Saturday and sunday

Friday night dinner with Jess and Nhi. Very nice had lamb, soufflé never came out so didn't get dessert. Saturday dad forgot to do something at work so he went to factory and I went to town.  Crazy busy with so many people in town for new year. Lots of decorations. Did a little shopping mostly orders from friends!  Got cb a little jade bracelet for bday. Back to house dad got back had lunch of salad ms han made.  Mostly rested and read.  Finished my book boys in the boat. Now I have to get something else going. Dinner went to Mekong merchant dad had wage burger I had pasta. Finished watching DVD.

Sunday he went swimming, I rode bike around compound. Better find something to do or we will be bored today.

Wednesday and Thursday

Eileen and I actually got to two museums. The women's museum that showed women's role in vn war and the medicine museum museum that was the history of herbal healing over the years. We had lunch at the house of pho ga aka chicken noodle soup. Brian went to subcontractor with Harvey. Returned home had latte at boathouse, walked a bit. Rested guys returned no decision on dinner so we whipped up fried rice with leftovers, watched Matthew mcconahey movie "Dallas" something. Fell asleep. Thursday morning at 8 driver and guide came for our day in Mekong delta. 2 hr drive, one pit stop and then we boarded tuc tuc for bumpy ride to little boat that took us. We cruised to a coconut factory that was piles of coconuts they were using every part, husks for floor mats, mulch, lots of uses incl making charcoal. Then putted over to brick making factory. Long slow process. Then we putted to another spot and got in bicycles for a 4k trip thru a village, then stopped for fruit and tea. Walked to another boat for trip thru canals Small flat boat rowed along canal met bigger boat then over river for five course lunch. Walked down path to the house where the rower guy lived and did some rice paper making with his wife rice paper used for fresh spring roll wraps. He was also a former vn military who fought the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. That was the war following the war to keep them from invading vn. Interesting. Two hour ride back in mini van so we could spread out and rest. Dinner at the park Hyatt since it was Brian and Eileen's last supper. Lovely vn food. Robinsons had good visit and hope to return annually! Friday. Dad's last day at factory. Closing at noon for tet holiday. Tonight we have dinner with Jess and Nhi at le Bordeaux. Today we will do some last minute shopping with robin sons. Meet dad for lunch, then they depart about 530 for airport.

Wednesday

Great day at cu chi, lunch with eileen and Brian, 2 hr dive back, wal around compound, had latte, stayed out of house so ms han could get ready for dinner party. 7pm Jess, mike, Rajiv, stephen arrived. Spring rolls, tofu, clay pot fish, shrimp soup, rice, chicken ginger. Too much wine. Cigars on patio. Very nice evening. Today (Wednesday)will try museums but I think we are all a bit wiped out. Might be the wine!

New week in Ho Chi Minh

Monday morning we had lovely breakfast of fruit coffee croissant. Eileen had appt with dress designer for outfit for snider wedding. Chose lovely fabric and design. Not cheap. Then we went out to meet dad for lunch at song ba golf club before our factory trip. I ordered fried rice. Factory tour was amazing. Dad really took his time and explained it better than any other time I've gone along. Quite a process. Took many pics. Long day crazy trip back to house in traffic. Had a glass of wine dad came back, we all got ready to go out for dinner. 3 of us went to Mekong merchant dad had customers or contractors so he went somewhere else. Pizza and two. Plates garlic shrimp. Walked back yo house, watched last Vegas DVD morgan freeman Michael Douglas etc. fell asleep, Brian hung in and said it wasn't so good. Sunday night we watched lone survivor DVD. As good as the book but on video much heavier dad got in late. Meeting after dinner. No wonder he's tired all the time. As I said lots of furniture people here esp during sample season prior to shipping to market. Tuesday we are going to cu chi tunnels. It's the underground system used to fight during war. Then dinner party tonight. Jess Rajiv Brian eileen dad me stephen. Wednesday hopefully we will get to war museum, presidential palace, women's museum, herbal medicine museum. I seriously doubt we will make too many but we can start. Thursday drive out 2 hrs to Mekong delta for boat trip and lunch Friday shop and wrap up day for B&E. They depart in early evening.

