Thurs. Jan 28 2016 May de Ville Hanoi Vietnam
Uneventful flight into Hanoi, met our group leader, Young at the airport, then checked into our hotel. We had a late afternoon walk around the neighborhood we are staying in, then went out for a group dinner. Hanoi is a very exciting, bustling city with beautiful architecture. There are millions of honking horns and motorbikes everywhere. Crossing the streets is an adventure in itself. We actually had a lesson on how to cross the streets which is once you start to cross, keep on walking at a steady pace - do not stop, or you will be hit - great ! Vietnam is getting ready to celebrate Tet which is an eight day New Years celebration and we have been forewarned that the crowds will be immense. It is really cool and damp here. Luckily Jon and I made a last minute decision to buy jackets before we left Bangkok and I am glad we did. Everything is festive now, lights up, decorations, and lots of bustle. Tomorrow we set off to explore the city.
Thurs. Jan 28 2016 May de Ville Hanoi Vietnam
Uneventful flight into Hanoi, met our group leader, Young at the airport, then checked into our hotel. We had a late afternoon walk around the neighborhood we are staying in, then went out for a group dinner. Hanoi is a very exciting, bustling city with beautiful architecture. There are millions of honking horns and motorbikes everywhere. Crossing the streets is an adventure in itself. We actually had a lesson on how to cross the streets which is once you start to cross, keep on walking at a steady pace - do not stop, or you will be hit - great ! Vietnam is getting ready to celebrate Tet which is an eight day New Years celebration and we have been forewarned that the crowds will be immense. It is really cool and damp here. Luckily Jon and I made a last minute decision to buy jackets before we left Bangkok and I am glad we did. Everything is festive now, lights up, decorations, and lots of bustle. Tomorrow we set off to explore the city.
Driving out of Bangkok
Our mugshots for our Visas to Vietnam
Flying into Vietnam
Driving through Hanoi on our way to our hotel
Once we checked into our hotel, we took around the neighborhood
Motorbikes and wires
I think this kid Rocks !
Haircuts right onto street
Street side vendors - the produce was so enticing
Butcher
Pig ears
What a cutie
Jon getting a million dong - now a millionaire - Vietnamese style !
Hanoi is all decked out for Tet
Chic Mung Nam Moi - Happy New Years !
Group dinner
Fri. Jan.29 May De Ville Hanoi
Exciting start to the day. We drove through the old French section, then were taken for about a half hour ride by a single passenger cyclo rickshaw. Quite thrilling trying to dodge all modes of mother traffic ! Next stop was the Chairman Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, and his old residence. The grounds were beautiful and it was interesting to hear about how loved and respected he was by the Vietnamese people. Next stop was the one pillar pagoda followed by a visit to the Temple of Literature, again with lovely grounds. The area was over run by entertaining lively school children today. We had a delicious group lunch, then we had a special treat, a home visit of a water puppet maker, and we got to see a water puppet show in his home water theater performed by him and his wife. I found this little blurb on him: "Puppeteer Phan Thanh Liem was born into a family with a tradition of performing water puppetry (7th generation) in Rach hamlet, Nam Chan commune, Nam Truc district, Nam Dinh province. His father Mr. Phan Van Ngai and his paternal grandfather have significantly contributed to this folk art of Viet Nam. Liem is the first person to create miniature water puppetry stage and have carried out performances in different places at home and abroad. Despite his much appearance on journals and television, big stages cannot get access to him." The water puppets are hand carved from fig wood, then painted. His home was full of puppets that he made that he sells to the theaters. We lucked out and were able to buy one of hos puppets that we fell in love with ! We had another group dinner tonight and tomorrow we are off to the country side.
Exciting start to the day. We drove through the old French section, then were taken for about a half hour ride by a single passenger cyclo rickshaw. Quite thrilling trying to dodge all modes of mother traffic ! Next stop was the Chairman Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, and his old residence. The grounds were beautiful and it was interesting to hear about how loved and respected he was by the Vietnamese people. Next stop was the one pillar pagoda followed by a visit to the Temple of Literature, again with lovely grounds. The area was over run by entertaining lively school children today. We had a delicious group lunch, then we had a special treat, a home visit of a water puppet maker, and we got to see a water puppet show in his home water theater performed by him and his wife. I found this little blurb on him: "Puppeteer Phan Thanh Liem was born into a family with a tradition of performing water puppetry (7th generation) in Rach hamlet, Nam Chan commune, Nam Truc district, Nam Dinh province. His father Mr. Phan Van Ngai and his paternal grandfather have significantly contributed to this folk art of Viet Nam. Liem is the first person to create miniature water puppetry stage and have carried out performances in different places at home and abroad. Despite his much appearance on journals and television, big stages cannot get access to him." The water puppets are hand carved from fig wood, then painted. His home was full of puppets that he made that he sells to the theaters. We lucked out and were able to buy one of hos puppets that we fell in love with ! We had another group dinner tonight and tomorrow we are off to the country side.
