to the Hoa Binh Palace. well, as they say......the best laid plans.....we couldn't get a cab from the hotel because of all the people.  We walked two blocks, grabbed a cab, showed him the address, and were on our way.  Tons of traffic.  After a few minutes, he pulled over where the road was "arrested"(ie blocked off) and pointed into a huge crowed.  Needless to say, it turned out we were quite a ways from our destination.  With Phil's amazing map skills, and the help of the staff at a different hotel, we eventually found our way on foot to the Sunway.  Arriving looking like tired hobos, the staff of this very upscale hotel  looked at us askance until they found our reservation for next week in the computer!  After that they were kind and courteous, took our bags, gave us a receipt, and we were on our way back towards the Old Quarter.  there were throngs of people heading back from the celebrations, quite amazing to see.  Just as we reached our "neighborhood", we caught sight of our team members Keith & Tim, and shared a last beer with them.

Now we are exhausted, ready for our early morning departure to Saigon and the next set of adventures.

Feet are very tired again,
Barbara

Almost done with teaching & a celebratory dinner

Tomorrow is our last day of teaching, that is really hard to believe.  Believe it or not, today I taught in a "finance" class, now what to I know about finance?  Turns out, somewhat to my surprise, enough to hold my own.  These 4th year students all want to go into banking, but none of them yet have a job.  In my afternoon class the students did presentations on : the role of the Vietnamese woman in society, transportation , and literacy, not bad!  We had many opportunities to discuss some improvements in spelling and pronunciation.

After a quick trip to the hotel for a shower and change of clothes, we headed to a special restaurant for dinner with the heads of the International Cooperation Department( our sponsors while we are here).  The food was plentiful(also filled with sodium, a bit much for me) and the conversation enlightening.  We learned a lot about how this private University is run.  you won't believe it, but the yearly tuition is only $200 dollars per student.  When Phil asked the VP how they can possibly make it(they receive no government dollars), he replied " we pay the teachers very poorly".  Sadly, that is not unlike how teachers are paid in the US.

The taxi ride home brought yet another surprise; the streets around our hotel are "arrested" (aka blocked off) due to the celebrations, so the driver dropped us near the Opera House.  Big doings going on, with the street blocked off for dignitaries visiting the Opera House, and then a dramatic military parade, and we were lucky enough to be in the front row.  A real treat for sure.

Hot, sweaty, and tired, we made the trek back to the hotel.  Some sleep now before our last day of teaching tomorrow.

Tired but satisfied,
Barbara

Half day of teaching and a long walk around Hanoi

We awoke to a blissfully cooler day and the prospect of an afternoon off.  My teacher for the morning was "ill" again, it seems to be a habit that the teachers don't stay when we teach!  The class however was lots of fun and did several very engaging presentations for discussion.  Some of the questions for the day included:

• What is a Redneck?
• What do you think of President Obama
• Do you think it is safe in the USA with all the gun violence?
• What is the code of behavior where you live?

In the afternoon Phil & I headed off for an afternoon of walking and sightseeing.  With best intentions we headed to the Ho Chi Minh Museum.  It was closed when we arrived, so we headed on to the mausoleum and park.  Much of the park was closed due to the big celebrations but we got a good view of things from the outskirts.  Our walk took us to West Lake and across the viaduct where we found lunch in a traditional Vietnamese restaurant on the water.  No English speakers here.  The Vietnamese iced coffee was just perfect.  The rest of the afternoon found us wandering our way over several hours back to the Old Quarter.  We saw residential neighborhoods, a local seafood and meat market, lots of stores with lots of "stuff"(none of it very nice) and finally back to our "neighborhood" , where we stopped and picked up our custom silk items:  as promised, Phil's suit fits perfectly, as do my lovely silk pants to match my tradition AO DAI outfit.

For dinner we headed to a very traditional Noodle shop(aka street vendor) for a huge bowl of noodles, beef and vegies.  That plus a beer cost us all of $2.50 a piece, we had the chance to check out the plastic stools and local atmosphere.  The walk back home to the hotel included a stop for sugar cane/lime drinks as well as a traditional music performance at the lake.

with very tired feet, I head to bed,

Barbara

Teaching & walking, Hanoi at night!

