taking the bull by the horns.....

monday is the day i am taking the bull by the horns and i am going to win. i am done, finished, through......all of the above. i feel like garbage, get winded climbing the stairs at school, and just plain tired of looking at myself this way. so.... monday i am doing it.

my goals for this week....

• go to the gym and walk for about 40 minutes or so for at least three times.
• write down ALL the food that i eat regardless of what it is.

paul and i went to the grocery store this evening and got some fresh fruit and veg as well as some necessary staples (i.e. detergent and rice for ms. lee). most of the afternoon i read articles and other information on weight watchers dot com.

we came home and we picked up the apartment. then i began making my lunches, prep for my egg omelette in the morning, and made snacks. i wrote down all the point values of the snacks in my lunch bag so i am prepared.

it is good and i feel motivated. 2009 is a year for change in my health. :)

a quote i read on someone's site recently---

"failure to plan is planning to fail"

one from my friend leslie is..."there is no food more important than becoming the person God wants you to be."

babies, babies....everywhere....

it seems like the new year has brought many babies.....
so many friends have just had their babies, about to deliver, or are due this year.....
so exciting and fun! i pray that each of them are blessed with amazing joy and healthiness.

paul and i are waiting another year or so before we talk baby plans. my goal this year is get healthy and in better shape. this includes making better food choices and moving more. starting monday, i am going to try my best to go to the gym at least three days a week and start journaling my eating. i want be in shape and healthy.

a quote i keep on the fridge from my dear friend leslie....
"there is no food more important that becoming the person God wants you to be."

New piece of art....

In Vietnam, we got the piece below that was made by the hill tribe people in Northern Vietnam. This one in particular is a baby carrier. I just loved the colors and the patterns. I saw it once, commented on how much I liked it, and then went on. I could not remember where I saw it, so I just blew it off. Then we ended up in this alley accidentally and there it was. Yeah....got it on the spot. I hung it up tonight in the area near our dining table. The wall is covered with a light limey green paper similiar to the color of my kitchen in the treehouse. The colored paper brings out the colors in the hanging and really looks great. I am so excited that our apartment is slowly (very slowly) becoming a home. :)

Back in Seoul....

We made it back to Seoul late Tuesday night and caught the last airport bus to our neighborhood. We slept a whole lot of the day on Wednesday before going out to dinner at On the Border. We came home to ring in the new year with a bottle of red wine and freshly made brownies while we watched Prison Break. The last few days have been full of rest. I have probably slept more of the time than been awake. Nuts I know, but the truth none the less. Paul and I have been spending loads of time in front of the TV as we watch many, many episodes of Prison Break. We got hooked before the holiday and have watched all of season one, and are now in season two. Paul will load up four to five episodes in the playlist and the hit go. I also got to watch some of the episodes of Ace of Cakes which were a Christmas gift from Paul's mom, Sally. This show is awesome!!! She introduced me to it while we were in Houston and I got hooked. The only problem is that we do not get the food network here in Seoul. Thankfully, Sally gave me the first season DVD set for Christmas and now I am set.

In the show, the pastry chef who now makes crazy cakes is named Duff. He is not your typical guy for this kind of job. He has a goatee and his staff at the bakery are his friends. Most of which have tattoos, crazy hair cuts, piercings, and dress eclectically. My kind of bakery for sure. They like to challenge themselves by making cakes that are crazy and different. I love it. It is inspiring.

Today Paul and I slept in late again. It was an accident since the alarm did not go off. Ugh. Oh well, we went our for a late lunch/early dinner at an indian place and then went for coffee. We came home and Paul has been working on setting up my old laptop with the TV and I have been really creative. I hung up the wall hanging we got in Vietnam. It looks great. I also made an installation for pictures with string and these pre-cut paper frames. It looks cool....I just need to print pics to put in the frames. Then I straigtened some things up a bit and still felt artsy. I decided to put the base coat on the canvas that has been sitting blank forever, it seems. It is now drying and then I can gesso up another one. I have had an idea since we were in Vietnam and I am anxious to get it on canvas. I just have to wait for the easel to be free.

I love being artsy!!! I feel so in touch with my inner self when I indulge my creativity. :)

The last day of HCMC....

