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Sabbatical 2018
  • Sharon Vinick
  • arie grossman
Atualmente viajando
fev. 2018 – set. 2025

Sabbatical 2018

Uma aventura indeterminada pela Sharon & arie Leia mais
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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Wat Prah Singh temple complex
    Largest chedi, with smaller one next to itOpen air prayer space next to ChediWax statutes of monks in largest prayer spaceTemple housing Phra Singh BuddhaDragons outside templePrah Singh Buddha

    Wat Prah Singh

    22 de março de 2018, Tailândia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    After the market and the temples, Arie and Maya needed to take a break. (Maya was also suffering from jet lag, and desperately needed some sleep.) I felt like there were so many temples to see, that I couldn’t possibly nap. So, I set off to do some exploring on my own. Over the course of a couple of hours, I saw another 4 temples. They were all lovely, but one really knocked my socks off — Wat Prah Singh, which was only a few blocks from our hotel, as it turned out.

    Construction of this temple began in 1345 when the King built a “chedi” (which is a large structure — usually gold in color — with a square base and a cone on top that ends with a spire) to house the ashes of his father. A few years later, other structures were added, and in 1367 the statute of the Phra Singh Buddha was added, giving the temple its name. The entire complex fell into disrepair between 1578 and 1774. The first restoration was completed in 1782, and it has been renovated numerous times since then, most recently in 2002. (Unlike an archeological site, which is no longer in daily use, a temple is used constantly so renovations are entirely acceptable and expected.)

    The complex consists of a huge chedi, covered in gold, which is surrounded by four, smaller golden chedis. There are also three buildings for prayer which are all elaborately decorated inside and outside. In the largest prayer space there are wax replicas of important monks who lived at Prah Singh. (This is super common at temples, and is meant to honor the monks who have passed.). I was fortunate enough to come to the complex at the height of the afternoon heat, so it was pretty empty. I was so captivated by the beauty of the complex that I found myself finding quiet (and shady) benches upon which to sit while I observed people coming and going, and pondered life. Just a lovely stop in the afternoon.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Dried fruit, nuts and some spices
    Dried fishFresh noodles and fishFish soup for breakfastPiles of orchidsFlowers for hanging in car, shopThree kinds of peppersFresh red and green curryEggs -- white, brown and dyed pinkLunch at loal restaurant at end of our tour

    Outdoor Market, Thai Style

    22 de março de 2018, Tailândia ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    In Thailand, most of the shopping is done in a market, which typically has some stalls that are covered, or inside a building, as well as vendors who are outdoors. There are markets for clothing, markets for household goods, and markets for food. They are often located near each other. Chiang Mai has quite a few of these markets.

    Never one to pass up a market, I was delighted that we were able to visit a couple of food markets in Chiang Mai. As is the case in Vietnam, most of the population does the majority of their food shopping at an traditional market, with stalls and private vendors. However, most of the vendors are middle men, buying their produce from a farmer outside of town. The markets in Chiang Mai are both similar and different to those in Vietnam. The similarities — lots of produce that I’ve never seen and can’t figure out how to use, lots of prepared sauces and foods for purchase, and lots of spices. The differences — Thai markets are so, so much cleaner, with all types of meat resting on ice (instead of on the ground), and produce is often in cellophane or plastic bags (rather than simply in a big pile).

    Dong took us to one of the largest markets in Chiang Mai, and graciously gave us the English name of anything that we pointed to. He also gave us a tasting tour of sweet and savory specialities. We started with a sweet, crispy rolled cookie made out of rice flour. It was tasty, and reminded me of the pirolle cookies that often come with ice cream. Then we had some type of jelly candy which was wrapped and came in a variety of flavors, including sugar cane, black sesame, mango, and strawberry. Meh. We next ate a variety of candies made out of sesame and/or coconut, some of which were delicious and some of which were so-so. After starting with the sweets, we shared a typical Thai breakfast, which you eat with your hands — sticky rice, dipped in green curry, with a piece of spicey sausage. Now, that was yummy. After some more wandering, we stopped for a second breakfast — rice noodles, with fish balls. Also delicious.

    As we wandered through the market, we also came upon a stand that had live birds in little bamboo cages, as well as live fish and eels in buckets. I asked Dong about this stall and he told me that the birds and fish were purchased to rid people of bad karma. If you think that you have bad karma, you can buy the bird, and then set it free. Same with the fish or eel. The act of freeing the bird, fish or eel is supposed to help you get rid of the bad karma.

    On the outside of the food market, flowers are sold. The array is quite different from what I’ve seen at the SF flower market. There are lots of marigolds sold, as yellow is the color of prosperity. Taxi drivers and shop owners buy strings of these marigolds, as well as strings of other flowers, that are hung on rear view mirrors, or doors, or draped on small shrines, to ensure prosperity. There are also huge piles of orchids, which you see displayed everywhere. And, there are lotus flowers (I had to ask what they were, because I’d never seen them.)

    The sites and sounds of the market were just captivating. I could have spent the entire day in the market, but the rest of Chiang Mai called.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Silver Temple
    Monk praying in silver templePrayer strings hung for families who make a contributionWat Chedi LuangArie and dragon statute (dragons are everywhere)

    Temples Everywhere

    22 de março de 2018, Tailândia ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    To give us an introduction to Chiang Mai, we decided to take a half day food/temple tour. Our guide, Dong, was born and raised in Chiang Mai, and was an enthusiastic ambassador to the food, and a so-so guide for the temples. But, given that both the food and the temples were equally unfamiliar to us, it all worked out just fine.

    So, the temples. . . .seriously, they are everywhere. The first night in the city, Arie and I passed at least 6 temples on our way to dinner. As our guide, Dong, took us to the market in a “taxi” (a pickup truck with a top, in which the back has been turned into seats for 6 people), we passed at least 6 more temples. When I asked Dong about the number of temples, he told me that there were many, many temples in Chiang Mai. When I looked it up on the internet, I learned that there are more than 300 temples within the city of Chiang Mai, and it is estimated that there are 40,000 Buddhist temples in Thailand, of which 30,000 are in active use. Some of the temples are extremely simple, and others are extraordinarily elaborate. Each temple has a different story about when it was built, who built it, whether it has been destroyed/rebuilt, etc. And, while I could barely keep the stories straight as they were told to me, they were all beautiful.

    Monks live in many of the temples, and provide religious instruction to boys (although not girls) in the community. Given the number of temples, there are obviously a lot of monks. So, seeing monks walking down the street, buying ice cream, riding in taxis, etc., is not unusual. And, since many Thai boys spend one to three months living in a temple (usually during the summer before they enter high school), it is also not unusual to see the monks rough-housing and acting like teenage boys. I was a bit taken aback when we were approached by a monk in one the temples, who asked our guide to remove his hat, and I noticed that the monk was carrying an i-phone in his hand.

    We also went to one of the temples around 6 pm, to watch evening prayers. Since it is summer vacation, there are a huge number of boys who are spending a “summer” in religious instruction, and we got to watch the monks teaching the boys to say their evening prayers. It was just like watching the kids in t’fillah during religious school at the temple, although the boys seemed to be better behaved than some of the kids that I’ve seen in temple!    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018

    Hello Thailand

    21 de março de 2018, Tailândia ⋅ 🌙 27 °C

    After a full day of travel, we arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, around 6 pm. Just the drive from the airport to the hotel made it clear that Thailand is very, very different than Vietnam.

    To begin, the streets of Chiang Mai are shockingly clean, even by American standards. There is not a piece of trash tossed against the curb, or a paper blowing across the street. After Vietnam, which is alarmingly dirty, it was hard not to notice the pristine condition of the streets.

    Restaurants are formal affairs, with real tables and chairs. There are food carts here, but they are clean and modern. I didn’t see a single woman selling food on a bench on the sidewalk, or “pop-up” vendors with plastic stools for tables and chairs. And, most of the food being sold from vendors is carefully packaged and priced, rather than scooped from a larger bowl into a smaller one, and handed to you to eat.