More teaching all day, it was much less humid and hot and that was a real blessing.  The students we have taught last week seem to enjoy having us return to their classes.  I also joined a 4th year class:  one their presentations was a proposal to bring a McDonalds franchise to Vietnam!  Boy, were they ever disappointed when I told them I didn't really like McDs.  Of the over 30 kids in the 4th year class, only 3 of them know what they would like to do when they graduate, not unlike our American college students.  When I asked if they would like to return to living with their parents, there was definitely a negative reaction to that.  Todays questions from the students included what did I think of the midterm elections?  Healthcare reform?  Why did I come to Vietnam?

At lunch I had a break and took another walk in "college town", this time in the other direction and soon came upon the National Childrens hospital.  I had no idea it was so close, we are hoping to have a tour there later in the week if we can work it out.

After another lovely dinner with our team, Phil & I strolled around Hoan Kiem Lake again.  With the actual BIG day of the 1000th Anniversary celebration approaching, they have now closed the roads around the lake to cars and motorbikes.  the streets are filled with people strolling and enjoying the lights and sounds of all the celebration activities.  It is quite a sight to behold.  Unfortunately along with all the people comes an incredible amount of pollution.  By the time we returned to the hotel our eyes and lungs were burning. It is amazing to see how happy all of the Vietnamese are to be joining in this holiday. The lights and music are spectacular.

Barbara

Back to work & an afternoon tour with some students

After a relaxing weekend, we headed back to work this morning.  At least the temperature was a bit cooler and the air seemed less humid. Our schedule at the University is similar to last week, so it was gratifying to greet some familiar student and faculty faces this morning.  Vietnamese students are not so different from American students:  only two of 30 had completed the assignment to bring in a visual aid to use in a presentation.  Their teacher said to me:  "they are lazy", so they will have to do the work now!  Breaking up into small groups, they were able to be very creative in finding or making up visual aids out of every day items.  During our lunch break, I took a short walk around  "college town", the few blocks right near the school.  Mostly small street side cafes(aka plastic stools with street vendors) book stores, food markets, and places to have a haircut.

After class in the afternoon, 6 student volunteers hosted us in a trip to several wonderful Hanoi sites including theTemple of Literature, where we were treated to a performance of traditional dance and marching, as well the oldest pagoda in Vietnam.  The students were so accomodating, really wanted to please us, and very enjoyed speaking English with us.  We hope to host some of them some day in the United States.

Dinner was a special treat: a Cha Ca restaurant, where fish and vegies are grilled right at the table, eaten over noodles and sauce. A quick walk home ended with a lovely cooling rain.(with a quick stop at a magnifcent art gallery where we saw oil paintings by a wonderful Vietnamese artist, a relief to see some real art amongst all the souvenirs).

Off to bed, more tomorrow,

Barbara

Halong Bay & a visit with a traditional family(rice wine included)

Left the bustling city early Saturday am and headed for the north and towards Halong Bay.  Stopped to see how rice is planted and harvested, this appears to be back breaking labor to me as much of it is still done by hand. The fields are often not far from the big road with motorbikes and other traffic rushing by.  We had a roadside fruit snack of passion fruit and pineapple, seated on the ubiquitous plastic chairs.

On arrival(finally, after a lot of traffic) at Halong Bay, we were warmly greeted by the lovely staff of the Halong Jasmine, a luxurious yacht, serving 48 passengers, and newly built in 2007.  After settling in to our gorgeous cabins, we enjoyed a huge seafood lunch. The bay is truly impossible to describe, the pictures will tell the story of this magical place with enormous rock "towers" and islands throughout as far as the eye can see.  There are many beautiful boats, large and small, dotting the scene.  After lunch we took the launches to the floating fishing villages, where we transferred to a sampan and were rowed around the village by a native woman.  These villages are quite unique:  the houses and the schools are all floating, the life is completely on the water.  The "mini" grocery boat shows up daily, featuring oreos and other necessary items.  On return from the tour, we enjoyed a quick swim off the yacht in the very salty water of the bay.

A delicious BBQ dinner on board was followed by star gazing and then to bed.  This morning we rose early, for tai chi on the upper deck, then headed for a visit to a very large, 3 room cavern high on one of the hills.  The requisite stalagtites and stalagmites were amazing.  The return to the boat featured a quick shower, and wonderful brunch buffet with the best pho we've had yet. A peaceful sail returned us to the Halong Bay harbor, where our guide and driver were waiting for us.

