Hanoi Journal

Unfinished Business

2006-06-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

Here we are on the last day of school for Carol with so much left to do. After much weighing of all of the options and the pros and cons of various scenarios, we have decided to spend the next school year back here in Hà Nọi Việt Nam.

Yes, Ira can now type in Vietnamese as you can see from the above accent marks! We love this city and its people and the thought of never again being here was not welcome. We would have loved to arrange some sort of a part-time scenario especially since it would be possible to keep a home in Hà Nọi rather cheaply.

The Universal Health Care in the US was very attractive but...Oh that's right, there isn't any! I guess no one has thought of it yet. But seriously, health insurance and costs were a huge factor in our decision. Carol's school pays for a very good medical plan and our doctors at International SOS are first-rate.

The school also pays for a lot of transport and other costs if you teach for two years.

On the down side, we are far away from friends and family. We keep in touch with email and Skype but can't drop by for dinner.

We will be taking a short holiday in India. Why didn't anyone tell us it gets hot this time of year? After that we will be in the States from 27 June through 6 August catching up with the respective families and probably getting a serious steak or two and perhaps a Slurpee.

We don't have shortages but there are some things that are just not the same like burgers(though a great brewpub in Singapore has good ones with decent fries) steaks, pastrami and hot dogs. Also big salads are difficult to come by.

Next year, we decided to stay at the Sofitel Plaza Apartments. They are expensive compared to what you can get size-wise for a lot less money, but we prefer to have zero chance of roof and window leaks, creatures of all sorts, air-con that is iffy, power outages and the like. Also, since it is a hotel, the service is better than in any other serviced apartments. We are treated like hotel guests, rather than tenants. Of course, next year it will be a hardship to get to the gym as we are moving all the way from the 4th floor, where it is located, up to the 5th.

Today, Ira made the rounds and said goodbye to his riends and acquaintances. He may forget a lot of his Vietnamese although people have promised to email and sms(text message).

We have heard that reverse culture shock is twice as bad as that of when you move to a foreign country. Perhaps this is because you are on your guard more in a new place but feel that "home" can't be all that difficult. Anyway, we haven't driven a car in nearly a year so what will that be like? Carol is also worried that Ira will be forgetting where he is and yelling Em ơi!! to get a waiter's attention as they do here.

Regardless, we hope to have a great time in the US. We have taken an apartment in King of Prussia, strategically located between Ira's mom, Ira's brother and Carol's family.

We are renting a mobile phone to keep in touch and have a credit card ready to buy gas, talk about shock! Between doctors' appointments, visits to family and purchasing the things that are difficult to get in Việt Nam, we will probably be quite busy.

Now it is time to finish part 1 of this exciting time in our lives and for Hanoi Journal to close. there will probably be another installment next year but for now we must say tạm biệt.

Jean -Yves Thibaudet

2006-05-28T01:38:00.000-07:00

When Ira's brother Dick was here, he noticed in the Vietnam News that the noted pianist, Jean-Yves Thibaudet was to perform in Hanoi and showed Ira the article. Naturally we HAD to get tickets, but the paper did not list the concert in the events column, nor could it be found on our usual source ticketvn.com.

Ira immediately emailed and sms'd(text message on the mobile which is a great form of communication if you enjoy the dinging sound when a message arrives) to the powers that be at the website.

The first report was that they had not heard of the concert. Later they said that there were no tickets, all having been allocated to Party members and government officials. A subsequent message indicated that there might be two tickets for a special and favored customer but that they might be too pricey.

Well, they were pricey and they did exist so last Friday evening found us in the sold-out Opera House hobnobbing with Hanoi society, or at least that is who we imagined the audience to be. Actually, we did run into two of Carol's colleagues, Ira's Vietnamese teacher, Mr. Huy and the group from the Hanoi Conservatory.

The recital was just great! Thibaudet makes you feel as if he is playing just for you. He has great technique of course, but it is his expressive playing and musicality that makes the night special.

He played Schumann and Ravel during the main part of the program, but the encores were familiar pieces by Chopin that had the audience stamping their feet and clapping. We were pleased to have been a part of this. Perhaps one day we will attend a performance in the US and be able to meet Thibaudet and tell him we heard him in, of all places, Hanoi.

Not Yet

2006-05-28T01:27:00.000-07:00

The Vietnamese people we have met seem, on the whole quite cheerful and friendly. They are helpful when Ira tries to speak the language and so far we have not encountered anyone who resents us as Americans or as Westerners with more money than most of them have.

Perhaps one word that evidences this cheerful attitude is "chu'a" which means "not yet." Whether it is a woman being asked whether she has a husband or boyfriend, a person being asked if he or she has a job or someone being asked whether or not they have had lunch, if the response is in the negative it is never "khong"(No) but always "chu'a"

Ira has now vowed to use this expression more. When he is asked whether or not he has accomplished some task or if he has fulfilled a mojor goal or if he knows the meaning of life, his answer will always be "chu'a"

Brother Act

2006-05-20T03:38:00.000-07:00

BIG EVENT!!! Our first "real" visitors came to Hanoi this past week. Ira's brother Dick, his wife Sue and daughter Leslie(20 years old) were able to undertake the long journey from their home in Bethlehem, PA where Dick and Sue own a great seafood restaurant(www.starfishbrasserie.com). We eagerly awaited their arrival ever since they told us that they were going to be able to come. We wanted to be able to show them our adopted city and let them experience for themselves what attracted us to Hanoi. We also wanted to see how people might view the city having never before experienced it. Ira met them at the airport and was easily able to recognize them as they came through the airport doors wheeling their half-empty suitcases that they hope to fill with new clothes and souvenirs. Ira had arranged for a car and in half an hour they arrived at Sofitel Plaza and their introduction into the little neighborhood that surrounds it. When you live abroad, the biggest thing you miss is family. Through the wonders of Skype and email, we do stay in touch with both sides, but there is a time difference and you can't just pop over for a visit anytime you feel like it. Of course, as Ira's mother Pearl always says "the minute you hang up you think of many things that you meant to talk about."

We won't give you a detailed play-by-play of the all-too-short week but we can tell you that they spent one day out on their own on an excursion to Halong Bay, the most scenic attraction in Vietnam and spent the rest of the time enjoying Hanoi pleasures. Sue and Leslie had several nice outfits made for them and did a lot of other shopping. Ira also arranged for Leslie to spend a couple of hours with a young woman closer to her age. she really enjoyed riding on the back of the motorbike and shopping where the young Hanoi women do.

Ira arranged an itinerary, making sure that Dick, Sue and Leslie visited Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and his "house on stilts" as well as the infamous Hoa Loa Prison, dubbed the "Hanoi Hilton" by Americans unlucky enough to have spent time there during the war.

Shopping, strolling and dining were high priorities as was a ride in a "cyclo" which is a bicycle rickshaw that is now mostly a novelty for tourists rather than a primary form of transport.

We tried to do as much as possible while still leaving them time to enjoy the gym and pool and of course the "Happy Hour." We took them to "Cha Ca La Vong" on their first night. This Hanoi institution serves only one dish-fried fish with various condiments. It boasts no decor but it is great fun to serve yourself from the sizzling skillet that sits on a charcoal fire right in the middle of your table.

Later meals included examples of upscale and less formal Vietnamese food as well as some Western meals including the best pizza in Hanoi at Luna d'Autunno.

On our final night, we enjoyed the sumptuous buffet at Sen, where traditional dishes are cooked at various stations. We then repaired to Fanny's Ice Cream for the best ice cream in town.

They say that all good things must end. In truth ALL things must end, whether good or not. This special visit was no exception and on Friday morning Ira went to the airport to wish Dick Sue and Leslie a safe journey home. As he rode a cab back to the city, the familiar journey was just a little bit different as he text-messaged to his Vietnamese colleagues
"Anh buon it" (I'm a little sad)

They foam at the mouth

2006-05-05T19:22:00.000-07:00

In Noel Coward's "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" he says that "In Bangkok at 12 o'clock, they foam at the mouth and run." We have now been to Bangkok six times without ever witnessing such behavior(Brits would say "behaviour")but there's always a first time. Many years ago, on our first visit to Asia, Carol had discovered that the occupancy rate at the legendary Oriental Hotel was extremely low, due to some revolt or other. We were able to stay there at a quite reasonable rate and it has been our digs in Bangkok ever since. The service is impeccable and the hotel a dream. Located right on the Chao Phrya River with every room having a view of this busy stream, it defines Old World luxury. With approximately one staff member for every two guests, they don't miss much. A couple of years ago, a restaurant manager noticed that a bee had spooked Carol by buzzing around her too closely. He proceeded to have a special ripe mango cut up and presented to "make your day better, Madam" As returning guests, we are always treated with special care. This time they upgraded us to a deluxe room, with large sitting area, dressing room and marble bath. On one of our visits, Ira's mother, Pearl, accompanied us and enjoyed the luxurious surroundings and attentive service. We are not in the class of Joseph Conrad, Somerset Maugham and the hundreds of royal guests who have graced the Oriental, but we get the same treatment. This is why we keep returning.

Epic Proportions

2006-05-05T19:07:00.000-07:00

Ira has a new job! Lawyer and Business Consultant for a company known as EPIC(Economic Based Professional Investment and Counseling). This is a Vietnamese company specializing in investments in Vietnam, a rapidly growing field. Ira was speaking to two of their people at an AmCham function and a meeting was arranged. After a rather lengthy period of time, he was invited to lunch with the head of the company and the offer came shortly afterwards. His duties are rather varied, from helping with editing of English text for report and the website to the writing of articles for an economic journal, to dealing with the new Investment Law. The staff is quite friendly and helpful and he has a nice desk and computer in an office shared with the IT specialist, Mrs. Hang. This is particularly helpful as his technical knowledge is less than perfect. On his first day, he attended a meeting held totally in Vietnamese. They speak quite rapidly and comprehension is not 100%. After the others had spoken, Mr. Hung, the director of EPIC, asked Ira to comment and give his suggestions! That's only part of Day One. Ms Thuy, the Director of Communications, asked him to provide a 1000-1500 word article(in English at least) on due diligence. Of course, she needed it yesterday, but would settle for the next afternoon. Is this what happens in a developing nation? EPIC is a very professional company with a website at www.epic.com.vn for your enjoyment and education. Ira's business cards are also very professional and, like the baseball cards of his use, fun to trade! EPIC is seeking foreign investors so if any of you are thinking of diversifying into an emerging economy with real estate, shopping centers and power plants just waiting to hit the market, you can email Ira for details. The above does not constitute an offer which can only be made by formal prospectus(Where is the tiny print for that announcement? It is so much fun working with the people at EPIC. They need and ask for help with their English and, in turn help with Ira's Vietnamese. Of course, much of the help consists of their speaking VERY quickly and replying to his efforts with "khong hieu"(I don't understand). It's not total immersion but the next best thing.

The same in any language!