    There are motor bikes, but crossing the street does not take an act of courage. Stop lights exist, and people actual stop when the light turns red.

    After we dropped our bags at the hotel, we went in search of dinner. As we strolled through the streets of the ancient city, we saw fancy stores, filled with handmade goods, and manufactured items. And, we saw lots and lots of Westerners, and heard languages that we actually could understand (lots of Hebrew, by the way).

    Having researched options in a variety of blog posts, we went in search of a couple of restaurants that were supposed to be quite good. One was closed. A second was closing. And we could not find the third one. So, we opted to have dinner at a small restaurant with sidewalk seating, after some stranger who noticed me looking at his food said “it’s good.” We grabbed a table and a menu, picked a few dishes, and motioned for the waiter. Nope, got it wrong. Our table was on the other side of an imaginary line, and we had to order from the restaurant next door. (This was unclear to us, as we were actually sitting directly in front of the other one.). Fine, we were hungry. We ordered pad Thai (meh) and Khao Sol (a typical noodle dish, which was quite tasty). With two bottles of water, our bill came to a whopping $7. The food wasn’t fantastic, but it was tasty and filling.

    As we walked back to the hotel, we passed an ice cream cart, and Arie stopped for a snack. We also found a place to buy dinner for Maya, who joins us tonight. Family adventure time.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Tour guide Lin

    Goodbye Vietnam, for now

    21 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    Our ten days in Vietnam flew by, and it is now time to move on to Thailand. The guide that we’ve been exploring Southern Thailand with — Quy — was unable to take us to the airport, so his cousin — Lin — picked us up and took us to Da Nang. Lin was just delightful, and was the first female tour guide that we’ve had a chance to speak with since we had the food tour on our first night in Hanoi.

    Lin, like the other guides whom we’ve talked to, told us about life in Vietnam. Much to my surprise, her perspective was similar to that of the male guides with whom we’ve talked — there is a huge gap between rich and poor, the government is incredibly corrupt, bribery is common, and people are working very hard to improve their financial situation. She us told us about her experiences in going to university, which was quite interesting.

    At one time, there was a university in the Hoi An. However, attracting teachers proved impossible because there were too few students, so the university closed. As a result, anyone who wants a university education must go to Da Nang to study, which is prohibitively expensive for most people. To make if possible to pay for school, Lin lived in a one room apartment with 5 other women. The apartment had a “kitchen,” which sounded like a hot plate and a sink. The bathroom was down the hall. Each woman had a desk and stool for studying, but they shared a large sleeping mat that was rolled up every night. She spoke fondly of the experience, and mentioned that because of development in Da Nang, the building has been torn down to make way for a big hotel. According to Lin, this type of development is a very mixed bag for the average person in Vietnam. The person who owns the building that is being torn down rarely has a choice about whether to sell the property, although they do get compensation. The people who lived in the building, or had small business in the building, or left without anyplace to live or work, and generally have to move back to the village that they came from. Obviously, the problems of gentrification are not unique to the United States.

    Before leaving Vietnam, I would be remiss if i didn’t discuss politics a bit.

    As we traveled through Vietnam, we were obviously visiting tourist sites. Much to my surprise, the majority of the tourists that we encountered were were Asian (mostly Chinese, but also Japanese and Korean). There were certainly some Westerners, but far, far fewer than Asians. The people with whom we spoke — who admittedly work in the tourist industry — had kind words about Westerners, but lots of criticisms about the Asian tourists, mostly having to do with the fact that Westerners spend more money, and are more interested in learning about Vietnamese culture. The Chinese, in particular, are only interested in how the history of Vietnam relates to China, and tour guides often talk about how this or that place was once part of China, and then criticize the Vietnamese. (Lin told us a crazy story about a Chinese tour guide who was overheard to say China was going to take over Vietnam again — something which most Vietnamese actually fear — and the tour guide was “reported” to the Vietnamese government for making such claims and had to flee the country. It could be apocryphal, but it certainly tells you a little bit the relationship between the countries.)

    The people with whom we interacted — again, all in the tourist industry — were surprisingly sanguine about the American role in the war. Lin seemed to sum it up best — “It is always better to have another friend than an enemy. So, we forgive, but we don’t forget.” All of our guides asked us if we wanted to hear about the war before they told stories, as some Americans do not want to talk about it. And, when I made it clear that I felt the US had made a mistake going into Vietnam, I was met by shrugs. And, when I asked about people being injured by unexploded land mines, I was told that people only get hurt when they go where they shouldn’t. While this struck me as an enormous oversimplification, I thought that it was indicative of a fatalism about life that is quite common and not too surprising in a country in which infants ride on motor scooters and food poisoning is considered of fact of life.

    I also noticed that there is still huge tension between the North and South Vietnam. Historically, Vietnam has been divided far longer than it has been united. While America played a crucial role in the war, we weighed in on one side of an ongoing civil war. The actions of Vietnamese soldiers on both sides led to huge civilian fatalities, and both sides engaged in what we’d now consider to be war crimes. After the war, Ho Chi Minh and the government established a series of rules that were designed to assure that power and wealth would remain with those who supported the communists. So, for example, if you fought on the side of South Vietnam, your descendants for the next three generations (children, grandchildren and great grandchildren) are barred from holding any government position, including teachers, ranking military positions and any political position. Since the payment of bribery is common, and is unbelievably lucrative, being excluded from government jobs has enormous financial ramifications. Moreover, the social mores of the country differ as you move from North to South, with life becoming more liberal the farther South you move. These social and economic differences, combined with lingering resentments from the war, create a population that is sharply divided.

    Our time in Vietnam has been fascinating (but is not over, as we return for a week at the end of the trip). On to Thailand . . .    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Sharon and Arie in front of main temple in My Son
    Inside prayer space, looking outBuilding for storing offeringsJungle path in ChamCarvings outside of temple, right side is incomplete (imperfect)Arie demonstrating imperfection in carvingRuins at My Son

    My Son -- Champa Temple Complex

    20 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    About an hour outside of Hoi An is Vietnam’s most famous Champa Temple Complex — My Son. The complex consisted of a series of more than a dozen temples sites, each of which had approximately a dozen buildings. The temples were built from the 4th century to the 14th century AD, and were used for Hindu worship, although the primary God worshiped in the complex was Shiva (locally referred to as Bhadreshvara). The site was considered holy due to the geography — a valley, surrounded by mountains, with a river running through it. After the slaughter of the Cham, the complex fell into disuse, and was essentially lost for five hundred years. It was “re-discovered” in 1904 by a French archeologist, named M.C. Paris. Messr. Paris knew that the French archeologist Henri Parmentier was working on similar ruins in Cambodia (Angkor Wat) and invited him to see the complex.

    From 1937 to 1943, archeological work on the My Song complex was conducted. The first step involved removing the vegetation that had covered the various temples in the complex. Each “site” had multiple structures, built over hundreds of years. The sites were given letter designations from A through N. The finds were remarkable. The archeologists determined that each “temple” actually included buildings, including a building in which the monks conducted religious blessings, and one in which offerings were a stored. Sculptures sat within and around the temples, and many items were moved to museums. Then, when the war with France broke out, the excavations were stopped. Later, during the American/Vietnam war, the site was used by the Viet Cong for hiding. In a single week in August 1969, the Americans carpet bombed the site and almost every structure was destroyed, leaving only the temples at site C standing. Even now, as you walk through the site, you see enormous craters which were created when the bombs dropped.