Wow, what a day! We woke in time for breakfast and then came back to the room for a nap. We napped for about an hour before getting moving for the day. We had lunch at Pho Binh which is a noodle soup shop that was a front during the war for the Viet Cong. This is where the Viet Cong planned its attack on the US Embassy and other places during the Tet Offensive in 1968. It was not that jazzy or anything, but the pho was decent. I took a few pics and then called it a sight visited. There are a few signs in Vietnamese that might say something about the pho shop's history, but I have no idea what they said.

After lunch we got a taxi to the War Remnants Museum. It was interesting and quite depressing really. Paul noticed that things were left out of the story here and there. So the history of truths exhibit did not really tell the whole truth. The next exhibition was probably the highlight for me which was a tribute to all the journalists from many countries that died during the war. The exhibition showed many images and stories from these journalists and photographers. It was interesting to think about their lives and how many of them were freelancers here for the AP or UPI. They were putting their lives in danger for the sake of the story or the images. It was really interesting. Again, I must say that this is the highlight for me. Something I have always thought would be a cool job to work as a photographer for some big news circuit. Not sure I would want to jump in the line of fire or anything, but it would be an interesting job to be able to share life with others. I took a picture of a quote that sums it up for me. I have always wondered if it is hard to take pics of extreme tragedy or hard things in history. His words said it all for me. He felt his job was an opportunity to contribute to sharing what others are going through, not to necessarily capitalize on grief, pain or tragedy.

I was pretty sad after the museum. At the end of the exhibits there are many images on the people and kids who were affected by the chemical warfare here in Vietnam--agent orange. I know this affected both the Americans and the Vietnamese. It just makes me think there has to be a better way that putting innocent people in harm's way. They did not ask for it or volunteer to be in the center of a conflict yet they were there and suffered. Paul and I had some good conversation about war and politics on our walk to the park for coffee. After this trip, I am really not sure where I stand on many things that have to do with this subject. I don't know what I know or how I feel. I just know that right now, today, I have many questions and want to learn more about this time period and what really happened. I want to read and find out. I want to be able to come up with some explanation, if possible. I am not sure that I can or will come to that place, but I do know that the history of this war, regardless of what story you hear, makes me sad and reflective.

We had coffee in the park before it began to thunder and get really gray. We decided to needed to head to the hotel and get an umbrella. Halfway there, the sky opened up and the rain came down. Thankfully we were near some covering where we waited for a bit. Then we somehow managed to wave down a taxi and get back to the hotel. So fun! We had two more stops to make before being finished with errands. The first stop is this cool shop with art work and all sorts of goodies. I got a fresh, new t-shirt to wear home tomorrow. All of the ones I have are not so fresh anymore. :) Then we got some dinner at the gourmet grocery store.....so good. The sandwiches are AMAZING!!! I could get used to having them more often for sure. After dinner, I went to the Dong Du Salon about the Qing bar for a manicure, pedicure and 70 minutes foot massage. It literally was the best part of HCMC for me. I left the place feeling so relaxed. Wonderful!!! Paul had gone to Gloria Jean's Coffee around the corner to play DS and sip the good stuff. My total bill for my treatments were $22. It was great!!!

We had evening beverages at a little place across the street called Mojo before making our way back to the hotel for the evening. We have to pack and sort ourselves out for the return trip to Seoul tomorrow afternoon. So fun!!! We heart Saigon!!!

Here is a website that honors some of the work of the photojournalists that were killed in Indochina.....
http://members.tripod.com/hovasse/fotos/apfot/apphoto.htm

12.28.08 HCMC

So somehow today we slept until 2pm. I know this is not completely out of character for us, but usually I am up earlier and moving then go back to bed. Not today…..we must have needed the crazy amount of sleep b/c when we did get up it did not feel like 2pm. WOW!!!

Upon attempting to get ready, there was no hot water. Ugh. Oh well, I took a washcloth bath, cleaned up my face, then put on a hat. I am sure I will live and Paul says that I don’t smell. C’est la vie! We went back to the gourmet grocery store we found last night for lunch. So good. I had a parma ham and gouda sandwich in fresh baguette. Paul had an Italian chorizo with some kind of cheese that is like camembert on a baguette. We were in heaven and savored every bite. J We could so easily live here. No worries.