2006-04-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ira was once presented with a conundrum: What is the only word that is the same in every language in the world? Well, this blog will be sort of a catch-all as we had a pretty eventful week. On Monday we went to a symphony concert. Those of you who saw the movie "Together" will remember the young Chinese violinist. Tang Yun, who played the young boy in the film, is now 17 and a very facile violinist. He played the Tchaikovsky Concerto for violin faster than I can ever remember hearing it. This is not to say it was the best interpretation, but the audience loved it and one had to be amazed by the speed and technique. The orchestra also played the Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony, also at a breakneck pace. It was another example of how culture abounds in Hanoi. Of course, it is not up to the level of some Western cities, but it was a fine night of music nonetheless. On Thursday we attended a showing of a documentray film "Mai's America," which details the travails of a young Hanoian woman who was an exchange student in, of all places, Mississippi! Needless to say, she ran into difficulties. Her attempt to go to Tulane University was also difficult and she wound up having to do nails in a salon in Detroit before returning home in semi-disgrace. Mai attended the showing and answered questions. She is currently still in university and trying to capitalize on the film. Most of the audience seemed thrilled, but somehow we were less so. It seemed to us that a rich(for Hanoi) girl went to america with illusions that were shattered, many due to her own poor planning and decision-making. On Friday, we attended the English class of our friend Luu, an interpreter whom we have known since our first visit to Hanoi in 1996. We had an enjoyable time conversing with the students. In truth we were sort of his show-and-tell exhibit. "See the nice Americans speak good English. Enjoy the big one's attempts to speak Vietnamese!" It was a lot of fun and we went out to dinner afterwards with Luu, his son Minh and a few others. It is always great to interact with people and discuss the similarities and differences of our countries and people. Ira has now begun working with EPIC, a high-level consulting firm here in Hanoi. They are economics-based and they help businesses with due diligence and other exciting tasks. Ira has a nice desk, which feng shui will tell him which way to face, a computer with special email and business cards touting him as lawyer and business consultant. He actually was sent on an assignment with two other firm members to Ha Tay province, which borders Hanoi. EPIC was signing a contract with the province's Planning and Investment Department and needed another body to appear, and to help with pictures and handshaking. After the ceremony, everyone went to a local restaurant for a nice lunch. The funny part of the lunch, other than Ira's Vietnamese chatting and the fact that most people spent the whole time talking or sms'ing on their mobile phones, was that all of the men, though they were high ranking government officials and businessmen love to pop the plastic bags that hold the wet towels that are distributed at the meal. It is strange to witness this, since you usually associate this behavior with young boys. We can only imagine if they ever hand these out at a formal state dinner! Our final experiences dealt with taxis. We must say that in general the Hanoi taxi drivers are friendly, courteous and reasonably knowledgable. This week, we had two experiences that were out of the ordinary. Ira's mobile rang one afternoon and it was Carol in distress. "The taxi driver has NEVER heard of Sofitel Plaza. HELP!!!" So Ira had to get on the line and guide the driver in. Fortunately, the directions are easy and Carol got home soon after. The second misadventure occurred when a driver seemed to be taking a strange route home. Ira asked why he was not taking a certain street. When he didn't get an answer, he asked was the driver taking the reasonable alternative route. The driver told Ira how he planned to go and became very frightened when Ira asked in rapid Vietnamese "How can you go that way? Not through the Old Quarter! Is this your first day driving?" Of course the route through the Old Quarter was longer, slower and filled with traffic. It's not the money as it only cousts about a dollar more, but the principle. We did let the young man know that we were not really angry and chatted with him on the remainder of the trip, but Ira's final words to him, which provoked a rueful grin and nod of the head were "Em can ban do(You need a map." The rest of the week involved DVD shopping(about $1.10 each) where we scored Brokeback Mountain, Crash, Capote and Memoirs of a Geisha among our 13 purchases. Carol also got some nice clothing and we had a great lunch at the Hotel Metropole. Oh, if you were still wondering about the universal word...TAXI!!!

Side Effects

2006-04-19T04:35:00.000-07:00

Since Ira has been going to the gym regularly, he feels better and arguably looks better. The one problem is that his pants are swimming on him. Of course, in the US, tailors are extremely expensive and it is sometimes worth it just to buy new pants. There is an older couple that we see nearly every day at the gym. At first they seemed standoffish but eventually they began nodding and smiling. Neither speaks a word of English so communication is not easy. Ira finally managed to use his Vietnamese and found out that the man is a tailor and that he said he could take in pants. Ira took five pairs and rode down to the man's shop, armed with Mr. Long's business card. Since Mr. Long was not in, Ira tried to explain to the people in the shop that he knew the proprietor from the gym and that these pants needed to be taken in. They seemed to understand and said that it would be fifteen minutes. Ira asked where he could find a cafe to have a coffee until the tailor arrived. They took him to an auto parts shop, where a woman had a few stools and a plastic bottle full of coffee. For 4000d(about a quarter) you can get a strong coffee with milk and ice. After the 15 minutes, Mr. Long appeared and brought Ira back to the shop. Unlike the US, there is no fitting! He measured Ira's waist and then the pants and, without writing anything down, dismissed him with the promise that he would bring the pants to the gym when they were finished. "Next week?" "No a day or two tops!" Imagine Ira's surprise when, at around 3 pm, the phone rang and it was the fitness centre attendant informing him that his pants were here. Of course, Ira wondered how they would fit, there having been no fitting. Not to worry! All five pairs fit just right, and all for about $2.25 each! What a country!

Out for Dinner Bach Soon

2006-04-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

The music scene here in in Hanoi is sporadic, but surprisingly busy. There are three symphony orchestras and a variety of other events. There is little or no coordination among the various groups and little advance publicity so that we don't always have much notice of concerts. Some weeks we wind up attending several performances but sometimes weeks go by with no events at all. The groups are also notoriously unreliable. Last week at about 10:00 one night, our phone rang. It was someone from the Opera House. He had money for us as the concert for which we had purchased tickets had been cancelled. There is a website ticketvn that lists performances and permits you to order tickets. They do deliver them at no charge though the time is rarely arranged in advance so that sometimes they come when you are out or at the gym or sleeping! On Friday we found out about a free concert at the Goethe Institute, a German cultural establishment that hosts a number of events throughout the year. We had dinner at Brothers' Cafe, an upscale(the buffet costs about $12US) Vietnamese restaurant with very good food. It was our first visit there and it was quite nice. Buffets are the norm in Hanoi, even at the five star hotels and they go far beyond the typical steam tables with mystery meats steeped in grease that are so common in the US. At Brothers' there are two stations where they prepare soups and noodles from very fresh ingredients, plus a grill station with kebabs, meats, fish and sausages. This is in addtion to the best little nem(spring rolls) and a host of other dishes. The desserts include fresh fruit and a number of local "delicacies" that often look a bit better than they taste. We chose the restaurant for its proximity to the Goethe Institute. Cabs are cheap and plentiful but our instinct is always to eat close to the site of our evening activity. The concert which attracted an overflow crowd, possibly because it was free, was all Bach, in honor of the Easter season. When we are in the US, we have always attended a fine St. Matthew Passion at St. Peter's in NY. This of course was not as glorious an event, but a chamber orchestra entertained us with Brandenburg No 3 and several other pieces. We recognized many of the performers from other concerts and the audience included a number of musicians who were there to support their colleagues and enjoy the music. It is little concerts like this that remind us that the quality of life is indeed high here in Hanoi.

Tradition

2006-04-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

For so many years on the first night of Passover our family would pack up and make the trek out to Queens to our cousins' home for the seder. The traffic on the Belt Parkway and Van Wyk was always heavy and some years it seemed we would never get there. The core group was always the same, but some years the numbers would vary as guests were brought or family members might have other commitments for the first seder. Although it is an important religious observation, the night was not without levity, even occasional hilarity as year after year, family members could be counted upon to repeat their words and actions. Sadie would always run into the kitchen to check on the progress of the meal, then Sid would stop and announce that we would not keep going until she returned. Sid and his brother Herbie had a competition going. Each would correct the other's Hebrew and all of the others at the table eagerly anticipated the byplay. Of course, as the years passed the numbers diminished and after Sid's death, Sadie moved to Chicago. Pearl took over the seder and Bob, our very large cousin would join us along with various others, depending upon who was able to make it. Bob always brought the charoset, Ira always grated the potatoes, Dick would consult on most dishes and prepare others, including gefilte fish that beat anything from a jar. When Pearl moved from her apartment, the seders became smaller and less formal, but the hoiday was never forgotten. There is a tradition at the end of the seder to say "Next Year in Jerusalem!" Little did Carol and Ira realize that it would be "Next Year in Hanoi!" The Jewish community in Hanoi is small and there is no temple. From time to time Ira would email the Israeli embassy to see if there were any events, but he never received a response, probably due to their intense security! On the Friday preceding Passover, we ran into Miriam Lieberman, an Israeli married to an American. The couple lives right upstairs and we know them casually(more on this later). Miriam told us to call the embassy as the seder would be held at the ambassador's home on Wednesday. Since we are not highly placed, we assumed that it was unlikely we would be invited but Ira called on Monday, only to find out that all the places were filled. They did take his mobile # in case two places might open up. Ira was delighted to receive a phone call on Wednesday morning advising that there were indeed two spots open and he said that, of course we did, emailing the news to Carol. A few minutes later, Ira got another call. this time it was Mr. Doron, the head of security at the embassy. We had to fax him copies of our passports and give him the names of anyone we knew in Israel who might vouch for us. Ten minutes later, Mr. Doron called back, regretting that, since we were not known, we could not attend for security reasons. Grasping at straws, Ira said that we knew Miriam Lieberman who was coming to seder and could(would? only knew us to say hello!) vouch for us. Ira then emailed the change of plans to Carol. The mobile rang again a bit later and Mr. Doron said that he had reached Miriam and that we were indeed welcome. Ira then emailed this new development to Carol and we were set to attend. The embassy staff told us the event was at the Sedona Suites in the ambassador's home and that they would email details. Ira then went out on his daily rounds of shopping, eating etc. When Ira returned home, he noticed that there had been no email so he called the embassy, only to find it had closed for the day. all that we could do was show up at Sedona suites and hope that we could find the ambassador's home. After some confusion at the front desk, we were shown through security and into the apartment. Ambassador Ephraim Ben-Matityahu who makes you call him Ephi, which could stand for effusive, as he is a warm outgoing person. After greeting us, the first thing that he told Ira was that the tie should come off and that when he took his off, that would be the signal for the other men to follow suit. The group of about forty guests included many Israelis and quite a few Americans. Yarmulkes were provided and the ambassador welcomed everyone before turning the seder over to Lou Lantner, the Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy. Israelis are informal and the seder, though containing all of the traditional prayers and readings, was marked with discussions and dialogues about the meaning of the holiday and the strangeness of celebrating it in a different country, one with zero Jewish tradition. Everyone present read some of the service, many in English and some in unbelievably rapid Hebrew, unlike what we are used to from the US, where we painfully try to remember our early training and go word by word through the Haggadah. During the meal, which was quite passable except for the matzoh balls, which are nowhere near as light and fluffy as Pearl's! We had a great conversation with the young man seated opposite us. He is the boyfriend of the ambassador's daughter and the couple was enjoying an extended visit. Some things are the same around the world. One is that at a seder, nobody knows the words to the songs(except one verse of "Dayenu") and the singing begins enthusiastically and then trails off into nothingness. Another is that the seder, no matter where it is held and no matter who are the participants, is always a time of good fellowship and the upholding of centuries old traditions and the retelling of the Passover story.

Trivia

2006-04-08T09:10:00.000-07:00

We noticed a trivia contest was being held and thought that Ira might be a natural for it. Carol asked her colleagues and found that there was a team in need of a player. Of course free Mexican food and beer didn't deter Ira!! The first two rounds were brutal as the team languished near the bottom of the pack. The questions were about strange countries' flags and things that a 60 year old man would NEVER know. Then the team began to gain momentum and they climbed steadily up the ladder. There were also bonus rounds for individual prizes. The "Who am I?" round turned out to be right up Ira's alley! The question began with "I was an amateur student of chemistry." so Ira blew the whistle signifying he might know the answer. "I have NO idea unless it is Mr Sherlock Holmes" he said. Let's just say it was the fastest "Who am I?" ever in the history of the contests! The team could not overcome the age bias of the contest or the early deficit but they managed a third place finish just two points out of the lead. One more round might have made a difference. Maybe next time!!!!

Every Dog

2006-04-08T01:29:00.000-07:00

We knew that dog meat was a delicacy favored by many Vietnamese and did find out that it was served only at special restaurants meaning that one would not inadvertently eat some while expecting beef or pork. The dish is mainly eaten by men, washed down with Vietnamese rice wine or vodka. The dogs are specially raised for meat and not your typical Peke or Westie. During our eight months in Hanoi, we had not felt constrained to try fried Fido, but when one of the lawyers in Ira's class invited him, he decided to take the plunge. The meal is eaten while seated on a mat, like the tatami in Japan and consists of a variety of cuts, some more palatable than the others. The meal is accompanied by greens, noodles, chilies, cucumbers and crispy bread. Some of it is a bit gamy, but some actually very tender and delicious. It was fun having the meal with a couple of Vietnamese friends and chatting about this and that. Fortunately, Ira does not feel "hooked" so will easily go back to more normal fare without having the urge to eat every dog he sees on the street.

Modern Medicine

2006-04-08T01:09:00.000-07:00

Carol has had recurring sinus problems so has had trouble breathing and has also had infections that begin to resist antibiotics. She feared that taking too many courses of antibiotics would leave her system resistant to the drugs should she need them for something more serious. Her colleagues at UNIS recommended Dr. Huong, a noted practitioner of traditional medicine, particularly acupuncture. While she was a bit skeptical, nothing else seemed to work so other than suffering a bit of discomfort, what would be the harm in trying. One of the difficulties is that, at first, the course consists of a treatment every day, necessitating an hour or more, including the taxi ride to the doctor's office. the first thing we noticed when arriving was the black Mercedes parked in the garage, a testimony to the doctor's popularity, though saying nothing about her effectiveness. Dr. Huong, who speaks fluent French and quite acceptable English, has a very outgoing personality and a confidence that won Carol over. She bought into the treatment plan and, after a few weeks of daily treatment, whe actually felt much better. the treatments are cheap by Western standards($10) and fully reimburseable by our insurance. Now Carol is down to a maintenance schedule of a session every two or three weeks, designed to strengthen her immune system. So far, so good!