    We had left the hotel at 7:30, so that we could beat the crowds to the site, and also avoid the heat. (It turned out perfectly, as it also allowed us to see the site before a huge rain storm blew in.). We were in the third vehicle to arrive to the site, and got to walk through the jungle alone. It was so gorgeous. We arrived at site C, where the only intact temples are, with a few other families. Wandering through the complex without hordes of other people was fantastic. We learned lots about the religious practices of the Cham, and the uses of each building. But, the most interesting thing that we learned was about the Cham view of perfection. According to the Cham, no human being can ever achieve perfection. Only the Gods can achieve perfection. So, in every religious structure, there is some purposeful imperfection included. The type of imperfection varies wildly, and it takes close examination to see the imperfections. In one temple, the imperfection was that a column was left incomplete. But my favorite “imperfection” was in a statute of Shiva. In the statute, Shiva raises her hands together, and places her thumbs together. When you first look at the statute, it looks right. But, when you look again and try to place your hands in the same way, you realize that the hands have been reversed. (Quy had Arie try to replicate the pose, and it was only when he did so that we saw the imperfection.). Subtle, but a beautiful “philosophy.”    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    1Lanterns in Ancient City of Hoi An
    Japanese bridge in Hoi AnEven monks like to go sightseeingDog who guards Japanese bridge from sea monsterPrivate house built more than 1000 years agoBeautiful carvings in private home21More lanternsWoman making white rose dumplingsWhite rose dumplings, filled with pork

    Beautiful Hoi An

    20 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Before we came to Vietnam, quite a few people told me that Hoi An was their favorite city in Vietnam. I read about the City, but didn’t really understand the hype. Well, now I get it.

    Hoi An is an old town, which was first established in the seventh century. The city was an active port for over a thousand years. Unlike other port cities in Vietnam, Hoi An had significant settlements by immigrants from China and Japan, who were both given royal permission to live and conduct business in the City. The culture and architectural styles of these immigrants became part of the fabric of the city, and their influences are still seen today.

    Despite the fact that central Vietnam was a battleground during both the French and Vietnam/America wars, the ancient part of the city escaped with little damage. Today, the ancient city is a huge tourist destination, filled with old houses, shops and alley ways. When we toured the city, we saw houses that are over 1000 years old, but still occupied by families who open the front part of their houses in exchange (for which they receive money from the government). We also saw the usual variety of temples, some of which have strong influences from Chinese and Japanese immigrants.

    Hoi An is actually known for two different things.

    First, Hoi An is the home of Vietnamese custom tailoring. Every other shop offers clothing and custom tailoring. Want a suit? No problem. Come in, pick out your fabrics, have your measurements taken, and come back a few hours later for your first fitting. Both Arie and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to have some clothing custom made. I had done some research about which tailors to go to, and our guide, Quy, gave us some additional information. The first shop that we went to was BeBe. Arie decided to have a suit and two dress shirts made for him. There were literally thousands of fabrics, at various price points, from which to choose. After some discussion with the woman who was helping us (all of the salespeople in these tailor shops are women), Arie chose some fabrics and made some choices about the style. While we stood in the showroom, he was measured and the numbers were jotted down on a piece of paper. A small deposit was taken, and we were told to come back at 7:30 — about 5 hours later — for his first fitting. As I hadn’t found the fabric that I wanted for a wool coat that I had in mind, we headed to a second store called Laly. I found the right fabric for the outside of the coat, and a cool pattern for inside. But why stop at a coat, when I could easily add a couple of pairs of slacks to the order. Done. I was told to return the next afternoon.

    Just before dinner, we returned to Bebe for Arie’s fitting. So, a mere 5 hours after we had ordered his suit, Arie was trying on a brand new suit, and two beautiful shirts. It was crazy.

    While I watched Arie try on his new duds, I exchanged some texts with Maya, in which I joked about buying a whole new wardrobe. She was with Hannah, and they told me to go back and order something else, as I’d regret not ordering more. So, I decided to go back and order a pair of silk slacks and a top! In the 48 hours in which we were in Hoi An, Arie had two fittings and I had three (getting the right style for the coat turned out to be complicated, as we were working from a picture that I’d brought with me.). But, by the time we left, our clothes were finished, and we arranged to have them shipped home. Had we been in Hoi An for a week, I think that I would have had a hard time not ordering more clothes. It was super fun, and not very expensive by US standards.

    The second thing for which Hoi An is known is the manufacture and display of fabric lanterns, which are made in small shops and factories in and around Hoi An. These lanterns come in half a dozen shapes, although the “garlic” shape seems to be most popular. They come in a variety of sizes, from relatively small (8 inches long) to quite large (2 feet long). And, the lanterns come in every color of the rainbow. The lanterns are hung everywhere — on trees, balconies, and wires that go across the streets. The colors and shapes look beautiful during the day. But, at night, it is simply magical, particularly in the ancient part of town, were the lights in the shops are pretty dim and the lanterns glow. (I understand that during the full moon, all of the lights are turned off in the ancient city, and it is particularly gorgeous.).

    I was completely enchanted by the lanterns, and decided that they would be an excellent addition to the garden at the River. Arie was initially skeptical, particularly when I mentioned that I wanted to hang them outside and put bulbs in them. (“What? How do you think I could do that? Don’t count on that, Sharon.”). But, as we walked along, I won him over to the idea. We found a wonderful shop that specialized in lanterns, and actually made their own (as opposed to simply buying lanterns from someone and just selling the finished product.). We had a lengthy conversation with the shopkeeper, Van, who taught us about the different fabrics that are used for making lanterns, the various sizes and shapes, and told us which lanterns were best for hanging outside. She also told us that she could ship them to the US. If they were sent by sea, delivery is in 3-4 months, but the cost is considerably less. We selected an assortment of shapes, in an array of colors, and she said that she’d make them for us and then ship them. She also said that she’d have to call the “boss lady” to come and discuss the order with us. We said fine and began the process of ordering. In about 5 minutes, a woman who we’d met before arrived by motor scooter. Turns out that Van called the “box lady,” not the “boss lady.” We had met her earlier when we stopped in the shipping “office” to inquire about the prices of sending a box to the US. Apparently she has a monopoly on shipping and services all of the shops in the area. I guess that is expected in a small town. So, lanterns are ordered and should arrive mid-summer, if we are lucky. Whenever they arrive, I know that hanging them in the garden will be a lovely reminder of a delightful visit.

    Of course, every city also has its special foods. Hoi An has two — banh mi, and white rose dumplings. The banh mi are Vietnamese sandwiches, and can be filled with pork, chicken, beef, or eggs, as well as a smattering of vegetables. Anthony Bourdain has made one shop famous, and our guide took us there. Each sandwich was $1.25, and was quite yummy. (We actually went there twice in two days.). White rose dumplings are handmade rice noodles, which are shaped into a rose, filled with pork or shrimp, and steamed. We tasted them on our first night, and then got to see them made when we toured Hoi An. The woman we saw making them lived in one of the oldest houses in Hoi An. She and just a few other women make this delicacy, and then they sell them to restaurants around town. Seeing them made was quite interesting, and a real treat — as was eating them.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Ganesh from My Son, shown in Cham Museum
    Oyster beds on way to Da NangBride and groomn having photo taken at Hai Van pass1View of Dragon Bridge in Da NangHead of the Dragon Bridge, which breathes fire on the weekends.Pagoda outside of Da NangArie and Sharon in front of PagodaFemale Budha, with SharonArie and Nine Headed DragonView of Beach in Da Nang from Pagoda

    Hue to Hoi An

    19 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    We rose early and hit the road for Hoi An. The drive was quite stunning — lots of small villages, green rice fields and rolling hills. One thing that I realized is that in Vietnam there are no highways, so you drive through fields and towns as you go from one place to another. And, the towns are actually on the road, rather than to one side or another. So, as you drive, you go through the middle of series of villages and small towns. Also, because sidewalks are pretty rare, as you drive through towns you are very, very close to shops and people’s homes.

    As we drove, I found it endlessly fascinating to peer into people’s private homes, which is easy because the doors and windows are generally wide open, to help with the heat. What I saw was quite a lot of poverty. I talked to both of our guides about this, and learned that there is a huge divide in the country between the rich and the poor, with a very, very small middle class. The average earnings for an individual are between $150 and $400 per month. Most households have multiple adults who work, which is necessary given the low earnings. (Caring for your aging family members is also a cultural obligation, so multi-generational families are the norm.). For those families who live in villages, they try to have gardens in which they can raise food and perhaps a few chickens, or a cow if they are lucky. People generally have enough money to eat very modest meals (lots and lots of rice), to buy clothing, and to have electricity and running water. Homelessness seems very rare. But, the houses are very, very simply furnished, with wooden furniture, and sleeping mats. Most houses do not have a refrigerator or hot water heater. Families share a scooter if they can afford it. Life in Vietnam is very hard.