The drive back to Hanoi featured some more shopping(hand painted pottery and silk ) and then a visit to Mr Han and his family in their home, with rice wine and a fresh pear. The Hans  were friendly and welcoming, we were able to tour their small home(complete with chickens and a pig) as well as the beautiful village church that he is caretaker for.  This Catholic church was built with monies donated by a supporter from San Fransisco.

The return drive to Hanoi featured a view of the beautiful mosaic wall that lines one of the main streets of Hanoi, developed for the 100th year celebration, and constructed by artists over a 2 year period.  A magnificent display of creativity.  We were welcomed back to the hotel by staff and our fellow Global volunteers, ready to restart our work at the University tomorrow. A lovely weekend respite from the heat and hustle bustle of Hanoi,

Barbara

Morning teaching and Phil orders a custom made suit!

We were so tired last night that we slept incredibly well.  Awoke this am to discover that we would have the afternoon off.  Our team leader was worried that with all the traffic for the big celebration that we might have trouble getting a taxi to get back to our hotel.  So we had a relatively easy morning of teaching just 2 hours and then returned to the Old District.  Phil and I treated ourselves to a lovely lunch at the Metropole Hotel, a lovely restored hotel that was originally built in 1902.  We got my camera fixed(that's a whole other story....lets just say that my SD card seems to still be in my computer, which is on the kitchen counter in Denver) and then spent several hours on silk row.

Phil ordered a custom made suit(can you believe it?) as well as several custom shirts.  The material and workmanship is just gorgeous, and all will be ready before we depart from Hanoi next week.  I ordered a tradional tunic and pants. We had a hot but exciting walk around the lake, saw a performance by some students, and headed back for a team meeting and dinner.  Not our favorite meal so far, oh well, we really can't complain.

We enjoyed watching fireworks and playing scrabble from the 8th floor of our hotel, which has a marvelous view of the lake the festivities.

Tomorrow morning we leave for our trip to Halong Bay as we have the weekend off.  Looking forward to getting out of the city, and seeing this very famous landmark.  No internet and not sure about cell service, will be back in touch on Sunday,

Feet feeling much better,

Barbara

A 15 year old acts as my protector in a mass of people at Ho Kiem Lake!

After a long day of teaching, and a lovely dinner hosted by the hotel manager, 16 high schoolers arrived to take us on a "tour" of the Ho Kiem Lake District.  Just so happens that it is the eve of the  opening ceremonies for the biggest celebration this city has seen :  the 1000th Year Anniversary of  Hanoi. We were each "assigned" a student guide, mine, Tao, a lovely 15 year old took my arm, and for two hours guided me through the mass of humanity, lights, activity, and finally ice cream!  there really aren't words to describe how a slim Asian 15 year old could be my strong protector, but she did just that!  She was kind and solicitous, making sure I didn't trip, get lost, or get hit by a motorbike.  The group of students would walk right into the mass of cars and scooters, raise their hands, and we would cross as if we were royalty.  Of course, in between acting as our protectors, they did mange a few teenage tricks, like trying to throw each other in the lake and a few other similar amusements.

We will never forget this evening, (well...then again, hopefully my feet will soon forgive & forget)with likely almost a million people around the lake, beautiful lights and decorations, as well as entertainment. This city definitely knows how to throw a very grand party, and tonight was apparently just the beginning.

After my third shower of the day(yes the weather continues incredibly hot and humid) I'm exhausted and off to bed.  Teaching for tomorrow, then a weekend off to Halong Bay,

Looking forward to putting my feet up,

Barbara

Sad news from home and the hot work continues

We learned yesterday the sad news that our gigantic guinea pig Dono, who many of you have met, died.  Allie was kind enough to be caring for him, and we know she did a great job.  He lived a very long life for a guinea pig so his death was not unexpected.  It does seem strange that we are now a household without pets for the first time ever.  maybe fish next??????

the work here continues, I feel some increased ease and confidence in the classroom. It is brutally hot and humid, we are drenched at the end of each class.  the acoutics are awful and the students are soft spoken, so its a challenge to hear what's going on.  The students are mostly bright and inquisitive, but some are very shy and not anxious to use their English skills.Most have decent English, although they are not very used to conversation.  I have switched to having them talk more and me talk less(now that really is a switch!).  One of yesterday's groups discussed how to handle stress!  Somethings really are universal.

Off to Skype with Evan & Shari, then a morning meeting, breakfast, and off to work we go!