Festival

2006-04-03T05:50:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, we decided to travel to Lenin Park for a little craft and food festival. Oddly, there is a huge statue of Lenin, but it is not in Lenin Park, but at Lenin Square across town. the park is located south of the center. this time, we were forewarned and got to the right venue.
The idea was good but there wasn't much for us there. we did manage to spend about an hour and a half noshing, drinking a pretty good local beer and browsing the stands. The best thing we found was the art of making little flowers and animals out of a sort of clay that is made with rice flour. Apparently, these used to be edible but now they are just to look at for a few days until they disintegrate. It is great fun though to watch the men mold the different colored clay into various shapes. The pictures here are the dragon that Carol got. for 10,000 dong(about 60 cents) it was a nice souvenir. So after making our purchase, we headed for home and watched the second DVD of Bertolucci's "1900" a 5 hour epic about the first half of the 20th Century in Italy. It is rather political in nature and though we know Mussolini and his blackshirts were detestable, the Communists offered nothing better. It was fun to see the very young Robert DeNiro and Gerard Depardieu though. We did discover that the pirated DVD's we get here are not always perfect. This one offered four languages, but they all turned out to be Italian! Fortunately Ira found the English subtitles so we managed.

Hong Kong Magic

2006-04-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

Our love affair with Asia actually began with a "sampler" trip that we put together way back in 1992. Our first stop was Hong Kong which is a spectacular introduction to the East. The city has the biggest and brightest skyline in the world and when planes came down to the old Kai Tak airport which was right in the heart of the city it was a sight that could never be forgotten.

The new hi-tech airport is out of town on an island so there is no view when you land, but once you get into town you can't help but be impressed by the mixture of skyscrapers and older buildings and the ever busy harbor where cruise ships, barges, ferries and working boats of all types crisscross from early morning until late night.

This trip was a chance to revisit a place we had been on a few prior occasions, and a chance to go a bit more high-tech than Hanoi, and a chance for Ira to buy a few things. He has lost a couple of inches in his waist but he still can't find pret-a-porter in Hanoi! Hong Kong has larger sizes and smaller prices, at least on the lower end of the spectrum. the good hotels and higher end restaurants can cost as much as Western capitals and then some. We noticed that a steak(only 12 oz) at Morton's of chicago was over $75 US, close to double the prices in America. Because of something known as the Rugby 7's(no need to explain as you wouldn't like it any more than we do) there were very few hotels rooms available. It was only Ira's persistence on the Internet that landed us a room at the Kowloon Shangri-La. Our first night we walked around on the harborfront and had dinner at Yan Toh Heen, a high end Chinese restaurant in the Intercontinental. We enjoyed the harbor view and some really fine cuisine, though we opted out of the $200 per person set menu or the abalone and lobster entrees that would send the bill into the stratosphere. After dinner, we had a drink at Felix, a way-too-hip bar at the Peninsula Hotel that commands a great harbor view, even from the urinals in the men's room! Since breakfast was not included in our room rate, we took the Star Ferry(about $0.25 US) across to Hong Kong Island and had dim sum at the Luk Yu Tea House, an ancient establishment that we have visited on all of our previous trips. No English is spoken, but food is great in any language! We spent our only full day shopping, though we avoided the ubiquitous tailors who promise "great hand-made suits in half a day" and the "copy watch" vendors. Walking around Hong Kong is fun, as the old blends nicely with the new and, if you stick to the lower end, you can't get hurt badly. After dining one night at a high end modern place, we returned to one of our old favorites, the Spring Deer, located just two minutes from our hotel as it happens. The dining room was full of Chinese families, all talking loudly and devouring some of the most delicious food imaginable. No nouvelle cuisine here, as we enjoyed broad noodles with seafood, the best Peking Duck ever and ham and cabbage to die for. The place has been there, tucked away in an obscure second floor location, for over 30 years. How people find it is a mystery, but find it they do. After dinner, we walked to the Temple Street Night Market and found a few bargains, some of which may show up as presents in the coming years. We actually had bagels and Nova for breakfast on our last day, after enjoying a last peek at the harbor. The exec chef of the restaurant insisted we have a bowl of matzo ball soup, which was very good but not up to Pearl's standards. We then strolled back to the hotel, packed and took the Express train to the airport for the short flight back to Hanoi. If you ever find yourself in Southeast Asia, you could do worse than spend a day or two in Hong Kong, a magical place.

Dancing Queen

2006-03-26T20:44:00.000-08:00

Our first ever visit to Vietnam, way back in 1994 began in Saigon. Yes, we know that officially it is known as Ho Chi Minh City, but everyone still calls it Saigon and so do we. On the first trip, it all seemed so strange and exotic, with different looks and smells. Communication was difficult and there was no internet to speak of. We had not word one of the language and, of course, it was very hot and humid. On that trip, we booked at the Rex Hotel, a kitschy old place with a great rooftop bar, complete with caged birds and topiary animals. By our second visit, we had graduated to the Caravelle, a completely modern high rise hotel. This time we opted for Sofitel Plaza, the sister hotel to our residence in Hanoi. It is a bit out of the center, but close enough to get there in a couple of minutes. Saigon now has about 20 5 star properties and is so much more modern than Hanoi, but lacking in charm. We had been warned that the language is different in the South, with many words and of course the accent making it even more difficult to comprehend than usual. We spent the weekend as a sort of R & R with no idea of sightseeing, just browsing and enjoying the nightlife.

We arrived in the evening and went to Saigon-Saigon, the rooftop bar at the Caravelle, which we frequented on earlier visits. We remember well when it first opened. Now it is probably the hippest spot in a rather hip city. There was, as everywhere in Southeast Asia, a Filipino band covering Queen and other such bands. Prices are high, compared to Hanoi, but still a bit less than in the US or in major European capitals.

We spent Saturday morning shopping, but not actually buying. Ira's ability to speak Vietnamese actually repelled the postcards salesmen and cyclo drivers who tried to solicit us. We took a break on the Rex rooftop for a cool glass of juice and some reminiscing. The war correspondents used to hang out there during the American War, as it is called here and it is still a great place to get a breeze and look out over the city. As we mentioned, Saigon is HOT!. While the temperature in Hanoi this time of year is in the 60s and 70s, Saigon is 90 plus every day. We did get to see the sun and to relax by the pool before dinner. dining options are varied, but we went back to La Camargue, a little French place with outdoor dining under the shade of trees. The food is good and Ira found a rare bottle of wine at a very good price. You'd never know you were in Vietnam!!! Oh, right! the reason for the title of the blog. They talked us into upgrading to the "executive floor" at 19$ a night extra. Breakfast in the hotel restaurant would be $11, so for less than the cost of breakfast for two, we got a much bigger room on a high floor, with a great view; breakfast in the exec club, including fruit, pastries, juice and a choice of entrees; unlimited juice, soda and water all day plus a cocktail hour with hors d'oeuvres. During breakfast the sound system played music. Unfortunately, there was just the one tune, repeated over and over. Now we love ABBA as much as the next person, well perhaps not, but how many times can you listen to "Dancing Queen" before it sticks in your mind and you walk around town singing it?! We found out that we are very chauvinistic Hanoians now! We kept comparing it to Saigon and agreeing that Saigon comes up second best in most things. Ira had many conversations with the locals during which he never failed to tell them how Hanoi is thang pho so mot(#1 city). While we enjoyed the getaway and think that Saigon is a great destination, we had no regrets when we boarded the plane for the 100 minute flight back to our home in Hanoi!

Friendly People!!!

2006-03-05T07:45:00.000-08:00

We were eating at the Nikko(Japanese hotel) at, of all things, a Tex-Mex buffet when Carol spotted a young woman with a beautiful quilted jacket. Ira went over to her and in his best Vietnamese, told her that Carol admired the jacket and would like to know where to buy one. The woman spoke no English but smiled and answered very heartily. She either said she would tell us how to get one or "Buzz off weirdo!!" or "aren't the empanadas great?" One of her companions who spoke some English came over and assured us that he would show us where the shop was after dinner. We assumed that he meant on a map! Wrongo!!! He and the woman took us in a car(they must have some money as NOBODY has a car in this town) and drove us to a remote section of the city to a little shop, perhaps owned by Ms Nhung's sister, if we understood correctly. Carol tried on several of the jackets and, although she is a relatively small american woman, whe is kind of large by Hanoian standards and it was difficult to find one that fit acceptably. Having gotten these folks to go so far out of their way for us, we felt sort of obligated to buy. Carol wound up with a stunning black jacket with purple peach blossoms on it. Everyone admires it(and asks the price too). It is so great to connect with people on every level and to see how small a place the world is!!!

A Visitor with a Link to the Past

2006-03-05T07:29:00.000-08:00

Ira met Bob Greenfield back in the 8th grade and the two were close friends for many years. they played in the band in Jr High and High School and Ira was in bob's wedding way back in 1967!!! They were in touch over the years and Bob visited occasionally when he had business in Pennsylvania. Bob emailed Ira that his niece, Suzanne, was in Hanoi and he passed Ira's email address and mobile number on to her. One afternoon, Ira's phone rang and it was Suzanne . They had a long conversation and the next evening we were able to meet for drinks at the Metropole Hotel (best hotel in Hanoi and they have a half price Happy Hour to boot! We then went to one of our favorite restaurants, Ly Club which has a beautiful room with photos of the last dynasty of emperors of Vietnam and good upscale Vietnamese food. We had a great evening and enjoyed a vistor's take on our adopted city.

Orchids and other things

2006-02-18T04:49:00.000-08:00

Carol has long been fascinated with orchids and has, in the past, purchased several at rather high cost with mixed(actually uniformly unsatisfactory) results. Just before the Tet celebration, she felt that a stop at the Flower Market was warranted in order to purchase one of the hybrid plants she had seen around town. It was less expensive by far than the ones purchased in the US, so she had little hope that it would bloom at all, let alone flourish. If you view the attached picture, you will see that this one is so beautiful!!!
If we knew what made this one do well, we would buy a dozen and start a business. Regardless, we are pleased to have the Hoa Lan(Vietnamese for orchid) living in our midst and bringing pleasure to all who see it.

So, what shall I call you?

2006-02-17T23:44:00.000-08:00

In the US, there is often a problem as to what to call your in-laws. In an effort to make you feel welcome in their family some people tell you to call them "Mom and Dad." This usually feels wrong, as you often have a perfectly good set of those already. People often use "Mother Smith" or "Pop Jones" when addressing their spouse's parents. First names may feel too familiar, while to call these people "Mr. and Mrs. Goodman" for twenty-plus years seems a touch too Victorian. Of course, if you always look straight at a person and his hearing is good, you can get by without calling him anything at all!

In Vietnamese, the problem does not occur as there is a complicated hierarchy of what to call parents, grandparents and in-laws. So there are words for "father of my wife" etc. that make it easy.

The concept of "brother-in-law" covers several types of people in the US-husband of my sister, brother of my wife, and husband of my wife's sister. Here in Vietnam there are different words for each of the above people thus avoiding(?) confusion. We also find words to denote "father or mother's elder brother" "wife of father's elder brother" and "mother's younger brother." Learning all of these degrees of consanguinity is likely impossible and probably of little value anyway. Yet Ira persists and one day will be able to introduce Sue, Don, Lee and all of the others to some Vietnamese friend who will smile, nod and actually understand.

Tet NOT Offensive

2006-01-28T23:30:00.000-08:00

Tet, the lunar new year celebration, is the biggest holiday in Vietnam. Everyone gets caught up in the spirit and the festivities and traditions. All of Hanoi is buzzing with activity. Every little shop and restaurant is decorated with banners, flowers and bunting.

There are so many traditional greetings, wishing people a Happy New Year, wealth, luck, good health, and all manner of other good things. Ira has learned many of them and finds ways to work them into the conversation. Anyone can say "Chuc Mung Nam Moi"(Happy New Year) but when you wish someone "Vui Ve Quang Nam"(Best Wishes for the whole year) they know that you are not a tourist.

There are many traditional foods, such as the sticky rice cakes, fatty pork and other delights. Many restaurants have traditional Tet menus during this period. The Vietnamese are quite family oriented and most travel to their parents' homes for feasting and reveling. Flowers are in abundance and the big flower market is so crowded that the main street is blocked. On Carol's last day of school, there were not taxis getting through so she had to call Ira to bring one from the hotel to rescue her. But even the traffic jams are fun as there is just so much energy out there.

According to tradition, everyone must have a kumquat tree and/or a peach blossom tree for Tet. The road is lined with these plants, many rather large and it is quite a sight to see the parade of motorbikes and other vehicles laden with the bright orange kumquats and the pink blossoms of the peach trees. After the frantic shopping and rushing about, the streets are eerily calm on the evening of the first night, as everyone has bought the food and flowers and is somewhere celebrating. We visited "Uncle Ho" at his mausoleum the morning before the holiday and also went to the Army Museum that catalogues this small country's long history of war, from the Chinese in the 8th century, through the Japanese invasion, French colonial period and the "American War." We can only hope that Vietnam will now spend the 21st Century in peace and that the rest of the world will follow suit.