    At the same time, the ravages of the war are not a distant memory. During both the wars for independence from France, and the American/Vietnam war, fighting was a constant, bombing was frequent, and starvation was common. Anyone who is 50 or older lived through these wars, and the stories are probably told endlessly to the younger generation. So, the people we spoke with consider the situation to be much improved, and seemed pretty sanguine about the economic realities of life in Vietnam. Both of our tour guides, as well as the young woman who led our food tour in Hanoi, said that life was improving in Vietnam, and that opportunities were growing. This fits with what you see — building everywhere, and people working hard to start businesses and make money in any way they can. (But, as an American, I can’t help but be reminded of how incredibly fortunate we are, in comparison to people in the rest of the world.)

    Our first stop was about an hour outside of Hue, where we walked to a beach and got to see some oyster beds. Unlike in Ha Long Bay, where the oysters are harvested for pearls, these oysters are eaten. The bay is relatively shallow, and old tires from motor scooters are cut in half and used as beds for the oysters. Once the oysters are harvested, the tires are laid in the road, where cars drive over them and break off the old shells. Then, the tires go back into the water where they are used again. Definitely recycling at its finest.

    After another hour in the car, we stopped at a beautiful peak in the Hai Van pass. Although it was still quite foggy, the view was lovely. And, again, we saw a bride posing for photos with her groom — he was wearing a red suit. (Red is the color of good fortune, but this is the first groom that I’ve seen in a red suit.). When I asked about the photos, our guide told me that about three weeks before a wedding, most couples put on their western wedding clothes, and have their photos taken in a few different locations. Then, the photos are blown up and displayed at the wedding banquet.

    Our next stop was Da Nang, where we went to the Cham museum. Most of the artifacts in the museum are from My Son, a Cham temple complex just outside of Hoi An. As the Cham were Hindus, the artifacts include sculptures of Vishnu, Brahman and Shiva, and the writing on the artifacts is in Sanskrit.

    Across from the museum is the “Dragon Bridge.” Why is it called that? Well, winding its way through the bridge is an immense yellow dragon, in steel. We saw the Dragon from the tail end. Sadly, we also saw it on a Monday. Apparently, on Saturday and Sunday, the dragon spews fire from its mouth!

    As we headed out of Da Nang, we stopped at “China Beach,” which was a place where American soldiers went for rest and relaxation. Now it is called Da Nang beach, mostly because the Vietnamese generally dislike the Chinese. Both of our guides gave us the same explanation for the views on the Chinese. First, China occupied Vietnam for the greater part of 1000 years. No one likes an occupier. Second, Chinese tourists have been flooding Vietnam for the last decade. They have a reputation for being pushy and cheap. The number of Chinese visitors to Vietnam is so high that they Vietnamese say “the Chinese are everywhere, even in my toilet (aka, bathroom). To accommodate the Chinese tourists who are interested in high class resorts and gambling, Vietnam is developing the beach in Da Nang into a little “Miami,” full of huge hotel/resort complexes, high rises and casinos. Not particularly beautiful, but likely to be a huge revenue source for Vietnam’s fastest growing city.

    Our last stop was a beautiful pagoda on a hill on the far side of Da Nang. The is the only pagoda in all of Vietnam which has a female Buddha! The pagoda is very beautiful. Behind the pagoda is a series of caves which each have another image of the Buddha. As you head down the hill from the Pagoda, you pass a “garden” inhabited by 9 dragons. We had seen many buildings decorated with 9 dragons, as this number of dragons symbolizes power and good luck, but this was our first garden. Very cool looking.

    We ended our day in Hoi An. . . But that’s for another post.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Noon gate imperial palace
    Gate into Imperial PalaceImperial Palace -- biggest remaining structureClose up of PalaceCorridor of Imperial PalaceInside corridor at Imperial PalaceLooking from corridor into gardenGarden in House of the Mother of King

    Imperial Palace & Forbidden Purple City

    18 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    In addition to building an impressive tomb and temple, Ming Mang built a fabulous palace in the center of Hue. Like the tomb and temple, this structure is immense, and is surrounded by multiple walls and moats. Unlike the tomb, most of the palace was destroyed either during the war with France, or during the American/Vietnam war. Indeed, because the palace was used by the Viet Cong for hiding during the Vietnam war, it suffered heavy bombing, so very, very little of what was once a beautiful structure remains.

    The general outline of the palace is roughly visible, and there has been some reconstruction. However, all that really remains of the 19th century palace is the noon gate (through which people entered the palace), some of the corridors, and the rooms and the gardens of the King’s mother and grandmother. There are photos of the palace that were taken in the very early 1900s, and it is clear that the structure was stunning! Looking at the remains, and the photos, gives you some sense of what the palace must have looked like in its glory — a relatively western structure, that was decorated with traditional Vietnamese carvings and decorations. The overwhelming feeling that I had was one of sadness for the destruction.

    In the afternoon, we took a much needed rest at the hotel, as it was sweltering outside. Our guide, Quy, offered to take us to old Hue for dinner. He said that he knew local places, and that dinner for the 3 of us would cost $5 — TOTAL. We were game, and agreed to meet around 6. He asked us if we ate everything, and we said we did. . .

    For dinner, we walked from our hotel to old Hue. On the way, we got to see some new lights that were installed on the main street by a company run by our pal Doug Lee. The lights are very modern, and employ some amazing technology that Doug developed. It was fun to see something created by someone we know. .. makes the world seem oddly small.

    We had three stops for dinner.

    The first stop was a “shop” that was in an empty room that opened onto the street. Again — no refrigeration, no running water. Just two women and a burner, some small tables and stools for chairs. The dish we ate was a noodle soup with fish. The noodles were hand-made by one of the women, who literally made the rice dough in her hands, rolled it out on a small board, and then cut it into thin strips. The freshly made noodles were dropped into a pot of fish stock, and then scooped into our bowls with some fish. Quite tasty. I also liked the hard boiled pigeon eggs that we ate while we waited for our soup. Arie liked the soup, but his verdict on the eggs — meh.

    Our second stop was literally a corner, where a woman sat with a metal box and some baskets. She knew Quy, and he told us that this was one of his favorite places. She put 5 small stools on the corner — 2 for a tables, and 3 for us to sit on. She gave us three duck eggs. We cracked them open and scooped out a bite. When we realized that inside was. . . .well, I’ll spare you. Suffice it to say that we ate a polite bite or two, and said we had eaten too much soup.

    Last stop was another “shop” that was run by a mother/daughter team. We were served three bowls of turmeric noodles (good part) with intestines (not so good part). Again, we politely ate around the not so good part.

    Total cost for three people — $5.50. But, in retrospect, we should have stopped after the soup, and saved ourselves $3!    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Produce in Dong Ba Market
    Rambutan -- deliciousPassionfruit -- looks better than it tastesPackaged food -- who knows what it isFresh fishFish, brined and set on sheets to dryFresh fish sauce -- never seen it made beforePrepared foods

    Dong Ba Market in Hue

    18 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    I am a sucker for a farmers’ market. I’ve been to farmers’ markets across the globe, and find them endlessly fascinating. But nothing really prepared me for the Dong Ba Market in Hue.

    This is a very large outdoor market, at which many people do their shopping. This is NOT a tourist market. There are no souvenirs or trinkets to buy. This is a place to buy produce, fish, meat, spices and some prepared foods. The entire market is outside. There is no refrigeration, whatsoever. (This does not strike most Vietnamese as being particularly strange, as most people do not have refrigerators in their home and only the very rich have a refrigerator that is large enough to store food for more than a few days.). There are tables, but no fancy stalls. Everything is put out each day, and put away each night, as there is no place to lock anything up.

    The produce section was interesting. Most of the items were recognizable to me, especially after being here in Vietnam for a week. Nothing too surprising here.