Feeling better about teaching,
Barbara

More teaching, some shopping and a long walk through Hanoi

After a much needed deep sleep headed back to the Foreign Trade University today, it was still hot and humid, but the teaching assignments seemed a bit more manageable.  Focused on having the students talk more and ask questions.  They are quite curious and eager to learn.  They practiced some presentations again, interestingly enough, one group chose Techniques to Deal with Stress(so another universal I guess!)  One of the students noted her stress reduction method was.......yup, SHOPPING!  HA HA, I felt right at home.

After return to the hotel and a quick shower, Roberta and I headed out to Craftlink, a coop that handles crafts from many regions of Vietnam, we did some great power shopping before meeting up with the rest of the group at KOTO, a fascinating restaurant, started by an Australian man, who helped homeless Vietnamese kids with training in cooking and hospitality, a great success. The passion fruit mousse, accompanied by iced Vietnamese coffee was definitely my favorite!

After dinner a long stoll home amidst more scooters, honking horns, people everyone enjoying the sights that are part of the 1000th year celebration of Hanoi, including a fabulous laser light show over the lake. It is very hard to describe the overwhelming nature of this experience.  This is a city like no other we've been in.

Time for some sleep before more teaching tomorrow,

Shopped out,

Barbara

Teaching is Hard/Hot work!

Oh boy, teaching is hot and hard work.  Today we headed to the Foreign Trade University and taught our first classes.  Of course, first we had to make it to the campus in a cab that was weaving in between scooters and lots of honking horns.  we did get to see some additional neighborhoods of Hanoi, here there are tree lined streets with old French architecture, no plastic chairs or people cooking on the curb.

We were warmly welcomed at the school, where there are thousands of students.  After a bit of confusion about who was to be where, we were thrust into role of visiting professor, something of a shock. And....no air conditioning so it was somewhat like teaching in a hot yoga setting, I was just dripping.  I taught two sessions of presentation skills.  One thing's for sure, fear of public speaking is not limited by culture or language.  It was fascinating to watch the students gain some confidence their skills.  They are bright, eager and very funny!  Now I'm exhausted.  Waiting for the rest of our team to return, out to dinner and the Water Puppet show tonight,

Trying to figure out how to be a better teacher,
Barbara

Scooters & Plastic chairs

Oh wow, we arrived in Hanoi in a downpour last night, very tired but happy to get here(the luggage wait was even longer than Denver!).  Our driver to the hotel something of a maniac, changing lanes, honking, narrowing avoiding the scooters, and more scooters, and more scooters.  Greeted when we got here by Terry + Roberta who were waiting in the bar with a beer for us!  The hotel is in the middle of the old quarter which is teeming with action.  Lovely rooms with the requisite necessities including air conditioning and internet.

After a deep sleep, awoke to a buffet breakfast and orienation meeting with the rest of our team, 16 strong, with many amazing individuals from all over, many have done multiple Global Volunteer trips in the past so there are far more experienced than we are.  Quick walk around the Lake, where preparations are in full force for next week's celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Hanoi. The streets are narow, crowded, full of people, scooters, and less commonly cars and vans.  You may not be surprised(for those who know me well), that our hotel is actually on , yes, you guessed it, Shoe Street!  So won't I be having a grand time?

The afternoon brought representatives from the two schools : one group will go to the Private NBK school, Phil, I and others will teach at the Foreign trade University.....they brought us each a big book with the curriculum, it was so overwhelming that after the session I had to go and take a 3 hour nap to recover!

Dinner out with the team, very efficient service considering there were so many of us.  We ate inside, BUT the little plastic chairs are everywhere outside.  People sit and socialize, drink and eat from the street vendors on multicolored, small plastic chairs.  Quite a sight.

We were lucky enough to "Skype" with Evan & Shari(Persey too!) just now.  Evan had his White Coat Ceremony today, and we were so thrilled that Shari as well as Aunt Joyce and Uncle Ken could be there and sad that we were not.  Amazing to be able to see and talk to each other when we are half way around the world.