Hot L Sofitel Plazzzzzaaaaaaa

2006-01-25T01:53:00.000-08:00

As we come to the midpoint of the school year, we realized that we haven't told much about our living situation. We had often fantasized about living in a hotel, but realized that residential hotels are generally in large cities and are at the top of the scale so the economics didn't seem to work.

When Carol was offered the job here in Hanoi, we knew from our previous visits that we could not live "with the people" in a residence without heat, with inadequate utilities and with a variety of animals that we had not invited to be our pets. Having heard about serviced apartments, we undertook an internet quest and finally came up with Sofitel Plaza. It is definitely on the upper end of the price scale, but we choose to compare it with similar accommodations in other cities rather than with prices of other Hanoi residences. If you think this is a way to rationalize spending money, you may be right.

Sofitel Plazzzzaaaaa!!! is how Ira says it to taxi drivers so that they will understand him. It is kind of how the Vietnamese say it but really just for fun.

The apartment is great. who knew that 69 square meters was enough space? Our early blogs showed the layout and the equipment so we will now focus on the hotel and the incredible staff.

In Hanoi, most young people attend university so there are a lot of young, smart, eager workers to fill all sorts of jobs. Technical and white collar jobs tend to pay low salaries so many of the best and brightest wind up in the hospitality industry. Even though tipping is not so common, it does exist, especially among the tourists(Note that we are NOT they!). A few extra dollars can go quite far in the local economy.

The bell staff is the first line of defense and we see them many times in a day. They get taxis, give you advice and converse with you(even in Vietnamese in Ira's case). they also bring the large bottles of water, deliver the mail after its month long journey from the US and keep us up to date on the happenings in town and in the hotel.

The apartment staff is wonderful too. Ms Hoa and Ms Hoai are the ones with whom we usually deal. They respond to our complaints, help us find our way around, help Ira with his Vietnamese language and culture, and tell us how young we look! They used to be a bit formal but after six months, they are much friendlier. We used to address them as "Co" which is a formal title for "Ms" but one day the phone rang and it was "em Hoai speaking," indicating that we were more family at this point. Ira is often addressed as "Bac" or "Chu" which is sort of like an honorary uncle. We are actually more the age of "Ba" and "Ong" which are more grandparent-like, but the Vietnamese are very tactful, at least in that department.

The Fitness Centre is one of our hangouts. It is located right across the hall from the apartments. We have never been gym rats and always felt that just walking around town would be all the excercise we needed. The idea of joining a gym, having to go there, get dressed, work out, shower, get dressed again was too much time to spend on fitness. With the Fitness Centre membership included with our apartment rent and the location just a few steps from our door, we knew that if we didn't use a gym now, we never would.

The gym is well equipped, with a weight room, many exercycles and treadmills and the Swiss ball, which Ira always calls the Swedish ball, both countries being historically neutral. The girls who give you towels are all very friendly and know us well. David, the manager, has helped us establish a program and we are pretty faithful about getting to work out at least 3-5 days a week.

The pool is the nicest in Southeast Asia and is covered by a retractible roof so you can swim in all weather.

The pool and fitness centre are used by hotel guests, but mostly by members, many of whom are upscale Vietnamese. We all recognize each other and Ira often chats with the locals in Vietnamese. They are very social and spend much of their workout time chatting, either with the other members or on their ever present mobile phones.

We don't exactly have "abs of steel" but we are considerably more fit than when we arrived and have pledged that, wherever we live, we will belong to a gym.

Hu'o'ng, our maid, is a gem! She doesn't just clean and tidy, she does so many little things to make the place liveable. When we arrived she showed us how the rice cooker and microwave work and got us manuals. She also showed us how to wash our fruit and vegetables-three washes, the last in Veggy solution, and two rinses. Hu'o'ng arranges the flowers we bring in and, if we arrange them and she doesn'like them, she rearranges them. Each day she prunes out the dead ones. Occasionally, she even brings in flowers from who knows where, probably a party or some other event at the hotel. The fresh robes used to come in on hangers, but whe Hu'o'ng noticed that we discarded the hangers, she began hanging the robes on the hooks on the back of the door. It is like having your own maid! Actually, she is responsible for the entire floor but we seem to get special attention.

Actually, we seem to receive personal attention from the entire hotel staff. Although the apartments are a separate unit, we still deal with the desk clerks, restaurant personnel and others whom one encounters in the course of daily living. It will be a shock to our systems when we go back to a world of cooking, cleaning and the rest of the chores. After 25 years of fending for ourselves, it didn't take long to get used to the comfort.

We are located in between West Lake, the largest lake of the many in Hanoi, and Truc Bach Lake, a small charming body of water that on a nice day is filled with swan pedalboats. The street between them, Thanh Nien is famed as the place where young couples come on their motorbikes to get away from the fast pace of the city.

We have high speed internet, good heat and air conditioning and ample lighting, none of which are standard in much of Hanoi. The only complaint might be that the TV channels are not so interesting. we have a couple of Vietnamese channels, two Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, French, Italian, Russian and Spanish. The english channels are mostly news like BBC and CNN. The main entertainment comes from Australian Broadcasting and Star TV, which shows a mix of old familiar shows and old shows we have never heard of. There are sports, mostly football(soccer) but Ira did see the World Series live and will watch the Super Bowl at 7 am live!

It would be great if we had guests so we could show them what a great place Hanoi is, but for now you will have to experience it through us.

Street scenes from Pho Yen Phu, our neighborhood thoroughfare.

Lan, who runs the hair salon.

Birla Orphanage

2006-01-21T00:08:00.000-08:00

The United Nations International School of Hanoi expects its students and faculty to participate in community service. One Saturday a month I assist UNIS students who provide activities, food and gifts to children from the Birla Orphanage.

The Birla kids usually come to UNIS but this Saturday we visited the orphanage. There are 110 children at Birla aged 3-18. They live in three large homes in a family setting with the older children helping to care for the younger ones. Each child has a bed, a small desk and a closet. They share bathrooms as well as sitting and dining areas.

The UNIS students come prepared for a variety of activities, such as: musical chairs, making paper airplanes, coloring, drawing cartoon characters, playing "Uno" and jumping rope. The UNIS volunteers also brought boxes filled with clothing and toys to give to the Birla children.

When the Birla children visit UNIS, in addition to the activities, the UNIS host children bring in food for the group to eat. They also give present to those having birthdays in that month and give everyone a "goody bag" when the morning is over. This is a very worthwhile activity for both the UNIS kids and the Birla orphans.

Vietnam has many orphanages throughout the country. The government is very interested in taking care of these children, who would otherwise live in the streets. These are both children whose parents have died and also those whose parents are unable to care for them.

The children can live in the orphanage until age 18, at which time they are provided with a job and then they live on their own. Although it is sad for the children to be without parents, the orphanages are clean and well managed and the children have enough to eat. they also have as much love as is possible outside a traditional family. There is a cabinet-level position for the Minister for the Care and Protection of Children, whose department oversees the orphanages.

Vietnam is a country in which family is extremely important. In the case of those without families, Vietnam still takes care of its own.

Ira's Excellent Adventure

2006-01-20T02:20:00.000-08:00

Carol needed wind chimes in a hurry! She had bought 7 sets in Bali as gifts for the Vietnamese aides at school only to find out that there was organized gift giving for Tet(lunar New Year) and that there were 12 aides.

Ira volunteered to go into town and find some wind chimes. Hang Bong Street is a good starting point as it has the musical instrument shops. Rather than take a taxi for perhaps 30,000 dong(under 2 bucks), he felt it was time to take the bus(3000 d).

Ms Binh of the office staff cautioned against the bus as the signs are in Vietnamese and few Westerners ride the buses. Undaunted, Ira set out for the bus stop and jumped on the first one that arrived. The bus took a familiar route on its way to the Ga(railroad station Cf French=gare)Hanoi. When he felt he was close, he jumped off only find he was at.......
HANG BONG STREET! A few inquiries in Vietnamese led him into Hang Manh Street where he actually found what he was looking for.

Mr. Huy's Vietnamese lesson of the day before mentioned the food in Hang Manh Street so why not try some? The quest was finished and one does have to eat! Sitting on the tiny stool, he ordered spring rolls and bun cha, a noodle dish. Taking pity on him, the waitress helped him up and led him to a long communal table where the locals were talking loudly and eating from big plates of food. She then delivered two huge fried spring rolls, a plate of noodles, fish cakes in pork broth, chopped garlic and heaps of fresh basil and coriander. She also forced him to drink a large bottle of beer. The meal was delightful, punctuated with much conversation with pretty much everyone who would listen.

There are two sides to everything and in Hanoi there are two kinds of people, those who understand everything Ira says and converse with him, and those who don't understand one word! It is great fun to meet with the former, who are beginning to catch up in numbers with the others.

The bill for all of the above(conversation is free) was 40,000d or $2.25 US.

All that remained was to get home and instead of wandering around for a bus going in the proper direction, just whip out trusty mobile and give the taxi the address where you wish to be picked up. Next time-round trip!!!

So all in all it was a successful little afternoon. The only question is why would a 60 year old man, with two university degrees, lots of travel experience, a good sense of direction and knowledge of the city, not to mention rudimentary command of the language, feel so proud that he could do what most 8 year olds can manage without incident?

Cambodia Redux

2006-01-20T00:07:00.000-08:00

At the AmCham gala dinner, there was a silent auction. although Ira is rarely silent for any significant period of time, we placed bids on various items, including a 2 night stay at Grand Hotel d'Angkor, a luxurious property in Siem Riep, Cambodia, where we stayed several years ago.

At the time, it was the only remotely decent accommodation for those visiting the ancient temple ruins of Angkor Wat. We thought nothing more of it until a few days later we were informed that we had "won" this prize. Since we had a bit of free time over Christmas, we decided it would be best to use the certificate, rather than perhaps find that we had no opportunity to do so later.

After a short flight on Vietnam Airlines, which is quite acceptable these days, we were picked up and taken to our hotel. We were shocked to see the development over the past few years! there are now nearly one hundred hotels in Siem Riep, many of five star quality. We do have a weakness for nice hotels, so Grand Hotel d'Angkor would always be our choice. It was built back in the 1930s and is now run by the Raffles Group. Service is exquisite and nothing is left to chance. We were greeted by name and they still had our(now outdated) information from our last visit.

It was easy to arrange our temple visits for the next day and we then had a nice dinner. Carol had fish and Ira had three small stuffed frogs! Because of Ira's restaurant connections, the chef came to the table and chatted with us.

The temple complex at Angkor is incredibly vast and reasonably well preserved. The Khmer civilization was once very advanced with libraries, temples and roads. They had a written language back when Western Europe was populated with barbarians. A city of over one million inhabitants was located on the site of present day Angkor.

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and pointed out the best carvings and sculptures as he led us through Ta Prohm and Angkor Thom. we then took a break to rest up at the pool before returning to view Angkor Wat at sunset. This is a spectacular sight and well worth the trip.

Of course, Cambodia is a sad country. The Khmer Rouge ran it into the ground and, as is well documented in the film "The Killing Fields," they systematically eliminated(nice word for killed)all of the educated people.

Our guide told us of how he and his siblings were taken to work in the rice fields at age 10 or so and separated from their parents. His father was a professor so it was clear what had happened to him.

We took lots of photos but are just giving you a few examples of what you will see if you visit Angkor Wat.

We had dinner at the hotel outdoor buffet with dance performance by young people. we had seen the Royal Cambodian Ballet in Washington some years ago and of course, this is not intended to match that performance.

The next day, we enjoyed the beautiful hotel pool, had a high tea, a final drink in the Elephant Bar and headed for the airport and the trip home.

Holiday without Ice

2006-01-02T00:28:00.000-08:00

We took advantage of the school break to visit some places that are reasonably near our home base in Hanoi. Our first port of call was Singapore, a familiar place as

we had visited it several times before, including once with Ira's mother, Pearl. Singapore is easy to navigate, with its modern subway and good sidewalks. The fact that all of the signs are in English doesn't hurt either.

When we revisit places, we often have "traditions" that we do over and over again. In Singapore, this means eating seafood down at the East Coast Seafood Centre, a collection of open-air places serving fresh fish and the signature chili crab. Last time we were here, Ira nearly put out the eye of a neigboring diner as he cracked the crab's shell, so this time we made the server open it for us. Yum!!

Singapore goes all out for Christmas. Except for the snow, we might well have been back in the US!! Throngs of shoppers mobbed the stores, and the streets were brightly lit and decorated. the sounds of Christmas carols could be heard everywhere. It was quite a surprising sight.