Then we tried to go to the War Remnants Museum which was kind of far, so we got in a taxi. He took us way past it and then told us to get out. As soon as we got out and started to walk in the right direction it started to pour. Go figure! Paul’s patience went from 10 to zero in no time. There was no place to stand under either to at least regroup and figure out a plan. We walked a few blocks and then we were done. We stood under a taxi umbrella and got one back to the hotel. We will try tomorrow. We got back to the hotel, changed shirts, and headed out for a small coffee shop called Java just across the street from the gourmet grocery store. Paul is playing his DS while I blog and journal. Heineken, my favorite beer, is cheap here too. Most are about $2USD. CHEAP!!! I also went across the street to a little rattan and bamboo shop……love it. I love the stuff here! I found a vase, tray and small bag there. I did not buy anything yet, but I think Paul has banned me from buying anything else. We just cannot carry anything else. I love Vietnam and the artsy stuff here is great. SE ASIA ROCKS!!!

The other cool thing here is that they use both Vietnamese dong and US dollars. It is weird to me that they accept and use both, but they do. We only have dong, but we could easily just US if we had it. It makes things easy though.

When we got hungry and it became dinner time, we headed back to the Japanese place. Wow, wow, wow. We had two plates of tuna sashimi that was AMAZING!!! We also had a roll, gyozas, and beef tataki. It was phenomenal and so cheap for the quality. Only $30!!! Nuts. Then we headed to the Lion Brew House which is a German like beer house. We had beers while we watched the soccer match of Vietnam vs. Thailand. Thailand scored in the first half and I was worried and began to lose hope. In the last minute of the game Vietnam scored to become the champions of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008. It was crazy when they scored. The bar went nuts. Some of the waitresses were banging pans on the bar and people were shouting. We paid the bill and then went into the streets. It took some time, but the streets were crazy too. People on scooters yelling, honking their horns, and waving flags. I took some video of the madness. We went for coffee at Gloria Jean’s before making our way back to the hotel. We did have to cross the massively nuts streets. It was fun and we even shouted with all the locals. It was crazy, but totally fun!!!

Now we are back in the hotel, settling in for the night and watching movies on the TV. Paul and I have had a great holiday in Vietnam. We have really grown to love this country!!!

12.27.08 HCMC

I had the hardest time getting moving this morning. I just felt sooooo tired. I have no idea why, but I did not want to get out of bed. Paul went to breakfast at the hotel without me. I just could not do it. Then when he returned I kept sleeping for a while longer. He is such an amazing guy…..So patient to wait while I continued to sleep. Thank goodness for the Nintendo DS….he main staple of entertainment. J He has been playing a new game which he really likes. It is called Chrono Trigger which is the #1 rated game for the DS and since we both have the R4 deal we can download heaps of games for free from the web. J

Once I finally got moving we ate lunch at the Green Leaf Café and I had eggs benedict for lunch. YUM! We walked up and down the main shopping strip in town on Dong Khoi road. There are many cool little shops. Thankfully it was not raining. Then we ended up at Ben Thanh market which is crazy. Stuff everywhere along with people. Rows and rows of stuff----lacquer ware, bamboo stuff, shoes, clothes, rattan stuff, buffalo horn stuff, food stuff, anything and everything can probably be found here. Paul even found a stall selling the deodorant he uses. At the back end of the place there are tons of food stalls with all sorts of things. Paul checked them all out and made a mental list for reference. He is so cute when it comes to food.

After the market, we were both totally pooped out and shopped out. We went back to the hotel to regroup and rest. We ended up taking naps for about an hour or so. Totally what we needed, but when I woke up though I was grumpy and easy to be upset. I don’t know why, but it is me. Paul made the decision on dinner, thank goodness. We ate Indian at a place called Tandoor. Then we walked down the road, Hai Ba Trung. I had seen this cool lantern shop I wanted to go back to. They are the assembly lanterns that are made of many smaller plastic pieces. They are put together like a puzzle and can be made into many different shapes and sizes. They are really cool. We bought some pieces and they were reasonable. For all the pieces we got it all cost only $8 USD. Fun times! I cannot wait to put them together. I was feeling much better after having food in me….surprise! So we ended up walking around the area---street after street of stuff. It was fun and we found many good restaurants and shops. We finished the evening out at Sheridan’s Irish Pub for Kilkenny beers…..so yummy! I love the stuff! Paul had never had one and he liked it. We walked back to the hotel and ended the night watching the movie, Inside Man, on cinema before calling it a night.

