Eating Bun Rieu Cua today for lunch. Rat Ngon! (very tasty!)
Michael with Tung and Binh at their home last night
Fisherman, Truc Bach Lake
Our future home (well 3 storeys and 65 steps up!!)
AVI volunteers, Hoa Sua, April 15, 2010
The Apology, Australian Embassy, Hanoi
Hang Duong Street, Hanoi
Painting houses in Hang Duong Street, no safety harnesses
Family farewell, Tullamarine
Nat, Chloe, Melissa, with Michael
Chloe and Grandpa
We will have been here a week tomorrow and as usual have packed the week almost as full as our suitcases. We started with a nostalgic cup of coffee on Hoam Kiem Lake last Tuesday afternoon, followed by acquiring a sublet apartment for 4.5 months on Truc Bach Lake later that evening. Then it was Michael's AVI orientation which I joined for three days. Our hotel is in the Old Quarter and named the Melody Hotel: quite apt for the melodies of car and bike horns, loudspeakers and the buzz of people on the narrow streets.
This year is the 1000th year anniversary of the founding of Hanoi by King Ly Thai To. Saturday evening we attended a gala performance by an indigenous Australian didgeridoo player and a number of aboriginal hip-hoppers as Australia's birthday gift to Hanoi (your taxes at work, so thankyou!).
We have been walking (carefully) and climbing many stairs to get ready for the the 65 stair climb to our small lakeside abode.
It's been good to catch up with Hanoi. On Friday when we went to lunch I met a friend I hadn't seen for 15 years. What joy!
We've also enjoyed getting to know other Australian volunteers and people with whom Michael works. I'm still working on a possible diversion!!
And this morning: Vietnamese language classes with Mr Hung. We have learned about the 9 vowels plus two, and the different uses of personal pronouns according to relationships. Tomorrow we start on vocab. Michael has been a star. I'm recouping...plus knitting!
Great to hear everything's going well xxx
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