Carol had long wished to visit the ancient temple complex at Borobadur, Java, so that was our next stop. We checked into the Sheraton Mustika in Yogyakarta, supposedly the student and arts capital of Java. It is also reputed to be the home of a school for terrorists, but, as our guide put it "They won't bomb their own place, will they?"

The temple is quite well preserved and it is easier to navigate than many others, such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia. We climbed all the way to the top and enjoyed the panoramic view.

The carvings are very detailed and our guide knew the stories behind most of them.

We ate in a local restaurant and can report that Javanese cuisine is unlikely to overtake Vietnamese, Chinese or French any time soon.

We did attend a dance performance at another temple site one evening. The Ramayana dance was rather familiar to us and was quite enjoyable.

Security was very much in evidence, as to enter the hotel, cars had to run through a maze of oil drums and stop to be searched. We saw no evidence of trouble, but were a tad uneasy nonetheless.

Our final stop was Bali, a spot we had been three times before. On the first trip we stayed in Kuta, the tourist center; on the second in Ubud, sort of New Hope in the tropics, where everyone asks you what we call the Three Questions: "What's your name, where are you from, do you need transport?" On the most recent visit, together with Pearl and a friend of hers, we stayed in Sanur, a beach town that is convenient for exploring the rest of the island.

This time we opted for Nusa Dua, a resort area on the southern tip of the island, where several resort hotels have their own beaches, linked by a walkway. We stayed at the Melia which, like most hotels in Bali, is done in a Balinese style making it a nice place for strolling about. Except for one relatively futile shopping trip into Kuta, we never left the hotel grounds. We walked on the beach, rested and read some incredibly expensive books that we bought in Singapore. When did paperbacks begin to cost $12-15!!!???

Bali is not exactly known for good food, especially since we are not currently eating chicken or duck, two of their specialties, but the Melia, like the sister hotel in Hanoi, has great food. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we had Chef Oscar's wonderful set menus that were also beautifully presented.

We returned to Hanoi after Christmas and have been exploring some places, like the art museum, that we hadn't yet gotten around to visiting. We also did some shopping, eating and catching up on things around the apartment.

We spent New Year's Eve at the Ly Club, probably the most beautifully decorated restaurant in Hanoi. They served a nice set menu and had great entertainment(at least from our point of view). A piano trio played Mozart and some Viennese waltzes, and a soprano and a tenor sang arias and songs. The tenor even knew our request "Torno a Surriento."

Well, soon Carol will be back teaching and Ira doing whatever becomes available. It was nice to have a break and to get out of Hanoi for awhile. One big thing we noticed was that the people are much fatter than they used to be. Maybe it's the creeping in of American fast food, but they are bigger on average and there are more really fat ones around, especially in Singapore.

We'll write more as we get back into the swing of things. For now, we can just wish you all "Chuc Mung Nam Moi" or Happy New Year.

Getting to the Quarter Pole

2005-12-15T17:23:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since our last post, mainly because the day-to-day routine has already been described and does not bear repeating. The interaction with our Vietnamese hosts is pleasant though limited. We do have a friend whose house we have visited but between his busy schedule and ours, there is not much time to get together. We have resolved to see him and his family in the New Year. Mr. Huy arrives faithfully on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and slogs through Ira's lesson with a lot of interaction about culture, food and the music scene. The bell staff, the hotel staff and the people at the Fitness Centre are very engaging and a good proving ground for whatever language skills Ira may be developing.

Carol's job is quite demanding, both in terms of time and energy while Ira has stopped working for the wine importers and is seeking something that will use more of his skills while not taking up all of his time.

Today marks the final day of classes during the 2005 portion of the academic year and we look forward to a bit of vacation. We leave tomorrow night for Singapore, Yogyakarta, the arts center of Java and Bali, before returning to spend some time off here in Hanoi so that we may actually visit monuments and museums and catch up on everything.

We appreciate all the emails and Skype calls that have kept us updated on everyone back in the US and will be in touch when we return on 27 December.

We're Still Here!!!

2005-11-27T18:53:00.000-08:00

You may(or may NOT) have noticed that we haven't blogged for awhile. We are here in Hanoi and doing fine! It's just that we aren't keeping a diary that includes shaving, showering and the gym. We will give you one about the hotel and the friendly staff, perhaps with some photos sometime.

Carol leaves early every weekday morning for UNIS and the VERY small children.

Ira goes over to the office and works on wine sales and the like, then enjoys a lunch, which is one of the perks of the job. Vine has a great three-course lunch which he has been able to avoid in favor of a salad most days. they do a great caesar with avocado, tomato and bacon, and a really amazing insalata caprese with ripe tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh Asian basil.

Ira has tried to expand his home cooking and uses the two cookbooks he brought to good advantage. They are Ruth Reichl's "Gourmet" and Molly O'Neill's "New York." So we've had grilled salmon with dill butter, fried potatoes and zucchini, pasta puttenesca, amazing Arabic okra and several other dishes. Dried herbs aren't around much so a trip to the restaurant kitchen after a quick trip to the dictionary yielded some pretty good results.

One of the hotels had a mushroom and game promotion that we found to be quite good. After a buffet of pates, salads, escargot and sauteed mushrooms, we feasted on partridge and venison, then attacked the sumptuous French cheeseboard and had room for the exquisite desserts. Well, there was no room, but we somehow managed.

On Sunday the bulls get so bored. Oh sorry, those are words to a Jacques Brel tune. On Sunday, we are usually ready for rest and recharging. This week, however, we had to attend a charity function which was held at UNIS. There were thousands of people enjoying entertainment, including a blind wine-tasting event that Ira helped run, great international food, beer and wine. Then, at night, we had been given tickets to a jazz concert featuring a group from San Francisco.

We do receive a couple of magazines and try not to read them too quickly as we don't have a lot of books, though UNIS does have a library.

So as we finish our fourth(!) month, we promise to let everyone know about interesting things that happen. If nothing comes up, we can always fill you in on how much detergent we use in the laundry or the price of onions.

Ira's mom Pearl, pictured here at a Phillies' game in July, will be undergoing some surgery later this week. Those of you who know her might want to send a card at Cain Manor House, S. Sycamore Street, Apartment 9107, Chandler Hall, Newtown, PA, 18940.

Who knows where the time goes????

2005-11-12T19:52:00.000-08:00

Judy Collins sang a song with that title back in the 60's. Now that I have entered my 60's, it all begins to make sense. It doesn't seem so long ago that I was running off to play baseball, practicing the clarinet, studying(well sort of), graduating from college and law school, playing bridge, getting married, buying a house and all of those other things that are now part of the past.

I even see old photographs and wonder what that was on top of my head. Oh, that's right hair!

Living in Hanoi has one great advantage-many things that are very expensive in the US are cheap here, or at least cheaper.

Most things involving services are relatively inexpensive due to the low cost of labor and the lack of demand for high ticket items.

Carol urged me to get pampered for my birthday so I reluctantly agreed to do it!

I did have a sales meeting to attend, so I put off the fun until afterwards. I had a nice surprise after the meeting. My colleagues, Ms Ha and Ms Thuy presented me with a beautiful bunch of flowers!

When I arrived home, Carol showed me another bouquet that came from Ms Hoa and Ms Hoai, the apartment managers.

I then embarked upon my relaxation/beautification treatments. First, I went to the salon downstairs where Mr. Lan presented me with a birthday card, not the first one, as I received numerous ecards and one in the actual mail. He then brought me tea to drink while I had a manicure($5!) and pedicure($7). I could really get used to this! The salon is great! A haircut costs $12, expensive for Hanoi, but not a lot to pay for leisurely shampoo, arm massage and a really good cut. Yesterday, my hair was still OK, so I went from the 'cures straight to the gym. Some day we will write about the wonderful fitness center/pool which we actually frequent.

After the workout, there was just time to change for my massage($15 for residents). I know you can get one on the street for perhaps 100,000vnd($6.25) but the surroundings are seedy and the operators questionable. Besides, I live about 50 paces from the gym and the idea is to get pampered with fluffy towels and a true massage table.

After the treatments, it was time to get cleaned up and dress for dinner. In this case, just like in the old movies, we did dress up. "Dep chai" said everyone who saw us. Very handsome!

We have an acquaintance with Chef Jurgen Kauz, a South African with lots of international experience. He cooks at the Melia Hotel, where we have often enjoyed the sumptuous Sunday brunch. He once told us that he would be happy to make something special for us, and what occasion could be better than a landmark birthday in a city far from home, with no friends or relatives to throw a party? We commissioned a meal and gave him some parameters and then let him work.

We were greeted at the door by Carlos, the F & B Manager, who escorted us upstairs to a private dining room, elegantly appointed and with our personal server, Hu'o'ng. Taittinger champagne was brought and the meal began.

We started with pate de foie gras with micro greens and red currant-peppercorn vinaigrette. Just look at that presentation!

This was followed by an unbelievably creamy chanterelle mushroom soup.

The main course was lamb fillet with little rolled-up potato pancakes, truffle butter, tiny pattypan squash, green beans and asparagus all with a Torres red wine sauce. Carlos had graciously permitted me to bring a bottle of 1999 Northstar Merlot, a good match for the gaminess of the lamb.

Ever heard the phrase "too beautiful to eat?" Well the dessert was almost that lovely! The plate, created by Pastry Chef Phu'o'ng, included a creamy chocolate truffle, fruit sushi, which we ate with chopsticks, pistachio roulade with champagne creme anglaise and, just in case we thought this was not excess, a side of strawberries and cream.

The dinner was served graciously at a leisurely pace so that we could savor the occasion. It is unlikely that we could duplicate the experience even in a "developed" country.

After dessert, we moved to the couch to open some gifts from the hotel, such as a Melia shirt, some notepads, a stuffed water buffalo and some other souvenirs.

Then, just like in the movies, brandy and a Cuban cigar. They are legal here as they are in most countries, actually in all countries save one!

This was a truly memorable day, tempered somewhat by the distance between us and our friends and families. Of course, had you all been here, there wouldn't be a blog for you to read!

According to Plan

2005-11-11T23:38:00.000-08:00

We are more planners than not, particularly when it comes to social events. While we do some things on impulse, we are used to looking at the concert or opera schedule, finding an event we would like to attend and immediately booking tickets.

When we have news of a family event, we write it in our calendars and schedule around it. Months before Thanksgiving or birthdays, we huddle up with the rest of the family to see who will be around and where the celebration will be held.

Vietnam makes this sort of planning rather difficult. Schedules are made to be broken. We often check the musical schedule at the Opera House and order tickets, only to find out that the event is rescheduled, sometimes more than once, or cancelled entirely.

Appointments are similarly loose both as to time and date. Ira has a weekly sales meeting that is sometimes postponed or cancelled, not an unusual occcurrence anywhere in the world. What he finds strange is that it seems to happen without notice and no one seems to know whether or not it has been cancelled.

One time, Ira and a colleague had a meeting scheduled with a customer and he got an urgent text message the day before asking him to come right away, the customer was a day early. In this case, the customer was Swiss(aren't they usually precise?) but maybe there is something in the water!

We have still managed to go to many wonderful concerts and to enjoy our life in Hanoi. Ira says that people are beginning to correct his Vietnamese, meaning that they actually are beginning to understand him. Just this morning, a taxi driver understood him so well that the driver began speaking very rapidly, assuming that Ira understood him completely. this was not exactly the case, but it does give one hope.

For now, we will sign off and promise to let you know when something really interesting happens or when we have more random observations about life in Hanoi.

Sunday Afternoon Stroll

2005-11-08T01:35:00.000-08:00

Sundays are usually kind of "lazy day" for us, as it is the only day that we have completely to ourselves. Unlike in our younger days we don't just sleep it away but have a varied routine. Yesterday we ate the buffet breakfast at the hotel, then took a little walk to see the local sights. The oldest pagoda in Hanoi(the foggy picture at the left) is on a short peninsula in West Lake, a few hundred meters away. We fought our way through the postcard and t-shirt sellers to view it. We have found that saying "We live in Hanoi. We are not tourists." in Vietnamese usually either pacifies them or at least shocks them enough to get us past. Occasionally Ira points out some actual tourists and suggests that they would probably love some souvenirs.

After exploring the pagoda, together with many tourists and locals(Sunday is a huge family day in Hanoi, for strolling, sightseeing and dining) we walked further down the street to the Quan Thang Temple. This is also quite old and in quite good shape. This one actually has an admission price, but 2000 dong is only about 15 cents.
Before trudging home, we made a stop at the Fivimart so Carol could buy pantyhose, as the 3 and 4 year olds take a toll on her clothing. It is always fun to shop and watch the local people watching us. Ira is not yet fluent but can at least make himself understood well enough to find most items.

