Chuc Mung Nam moi!! Happy New Year. In Viet Nam it is "Happy Tet"
In Vietnamese "Tet" is a word that symbolizes the connective parts of the bamboo plant. Those parts mean transition. Lunar New Year is transition to a year of new moons!!
February 14th 2010 was the first day of the New Year. It is celebrated for almost a week in Viet Nam. Restaurants and businesses of all kinds are closed down. Ho Chi Minh City becomes a ghost town...except for all of the Expats coming out of the woodwork to view the beauty of Tet.
We got to see authentic Dragon dances complete with teenagers on stilts dressed in colorful outfits dancing and tumbling to continual drum beats.
If you are Vietnamese you go to your hometown to feast and party with family. John and I along with my visiting mom, Joan went to the beach in Phan Thiet!
Joan Buratti arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on February 13th!
As anyone who lives here can tell you, flying into HCMC is like doing trapeze without a net.
My mom embraced the experience, the people and culture. I couldn't be prouder. She spent two weeks with us and wait till you see her adventures!!
Hope you enjoy every word and picture.
Tam biet for now!!
Sai gon Patti,
Peace out
Mar 17, 2010
Phan Thiet lighthouse beach
This picture has a story attached.
I woke up early one morning in Phan Thiet to take a run. Decided to run through some farm land and check out the cows and pigs...then I took a right. The most beautiful right I have ever taken. I popped out on this beach, and straight into the middle of an open air produce and meat market. One of the best things about running in the morning is that you get to be a fly on the wall, and that day I was!! Not only did I watch a beautiful market in progress but as I got closer to the water I got to watch the fishermen and women unloading there hauls with their kids helping them pull in the small fish. As I sat on this very active early morning scene I started hearing drum beats in the distance. Next thing I knew I was in the middle of a funeral procession of mourners and a casket sedan walking down along the breakers. The people were all wearing white headbands(funeral color) and dancing and chanting. I am sorry someone died, but for me life does not get any better...and it was only 7:30 in the morning!!
I woke up early one morning in Phan Thiet to take a run. Decided to run through some farm land and check out the cows and pigs...then I took a right. The most beautiful right I have ever taken. I popped out on this beach, and straight into the middle of an open air produce and meat market. One of the best things about running in the morning is that you get to be a fly on the wall, and that day I was!! Not only did I watch a beautiful market in progress but as I got closer to the water I got to watch the fishermen and women unloading there hauls with their kids helping them pull in the small fish. As I sat on this very active early morning scene I started hearing drum beats in the distance. Next thing I knew I was in the middle of a funeral procession of mourners and a casket sedan walking down along the breakers. The people were all wearing white headbands(funeral color) and dancing and chanting. I am sorry someone died, but for me life does not get any better...and it was only 7:30 in the morning!!Spent the Tet holiday in Phan Thiet...love this town!
Lost in translation...Largest reclining Buddah in VN...if mom can pray to the gods...
dragon fruit farm
Here's Vicki Killingsworth!!
We were lucky enough to have a good friend from California come and stay with us for 5 days while her ship was at port in HCMC. Vicki is on a cruise around the world with "Semester at Sea"...cool huh!
Fishermen in Viet Nam take their job quite seriously!
Yes, people actually do live in that house. I imagine they don't do too much drinking before bed! This abode can be found in the sea just outside of Vung Tau.
Jan 7, 2010
Chuc Mung Na Moi: Happy New Year!!!!
Well this particular blog entry will be dominated by the visit from Joe and Sam and all of the side trips that we made while they were here!!
Sam came in first with a giant mop of hair(oh what a shocker)...then quickly realized that too much hair is not advisable in this climate. He was here about 5 days when Joe came in.
We then, all 4 hopped on a plane for Ha Long Bay(check the map). We agreed that it is one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen.
Came home for a night and promptly headed off to the Mekong Delta(map) for two days . Think 1950's, think Florida Everglades,think mosquitos and fresh fruit everywhere!!
Next we headed back to HCMC and spent the holidays there.
Joe left on the 27th. Sam left on Jan 2nd. John and I took turns watching them sleep every night. And the smiles never left our faces.
Enjoy what you see!!
Tam Biet for now!!
Sai gon Patti over and peace out
Sam came in first with a giant mop of hair(oh what a shocker)...then quickly realized that too much hair is not advisable in this climate. He was here about 5 days when Joe came in.
We then, all 4 hopped on a plane for Ha Long Bay(check the map). We agreed that it is one of the most beautiful places we have ever seen.
Came home for a night and promptly headed off to the Mekong Delta(map) for two days . Think 1950's, think Florida Everglades,think mosquitos and fresh fruit everywhere!!
Next we headed back to HCMC and spent the holidays there.
Joe left on the 27th. Sam left on Jan 2nd. John and I took turns watching them sleep every night. And the smiles never left our faces.
Enjoy what you see!!
Tam Biet for now!!
Sai gon Patti over and peace out
Ha Long Bay in Northern VN.
We spent the night on an authentic Vietnamese Junk Boat. Spending two days amongst the amazing 1900 islands of Ha Long Bay. Check out the small community with school, living on the bay.
Mekong Delta in Southern VN.
River Ferry taking a student and her bike to school. Our accomodations for the night.
The famous "Floating Markets" on top.
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