Today was a great day! We know that we could live here. We went in a few local like grocery stores then even found a couple gourmet ones. We have come to the conclusion that it would be much easier t o live here than in Seoul. We had found many things that we would need or would be nice to have for food stuff and other things. The best part is that HCMC is a cheap place. The meals we have had are cheaper in general and the quality is great. So depending on what life brings, we might be looking into the schools here when the time comes to decide where to next….

Here we come Vietnam!!!

12.26.08 Hoi An to HCMC

We woke up super early to get moving for the day. We had many things to do before we could leave Hoi An. First, we had cao lao at the first best place in Hoi An. Again the spa owner showed us another spot. It was good, but Paul and I both agreed the night before was better. Again the whole meal was about $2. Totally nuts the quality of food you can get for such a cheap price. After morning noodles, we had another massage. I went for a foot massage that was more foot reflexology than massage. It was good though and relaxing. Paul had a massage. We had to stop at the tailor to pick up skirts before making our way back to the hotel to get a taxi to the airport.

Again, we found ourselves sitting on bus #152 waiting to go to the City Center of HCMC. No smoking driver this time, but it was warm here. So far it was not raining, but that would soon change. Ugh. We got off the bus and hailed a taxi to take us to the hotel. Now it was raining….ugh. Why??? Paul and I both are tired of the rain. It just makes exploring difficult and not as much fun. Not to mention that Paul does not have as much patience in the rain, but I on the other hand am not patient when hungry. So I guess it all works out. The hotel is nice. A step up from the last place and is located in a great place in the city. We were both hungry and went around the corner to Pho24. This place is a chain, but in all the books it says the pho is good. We figured we would try it since it was close and it was raining. The pho was ok. Nothing crazy good or anything, but better than the normal I guess. We also got spring rolls which were also just ok. All the ones we have had have been just ok. Most of them have been the fried ones. The best fried ones we have had were the ones in Hanoi at the place we had bun cha. The fresh ones in Hoi An were the absolute best so far. Totally yummy!!! After dinner we went to Gloria Jean’s coffee to hang out. They do have decaf coffee here which is a nice change to Seoul. J As we sat there Paul and I realized that last Christmas in Melbourne we sat in Gloria Jean’s when it was raining hanging out and having coffee.

So, 3 years ago today is when it all started for Paul and I. Our first date was on Dec. 26, 2005. We went to Pei Wei for lunch and then to see a movie which was Family Stone. It is nuts to think it has already been three years. The next year I was in Houston for the holidays, we were engaged, and went to lunch at Pei Wei then to see the movie The Holiday. Last year, we were in Melbourne. We had lunch at a little place called Lamb on Chapel (greek food) and then saw the movie Darjeeling Limited. Now, this year we are in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We had lunch at Pho 24 and then saw the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. It is our little tradition that we try to eat asian (if possible) and then go to a movie. Greek was as close as we could get in Melbourne. This year we kind of did our little tradition twice b/c we were not sure if we would find movies. So on Dec. 23rd while in Hanoi we had dinner at Restaurant Bobby Chinn and then saw an indie film at the cinema downstairs from our room, Owl and a Sparrow. We did end of finding English movies here in Ho Chi Minh, so it did work out. We just had our date two times this year. Fun times!!!

After the movie, we were walking back to the hotel and we decided we were hungry. We had walked by quite a few Japanese restaurants. We walked into one, and the food was great. Not the best, but definitely doable. Much better than Seoul, Paul says. J Paul had tuna sashimi, a spicy tuna roll, and we shared beef tataki and I had gyozas. Paul was also excited that the place had oolong tea….he loves this stuff. The best part was the entire meal with my beer included was only $22 USD.

The crazy thing is that we have both decided that we really love Vietnam. HCMC is a great place---good food, great shopping, history, and an amazing vibe! After much talk and discussion, we would seriously consider living here. I would love to go back to Hoi An to volunteer at the shop, Reaching Out, which they do. If we lived in HCMC, it would be possible since it is only a one hour flight. There are coffee shops everywhere and tons of free wireless internet. From people I have talked to, the school here is a good one and is part of the big Eastern Asian school organization. J

12.25.08 Hoi An Redemption Day.....

To be quite honest, paul and I were not feeling the vibe here in hoi an. We had heard from many people that it was great and a wonderful place to visit. At this point, we weren’t so sure. It had been raining since we arrived. Although not constant, just constantly kind of drippey. The food we have taken the time to find had been a letdown. Paul was ready to move on and was really struggling to be here.