After our little expedition, we trudged home, past the Swan Boats, reminiscent of Boston, but these are pedal boats. We then spent some time at the pool which has the only retractable roof in Asia, permitting swimming in any weather.
Luna d'Autunno has the best pizza in Hanoi, and we often go there on Sunday nights to enjoy pizza, wine(last night it was refosco, a light red from Friuli) and conversation with Alberto, the manager.
Then it is back to the apartment for TV and winding down before the new week begins. This week will feature an american "indie" film, Vietnamese traditional music and a concert with the Hanoi Philharmonic. We are always given tickets for the orchestra by our friend, Dr. Minh as the orchestra is made up of Conservatory faculty and students.

Mother Knows Best

2005-11-06T18:31:00.000-08:00

Ira's mother Pearl always told him to dress nicely and reminded him that his father always had a sportcoat in his car, just in case.

Hanoi is quite an informal town and we are often "off by two(or more)." That is Ira's way of judging how appropriately we are dressed. "Off by one" is acceptable, while two or more degrees of separation from the norm at an event shows that we have no clue. For example, if most are in slacks and sweaters, a shirt and tie is off by one as would be Dockers and a golf shirt.

We have too many dress clothes for Hanoi,but have to wear something so are often overdressed. Saturday, it proved to be helpful to our cause.

We had seen a Russian Chamber Concert advertised online and decided that we would just show up, rather than order tickets in advance. At 200,000 dong($12.75US)it was one of the more expensive concerts, but still easily accessible to us.

After a steak dinner at The Press Club, a restaurant that caters mainly to expats, we wandered to the box office at the Opera House. The ticket seller informed us that there were no tickets, as the concert was by invitation only. This was despite our having seen it advertised online and our having seen people with tickets outside.

We voiced our disbelief and disappointment and she finally relented. Telling us that we looked so nice, she led us inside and showed us to some empty seats, charging us nothing at all. Just before the concert began, she came back and told us to move towards the front, as the attendance was not large.

So we enjoyed a wonderful concert free of charge and all because of Pearl's sartorial advice.

The Law is the True Embodiment.....

2005-11-04T22:33:00.000-08:00

of everything that's excellent. At least that's what the Lord Chancellor says in "Iolanthe." No matter. Ira, being learned in The Law, or at least trained in it, sent a note to some law firms offering to teach legal English to their staffs. One firm, Invest Consult, responded and hired him to teach English AND US law to a group that numbered nearly 50. Fortunately, they agreed to two 1.5 hour classes, rather than one unwieldy 2.5 hour session.

The course has been outlined and includes a variety of topics, with each week's lesson building on the previous weeks. Of course, there is much digression as one thing leads to another, like the time that asking the student's to talk about their hobbies in English led inevitably to foliage tours in New England. It was truly not a quantum leap and can either be left to the reader as an excercise in logic or explained for the price of a private email.

The class is reasonably attentive and all have some knowledge of English. the challenge is to keep both classes at the same point and to integrate the four phases of learning a language-reading, writing, speaking and listening, into every lesson and to provoke the students into participation.

It can safely be reported that the students enjoy the class and are learning at least as much as Ira is from them. Ira hopes to sit in on a session of court sometime and to observe the Vietnamese justice system up close, if not personal.

It being Saturday, it is now time to adjourn to the pool before steaks at The Press Club and a Russian chamber concert at the Opera House.

Wherever you go

2005-10-30T17:33:00.000-08:00

…..there you are. Whether you live in Paris or Perkasie, the Far East or the Midwest, life acquires a certain sameness. The most extraordinary things become routine in time as we adapt to them. The French have a saying for it" Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose."
We have now hit the three-month mark of our sojourn in Hanoi. Friends and relatives ask about unusual foods, amazing sights and interesting people that we have encountered, but living in a place is much more about routine.
On a vacation, one tends to cram as much "living" into each day as is possible, dashing from market to museum to sidewalk cafés, restaurants and cultural shows. It is necessary to sample the local food, take many photographs and buy things to remind us where we have been.
When living somewhere one proceeds at a different pace, knowing that the Leaning Tower and Sphinx are not going anywhere and neither are you. In assessing the first three months, we note the places we have not visited and the things we have not yet accomplished.
Sunday we did visit the Museum of History as there is an exhibit on the Ly and Tran Dynasties that will only be there until December. It gave us some insight into Vietnam’s long history and was an enjoyable interlude. We followed it up with brunch at the Sol Melia Hotel, an indulgence that we enjoy about one Sunday a month. They have a variety of incredibly good items that change often so that you can never be bored. Gyros made to order just like at a New York pushcart were among the features this week.
Today, it is back to normal as Carol goes off to school, Ira runs over to Vine to meet with the other Sales and Marketing reps, then does a bit of shopping, studies Vietnamese, and reworks his legal lessons(perhaps a future blog will deal with that!). Then it will be off to the fitness center and home to make dinner, then some TV and so to bed.
What will the next three months bring? Our new season resolutions include visiting museums we have not yet seen, playing our instruments, inviting the Queen to tea, well there is no Queen so we will just skip that one and keep going. Up close, the life here is much as it was in Newtown, PA. Viewed from farther back it is exotic, interesting, challenging and quite memorable.

A Night at the Opera

2005-10-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

While the cultural scene here is certainly not New York or Paris, the beautiful Opera House has a large number of events, mainly symphony concerts by the three orchestras of Hanoi.

We had a special treat on Friday when the house was filled with operatic music, including a fully staged performance of I Pagliacci which was quite enjoyable. the first half of the evening featured several Vietnamese opera singers who entertained with a variety of arias and ensembles. Some are likely on the verge of having respectable international careers. Ira wrote a short review of the opera which follows this brief intro.

I Pagliacci in Hanoi

Fully staged opera performances do not occur every day in Hanoi’s beautifully restored Opera House. In fact, the last performance was thirty years ago. At least it was until the Concordia Foundation staged two performances of "I Pagliacci," during the last week of October. London based Concordia Foundation, founded and run by Soprano Gillian Humphreys, gives performances that offer young artists an opportunity to perform before large audiences.
A performance that marries soloists from the UK with a Vietnamese orchestra and chorus is a difficult undertaking. There were the odd moments when the orchestra was not following the singers, but Music Director Graham Sutcliffe kept the wheels from falling off and coaxed a strong sound from the group.
John Rawnsley was a properly malevolent Tonio, with just the right amount of buffoonery. After sounding slightly strained at the beginning of the prologue, he warmed up and was equal to the role. He left no doubt as to who was the true villain of the piece.
Bradley Daley has a nice, unforced tenor sound, quite suited to the role of Canio. He performed vesti la giubba without any of the histrionics so often associated with the part, neither laughing maniacally nor sobbing as the stage director had him exit at the end of the aria, not as moving as having a fadeout as he sits in contemplation.
Fiona Hammacott, the young Nedda, can turn a cartwheel, as she demonstrates in Act 1. More importantly, she sings well and is a convincing actress, especially in the love scene with Silvio, a very strong baritone, John Cleverton.
The Vietnamese National Opera and Ballet Chorus, The Hanoi International Choir and Children’s Chorus performed admirably, especially considering that Italian is, at best, their third language. The sound was strong, they were for the most part able to stay with the orchestra and their stage business was delightful.
Seeing supertitles in Vietnamese, with all of the requisite diacritical marks, is a bit strange as one imagines how Pagliacci would sound if it were done in the language of the people.
The sets, by Cong Hoan, simply painted representations of a village were sufficient to evoke Italy. The principals’ costumes were quite flamboyant, like the traveling troupe they portrayed, while the choristers were dressed in more subdued clothing of an indeterminate period. In an interesting twist, the final line was shared as Canio said "La comedia" and Tonio responded with "e finita!"
Overall, the production and, most particularly the music were certainly at the level of most small American regional companies and it is to be hoped that thirty more years will not elapse before the next opera performance in Hanoi.

Skeeters am a hummin'

2005-10-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

We have no reason to believe that we are any more squeamish or picky than others. Well, actually, we KNOW we are not fond of creatures who visit us in the night. the presence of mosquito netting is never a good sign! Many of you probably find the idea of netting to be romantic and exotic...We feel that, if there were no mosquitoes, there would be no netting. Carol had a viral infection so was taking an antibiotic. The doctor felt that it might not be advisable to take malaria medicine at the same time, so we just bundled up(even in the 90+ degree heat) and hoped for the best.

Somehow, even with long sleeves and the infamous netting, we did get a few bites. So far, we haven't had high fever or other signs of malaria, so probably we are OK.

If you go to Laos, we recommend malaria medication and plenty of Deet.

There is a reason

2005-10-21T02:06:00.000-07:00

Why more people travel to Paris, New York and Rome than visit Peoria or Laos. We probably wouldn't travel halfway around the world just to go to Laos, but as we are already in the neighborhood, it seemed right to spend a few days in the only place in Southeast Asia where we had not yet been.

Laos is a small, poor nation that is landlocked, bordering on Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. It has similar language and religion to Thailand and a local cuisine that is pleasant, if not world class.

We decided to spend our time in Luang Prabang, the ancient capital and a resort area, with a stopoff in Vientiane, the present capital.

The flight from Hanoi-Vientiane is under an hour and the connection to Luang Prabang(in a prop plane!) is even shorter. Luang Prabang has a certain charm. It reminded us a bit of Ubud, the craft center of Bali, or New Hope, PA. Nearly every storefront is either a travel agent promising exciting treks to visit the hill tribes or to cruise the Mekong or ride elephants. Strange than in the "Land of a Million Elephants," we saw a grand total of zero.

There are many souvenir shops and the Lao textiles are quite nice, if a bit pricey. They know what they have and don't give it away.

We opted to change hotels as the one where we were booked was about twenty minutes from town over a rough, dusty road. Fortunately, their sister hotel, right in the center of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, was able to accommodate us without trouble. Location truly is everything, as the move enabled us to go out for a couple of hours, then come back to freshen up. It was rather hot, so this proved important in enabling us to see the sights. We first visited the Museum, which is located in the former Royal Palace. Laos now has no king but is a Peoples Democratic Republic(You figure it out). The museum was quite interesting, housing a large number of artifacts, including the gifts from many nations.

Luang Prabang is on two rivers, the Mekong and the Nam Khan. We walked around town, through the market where freshly caught river fish were on display. In the afternoon we visited a Wat, or buddhist temple. As there was a festival going on, the monks were occupied in building replicas of the longboats that are used in ceremonies.

We were able to enjoy a Lao dance and cultural show, held in a theater attached to the museum. They have their own music and instruments which are similar to those of Thailand and Vietnam in many ways.

In Vientiane, we stayed at the Settha Palace, one of those great old grand hotels that are found throughout Southeast Asia. The room was quite comfortable and the service great. the hotel also has a London taxi, that they have, for some reason, painted green. There is a picture above, together with one of a tuk-tuk, an open sort of vehicle that runs on a sort of lawnmower engine. Having experienced tuk-tuks in Bangkok we opted for the elegant and surprisingly affordable car!

Vientiane has rather limited "must sees" so after visiting the Thatluang Stupa(the golden dome in the picture), the monument, modeled on the Arc de Triomphe, and a couple of major wats(Buddhist temples), we were ready for the pool and then for dinner at a local Lao restaurant that Carol spotted from the car. It turned out to be lovely and the food more than passable. Lao cuisine is somewhat spicy, resembling Thai, but with fish more in evidence.

We had hoped to visit the National Museum but found it closed for the Boat Festival, so we contented ourselves with walking down to the Mekong(it seems to be everywhere, doesn't it?) and pushing through the throngs of Vientianians(?) who were enjoying a sort of carnival. Since the view of the boat races was blocked, we mingled for a time, then went back to pack for the short flight home to Hanoi.

We had a short enjoyable visit in this sleepy little country, close geographically but not in any other way to busy Vietnam.

Note-Laos 5 million people/ Vietnam 83 million!

First Visitor and Water Puppets

2005-10-15T04:21:00.000-07:00

Our first visitor was Steve Fisher, the director of the Keystone Boychoir and a friend of one of Carol's former colleagues, Linda Deis. He was prospecting for venues for the boychoir's annual summer trip. We decided to take him first to a very traditional Vietnamese buffet. The restaurant Sen(Lotus) has a dazzling array of fresh items, most made to order. There are some chafing dishes, but there are a variety of stations, including a grill turning out beef, shrimp, chicken(well cooked, don't worry) and some tiny scallops that were surprisingly easy to eat. The clientele is primarily Vietnamese, with a number of large family groups. This attests to the authenticity of the cuisine, as well as the upward mobility that is evident in Hanoi. Of course at 100,000 dong(about $6.25US) it is quite reasonable to the Western wallet.

Ira had an errand in town early in the day and stopped by the theater to buy the water puppet tickets. This turned out to be fortuitous as the show was at 9:15, rather than 8:00.