    The section of grains, rices and spices was completely perplexing to me. I had no idea what most things were, let alone how you’d cook with them.

    The section that had meats and poultry put Arie over the edge — no refrigeration, no ice, no sanitation, and the knives being used to cut/hack up the items looked like they hadn’t been washed in quite awhile. (Honestly, I thought that my generally stalwart hubby was going to be sick.)

    The stalls that had fresh fish were better, as the fish looked shiny with clear eyes. I did find it interesting that fish that had been brined were laid on the plastic sheets on the ground for drying. When our guide saw me looking at this he said, “sometimes people step on them, but it doesn’t matter because we cook them before eating them.” The stalls also had bubbling pots of all kinds of fish broth, fish sauce and soups . . well, let’s just say that there was a powerful fragrance of fish.

    As we strolled through the end of the market, in which there were “prepared” foods to buy, I asked our guide about the lack of refrigeration, etc., and what happened if someone bought food that made them sick. He looked at me perplexed. I repeated the question, and explained that if someone in the US went to a restaurant and got sick, they complained to the restaurant. He laughed and told me that if someone got sick after eating at a restaurant or stall in Vietnam, “that was their problem.”    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Ming Mang tomb
    Arie in gardens at Ming Mang tombArie strikes a pose with a palOne of guards to Thien Mu PagodaThien Mu PagodaIn the gardens behind the pagoda

    Hue -- Capitol of unified Vietnam

    18 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    For much of its history, Vietnam was either ruled by China, or governed by a series of warlords across the country. Each of these warlords ruled a group primarily composed of a single ethnic minority, which had the same cultural and religious practices. The first Vietnamese lord to unify the country was from the Nguyen lineage. The reason that so many Vietnamese carry the surname of Nguyen (38% of all Vietnamese, including our guides in both Hanoi and Hue) is related to the rule of this line of emperors. When Ming Mang (the second in the Nguyen line to rule over Vietnam) was the ruler, his subjects changed their names to Nguyen. And, to this day, Nguyen is the single most common name among Vietnamese.

    Ming Mang ruled for 21 years, from 1820 to 1841. He had 500 “wives” and 142 children. His regime was considered to be the golden age of the Nguyen dynasty, but his rule was brutal. He is probably best known outside of Vietnam for banning missionaries, as he was opposed to Christianity. This eventually led to the French taking over Vietnam. Within this country, he is noted for the brutal methods that he used to subdue the Cham, one of the largest ethic groups in Vietnam at that time. Historians estimate that under his repressive regime, the number of Cham (who were Hindu and also had different cultural practices) declined from 3 million to less than 500,000 people. His primary method of reducing the number of Cham was to institute a rule by which his soldiers were only paid for those days on which they brought him (or his designee, I presume) the heads of three Cham who had been killed that day.

    As ruler of Vietnam, Ming Mang devoted considerable resources to building an enormous temple complex in which he was buried.
    We started our day with a visit to the complex which is just outside of Hue. The complex is in relatively good repair, in spite of the bombings in the area during both wars with France and they American/Vietnam war. The entire complex is still surround by a wall, within which there are gardens and ponds filled with coi. The first building is a temple in which Ming Mang was buried. There are statutes and other structures on the grounds, which are decorated with ornate carvings, mostly of dragons (which are symbols of power). The complex is beautiful in a very wild kind of way.

    Our next stop was a boat ride along the Perfume river, in a dragon boat. The Perfume River used to be filled with fishing boats. As the number of fish declined (probably due to pollution, although the river looks pristine in comparison to the water we saw in Ha Long Bay), the boats were turned into private boats for short tours. The ride was lovely, and the breeze was appreciated, as it was incredibly hot and muggy.

    We left the boat and went to see the Thien Mu Pagoda, which is seven stories tall and is considered to be one of loveliest pagodas in all of Vietnam. (Of course, I’ve heard other pagodas described in this way . . .). Thien Mu means Celestial Lady, and there are a series of conflicting legends about a lady in red who used to appear on this spot and predicted that something beautiful would be build there. The original pagoda was built in 1601, but has been repeatedly rebuilt due to damage from typhoons. Behind the pagoda are the living quarters of monks. Many of the monks who live at this pagoda are very young (under 10) and are brought to the monks from orphanages, or by poor families who cannot care for them. When the young men reach adulthood, they can choose to remain, or leave. This pagoda was also the home of the Thich Quang Duc, the monk who burned himself to death in 1963 in opposition to Saigon’s anti-religious government. The car in which he drove himself to Saigon is on display.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Grocery store on Saturday night in Hue
    Produce departmentWhat are these women buying??GuavasStrange street foodView from our room

    Saturday Night in Hue

    17 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    After a long car ride back to Hanoi, and a short flight, we arrived in Hue — the capital of Vietnam from the early 1744 when the Nguyen lord controlled all of South Vietnam until 1945 when the last emperor of Vietnam abdicated. The city is home to numerous historical monuments, including a famous citadel and a tomb. The entire city is recognized as a UNESCO heritage site.

    Our guide, Quy, was delayed, so we were met at then airport by Van. She gave us a brief description of the city, a suggestion for dinner, and mentioned that our hotel was near the largest modern “market” in Hue.

    After we settled into our hotel (very lovely, first built in the 1920s), we walked to the old part of town for a bite to eat. Following Van’s suggestion, we went to a restaurant called Hahn, where we were virtually the only Westerners. Much to our surprise, the menu had English translations. Given the wide variety of items that we’d never eaten, for the princely sum of $7 we ordered a sampler platter and two beers! The food of fresh and tasty. I particularly liked an egg dish that had puffed rice and shrimp. Arie like a savory rice custard. Although I could have eaten another round, we decided to explore further.

    We walked over to a pedestrian street, in which — thankfully — there were no motor scooters to dodge. Since it was Saturday evening, there were lots of people in the streets, both locals and tourists. We walked by a variety of food carts, with both savory and sweet treats. We stopped at a cart where they were making rolled ice cream. We settled on lychee, and ordered a cup. We watched the ice cream being prepared — milk is poured onto a cold surface, and is mixed with the fruit, then spread out and rolled. You can order the same treat in San Mateo for $10. Here it was $1. Yum.

    Next vendor was making something that the kids were gathered around. From asking a few onlookers, we figured out that it was some type of sugar, rolled in crushed peanuts. This mixture is then set on rice cracker, topped with coconut and a small drizzle of chocolate, and then covered with another rice cracker. The cost — $0.20. We gave it a try. Meh. But, for 20 cents . ..

    After filling our bellies, we decided to go to the modern market. The market is the top two stories of a large building. The top floor was had clothing and housewares. The items were all piled helter-skelter in bins and on shelves. People were everywhere, with lots of children in tow. One family had an infant in the bottom of a shopping cart — although based upon the fact that people were pointing and laughing at the sight, I gather that this is not the norm in Vietnam! The lower floor was a grocery store. The place was a madhouse. Seriously. On a Saturday night. The only sight that I could compare it to is an American grocery store before a hurricane or blizzard. People were everywhere. The lines were extremely long. Carts were full. While we recognized some products (ritz crackers and Oreos), many were puzzling to us. We were especially intrigued by women who were surrounding a styrofoam container in the produce section. In the container was a green fruit, covered by a white net (like you’d see on Asian pears in a US grocery store). The women seemed intent of getting the fruits that had a leaf attached. We couldn’t tell what the fruit was, and our use of google translator was fruitless. Turns out that it was a guava, and that getting one with a leaf attached guarantees freshness.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Our boat -- the Dragon Legend
    1Our room on the Dragon LegendThe limestone islands in Bai Tu Long BaySome of the islands are quite smallOther islands are quite largeBai Tu Long BayView from our kayakSharon, reading on a beach chair1Cave we explored during a beach landingElegant barbecue on the beach

    Cruising in Ha Long Bay

    16 de março de 2018, Gulf of Tonkin ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Vietnam has more than its fair share of UNESCO Heritage sites. One of the more famous ones is Ha Long Bay, which is a four hour drive from Hanoi. Scattered throughout the bay are between 2000 and 3000 small, limestone islands. The islands are relatively small, and almost none of them are inhabited. Having heard that the scenery is stunning, we opted to take a 3 day, 2 night cruise on the Dragon Legend, which is run by Indochina Junk. Given the length of the cruise, the boat is actually able to travel to Baitu Long Bay, which is part of the Ha Long Bay province, but is a little further off shore and has fewer boats. (Traveling to Ha Long Bay is wildly popular, and there are approximately 400 boats that take visitors on trips that range from a few hours in length, to a week long.)