Paul arranged for a hotel in Ho Chi Minh city and then we went out for lunch at Light Candle Restaurant. We had cao lao which is becoming my favorite thing to ear here in Hoi An. We made a pit stop at the tailor and then went shopping in old town. So fun! We walked the streets and looked at lots of things. I had wanted to stop back at this shop called Reaching Out. The shop helps disabled locals learn crafts and then sells the good in the shop at fair trade prices. It was so cool. Paul and I did almost all of our Christmas shopping at this place. The best part is that they even ship to America, so we already shipped the goodies to the US. Fun times! We had so much fun shopping here and supporting a wonderful cause. We even got to walk through the workshop and see artists in action. Some were making lacquer ware pieces; others were doing embroidery, some making metal works, and others working on stitching table runners and things of that sort. It was a really great experience.

On the walk back to the tailor, Paul and I took pictures of textures on walls and other patterns. It was fun! We also took some fun pics of each other. When we got to the tailor I got to try on the clothes she made for me. I am not overly impressed with the pants, but they will work. My favorite piece that she made was my new wool coat that is dark olive green. It is gorgeous and fits great. I cannot wait to wear it in Seoul. Paul had two pairs of long shorts made…he does not really care either way. He was just happy to have some shorts to wear since the weather has been so wet and drippey.

We went back to the Hoi An day spa again. I had a deluxe manicure and pedicure with the works which was nice. It was nice to relax and sit there and be pampered. J Paul had more neck, shoulder, and head massages. He was in heaven. It was great.

The best part of the day was the place we had dinner. The owner of the spa recommended it, and even had two ladies from the spa staff take us there on scooters. It was little cart in a dark alley with small plastic stools (a foot off the ground) with matching plastic tables. It was dark and very local. We were surrounded by local folks all of who were friendly and smiled as we sat down. Paul and I both had cao lao as the spa guy said this was the second best place in Hoi An to have it. The napkins on the tables were small squares of paper on a stick that you just pulled from the top. The cao lao was amazing! It had great flavor and a lovely amount of green including coriander that was fresh. Yum! It was so good that I had a second bowl while Paul tried the pho. He says that this bowl of pho is the best he has ever had and I do have to agree with him. I tried it and it was phenomenal. Not to mention the fact that we were eating in a very local joint…..so local that there was a rat sharing the alley with us. I know this sounds gross to most, but it did not bother us. It did not seem to bother anyone or the rat seemed to not care that we were there either. To be honest, it was one of the top three meals that we had in Vietnam. The coolest part yet was the whole meal---3 bowls of cao lao and 1 bowl of pho---was only about $3. Crazy!!! Total made the trip to Vietnam for us.

We went back to the Light Candle for evening beverages and snacks before going to bed. I tried Dalat wine which is made in Vietnam and I was not impressed. Paul had fresh spring rolls which were totally yummy and I tried a banana pancake. It is more like a crepe than a pancake that is filled with fresh banana. It was good. Then for dessert we got fresh cut mango. Gotta love Vietnam!!! We do.

day #1 in Hoi An---the first full day

we slept in and it was lovely. we had no big plans, but just wanted to hang out. paul did some research on places to eat before we left the hotel, but the only thing i had to do was find a tailor. we walked down the road a bit and ended up at the light candle restaurant. i had cao lao for lunch which is a hoi an specialty. it has noodles, some broth, some fresh greens like coriander, then slices of pork and fried noodle bits on top. it was sooo good. i really enjoyed this meal. paul ordered pho bo and he enjoyed his meal too.