Starting our day off with a cyclo tour
All aboard and ready to go
Following pics are of our cyclo tour
A bike is loaded to the brim, then pushed instead of ridden - thus they are called push bikes
Push bike on the go
Fish scaling
That is one big fish in that hanging basket
Bamboo vendor
Another push bike with fruit
Young watching us all pass by to make sure we are still in one piece
If you don't have a push bike, you have to transport the old fashion way
It was really chilly
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Sweeping the grass
The equivalent to our white house
Dam But - Vietnamese for Hibiscus - we have lots of dam but here in FL.
Dance like no one is looking - loved this lady
The One Pillar Pagoda
Some type of production - looked like a wedding
Ho Chi Minh souvenirs
Temple of Literature
It obviously was school day at the Temple of Literature
School kids were running by my Kid - high fiving him
Jon, Mike, Jana, Danette, Susan, Deb and Jim
We stumbled upon this guy they were photographing - turns out his name is York - from New York adn he is a minor celebrity
Jon rubbing the Albatroz for good luck
These two girls were celebrating their university graduation
Next on to lunch
They gave us shots of some delish moonshine - I asked to buy some and they brought it to me in the fancy Dasani water bottle
Motorbike - pedal bike
Looking down an alley - we peeped into this guys humble abode
Yep - traffic in Hanoi too
Next stop the puppet makers home, workshop and studio
We were excited we got to by the puppet with the red outfit with his pigtails straight up in the air - he is on the third step
Having tea and learning about the puppets
Getting ready for the show on the stage which was on the third floor of the puppet maker's house.
Jon giving the puppets a whirl
Phan Thanh Liem sitting with his puppets
Jon, Phan Thanh Liem, our new puppet and me
Sat. Jan 30 May de Ville hotel, Hanoi
We started off today with a drive outside of the city to Bat Trang which is a small village known for their ceramics. We arrived and walked with owner of a ceramics business to his location. He demonstrated all stages of he ceramic process to how they gather clay from the nearby rat river, to the finished product. We the were able to all throw and mold our own clay on a potters wheel we can to spin by hand. As gifts we all got to chose a small vase, and I bought a ceramic Buddha statue. Next we walked through more narrow and twisting alleys to the home of an adorable couple. We sat in their beautiful home for tea and a snack, while they talked about their lives including their arranged marriage and how all their businesses and properties were confiscated by the communist government for property redistribution. The wife was quite humorous and the husband was complaining that he wanted to grow a beard but she would not let him. We wandered into town and spent time wandering through what felt like miles of ceramic shops ! We returned to the city and ate at our fist western food restaurant. We got pizza and it was delish. After lunch we visited the Ethnicity musuem. We were excited to see an outdoor water puppet show that had the puppet we bought in the show, and the show was accompanied by live singers and musicians. We got back close to 5:00 PM and had cocktails on the rooftop bar with Mike and Jana. I fought a good fight but succumbed to Jon's cold today so we decided to get room service for dinner with plans to go to bed soon !
We started off today with a drive outside of the city to Bat Trang which is a small village known for their ceramics. We arrived and walked with owner of a ceramics business to his location. He demonstrated all stages of he ceramic process to how they gather clay from the nearby rat river, to the finished product. We the were able to all throw and mold our own clay on a potters wheel we can to spin by hand. As gifts we all got to chose a small vase, and I bought a ceramic Buddha statue. Next we walked through more narrow and twisting alleys to the home of an adorable couple. We sat in their beautiful home for tea and a snack, while they talked about their lives including their arranged marriage and how all their businesses and properties were confiscated by the communist government for property redistribution. The wife was quite humorous and the husband was complaining that he wanted to grow a beard but she would not let him. We wandered into town and spent time wandering through what felt like miles of ceramic shops ! We returned to the city and ate at our fist western food restaurant. We got pizza and it was delish. After lunch we visited the Ethnicity musuem. We were excited to see an outdoor water puppet show that had the puppet we bought in the show, and the show was accompanied by live singers and musicians. We got back close to 5:00 PM and had cocktails on the rooftop bar with Mike and Jana. I fought a good fight but succumbed to Jon's cold today so we decided to get room service for dinner with plans to go to bed soon !
Basket full of little ceramic vases - we were able to choose one
All clay items ready to fired
Pouring the clay into the molds
pouring glaze in to the inside of the vessel
Rolling little balls of clay to make beads
The owner with wine jug
A pet rooster - why not ?
Getting ready to make our masterpieces
All done
Jon's finished product above - mine below
One way to transport the pottery
Beautiful ceramics everywhere you look in Bat Trang
Bat Trang community center
Tea service ready to go
home visit - this couple's patio was full of wonderful ceramic figures and wall plaques
Once inside the home, the entry is a beautiful alter
the dining room full of amazing large ceramic vases
The living room area, we had tea, and learned about the family
This woman really was a hoot
Quite an electrical system on the wall
Group photo in front of their beautiful home
Walking down an alley, looked into an entry gate and saw this large ceramic table and stools - looks like card game was left in progress
Transporting ceramics
Ceramics wrapped in paper then stuffed in baskets with straw for transport
One way to hitch a ride
Beautiful shop keeper
Food stalls with the tiny little benches to sit on to eat
Ceramics of every type, everywhere !