The water puppets are unique to Vietnam. They originated when the farmers used the flooded rice fields to entertain their children with puppets that were manipulated on dowels. The tradition continues in a theater, with the puppeteers stationed behind a curtain. The puppets are remarkably lifelike! They depict a variety of farmers, fishermen, animals and also fairies and dragons. The puppets can jump, swim, and even breathe fire. The stage band plays traditional Vietnamese instruments and also narrates the action with songs and chants.

This is probably the #1 attraction for tourists and, if you see nothing else in Hanoi, don't miss this. We have been several times and never tire of it. Well, if we have too many visitors, we might just send them and hang out at a bar.

Steve loved the puppets and the restaurant and, after taking a half day tour the next day, he was sold on Hanoi as a place for his choir to perform. He bought several souvenir puppets for his nieces and, we suspect, for himself.

UN Day

2005-10-15T04:04:00.000-07:00

On Friday, October 14, Carol's school, the United Nations International School of Hanoi, celebrated UN Day. Each student, teacher and staff member dressed in his or her native costume and carried the national flag during the ceremony. After speeches, dance and jazz band performances, everyone was treated to ethnic food made by the parents. The afternoon was devoted to participating in games from various countries. It was a wonderful way to introduce the very welcome Autumn Break which lasts for one week. We are spending several days of the break in Laos, the tiny, landlocked country that borders Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. We hope to post some interesting things about Lao food, culture and scenery when we return.

We Aren't in Kansas Anymore

2005-10-01T20:38:00.000-07:00

We are so accustomed to our Internet connection, Skype phoning(when it works and both parties can actually hear each other), hot water, good lighting and ready availability of food, wine and toilet paper, that we sometimes forget that we are in a developing nation.

Last night, we were gently reminded that Vietnam is not the US, and some things are just different.

We decided to go to a restaurant we had seen in a newspaper review, Moon River and we didn't measure to see if it was, in fact, "wider than a mile." It is located way outside the city proper and has only a series of set menus, from which you select by email so that they are ready when you arrive. They do accept credit cards, but charge you the 3% bank fee, so we thought we'd go with cash. Caveat: sometimes it is better just to pay the $2(anecdote supplied upon request).

Ira went to the conveniently located ATM that accepts our bank card to get a couple of million dong(Those of you who have been following know that is only about $125). Oh no! Machine "temporarily" unavailable. What to do? Take a taxi to a different ATM? It's not real expensive but would cost a few bucks plus the time. Use credit card to withdraw from a different ATM? costs $5 minimum plus whatever the machine charges. Oh, right! We keep some dollars in our safe. Just bring a $100 and get change at the restaurant in dong to keep us going for the rest of the week.

We got a taxi in front of the hotel and he knew where Moon River was, or said he did which is the same thing, isn't it? We thought we'd be taking a certain bridge but now we know that bridge is not for cars as we drove to a different river crossing. The trip was rather longer than we had expected and the roads got progressively less paved as we went into the hinterlands. Old habits die hard and we can't help gasping as the meter goes ever higher, even though it is only in 1000 dong increments.

When we finally arrived, having to traverse the final 50 m on foot as the car couldn't negotiate the narrow lane, we were greeted warmly and ushered into a magnificent refurbished complex that reminded us of some of the temples and pagodas we had visited.

On the way over, Carol opined that we would be the only two guests. "On a Saturday night?"
Well we'll see when we are seated. Our host asked if we would like to eat in the courtyard and we agreed that would be nice, so he showed us to a solitary table that had been set up under the trees. We took a brief walk through the other buildings, observing the beautiful artifacts that filled the space. We observed some butterflies fluttering above our heads, or so we thought. "Con doi?" asked Ira...Yes! Bats, but not like European bats, these eat mosquitoes and not your blood. Well, that's a relief, so let's get outside and eat.

Our menu included green papaya salad, prawn and mushroom soup, spring rolls, barramundi, giant prawns, beef with coconut milk sauce, mixed vegetables and che, a sort of liquid pudding. Service was fine, as we were indeed the only guests, unless a large group ate really early and sneaked out by boat, or some others may eat fashionably late.

When it came time to pay, Ira produced the $100 and agreed to accept change in dong. Unlike in Europe, exchange rates are uniform whether at banks, hotels, or even restaurants so you never get ripped off. The only problem was that they had no change except for some 500,000 dong notes. The host ran out and borrowed money from the staff and the neighbors. It took some doing, but he scraped up just enough. In retrospect, the credit card charge would only have been about $2. Next time we will know better. Regardless, it was great being like royalty with our own private restaurant. We may not become regulars, but we will likely return.

A few more random notes on how we know we are in a different country. Even published schedules change, sometimes more than once. An Opera Gala was advertised on one set of dates, then changed to another without notice, then when we were checking their website, we noticed it had been changed again! Appointments are also rather loose. Ira goes to a weekly sales meeting and is invariably the only one present ten minutes after it was to have started. He is often informed of big events with short notice. "Mr. Ira can you attend the tasting at 4 pm today?"

Still, it is a charming place and if it were the same as the place we left, why would we have left? Today, it is our time to sample Hanoi bagels. Bloggingly yours, Ira and Carol

Life's a Beach

2005-09-28T01:59:00.000-07:00

We took the opportunity for a weekend trip out of the bustling metropolis. Airline and work schedules limit the destinations that can be achieved over a two-day weekend. Many of these are in Vietnam and we decided to revisit Danang, a mere hour's flight from Hanoi. The scene of some of the worst battles of the American War, Danang has a location on the South China Sea. The Furama Resort is the best in Vietnam and likely in all of Southeast Asia. This was our third visit, so we knew what to expect. Unfortunately, we didn't expect the two hour flight delay, but at least we finally did take off and our driver had checked the flight so was waiting for us at the airport to take us on the ten minute ride to paradise. We changed our plans to have dinner immediately as we hadn't eaten since noon and it was 9:30 by the time we checked in. The restaurant has a huge menu, with Western, Indian, Vietnamese, Asian and grilled food. We enjoyed some fried calamare, grouper and a duck breast salad before adjourning to the Hai Van Lounge for drinks and the Filipino band with its trio of singing and dancing girls. In the morning, following a buffet breakfast including tropical fruit of all types, we took the shuttle bus to Hoi An a resort town that includes a few small museums, some historic houses and every mountebank, charlatan, seller of worthless goods and cyclo(bicycle rickshaw) driver from miles around. there are actually some fine tailoring and other shops, but the assertive(well pushy actually) peddlers make it difficult to shop. We have been to Hoi an several times, so we opted to keep the visit short and take a taxi back to enjoy the Furama. We couldn't have had a nicer day-90 degrees and clear, with only a bit of wind to avoid total perfection. You can see from the pictures how withe the sand is and how deserted it was!! We are much more city people, but you can't deny the allure of this fabulous resort. At night we relaxed in the lounge, then dined on more grouper(whole grilled fish was great!) and rack of lamb. We had time on Sunday after breakfast, where Ira chatted away in his newly acquired Vietnamese, to spend another hour on the beach and take a dip in the lagoon, before flying home again. You can be sure that when opportunity knocks again, we will be revisiting Danang!

Some people eat to live....

2005-09-26T22:51:00.000-07:00

Well, you all know the corollary and we are certainly the latter breed. At age 13 or 14, in working towards a Boy Scout merit badge, Ira had to rewrite his account of a family vacation because the counselor retitled it "And then we ate." Hanoi is full of good things to eat, on many different levels. Our kitchen is rather rudimentary, so we have resolved to cook two dinners a week and eat the rest out. We have been visiting Hanoi since 1994 and each time we return, there are more things available . In 1994, there were virtually no restaurants and, except for the exquisite Le Beaulieu, the cuisine was totally Vietnamese, with occasionally some French tossed in. There were local markets of various sizes and nothing in the way of Western supermarkets. Now we have the Fivimart, a small supermarket with a decent selection of products; Citimart, a larger version; Metro, which we have not yet visited and which is a warehouse, like our Sam's Club, and some boutique markets with fresh meat and vegetables as well as canned and frozen items. Ira was able to make a choucroute garni with pork chops, sausage, and juniper-laced sauerkraut. Last night it was fettucine bolognese. Our usual dinners consist of steamed or fried rice, with vegetables, spices and some sort of meat or fish, with a green salad to balance it out. Hanoi is now a real restaurant town. You can get all sorts of Vietnamese food and nearly any other cuisine is also available. There is, of course the local places that mostly serve pho(noodle soup with chicken or beef), where you sit on the low plastic stools. There are also many nha hang, true restaurants with service and menus. One local place, banh tom Ho Tay, is always full of locals and it has a huge menu, with seafood the specialty. while it is a tad pricey for Hanoians, we can get shrimp or chicken salad, a whole steamed mullet in spicy broth, rice and green vegetable for about $11 US with beer, tax and service. It's lakeside location makes the place very desirable, especially on cooler dry evenings. There are several higher end Vietnamese restaurants, including Seasons of Hanoi, Wild Rice and Nam Phuong, where you might spend $30-40 and where the food is more elegant, the surroundings beautiful, and Westerners make up perhaps half of the clientele. Another of our favorites is the Ly Club, which is decorated with photographs and artifacts from the Ly Dynasty, which ruled the country from Hue, where some of the worst fighting in the American War took place. There are actually a number of Italian restaurants in town. We have settled on Luna d'Autunno, where the pizza is thin-crusted and crisp, the pasta home made and the Neapolitan front man, Alberto, is fun to chat with about food, wine and Italia. We also frequent the New Cali(for California, although it is anything but) Pub. they feature steaks but not quite like Peter Luger or any New York steakhouse for that matter. The service is great and so friendly and on weekends they do a grill buffet with excellent salads and then beef, chicken, fish, pork and shrimp grilled before your eyes. If you are really hungry, the buffet at Sen(Lotus) is the place to go. There are over 60 items, mostly authentic Vietnamese dishes, many cooked to order at various stations, and all for only about 100,000 dong. At 15800 to the dollar, we leave the mathematics to the reader. One more belly-busting buffet is the Sunday brunch at the Melia Hotel. The food ranges from sushi and raw shellfish, to Vietnamese and other salads, fresh baked bread, ripe cheeses, roast meats and fish, several hot entrees and then an incredible display of desserts, including crepes to order and four flavors of home made ice cream. It is $18 per person, plus 5% service and 10% tax, but well worth it, especially if you partake of the free-flow sparkling, white and red wine (soft drinks as well). Finally, on the high end, you can get really good French food at Green Tangerine, fusion cuisine that is totally first-rate with great service at Bobby Chinn's and International cuisine from pizza and salads to prime filets at Vine, which has a huge wine selection, unheard of even five years ago. If this isn't enough, there is still the tried and true Le Beaulieu, classic French cuisine, quite pricey for Hanoi, but not by international standards. We know that people are imagining exotic food on every corner, but the world is shrinking every day. Yes, you can get snake, crocodile or(sigh) dog, but right now, Hanoi doesn't seem so very different from anywhere else. If you were coming to visit us and wanted to bring something that we lack, it would most likely have to be......pastrami!!! Ira might say tongue on rye and some half sours with a Dr. Brown's Celray. We will keep you all posted on this and that but for now we leave you with the word ngon (delicious )

Isn't That What I Just Said?

2005-09-12T02:19:00.000-07:00

We have been in Hanoi for seven weeks now! Time flies when you are having fun or when you have no idea what you are doing, or when you are in your "middle years."
The gentleman pictured above is Mr. Huy, Ira's personal Vietnamese language tutor. He is a patient, kindly man who speaks good English as well as some French and German in addition to his native tongue.
Vietnamese is a tonal language, meaning that the way a word is pronounced, with voice rising, falling, drop tone etc determines its meaning. So there can be six(or even more) meanings for a word. Confused yet? It gets better.
One thing about most Vietnamese is that they are very friendly and open and willing to help you with language, money directions or anything else with which you may be having difficulty. Unlike the French, they correct your mispronunciations, but they never sneer. the difference between the two languages is that you might in this lifetime, actually speak enough French to be understood.
We have all dealt with people whose English is not strong or is heavily accented and we know that we can almost always understand what the speaker is trying to convey. Vietnamese doesn't seem to work that way.
We should have realized this back in 1994 when we took our first trip to Vietnam. When we returned, we went to see our friend who had a Vietnamese restaurant in Philadelphia. He asked "Where did you stay when you visited Hue City?" Ira replied "Huong Giang Hotel!" Our friend said " Unfortunate. You should have stayed at the Huong Giang Hotel!"
We have found out that, particularly when food is concerned, if you repeat the word about ten times and point directly to the item, you just might make the meaning clear. This also works with numbers if you hold up the right number of fingers.
One great thing is that "beer" is "bia" and it is invariably inexpensive.
There are no tenses or conjugations so you just say "Yesterday I go market" "Today I go market" "Tomorrow I go market" without regard for time or saying "to the market" got it? Well the word for "market" and the word for "dog" are the same except for the tone so you might be saying today I went to the dogs which might not be far from the truth!
Fortunately, without actually eating it, we realized(or realised as they say here since no one ever told them that the sun has, indeed set on the British Empire) that what we thought said "meat market" actually said "dog meat!"
When you try out your Vietnamese on the locals, perhaps one reason they often don't understand you(other than your horrid pronunciation and accent)is that most Western visitors don't even attempt to speak the language and thus they don't expect you to be speaking their language and don't listen carefully enough.
The final difficulty lies in the fact that the language is written in our characters, so words resemble English and French words and we pronounce them as if they were those words.
Final problem: our mouths don't work well on certain sounds like ngh or nha or ng in general.
Ah well, we can get all we want or need of fish, beef, tomatoes, beer and orange juice and we can say "thank you!"
Did we tell you that they have about three letters that sound like "ZZZZZZZZZ" but no zee in the alphabet?