after lunch i walked across the street to the first place i was going to try for tailoring. the shops are everywhere and i had really no idea where to start. i used some suggestions from lonely planet and tripadvisor to help me. the first place, to to boutique, which is listed #1 on tripadvisor was just across the way. i went in and asked about some pants i wanted copied. she said the best price was $20. which is good, i guess, but i could buy some for that brand new at the gap. i do consider that i don't have a gap in korea that i can shop at and these ones are made to me. ummm......i just could not justify it. so we walked down a few doors to a girl who was really excited to talk to me on the street. the best price she offered was $11. so paul and i decided to take the plunge. it was not a place on the list, but oh well. i ordered three pairs of pants that would be copied from the GAP ones i brought with me---dark brown, black, and grey. then i also had another pair of pants that i wanted copied---a light army green color. she made them from quick dry material so that will be good for europe. i had a sketch of a basic a-line skirt i wanted made in three colors---grey, dark brown, and an army green color. paul also requested some long shorts made too since all he brought with him was jeans. go figure. lastly i wanted a wool coat made. i have a great black one that i love, but i wanted one that could be worn with browns too. i chose a dark olive green color and i love it. it is gorgeous! i did look at orange or a bright leafy green, but thought it should be a bit more neutral. :)


after being sorted out at the tailor, paul and i went back to hoi an day spa for more massages. we got an hour long head, neck and shoulder massage. it was great. i also got some aromatherapy treatment too. it was great and all for $16 each. the folks that own the place are super nice and he lived in LA for 40 or so years before returning back to vietnam to open a spa here. the ladies that work there are kind and gentle. after our treatments they also offered us some banana wine. it was really strong, but had a good flavor. crazy. she claims it is good for stress.

we had dinner reservations in old town at a place called the cargo club. we made our way there and were seated out on the terrace overlooking the river. the set meal was $19 and had four or five courses. unfortuntately, it was a let down. we were both quite disappointed in the meal. teh main course did some redeeming with dessert that was ok. we just had higher expectations of this place. the reviews on tripadvisor raved about the food........too bad it did not work out for us.

on the way home we realized that the vietnamese football match was on TV. we found a little bar where we could watch the second part of the match. the vietnamese are in the finals and were playing thailand. it was good. vietnam ended up winning, but hoi an was much quieter about it than in hanoi. they play again on the 28th in hanoi, but we will be watching it on the TV somewhere in ho chi minh city. :) looking forward to it.

it was late and we were both getting tired. although we weren't really pleased with dinner, so we were a bit hungry by the time we got back to the hotel. we found a little place open across the way that was a dive. paul had some pho and i had cao lao again. yum!

Hanoi to Hoi An

today we got up earlier than usual and got packed up for the next move of the trip. we checked out of the artsy hotel and got a taxi to the airport. the airport in hanoi is a ways from where we were and all the cool places to be. it took about an hour. before we knew it though we were on a plane bound for danang which is the closest airport to hoi an. the flight was uneventful and i read most of the time.

i did do something thinking though. in front of us sat two easter european men with vietnamese women who appeared to be couples. the men would speak in their native tongue and the women in theirs, and then there were moments when they would speak to each other in english. i have no idea what the deal was, but i am apt to think about the marriage business. i have no idea how these two worlds would have easily collided to make these two couples work. i could be way wrong, but none the less it made me think about life. i asked myself questions, such as is that really the best option? is it really worth it? is it hard? then i told paul that i think, i really do, that i would much rather be alone and happy than have to make something work unnaturally. if push came to shove, i would sell all my stuff and move to some country where the cost of living was next to nothing. choose a life serving God and helping others rather than selling myself to something i don't really want to be a part of.

anyhow, we got a taxi from the airport in danang to our hotel in hoi an. again about an hour's trip. we settled in, got a snack, and went exploring the town. hoi an is small and charming and pedestrian friendly. it is genuine feeling more than any other place we have been. the people seem to be real and there is no ritz or put on for the sake of spicing things up. we walked into old town which is a UNESCO world heritage site. at first glance, i asked why? then you walk around and take it in. it is old and has lots of character. paul made the observation tonight----clothes shops, shoe shops, bag shops, food shops, souvenir shops and then repeat over and over and over and over. getting clothes made here is huge and the lonely planet book claims it can be addicting. i am going to have my go at it tomorrow. i narrowed the list of places down to four or so and i will start with those. i brought some pants i would love to have made in various colors, a thin sweater too that is my travelling companion, and maybe another wool coat in a fun color other than black. i also have a sketch of a skirt too. paul might join me on the adventure and have some long shorts made and i might get him to have a wool coat made too. why not? when in hoi an, get clothes made. :) they getting shoes made here too is easy and cheap. not sure about that one yet, but will have a look tomorrow.