Back in vn. January 2014

It's been over a year since my last trip. 4am so that part hasn't changed much. Dreadful flight on united connecting to Nippon air in Tokyo. United was ok but japan airport and connecting process awful. Arrived and got thru immigration and customs fine. Made it to house around midnight, Harvey was in China but ms han had everything ready for me incl my nightgown and robe in full view. Il. Need to work back now. Friday Brian and eileen Robinson arrived from their Burma trip. Met them got home about 7. Went out for dinner to the deck with Neil Robinson who coincidentally was in town on business. Saturday I took them for walk around compound then we met Neil at the Hyatt for some shopping since he was leaving that evening. Ben than market and Saigon square then lunch at Vietnam house. Back to Hyatt, sat at pool, visited til he had to get ready. Napped at home, dinner with stephen church at Hyatt. Fanatic meal. Lots of laughs. Sunday dad's day off so he called the shots. He got morning massage, made smoothies and coffee, left for lunch at elbow room for burgers. Wandered around, got DVDs, gallery for wall art. Earlier we went to supermarket got cheese for dinner at home, walked the street for feel of area. Monday we will have factory tour, lunch, etc. dinner on our own as dad has customers. Might do Mekong merchant with stephen. Ms han was thrilled with all I brought over. It's good idea to keep her happy! Dad returned on Wednesday from China, went to dinner party at anth and sally cox for reps in town. Catered by the deck, had fish. Nice evening. Earlier Wednesday I had 90 min massage to work out the aches from that flight. $27. Weather has been amazing. They call it cool but it's mid 80 and no humidity which is huge. Had lunch with Ann Carey on Friday. They are going to nc for tet next week. Jess is going to nc for tet as we'll but he'll be working.

Wrap up

Leaving Saigon in 12 hours at 430am for a 555 flight to hong kong and then Chicago greensboro. Nice weekend. Friday we stayed home and had ribs for dinner. Dad had two hr massage. I picked up the painting I had made. SaturdY dad worked, I got my nails done and got drenched on the wY home on my bike. Dinner was peak hyatt. Sunday wS had. Asual morning, went to city, got foot and leg massage because I didn't want to mess up my make up and hair! Then we checked out a new indoor mall then a tailor. Then we came home had a rest. Dinner was at tres gourmand restaurant. Lovely French meal Tonightt is light dinner at home. Soup and/or salad. Ms Han is sad I'm leaving. She wants me to come back soon. Early morning alarm. Two suitcases about 20+ kg each! Jeez I thought I'd get off easy. Dad sending stuff back, Rajiv sending things to college daughter (I offered) as wells as my bag that I had in calif before I left. Back to nc in time for lots of Christmas festivities. Happy birthday archer. See you soon!

Thanksgiving in Vietnam 2012

today is thanksgiving but its not a special day here obviously. we are going to the park hyatt tonight for turkey and fixings. i hope they have lumpy gravey and mashed potatoes. today i had nhi and ann carey for lunch. ms han made a fantastic soup called "bun rieu" or something like that. it was crab meatballs in broth with tomato and then you add salad toppings of your choice. she also made pate for another dish she'll make tomorrow and gave nhi a jar of pate. then went for 90 min massage because its 20% off $27 so who can resist a sale. wednesday ms. han had day off so i was the help. did laundry, served breakfast, tidied up beds, etc then went into town. on the return taxi ride i had a frightening experience first time. the driver didnt drop the machine so when i got to the compound it was 500,000 dong and i know its usually only 130,000 dong ($5 per 100,000). i got into an argument with him and my doors were locked and so were the windows. he kept yelling and i just said shhhhh. there was so much else i should have done: take out my cell phone, took off my shoe, taken his #s but i was just shocked at his behaviour. anyhow i ended up giving him $4US and got out. wish i could have reported him but as i said, i didnt take his number. next time, use my cell phone for photo and dialing. i was so distraught that i needed a facial. so 20% off facial helped my frustration at being dumb. i've learned a lesson to first make sure he drops the meter. dinner was two take out pizzas, two salads and one order of mussels. (dad, stephen and me) Tuesday: great day with ann carey and some ladies. went to a few museums. vn ladies museum, vn herbal medicine museum, lacquer factory and a nice lunch. dad had a dinner so stephen and i went to a new french restaurant and it was great. beautiful patio (but i think they might allow smoking outdoors so it could be bad). i had veal filet that was fantastic; stephen had scallop and ?? mixed up. one taxi driver i did have this week was very nice and he had a catholic rosary bead hanging from his mirror .. crystal. young guy. i'm starting to think the russians and french are not so friendly. no reply to good morning or hellos.