School Begins

2005-09-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

I teach music at the United Nations International School Hanoi. It is an International Baccalaureate school on a beautiful new campus with 700 students from Discovery(age 3) through High School. I am teaching the 3 through 6 year olds. They have two 45 minute music classes a week. My room is large, with floor-to-ceiling windows and is well equipped with Orff and percussion instruments. The students come from over 40 countries so part of my job is to assist some first graders who need help with English. While there is a lot of time allocated for general music, there is NO instrumental program; and chorus and other performing groups all meet after school. I will be starting an Elementary String Ensemble and will also assist with the Elementary School musical, "Phantom of the Music Room." In addition, I will be spending one Saturday a month working at the Birla Orphanage(the school provides music and sports opportunities for the kids there). The school is very high quality with very high standards for teachers and students. It is proving to be quite a challenge, especially since I have not figured out how 3 year olds can handle this fancy equipment. Incidentally, the 23 tiny violins donated by Music and Arts Center, have arrived intact.

Music-Opus 1

2005-08-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

Music abounds in Hanoi. In our first 3 weeks we have already attended a variety of concerts and have also experienced live music in restaurants and hotels. VIETNAM SYMPHONY This is a professional orchestra. the strings are excellent while the winds are not up to that standard. The program, very traditional Western music, included Brahms' Tragic Overture, Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1 with a flamboyant young Chinese pianist, Weihui Mao(she just finished her doctorate at USC), and the Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony. the conductor was Colin Metters, director of conducting studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London. VIETNAMESE OPERA This nationalistic piece was composed to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Vietnam's independence. It was extremely political(We seemed to be the only Westerners attending) and was done to canned music with lip-synching. It was a huge spectacle with great sets and costumes and imaginative choreography. VIETNAMESE CULTURAL SHOW This was held at the Labor Theatre and included Vietnamese music, both traditional and modern, played on a variety of traditional instruments. These folk instruments were amplified and accompanied by keyboard, electric guitar and drums, giving a more modern sound. Included in the show were folk dancing, pop singing and dramatic acting. This worked well and was quite enjoyable. The ensemble also played a couple of Western classical numbers, concluding with an unbelievably facile csardas played on a two-string violin! HANOI CONSERVATORY CONCERT Our friend, Dr. Minh, gave us tickets for a concert with the Hanoi Philharmonic Orchestra which includes professors, teachers, professional musicians and students from the National Conservatory. The strings have a full, rich sound in a good reading of the Schubert Unfinished Symphony. Dr. Ha, the Rector of the Conservatory is one of the country's most accomplished pianists and teachers. One of her students, Vu Ngoc Linh, was the piano soloist in the Tchaikovsky 1st Piano Concerto. He had recently won 1st prize in a competition at Rowan(NJ) University. His performance was quite animated and rewarded by great applause and a stage full of flowers. Music is indeed alive and well in Hanoi and we have plans to attend more performances. Next post to follow as spring follows winter, that is to say, not immediately.

Buckling Down

2005-08-18T06:07:00.000-07:00

"Toi le khong khach du lich." Means, roughly, assuming you can possibly be understood "I am not a tourist." The hope is that this will avoid the postcard sellers or the Xe Om (motorbike) drivers who approach from time to time. It seems to actually work, although, they see we are larger than average, have different hair and eyes, can’t speak the language and have no idea where we are, where we are going or where we have been. Well, in truth, we do live here, at least temporarily so must try to act the part.
We wonder what might possess them to think that Ira’s 110 kilos would be enjoyable to transport at breakneck speed through high traffic for less than $1 American. We have vowed to stick to taxis, except where someplace is actually walkable.
The fact that we are NOT tourists is brought home by Carol’s having to report to the United Nations International School for orientation. We also were treated to a boat ride with dinner (Italian of course! More on this phenomenon later) and a Vietnamese dinner in a local restaurant. We met the new teachers, basically all of who are in early or mid-career and who have spent nearly all of their working lives teaching in International schools in various countries around the world. Many have very young children. One of the perks of the job is free tuition for one’s children, not an inconsiderable sum. Carol will be writing separately on the school experience but suffice it to say that there is a lot of material, curriculum, rules etc.
One of the things we must get used to is that the default in restaurants is definitely smoking. Unlike even the former smoky days in the US, no one even asks, they just light up. One of our hotel dining rooms has a non-smoking table. Enough said. Ira can hold his breath for a long time.

Cooking and shopping are not as exotic as some might have thought. There are local markets and a variety of minimarkets. The Fivimart has some food, but more canned and frozen than fresh. Veggys has rather a larger selection, though it tends to be pricey. Still, most produce is a lot cheaper than home and meat and cheese can be purchased in small amounts, except when you ask for 400g of lamb and get about 800. I guess butchers are the same all over the world. We probably won’t cook home more than a couple of times a week as restaurant prices range from cheap to cheap by Western standards. While you can spend 90$ at Vine (wine ups the ante considerably), the meal would be $150 or more in the US.
Our first two home meals were stir-fried seafood with spinach, served with rice and a green salad. We splurged on some marinated artichokes and have recently got a jar of capers. Tonight it is to be lamb tenderloin with potatoes and broccoli. A lot can be done on a stove with one large and one small burner, a rice cooker and a microwave/grill oven.
We have already been to a symphony concert. Very good quality, especially the strings! They played Brahms, a Liszt piano concerto with a flamboyant soloist, and Tchaikovsky.
Last night we attended something billed as "Vietnamese opera." It was actually a patriotic tableau done to canned music with lip-synched pop vocals and a cast of thousands. The costumes and effects were spectacular and we think (hope?) that the vanquished army represented our old "friends" the French and not a different group of soldiers.
On Monday, the children arrive at school so in a few days Carol may have some words for our friends halfway around the world yet close in many ways. Skype is a wonderful program we found that enables users to talk free over the Internet. The sound quality is surprisingly good. We thought that Ira’s brother Dick was next door. Otherwise, we are stuck with the old fashioned email and, of course, reading blogs. Next time, more on language.
LATE NOTE-Once again it is raining! Tis the season and we do own a $2 umbrella that we bought in Sapa.

Our apartment in hanoi

2005-08-10T00:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots of our new home. Not as spacious as our previous place, but it's cozy

Sapa Adventure

2005-08-09T22:41:00.000-07:00

Our first journey away from Hanoi was a visit to Sapa, an old French hill station in the north, near the Chinese border. The semi-luxurious(at least private) Victoria Express left the Hanoi rail station at 10:00 pm Saturday evening The overnight trip was without incident and we probably managed some amount of sleep before pulling into Lao Cai station at about 6:30 am

The winding road from Lao Cai to Sapa rises steeply to over 4000 feet. We felt excitement and much fear as the van sped around curves, passing most of the other vehicles while our driver tapped continuously on his horn, the standard for Vietnam.

We were fortunate to have a room with a beautiful view of the courtyard, which is filled with lush greenery. We were even luckier to actually have a room that was ready for early checkin. It was great to be able to unpack and relax, rather than sit around the lobby until noon. It was pouring rain which proved to be an omen.

Unfortunately, the schedule precluded our visiting the largest market in the area, so we had to be content with descending a steep slippery set of stone steps into the village of Sapa where we browsed its market and had a delicious steaming bowl of pho, the national dish of Vietnam.

The hill towns are populated by members of the 54 ethnic minorities that make up about 10% of Vietnam's population. The Black H'mong are the tribe that is in the Sapa Market. they can be rather assertive in trying to sell you their textiles and other goods. One tiny old woman held fast to Ira's wrist and it took him several minutes to break free, unencumbered by any purchases.

After climbing back up the steps, we did our best to dry out and look around the hotel. Later, we sampled a tasty buffet, trying to ask for the various items by their Vietnamese names. The chefs and servers always seem to enjoy our attempts to pronounce the language, which is extremely difficult due to its being tonal. The locals are extremely helpful and patient, repeating the words endlessly as we ask "Isn't that what I just said?"

On Monday morning, we set out on a trip to Ta Phin, a nearby village where the Black H'mong and the Red Dao(pronounced Zow, see what I mean?) live. As soon as we arrived, we gained an entourage of women who somehow speak perfect English. They sort of surrounded us as, together with our guide, we trekked up a steep, slippery path in the (what else?) pouring rain. Of course, we knew that we would have to purchase some items from our hosts. we were just hoping that we would not own the entire village at the end of the morning.

We were doing just fine until we were invited to visit a Red Dao dwelling. When Ira stepped on the muddy ledge leading down, it gave way and he landed flat on his back, causing as much concern among the Dao as it did to us.

Inside the house, we were shown yards and yards of woven goods by the lady of the house. Our first purchase was a table runner. Oh by the way, the Dao are better at bargaining than Americans, in case you think that everything costs pennies. From what we have read about the per capita income in Vietnam, the Dao made three month's wages in about ten minutes with us!

There are a number of domesticated animals in the village, including potbellied pigs, water buffalo, and various fowl. Ira tries to learn the local name for each but it is heavy going. He can say duck, but the word for goose is unpronounceable, so he calls the goose a big duck. The Red Dao laugh, but they seem to laugh a lot regardless. Of course, they are laughing with not at us.

After the obligatory fruit and water, the real selling begins. Before we can get into the jeep, we have added to our store of cloth goods. When you get these as presents in the coming years, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that they are not cheap and that the citizens of Ta Phin are doing quite well.

We spend most of the rest of the day lying by the indoor pool while the rain beat down on the roof, mispronouncing a whole new set of foods at the evening meal and watching HBO.

Tuesday we awoke to the surprising sound of, well yes, raindrops, or actually sheets of rain. We had a visitor, a local doctor called to check the condition of Ira's back. Fortunately, he indicated that there was no serious damage and we were able to enjoy the rest of the day before yet another hair raising trip at warp speed down the winding wet road to Lao Cai where we boarded the Victoria Express for another overnight trip.

We arrived back in Hanoi at around 5:30 am, caught a cab for home(!) and sorted out our plans for the rest of the week. Look for our next report soon. This mini vacation was courtesy of the Council Rock Music Department, as their generous farewell gift to Carol was used for train fare, the beautiful hotel, food, of course drinks and, last but not least, some Red Dao handicrafts.

2005-08-06T03:02:00.000-07:00

Ira and Carol in the US a week before embarkation

Settling In

2005-08-05T23:42:00.000-07:00

After an 18 hour nonstop flight in executive economy(very highly recommended) on Singair, we wandered about in Changi airport before taking the 3 hour hop to Hanoi. Having visited on four previous occasions, we were not unprepared for the city. At this stage in our lives, we feel that adventure need not encompass discomfort so we had booked an apartment in the Sofitel Plaza Hotel. While 65 sq meters is not what we were used to, having just sold a home containing about 255 sq m, we were quite agreeably impressed by all save the barely functioning kitchen area. The living room, equipped with satellite TV and DVD, has large windows. The bath is quite spacious and has large tub and stall shower with unlimited hot water. This post originates from a nice sized office and the bedroom has king bed and more windows. the view is not perfect but does admit of at least a portion of West Lake. The service could not be more attentive! If one calls for assistance, by the time the phone is back in its cradle, the doorbell rings. The staff helped set up our high speed internet, provided us with transformer and adapters and assisted us in finding the "Fivimart," a sort of grocery store a few minutes walk away. Maid service is every day, save Sunday with through cleaning, lining up of toiletries and other items left out and change of both towels and robes daily. So far, our Vietnamese is rudimentary, but we are resolved to communicate within a month or so. For the first time, we have joined the health club(included with our exhorbitant rent) and actually have a workout program which we have faithfully pursued, at least for the first four days. Carol will report for her job at the United Nations International School on Friday, while Ira has had two job interviews which may result in his working for the best restaurant and wine group selling wine and training staff. For now, we must pack for our first trip, to the resort at Sapa, in the mountains of the north. Expect a full report on our return.