    The Dragon Legend boat is supposed to resemble a traditional Vietnamese vessel, and is decorated with carved dragons (a symbol of prosperity). The name “Dragon Legend” refers to the legend regarding the formation of the islands. According to ancient legend, the islands in Ha Long Bay were formed when a dragon visited the bay, and the small islands were formed from the fire that she breathed. Baitu Long Bay is where the baby dragon settled. (The word “Baitu Long” means baby dragon.) The boat itself was lovely: lots of rosewood, dragon carvings, and beautiful rooms. The service was very attentive. Unfortunately, most of the food was so-so (too many sauces, and pretty bland).

    After getting settled into our rooms, we were able to go kayaking around some of the islands. Arie and I were quite excited to kayak, given how much we enjoy kayaking at the river. So, we enthusiastically scrambled into some of the most rickety kayaks that I’ve ever been in. (I swear that Arie’s paddle looked like it had been eaten by a dragon, as it was missing large chunks at the edges.) While the kayaks proved to be seaworthy, I found the whole experience to be quite depressing as the water is littered with trash. And, I mean littered — bottles, cans, bags of garbage, large chunks of styrofoam, etc. Apparently, the litter is tossed in the water by both the tourists, and the people who live and work in and around the Bay. While we were told that some of the tour companies were working on cleaning up the Bay, and that the amount of trash has decreased, there is still so much left to be cleaned up. By the time we had finished a 45 minutes kayak trip, I had had plenty, and happily returned to the boat.

    There were a total of 36 guests on the boat. Most of the guests were either American, English or Australian. There was also a large family from Taipei— from best that I could surmise, it was a couple with four grown daughters. We met some interesting people, including two families traveling with relatively young children (ages 12 and 9). Both Arie and I were impressed with the kids, who were both charming and curious about the world. We also met a couple from North Carolina; the wife is an environmentalist and is working in Hanoi for 5 months. It was interesting to chat with her about life as an ex-pat in Hanoi.

    On the second day of the cruise, we were treated to a barbecue on the beach. I expected picnic blankets, and a simple meal of grilled meats. What we actually got was something else entirely — formal tables, with white table clothes, ceramic plates and glasses. It was surprising elegant for a beach barbecue. And, we were served the best meal of the cruise —endless platters of grilled meat, chicken and fish. It was just lovely. Arie kept saying, “no one is going to believe this — a formal spread on an island in Vietnam!

    After 2 comfy nights on the boat, we departed early on a speedboat and returned to Ha Long for our next adventure . . .    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Happy Buddha
    Temple which houses three buddhasThree buddhas13 story pagodaView of complex from 13 story pagodaSharon and Tam in front of pagoda with 100 ton buddha100 ton buddhaBeautiful details everywhereStatute of shiva

    Temple Complex at Bai Dinh

    14 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    After leaving the caves, we were taken to lunch at the hotel at Bai Dinh. When we arrived for lunch, we were taken to an enormous banquet room, at which there guests sitting at two tables. Otherwise, the place was totally deserted. We sat for quite some time, waiting to be fed. After a while, someone rolled out a cart with a variety of dishes, none of which looked very good. As it turned out, looks were not deceiving, as the food was terrible. It was not until many hours later that I realized that the reason we’d eaten at this restaurant is that it was the only way to gain entrance to the top of the Temple Complex at Bai Dinh. If you don’t eat at the restaurant, you have to walk up from the bottom, and then back to the bottom to get back to your car. These logistical considerations don’t seem like a big deal until you actually visit the temple complex, which is positively immense.

    The Temple Complex was built from 2003 to 2010, on the site of an earlier temple. We were told that the complex was built by an enormously wealthy businessman, but we couldn’t seem to find out any information about him, how he earned his money, or why he choose to build the complex. What we did learn is that the complex is the largest in Vietnam and is thought to house the largest Buddha in Southeast Asia (100 tons).

    To the best of my recollection, there are at least 6 temples/pagodas in the complex. The largest pagoda is at the top of the hill. It houses 3 Buddhas, which are 80 tons each. The buddhas, are cast in bronze and covered in gold leaf. The three buddhas represent past, present and future. The 3 Buddhas are surrounded by statutes who guard them, as well as elaborate carvings. Also, there are niches all around the room (and, as we soon discovered, all over the complex) in which there are small gold leaf Buddhas. Each person who donates at least $500 USD to the construction of the complex has their name placed on a plaque in front of the niche. I was surprised that a $500 contribution gave you the right to have your name put on a niche, but as Arie pointed out, $500 is a lot for someone who is Vietnamese. As we walked around the pagoda, we noticed that people who praying and leaving money in the donation boxes placed everywhere. We also saw women who work at the complex remove the donations (cash by the handful) and place it in baskets. We were told that the money was used for upkeep of the complex.

    Next to that pagoda, up a hill, we walked up at least 300 stairs to see an enormous “Happy Buddha,” who has a beatific smile and an enormous belly. The legend is that this Buddha travels the world, making people happy.

    Down the hill is a 13 story pagoda, that houses an Indian Buddha, and ashes from a famous Indian Buddhist (I couldnt’ quite figure out the details). In this pagoda, all of the carvings and gold work were done by Indians, who came to work on the complex.

    A bit farther down the hills is a convention center (which was empty).

    Then, as you walk down further, there is yet another pagoda, which has a 100 ton Buddha. Again, many, many people are praying and leaving offerings.

    Further down the hill is a pagoda that has the Indian god Shiva. Why? I don’t know. But, he was stunning.

    Next, there is a pagoda that houses a bronze bell and drum. The instruments are played at holidays (like lunar new year) and the sound carries for approx 15 miles.

    As you continue to walk down the hill, you pass corridors filled with 250 carved statutes of the ancestors. Touching the statutes is supposed to bring good luck, so their feet’s, knees — any body part that one could reach — are shiny where they were rubbed. And, behind these statutes are many more niches, with Buddhas who are marked for their donors.

    The size of the complex is awesome and overwhelming, all at the same time. It took us the better part of two hours just to walk through, and I could have spent hours gazing at the beautiful figures and people watching.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    2Floating through a cave
    1View from the boat1Sharon and TamPagoda viewed from lakeEntrance to temple, with phoenix on back of turtleWedding photo

    National Park - Vietnamese Style

    14 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    We left Hanoi bright and early in the morning, after another amazing brunch at the hotel. (We actually got up extra early, so that we had enough time to work our way through the offerings at the brunch table, including pho for breakfast!)

    Our first stop of the day was Trang An, which is a national park and a UNESCO heritage sight. The park sits on the Red River, and is comprised of a series of caves that you can go through on bamboo boats which are paddled by women (exclusively). This is an enormously popular tourist destination for Vietnamese and Chinese guests. As we visited on a Wednesday, there were no lines to get a boat. However, on the weekends you can literally wait for hours to get on a boat. The fact that there is any wait is a little surprising, as there are 2000 boats operated at the park at any given time, and each boat can take 4-8 people. But, if thousands of people show up, I guess that there is quite a wait.

    In our boat there were just 4 people — the woman paddling the boat, our guide Tam, Arie and I. According to our guide, the women are paid a set fee per boat, so our paddling a boat with only 4 people is probably considered a plum assignment.

    We spent about 2 hours in the boat, going around the huge limestone mounds (very small islands) and in/out of the caves. Some of the caves were 250 meters in length, while others were 800 meters. In total, we went through 9 caves. As you travel, you can see that some of the islands have pagodas or temples on them. We actually got to stop and explore one of the islands, which had both a pagoda (for Buddha) and a temple (for the worship of ancestors). It was all extraordinarily beautiful.