Tomorrow is a big day, with meeting our students, doing introductions and trying to figure out our roles.  A tad intimidating......stay tuned,

Learning to cross the streets safely,
Barbara

Oasis in Bangkok & Barbara Wins the First Scrabble Game

Seems like eons ago that Marty D picked us up in Genesee and headed off to the airport.  Our LAX flight was uneventful, what a crazy airport in LAX.  There are flights to all over the world and it is really chaotic, BUT the Thai airlines lounge was lovely nad 'above it all", we rested and of course had some snacks before heading for the BIG flight.  Can you imagine 17 hours on one segment?  Yup, but , flying business/first was fabulous, I could get spoiled, what with seats that almost lie flat, tv and movies on demand, and being fed well every few hours it was almost painless.  Watched 2 movies and CSI Miami and with the help of ativan, slept for over 7 hours.  That put me in good shape for beating Phil for the first scrabble game, HA HA.

Bangkok airport is only 4 years old , a surprise in steel, concrete nad contemporary design.  Immigration was a breeze, and then we found ourselves at our Bangkok oasis:  The Novotel hotel.  Just 5 minutes from the airport, modern and new, quiet as well.  Beautiful pool and fitness area protected from the hustle bustle of the airport.  We actually worked out, swam, and just woke up from a 4 hour nap.  Ready for the next leg of the trip .......on to Hanoi and our volunteer adventures.  our orientation starts tomorrow am.  Looking forward to seeing our friends and fellow travellers, Terry & Roberta.

So far cell and internet access seems fine......great to hear from everyone, as we realize just how far away we are.

Congrats to Evan tomorrow on his white coat ceremony and thanks to Shari for representing us there,

Getting use to the travelling life,

Barbara

Well.......almost ready to roll! and....Phil needs a tie

Well, after 15 months of planning, emails too numerous to count, endless discussions of just how many shirts to bring, we seem to be packed and almost ready to go.  The duffles are stuffed, the backpacks are full of essential items . Just some small things to finish up tomorrow morning.  A quick yoga class and then off to the airport in the afternoon.

I must say it seems a bit surreal to finally be leaving.  The whole Wind Crest community has been unbelievably supportive as I got hugs and best wishes today.  Phil's team showed their support by giving him a new pair of flip flops.  Dono, the mammoth guinea pig is happily ensconced with our friend Allie who is giving him more love and cuddles than he ever gets at home.  Alice & Martine will be enjoying Chez Genesee while this weekend while Alice is visitin(sounds like there might be some wedding dress shopping coming up as well)

we've checked in with family and friends..... hoping to keep in close touch with email and text messages.

One last thing....I decided maybe I should check the Global Volunteers packing list (nothing like the last minute) and discovered that Phil needs a tie(now that was a shock), so he'll be throwing one in for Terry as well.

On our way......and thanks to all of you who have encouraged , cajoled, and supported us....and to all of you who will be caring for our patients, and our home while we are gone.  Next post likely from either Los Angeles or Bangkok(12 hour layover there)

Just about packed........

Barbara

more Vietnamese

In the middle of a HUGE thunderstorm with rain and lightning I tried to do more Rosetta Stone tonight.  The weather certainly fit my mood.  How come Phil has learned(and understands) so much more than I do!!!!  His brain just works differently than mine I guess. He even ordered a Vietnamese grammar book tonight, can you believe that?  Hard to believe but we leave in just a month.  After planning this trip for over a year, its hard to believe it will soon be time to get going.  The To Do list seems to be growing by leaps and bounds............

Feeling stormy,

Barbara

The Debate Rages on: Carry on or not?

The debate is raging, to carry on or not?  Our friends and fellow volunteers and travellers, Terry & Roberta(who celebrate their 45th anniversary this week) are committing to one carry on each.  YIKES.  How would I fit in all those shoes and shirts?    We will be gone for over 3 weeks.....so the thought of the same clothes over and over gets a bit hypnotic for me.  T&R are convinced that we risk losing all our stuff(they remember the horrible loss of my jewelry on our Ecuador trip, but that's another story) if we check our bags.....more thinking on this one.

When I can figure it out, I'm going to post our itinerary and other tidbits for your reading pleasure.

And....now its time to tackle Vietnamese, I;ve been trying to do an hour a night of Rosetta Stone......and let me just say this.......it is very very very hard......

more later,
wishing Vietnamese was easier Barbara

First Post/this is a test

There has been so much interest in our upcoming trip to Vietnam and Cambodia that I decided to set up this blog.  We'll try to post regularly, both in terms of getting ready for the trip and then while we are working and travelling in Vietnam and Cambodia.  So far, we appreciate all the enthusisam and suggestions we have received.

Stay tuned for more!

Soon to be travelling,

Barbara