Young artist in the making
Group of men showing their purchases
Vietnamese Evil Kinevil ?
Goldfish being transported in plastic bags and water
The Catholic Church in Hanoi
Tree for Tet
At the Ethnicity museum - they had an outdoor water puppet show - the puppet is the Emcee - which is the puppet we bought
The show was accompanied by live musicians and singers
A tomb house
The fertility building - the statues below tell it all
Bamboo water pipes
Vietnamese Scarecrow
A gorgeous Tet tree at the entrance of the museum, then below a painting in the gallery named "Tet trees".
Back at our hotel - rooftop cocktails and view over the city
Sunday Jan. 31, 2016 Hanoi
Today was an optional tour out to the countryside. Our first stop was at a veterans cemetery. We sat and had tea in the gathering area of the cemetery with groundskeeper. The groundskeeper was in the Vietnam war, then served in the army afterwards for twenty years. He said he works at the cemetery because a lot of his friends are buried there and he takes care of them. Next stop was a bus ride then ferry ride to Tho Ha. Here we visited with a family and learned how to make rice paper. Afterward we had tea and were entertained as they sang and played instruments. We then walked around the town. The kids were all getting out of school, even on a Sunday and were trying to practice their English, hello, what's your name, good bye.... It was funny, because when you responded, they had no idea what your saying - I imagine it must be how we sound every time we attempt to speak Vietnamese ! Some watched some roosters that were being trained for cock fighting, I did not want to see. Next stop was to watch rice crackers being made. We then drove back into to town, and ate lunch. Got back around 3:00 PM and fell sound asleep. Still punk because of colds so we spent a second night in tonight. Tomorrow we head north for an overnight cruise on Halong Bay. There is a cold front coming in, so we are hoping it will not get too windy for the boats to go out.
Today was an optional tour out to the countryside. Our first stop was at a veterans cemetery. We sat and had tea in the gathering area of the cemetery with groundskeeper. The groundskeeper was in the Vietnam war, then served in the army afterwards for twenty years. He said he works at the cemetery because a lot of his friends are buried there and he takes care of them. Next stop was a bus ride then ferry ride to Tho Ha. Here we visited with a family and learned how to make rice paper. Afterward we had tea and were entertained as they sang and played instruments. We then walked around the town. The kids were all getting out of school, even on a Sunday and were trying to practice their English, hello, what's your name, good bye.... It was funny, because when you responded, they had no idea what your saying - I imagine it must be how we sound every time we attempt to speak Vietnamese ! Some watched some roosters that were being trained for cock fighting, I did not want to see. Next stop was to watch rice crackers being made. We then drove back into to town, and ate lunch. Got back around 3:00 PM and fell sound asleep. Still punk because of colds so we spent a second night in tonight. Tomorrow we head north for an overnight cruise on Halong Bay. There is a cold front coming in, so we are hoping it will not get too windy for the boats to go out.
A Vietnamese veterans cemetery
They also headstones of mothers who had lost her sons during the war
We had a question and answer period with this former Viet Cong Soldier who oversaw the cemetery
Walking down to the ferry stop to catch the ferry over to Tho Ha
Also waiting for the ferry
Jon warming up on the kerosene heater
Views of river from the ferry stop
Here comes the ferry
Loading on to the ferry
Ferry captain
Colin, Julia, Jon and Jim
Waiting for the rest to board
Walking down alleys to get to the home of the rice paper makers
We are here
Rice paper drying
Son and grandchildren
First you ladel the rice liquid onto hot surface, then smooth into a round circle
Next you drop the lid to steam the round, then you gently roll the rice paper onto a long cylinder
After you lift the round, you place it on the bamboo drying rack - and voila !
Jon also made one
Inside the home we were provided with libations - Jon and Jim
Then the family entertained is with lovely music the father played various instruments
Deb and Me
Lots of rice paper drying
Back down the narrow alleys to the town center
Even though it was Sunday - the kids were just getting out of school
One styling pup
The school
Lunch time for the school kids
The manly men
These drying racks overhead had large square sheets of rice paper
Next stop - watch rice crackers being made - similar process to the rice paper
After the rice crackers dry the final step is to "toast" the surfaces
Piles of coal being made into balls for fuel
There was quite a bit of garbage all about - this was next to the ferry stop
Ferry arrived and this guy needed a little help from his friends to get his motorbike up the hill
Young got us crackers for snack, and the ferry captain controlled the ferry with foot pedals
Heading out we drove by a rice paddy
One of my favorite pics
Back in Hanoi