    Given the natural beauty of the area, I was not particularly surprised to see that it was also a popular spot for wedding photography. During the course of our journey, we saw three different brides, including one who had somehow left her boat, gone onto a rock and was being photographed with her groom. Getting such a shot seemed a little tricky to me, but it is obviously pretty common.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Entrance to Temple of Literature
    1Sharon and Arie at Temple of LiteratureIn front of a pagodaInside a pagodaDisplay in Hanoi HiltonPedicab ride in Old QuarterStreet marketBeautiful ceremonial boatWomen in traditional dress

    Hanoi -- Photos

    13 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ 🌫 20 °C

    After spending the morning at the Mausoleum, we immersed ourselves it the sights and sounds of Hanoi. We quickly discovered that the City is immense, which is not surprising given that there are almost 10 million people living in Hanoi. Over a few hours, we visited temples, street markets, the “Hanoi Hilton” where American POWs were incarcerated (it is an old French prison and it is horrible), and an ethnographic museum. We also saw women in traditional dress, children playing hide and seek, and, of course, many motor scooters. By the end of the day we were happy, but exhausted.Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    The friends we made in line
    Ho Chi Minh MausoluemYellow house where Chairman Ho livedCars given to Chairman by RussiaChairman Ho's studySimple house built for Chairman HoOne Pilar Pagoda

    Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi

    13 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ 🌫 19 °C

    We started our day with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. I was grateful to be traveling with a guide, because just figuring out where to go to enter the complex was daunting, as the line literally extended down the block, around the corner, and along the next block. Most of the visitors seemed to be in group tours, and almost everyone we saw was either Vietnamese or Chinese. (We were told that Chinese citizens could enter Vietnam without a visa for visits of up to 14 days, and that Hanoi is a popular tourist destination.) Our guide, Tam, surveyed the line and decided that he was going to ask someone if we could simply step into the line. He decided to approach a group of students, and ask if them if we could step into the line. They agreed and we join the queue.

    As soon as we stepped into the line, some of the girls gathered at the front group, started giggling and saying “hi” to us. I said hello back, which was met with peels of giggles and lots of pushing and jostling amongst the girls. For the next 20 minutes, we had very broken conversations with the girls, as they asked our names, where we were from, how old we were, and whether we had children. Some of the boys joined in, often translating when we were stuck. I learned that the kids in the group were 19 and 20, were studying environmental engineering at university. One of the girls asked me what I did, and our guide helped me translate that I was a lawyer. Despite my usual reluctance to name the school where I studied, I also told her that I went to Harvard. Her eyes became wide, and she told me that going to Harvard was “her dream.” A few of the girls asked if I would take a picture with them, and whether I was willing to become “facebook” friends. I said yes on both counts. Chatting with the girls made standing in line for over an hour enjoyable!

    The long line was for the sole purpose of going into the Mausoleum where Ho Chi Minh’s preserved body is displayed. Ho Chi Minh died in 1969, before the end of what they call the “American War.” His body was transferred to Russia, where it remained until the Mausoleum was completed and the war ended in 1975. Although Chairman Ho had asked to be cremated, this generals decided that it would be better to preserve the body and put it on display, so that people who did not have a chance to meet him when he was alive could meet him after his death. While this sounded a little strange to me, the enormous crowds who line up to see the Chairman’s body makes it clear that the generals were right. Watching the people stand patiently in line, and then pass by the body in silent reverence was as interesting as seeing the body itself.

    After passing through the Mausoleum, we walked through the grounds which have the palace in which important meetings are still conducted, the house in which Chairman Ho lived, and various gardens and pagodas. The grounds are lovely,    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Family scooter, with child in front and back of parent
    Scooters at intersectionGrab scooter -- ride sharingTwo parents, one childParent with toddler on scooter

    Motor Scooters Everywhere You Look

    13 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ 🌫 18 °C

    As we were driving from the airport to Hanoi, our guide started telling us about the cost of motor scooters — scooters made in China cost about $400 USD, and scooters from Japan cost $1200 USD, but are better made and last longer. I thought that this was an odd thing to talk about within our first 30 minutes in Vietnam, but I found the description interesting. Of course, I had no idea that the reason he was telling me this information is that the motor scooter is a key component of life in Hanoi!

    People ride motor scooters here for two reasons. First and foremost, cars are far too expensive for most people to buy. (Even a cheap car is $25,000 USD, which is probably three years of wages for an average adult in VIetnam.) Second, the streets are so crowded and many of them are so narrow, that driving a car is pretty impractical.

    The number of scooters on the roads is phenomenal. Scooters ride on both sides of the cars, and weave in and out of the traffic. Scooters drive the wrong way down a one-way street. Scooters line up by the dozens at intersections, waiting for the light to change. Scooters are parked on the sidewalks, entryways to stores, and on traffic mediums. The din of honking from the scooters can be deafening. In short, scooters are everywhere you look.

    If the shear number of scooters wasn’t sufficiently overwhelming, the number of riders on each scooter and the variety of items that they carry is also surprising. Roughly one-third of the scooters have two riders — often people of the same age. But there are also scooters with three or four riders, particularly during rush hour. And, it is quite common to see parents with young chlldren on their scooter, either standing in front of their parents (if they are toddlers) or strapped into baby carriers. When I asked our guide whether it was dangerous for children to ride scooters with their parents, his reply was simple — “what choice do we have?” Since most families don’t own cars, if they need to go someplace with their children, or even pick them up from school, the kids have to ride on the scooters. Despite the obvious logic, I am endlessly fascinated by the sight of small children on scooters, particularly those instances when I saw two parents with two children on a single scooter!

    Also, since scooters are the primary form of transportation, all kinds of items are carried on the scooters. You see people carrying large bundles, packages and bags. We saw someone carrying long pipes (approx 12 feet long) off the side of their scooters. Pretty much anything goes on a scooter.

    Of course, there are also many accidents with the scooters. Although we didn’t see any accidents, a guy that we met on the food tour told us that in Ho Chi Minh, which is roughly the size of Hanoi, at least 10 people die in motor scooter accidents each day. Frankly, the number seems low to me, given the vast number of scooters on the road.

    Vietnam, like the US, has ride sharing services. You can use “Uber” or a local equivalent called “Grab” to call a car or to call a motor scooter! The Uber scooters are less common that the Grab scooters (which are recognizable by the green helmets worn by the driver and the passenger. Apparently, ride sharing on scooters is an easy way for young people to make a little extra money. I teased Arie that I wanted to summon an Uber scooter to go back to the hotel. He looked at me as if I had lost my mind, and our guide found the very notion quite amusing. So, no shared scooter for me today . . .    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Sharon and Loan
    Bun ChaNom Bo KhoMaking rice pancakeFilled rice pancakeAssortment of fried foodsEgg CoffeeChe (sticky rice with coconut ice cream)

    Dorothy, We're Not in Kansas Anymore

    12 de março de 2018, Vietnã ⋅ 🌫 19 °C

    We arrived in Hanoi, drove from the airport to the hotel, dropped off our bags, and immediately headed out to see the city. OMG. Hanoi is like nothing that I’ve ever seen. Honestly, I didn’t know where to look first — the street food (which is literally served on the sidewalk), the untold number of motor scooters that crowd the roads, the small shops that sit next to each advertising the sale of items that are “made in vietnam,” or the enormous number of people. Just walking down the street was exciting and a little bit overwhelming.

    Although we were tired from our travels, we decided that a good way to get an introduction to Hanoi was to go on a “street food tour.” I had found a tour which cost $20 per person, for 3 hours. So, we figured that even if we were too tired to complete the whole tour, we’d be fed and get to meet someone local. And, it turned out exactly as planned . . .

