Hotel in Hanoi

Hanoi 4

While in Hanoi, I met up with fellow Argentinians for pizza (and tried to convince the restaurant manager that Argentinian mozzarella is better than the one they were serving!). Thanks, Oscar & Stella, for a wonderful time!

Hanoi 3

Hanoi is a city of a million motorbikes and no visible traffic rules...traffic lights seem to be mainly decorative. The never ending stream of bikes, honking cars and motorbikes mysteriously parts as you set foot on the street without looking to the left or right...an experience in faith...faith that the local person you are following will guide you safely across, faith that the cars and motorbikes will actually swerve to avoid you...faith that the sidewalk on the other side is attainable. At one point, I found myself letting out a shriek as I stood petrified in the middle of the street, with a car mere centimeters away from my belly, another one almost touching my behind, and a horde of motorbikes about to engulf me...not for the faint-hearted pedestrians like me.

The city also has quite a few quaint little lakes around which people gather to exercise, gossip, walk, take their wedding pictures, and watch the world go by.

Hanoi 2

While strolling through Vietnam's oldest university grounds, I noticed a large group of elementary school students on a field trip. One of them broke away and skipped through the ancient rooms...kids will be kids...What else would you do? :)

Hanoi 1

I just got back from a short little trip to Hanoi, Vietnam. I was there for work, but snuck in a little bit extra. These pictures show Vietnam's oldest university, dating back to almost a thousand years ago, based on a Confucian style of teaching. Quite pleasant, really...mostly a nice little park with plenty of mango trees, ponds, walkways and a Chinese looking temple-like structure. The slabs of stone on the turtle statues are engraved with the names and achievements of oustanding students ("doctors") who graduated with high honors.

The first of the ...

(click on photo to view large size: clockwise from top left: walnut and chocolate cake (all cakes from Secret Recipe), Julie and friends, chocolate something or other cake, Greek salad (yay feta!!) and hummus fatah (not pictured: falafel, fatouche salad, pita bread, fried couliflower, garlic butter, pickles, from our favorite Lebanese restaurant, Beirut)

...last things with Julie. Last trip with Julie to Bangkok. You'll never guess the theme of the trip :) .

Believe it or not, we also did some useful things:
1. bought gifts for people back home (Laura & Julie)
2. visited the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (Deanna & Doris). If you want a quiet place to relax and just lounge around, check out the strangely eclectic little library (with internet and comfy sofas!), in the basement of the Center. It even has a kids' corner with cute little toys.

A day in the life of me in which I wish I were a millionaire and a wise old lady

Progression of scenes:

A knock on the office door.

Me wading through papers 

and people to open it.

A wordless student.

Two moist, brimming eyes.

"Good-bye, teacher".

Questions unanswered.

Me searching for the right thing to say.

"Don't give up your dream... Continue your education

wherever you are... I enjoyed teaching you..."

Words that never quite fit in the jigzaw.

My outstretched handshake

grasped and pressed to a forehead for a

silent eternity of seconds.

Me babbling again.

Finally wordlessness mercifully sets in ,

For really, what is there to say

in the face of dashed dreams?

Noah Doll?

Last Friday night a gracious friend (and great cook!) invited a group of us over for a lovely meal. Her girls' tradition for family worship on Friday nights features Bible charades. Guests are warmly invited (eagerly dragged, really :)) to take part. One of the guests staged this grand production of Noah's Ark with the girls. The Oscar-deserving moment was when he reached behind his neck and pressed the button on a talking Noah doll and pantomimed accordingly...seriously...talking Noah dolls? What is the world coming to? :)