on the way back to the hotel, we stopped and had thirty minute massages for neck, head and shoulders. it was great and cost a whopping $15. nuts. we plan to go back tomorrow and i want a manicure and pedicure with the works. woo hoo!!! vietnam is fun!!!

the end of day #4 in Hanoi

after sipping coffee and just hanging out we decided to make our way back to the hotel. we rested for a bit before seeing an indie downstairs at the cinema. it is really a cool place. we saw a vietnamese film called owl and the sparrow. it was ok. it had english subtitles and was a touching story, but nothing overly exciting. after the movie we were both starved. we had realized that one place we had been told we must go we had not yet been. i was feeling quite lousy as my tummy was acting up again. i did not feel like going anywhere, but oh i am glad i did. we went to restaurant bobby chinn. one word: AMAZING!!! the place is gorgeous and has amazing ambiance. the food is out of this world. let me give you the play by play...

we arrived and weren't sure if we would get a table. from the outside it looks quite small, but it is designed that way. we sat at the bar while we waited for our table. i had homemade ginger ale that i watched the bartender make. so fun! i was really hoping for some relief from this lovely beverage. the chinese believe that ginger soothes the stomach. it was not necessarily working all that well, but i had a second trying to rally for the event. we were ushered to our table which was a booth. the place feels so cozy. it has been partitioned off with red silk drapes for a more intimate experience. i also learned on the website that the walls are padded with foam to help minimize the excess noise. i was totally taken by the place.....clean, crisp, simple, but asian. the menu is entertaining for sure. he has made all these rules about his restaurant and the things on the menu. a great read! i went with the filet mignon and paul chose the lamb shanks. after ordering we were brought "snacks" that were served to us on shells. it was a little chicken kebab that was wonderfully seasoned with lemongrass. wow.....i was anxious to see what would come with dinner. they set the plate in front of me and i thought i was in heaven. the aromas were outstanding. i deliberately ate my meal slowly to savor each and every bite. it was phenomenal for sure. the meat was perfect and the mashed potatoes melted in my mouth. there was a mushroom red wine ragout as well. OH MY!!! about two thirds of the way through our meal, a guy not in the uniform walked up to our table to ask us how the meal was and if everything was ok. yep, it was him, bobby chinn, in the skin!!! i could not believe it. he was wearing jeans and friendly as can be. paul and i have never discussed food the way we did at this meal. it was crazy. to top it off we had dessert. i chose chocolate pudding which might sound so so to some, but not this one. it came beautifully presented on the plate. there was a scoop of ice cream and a small brownie looking heap. when i used the spoon to scoop into it, warm (perfect temperature) chocolate pudding oozed out. wow!!! the dessert was great. paul had a creme brulee trio that he enjoyed very much. after dinner, i insisted that we buy the book....yes, autographed by the man. this meal by far is my most favorite to date. i would love to go backo hanoi to eat at this joint again. a jillion stars!!!

tummy full of absolute goodness with a heart that was soaring we walked by to the hotel. it was the perfect end to a time in hanoi. i did end up feeling much better once i got some steak in me. restaurant bobby chinn is AMAZING!!!

day #4 Hanoi

today we slept later than we have been. i am sure mostly b/c of the night i had. once we got moving we walked to the old quarter for lunch and some shopping. this is the last full day in hanoi. we ate lunch at this little place that alex recommended. we had bun cha which is cooked pork that reminded paul and i of breakfast sausages. it was in a broth and we added some noodles to it with some chopped up garlic. it was good. probably my favorite vietnamese meal so far. we also had nem, which are the fried spring rolls. this meal was more communal than others as were seated at a table with other folks that were already mid-meal. it was fun!

after lunch we did some shopping and i bought some goodies. as we walked up and down the streets paul and i were discussing the fact that we have not been very touristy this trip. we have only been to one sight and one event officially. we are ok with that. we really are interested in resting and being here. we did shop our way to the fruit cup street where we stopped for a snack. we also bought this stuff from a lady on a bike. it is white and tastes like potato. we think it comes from the inside of a bamboo stalk, but we aren't quite sure. we gave the rest to the folks running the fruit cup stand.

