Hanoi Perspective Adjusted

January 10, 2014



Breakfast at the Elegance Emerald Hotel




Typical mode of travel in Hanoi




Inner City River




Kids playing in a park

After two days in Hanoi, we have a slightly different take on what seemed at first to be utter chaos in the streets.  The blaring horns are not about road rage; they simply let  oncoming traffic know: "I am coming through, so be prepared to go around me as I cross your path."  There is a flow that seems to work pretty efficiently.  Red lights at the intersections seem to slow traffic only briefly, while pedestrians skitter across in crosswalks.
Our walk along the streets of downtown Hanoi mid-day yesterday provided a closer look at the local neighborhood activity between street and shop vendors and foot traffic.  We stopped in at a few galleries and shops after having a scrumptious noodle lunch accompanied by local beer. 
Today, we spent most of the morning at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (www.vme.org.vn)
The museum's website is provided, so you too can take a closer look at the 54 largest ethnic groups, which belong to 5 ethno-linguistic families found in Vietnam.  The museum provides beautiful displays which provide a wealth of information about languages, customs, rituals, traditions, music, art, spiritual practices, garments and housing of the various etnic groups.




Fish Basket




Crossbow




Another Fish Basket




One example of a dwelling




A home on stilts. Typical dwelling of riverside people 




A musical instrument.  The bowl causes the sound to resonate.

The Ho Chi Minh Complex

January 9, 2014
After breakfast, we taxied over to the Ho Chi Minh Complex and spent the rest of the morning studying the history and politics of Vietnam and exploring the life and times of Ho Chi Minh, a  legendary Communist Vietnamese leader who is still highly revered in this country today.
The Ho Chi Minh Complex includes his mausoleum in which his body is reverently displayed; a museum which provides an insightful look at the history and politics of Vietnam and documents Ho Chi Minh's life and accomplishments; and the stilt house where he once lived here in the city of Hanoi. 
Security was tight, with several checkpoints throughout the complex.  I was required to check my camera before entering the mausoleum.  A number of uniformed guards patrolled the complex, while others stood at attention at strategic points of entry into buildings and along the path through the complex grounds.  Visitors who strayed off the appropriate tour route were swiftly redirected with a shrill whistle, hand motions and orders barked in Vietnamese that needed no translation.
I left the complex with a greater understanding of the idealistic vision of Ho Chi Minh and the determination to maintain independence and the national pride of the Vietnamese citizens.


My efforts to upload photos are unsuccessful at the moment, but I expect to soon resolve the technology issues.  Thank you for your patience!    
 

The Temple and the Royal Garden

January 7, 2014


We traveled in a red truck into the hills overlooking Chiang Mai to visit a Temple complex and the nearby Royal Residence, complete with acres of gardens and soft music filling the air. The guys wearing walking shorts had show a little respect and rent big, baggy pants to cover their legs!




Photos and details will follow once tech issues are resolved! 

Update from Hanoi

With visa applications completed and in hand, we departed Chiang Mai on an early morning flight January 8, bound for Hanoi, Vietnam with a layover in Bangkok for a couple of hours.  The flights were the EASY part of the trip! 
Vietnam is becoming an increasingly popular  tourist destination theses days.  The Hanoi airport facilities are not equipped to handle the flood of tourists however.   Three other flights arrived simultaneously, which produced a sea of humanity, all trying to maneuver through Customs and then claim their belongings from a lone baggage claim area.   It was a tedious and daunting experience which took about two hours. 
Ah, but there's MORE!  The "fun" was just beginning!  The ride from the Hanoi airport to out hotel took as long as the flight from Bangkok to Hanoi!  Chaos reign, everyone travels on the highways and byways around the sprawling city.  The main mode of transportation for the general population is the motorbike.  The chaos is overwhelming on the roads!  No one seems to slow for oncoming or cross traffic; horns blare and somehow the chaotic flow of motorbikes allows people to move around with a crazy efficiency. 

Up Close & Personal with the Elephants

                                                               


Getting a bath & rubdown from the handler before the next show

Off to work!

 Have you ever been kissed by an elephant?  There's nothing quite like it!
These gentle giants are creative and intelligent and LOVE to ham it up!
Each elephant has a handler who works with the animal daily.  They put on quite a show!
Members of the audience get to reward the stars with banana and sugar cane treats, under  the watchful eyes of the handlers who are perched on the elephant's back.  Jane and I each got BIG SLOPPY thank you kisses in return for treats.
Hopefully, I will figure out how to upload the videos of these hilarious events!

For me, it was a special treat to see these giant artists take loaded paintbrushes from their handlers and create some vey impressive pieces of art!   There is a gallery where the paintings are offered for sale for respectable prices - $30 to $50.


An honest to goodness painting created by an elephant!

Power Shopping!



The Moat which circles the old city of Chiang Mai

Larry, Jane, Jerry & Mike in the Calavan Chiang Mai home

After a full day's travel and a abbreviated night's rest, we gathered at Mike's and Kay's home in the morning to launch our first day of adventure in Chiang Mai.  Kay had arranged for a car and driver to transport us through the city.  Our first stop was at a fabric shop which offered stunning hand-woven silk fabric in a wide variety of glorious rainbow hues.   All sense of well-intentioned self-restraint drained away the minute we stepped inside.  Dreams of  accenting rooms back home blossomed as a generous length of sheer, eye-popping orange hand loomed raw silk was selected for living room window coverings and intensely rich aubergine place mats were chosen to grace the dining table.

NOTE!!!!
My little Surface is misbehaving, so blog entries have been delayed......
Be patient!  My personal "IT", Cory is helping me work through issues!

The Thailand Adventure Begins!

Jane & Jerry Calavan
 HAPPY Travelers on the FIRST leg of the journey from Portland to San Francisco
HOUR ONE

Larry on the LAST leg of the journey from Incheon, South Korea to Chiang Mai
HOUR TWENTY THREE
C'mon, Taylor!  Whose idea WAS this???












Flight Path Across the Pacific Ocean

The Korean Air attendants all looked as if they had just stepped out of Vogue Magazine!

Their smiles remained in place during the ENTIRE twelve hour flight across the Pacific.



View of Mount Adams just after takeoff

We took off with Jane and Jerry Calavan, from Portland at 7:15 the morning of January 1, 2014 and bumped down in Chiang Mai, Thailand just under 24 hours later, the night of January 2, 2014.  Let me tell you, we were FOUR weary travelers!  The motivation to travel n early halfway around the world has to be about as DEEP and WIDE and he blue Pacific Ocean!  We are NOT disappointed!

Our first day might be titled "Buy and Bite".  Our gracious tour hosts Mike (Jerry's brother) and Kay Calavan, arranged for a taxi tour to a couple of shops and a delightful restaurant.  

 

Details will follow!  It's late and Larry is trying to sleep!