It’s not every day you see a city turn 1000 years old. Hell, Denver is barely 150! The city was inundated with Vietnamese from the countryside. Estimates were that the population increased by over a million the week of the festival. Namely what that meant for us was traffic, traffic, traffic. But it was still cool to experience all the pride and excitement for Hanoians.

See photos

Jen was the first foreigner to be asked to participate in Vietnam’s annual National Poetry Day. One of her poems was translated into Vietnamese. She read it in English and her writer friend read it in Vietnamese to a crowd of 2,000 at the Temple of Literature (the oldest university in Vietnam). It received a great response! Afterward, she was photographed and interviewed like a movie star.

She did a great job and I’m very proud of her!

Click to see photos!

Great trip…. lots of beach and leisure time with good friends

Click to see photos!time

It was a nice Christmas despite the lack of snow. Our first Xmas away from home!

Click to see photos!

Ha Long Bay of the rice paddies!

Click to see photos!

Taipei

Taroko Gorge

Thailand

Again, the pictures are better than my narrative.

photos

The pictures are better than my narrative.

First batch – KL

Second batch – Borneo

Another gem that we missed last time we were here. This is one of the most revered spots in the north. Most Vietnamese I know make at least one pilgrimage here a year. I’m still trying to wrap my brain around the popular religious views that go along with that. Everyone says that they’re Buddhists, but it’s unlike any Buddhism I’ve read about (I’ve been told that’s because a lot of monks were assassinated and imprisoned after the war and people have morphed it into what’s convenient). The dominant views seem to me to be much more “luck” based than what I understand Buddhism to be. This place was a great example For instance, in the “Buddhist” temple (in the cave) people pray to a fertility stone and touch its water believing that it will help them get pregnant. People touch the money stone and its water believing it will bring them wealth. How that fits with the core Buddhist value of non-attachment, I don’t know. But there’s plenty of things that happen in churches that Jesus probably wouldn’t dig either.

I digress…. anyway…

It was a good trip, but man was it hot! About 105 degrees. We went with a CELTA friend, Wes. As you can see from the photos, it’s gorgeous there.

Photos of Perfume Pagoda

Our buddy Grant organized another outing to our favorite fishing spot.
We didn’t have fireworks or flags, but we had spirit! (And ended the evening eating American style burgers)

Photos of the fourth of July