after going in a few more shops here and there we made our way back to the coffee shop we love---la place. here we sit sipping our coffee, playing DS and reading. the life of us is really laid back which we are both thankful for. :)

calm & crazy day #3 in Hanoi

most of the day was pretty calm. paul and i had brunch at this little cafe called la place. then we ended up hanging out here most of the day....reading, blogging, uploading pictures, journaling, playing DS, etc. we also had many iced vietnamese coffees which are the best here, i think. we also had mango crepes with ice cream for an afternoon snack. yum!

then we went on a hunt for a power plug for the DS that can be used in the 220v outlets here and in korea. we walked and walked and finally happened upon a little store that had what we needed. paul also bargained the guy into a R4 for my DS. for those of you who don't know what that is here is the deal. it is a memory card that you can download DS games onto from the internet. lots of games, to be honest. paul has one and loves it. we also found an english-korean translator you can use on the DS if you have a R4. it was a deal and now i have one too.

we had dinner at this little mediterranean restaurant that was more italian than any thing else. we had carpaccio and i had a calzone while paul had tuna. it was good and we also got to have some wine too. we sat near some teachers that i ended up introducing myself too. one of which works here in hanoi---the other in ho chi minh and the other in doha, qatar. it was interesting to say the least.

after dinner, we went to get some coffee before we made out way to the water puppet show. supposedly this is a huge deal and the art form of puppetry has been here a long time. we had quite a few people tell us to make sure and see them while we were here. we did....it was neat, but paul and i weren't as impressed as we expected. we did it though. the puppteers wear waders and everything is done in the water. it is interesting to watch.

the real excitement started though when we left the theater. the street outside was FULL of people and many, many scooters. it was absolute nuts! the scooters and cars were all honking their horns and people were waving the vietnam flag like mad. at first, we had no idea what was going on. then we were approached by a guys selling mini flags. he shouted, "vietnam football #1!!!" then it all made sense.....the vietnamese soccer team had won the match we saw on a TV in passing earlier. we hurried up the balcony of the coffee shop and i was able to get some of the madness on video which i will post. lots and lots and lots of people waving all sizes of flags and chanting, "Vi-et-nam!!!" it was totally crazy. i waved my little flag which made people we walk by smile and say, "Go Vietnam!" it was a fun walk home no less. lots of crazy soccer fans most of the way home.

we got home and attempted to go to sleep. my stomach was churning from 1) too much coffee, 2) too much dairy, or 3) all the new food. who knows but i had a hard time sleeping. i was tired, just could not get comfy. then at about 2am i heard a pow and then we lost power. the entire guest house lost power. no one seemed to be doing anything about it. i finally got to sleep and then about the time the sun was coming up i heard some banging and a rooster. not much longer after that the power kicked back on. the music started playing in the courtyard and the normal "buzz" of the guesthouse was in full swing. crazy night.

part two, day #2 in Hanoi...

Paul and I went to a little place called Papa Joe's cafe for dinner. We had panini sandwiches. Then we walked down this street full of stalls that has become the impromptu night market. It is nuts. There is stuff everywhere and so much of it. All sorts of things---shoes, clothes, jewelry, stuffed animals---all over it. We walked to the end of the market street where the Dong Xuan Market is. It was closed, but who needs it when there is tons of merch on the street to browse. Then we walked a few more blocks to the Long Bien bridge. It was dark and we honestly could not see that much. This bridge was supposedly built by the same guy who built the Eiffel Tower, but there is rumor that it is not true. This bridge though was bombed heaps during the war by the Americans. Each time the Vietnamese would repair it, so that they were able to continue using it. It was not until the American POWs were the ones repairing it that the American soldiers stopped bombing it. It is still pretty old looking and the repairs are still visible. We did not see them last night, but we have been told you can see them.

After the bridge, we got a taxi back to our hotel. We sat downstairs in the courtyard cafe having drinks and eating some french fries. It is so cool that we can do that. The cinema was busy, but we weren't interested in seeing any movies last night. There is an indie film showing Monday night that we are going to see called The Owl and the Sparrow. It's Vietnamese with English subtitles and has won many awards. We relaxed in the courtyard before calling it a night.

Paul booked our tickets to Hoi An for Tuesday and also began the process of looking for a hotel there. It was not an easy task because many of them are booked. Argh. He did find one this morning and we are hoping that it will work out.