    We met “Loan” at the office for Hanoi Street Food Tours, which is located in the Old Quarter. She told us that her name is pronounced “Lo-Ann,” but that it was spelled like loan since she liked money! She is 20 years old, and is a student at the university. In the course of the evening, we learned that university students often lead tours because it is a good way for them to earn some extra cash, and practice their English language skills. She was charming, and chatty. However, when we asked her why she didn’t eat any of the food that we were sampling, she told us that she didn’t want to gain weight because no one would marry her. When I laughed, she told me that she was quite serious about this. (I must admit, most of the Vietnamese girls that we saw are both petite and quite slim.).

    Over the course of three hours, we tried 7 different dishes. I won’t attempt to describe them all, but a few were of particular interest. We started with Bun cha, which is pork noodles. This is a very traditional dish, and can be found on virtually every corner. Next, we had Nom Bo Kho, which is a beef salad that has both dried beef and grilled beef over shredded green papaya.

    One stop was for rice pancakes. Loan explained that the rice pancakes were freshly made by pouring the batter over a cloth and steaming the pancake. This didn’t make any sense to me until I watched the pancake being made — it was actually a type of rice paper, made from scratch. (You can see it in the attached video). The “rice pancake” is then filled with minced mushrooms and pork, and topped with fried shallots — totally delicious.

    We then had a group of fried foods — a couple were like spring rolls with different filings, but one was sweet and had a substance inside that reminded me of taro.

    One of the most surprising dishes was “egg coffee.” When I had seen this advertised on a sign on a shop that we walked by, I thought that the sign meant that you could get a cooked egg, and a coffee, for the indicated price. But, no. Egg coffee is a drink made with espresso, which is topped with a raw egg yolk which has been mixed with sweetened condensed milk until it is frothy. It sounds strange, but it is like the richest latte that you’ve ever had. Everyone in the group thought that it was extremely tasty.

    Our final stop was for sticky rice and coconut ice cream. The color of the rice is green, due to some leaf that is cooked with the rice. And, shredded sweetened coconut is on top.

    By the time that tour was over, we were exhausted, but full. So, we headed back to hotel for some well-deserved sleep.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Maya with her birthday cupcake. (No singing was permitted)
    The beauties -- Maya and Hannah

    72 Hours in San Mateo

    9 de março de 2018, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    In between the first and second half of our sabbatical, we made a quick pit stop in San Mateo. Our goal — wash clothes, see friends, and celebrate Maya’s 24th birthday. Mission accomplished on all fronts.

    We arrived on Thursday and I made Arie take his suitcase directly to the garage where he sorted his clothes and we got the wash started. After running some errands, we had an “all-girls” outing to see Wrinkle in Time, one of Maya’s favorite books which just opened as a movie. The company was great — Maya, Francesca, Maria, Martha, Leslie and Hannah. The movie — meh.

    Friday was Maya’s birthday, so Arie and I took her to Octavia for dinner. We were joined by our newly-adopted daughter, Hannah Strauss. The food was yummy, and (as always) I enjoyed the treats that we were given on account of Maya’s status as pastry chef at Manresa Bread. But, my favorite part of the evening was the huge smiles on Maya and Hannah’s faces. What fun.

    Saturday I got to go on a 5 mile walk with my pals, have lunch with Auntie Shirley, and see Black Panther with Jay and Martha. (Now, that was a good movie). After having pizza with friends, we left for the airport and part 2 of our sabbatical — Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, here we come.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Sharon standing in Recoleta Cemetery
    Evita's tomb, festooneed with flowersOne beatiful tomb after anotherEgyptian styleTomb of a famous Argentinian boxerArie enjoyed our business class seats

    Recoleta Cemetary

    7 de março de 2018, Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    It seems fitting that our last stop on our BA adventure is the Recoleta Cemetery, where dozens of Argentinian aristocrats rest in piece. The cemetery, which is 4 blocks square in the middle of BA, was established more than 200 years ago. Each mausoleum is a family—owned piece of real estate, which is maintained by the family. The tombs vary in size, but the general principle stays the same — bodies are first interned on the top level, and are visible through the door or a grate. Over time, the disintegrated remains are transferred to smaller caskets, and are transferred to the below ground levels. A family is free to sell their plot. But, many plots are abandoned and have fallen into disrepair, with cracked windows, collapsed ceilings, and piles of dust and debris. The entire cemetery is both beautiful and sad.

    Although the cemetery is only 4 square blocks, the number of family plots is overwhelming. We walked around for over an hour, looking at the tombs, and peeking inside, and didn’t even begin to see everything. The style of each tomb differs, although the most common style is Art Deco, as that corresponds with the largest growth in building. Some of the tombs are in active use, with markers indicating that someone had been interned in the last few years, and fresh flowers or plants inside. But the vast majority look like no one has visited for decades.

    After strolling around, we headed back to the apartment, packed our bags and went to the airport. We bid goodbye to Kelly, who was flying back to Flagstaff, and we went to catch our plane to SFO. Much to my surprise, Arie had snagged an upgrade of our seats, and we traveled home by business class. I must admit, a girl could get used to this type of travel.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    View of La Boca Harbor from PROA museum
    Ai Wei Wei holding Ming Dynasty vaseAi Wei Wei breaking priceless artifact, made out of legosShattered vaseRoom with sunflower sead carpetClose up photo of sunflower seedsArtist creating seedsSeeds drying before polishingKelly in front of parillaSharon and Kelly in window of coventillo

    Return to La Boca

    7 de março de 2018, Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    In La Boca is a modern art museum — PROA — which had an exhibit of art and installations created by the Chinese artist and dissident Ai Wei Wei. Since Kelly lives in Flagstaff, she figured that her chances of seeing an Ai Wei Wei exhibit were slim, so we headed back to see it.

    Although I had seen two Ai Wei Wei pieces before, I had never seen an entire exhibition. It was fantastically interesting. Ai Wei Wei is a Chinese activist who uses art to explore issues relating to oppression, exclusion from society, and the reach of communism in China. As Kelly pointed out, much of his work is extremely difficult to understand without explanations. However, with the explanations, the work is fascinating. In one series, Ai Wei Wei photographed himself while he destroyed a piece of invaluable piece of pottery from the Ming Dynasty, then he converted the photos into life-size “pictures” made out of legos. According to the explanations, he was exploring issues of heritage, the fragility of history and modernity. My favorite piece is a monumental installation of a “carpet” of “sunflower seeds.” This piece was originally installed in the Tate Museum in London. The carpet of seeds covered most of the large exhibit hall in London, and a sizable room in PROA. The seeds were spread approximately 6 inches in depth, and covered the entire floor. When in London, there were 150 tons of seeds. Each seed was supposed to represent the Chinese citizens who were bowed by communism. What was not apparent when you first looked at the seeds, is that they were not actually sunflower seeds, but pieces of clay that had been molded into the shape of seeds, painted, cleaned and polished. A crew of 1600 individuals in China worked for months in creating these seeds, and then they were transported to London, where they were installed in the Tate Museum. Fortunately, the exhibition was accompanied by a film and photos of the process. Super cool.

    After the museum, we wandered around La Boca and had lunch at a parilla, where we sat outside. What a wonderful last meal in Argentina.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Arie and Kelly in El Zanjon
    Courtyard at El ZanjonUpstairs at El ZanjonTunnels below houseCisternTrio of appetizers at El BanqueroLlama and quinoaLlama proscuitto and melon sorbetOutside of dessert "beet"Inside the beet.

    El Zanjon

    6 de março de 2018, Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    As I was getting ready for my trip to BA, my pal Jean Hyams told me that I “must visit” El Zanjon in San Telmo. She described it as a house, in which there had been archeological excavations, revealing tunnels underneath. While this description is 150% correct, I don’t think that I really understand what she meant. But, confident in her recommendation, we put it on the agenda.

    We arrived at 2:45, for a 3 pm tour. We rang the bell. A few minutes later, someone cracked the door open and told us to return at 2:55. Really? It seemed a little odd, and made me think of the Wizard of Oz turning away Dorothy and her pals. But, ok. So, we strolled around for 10 minutes, bought some candy that we were told was yummy, and returned at 2:55. At that point, there were about ten people gathered for the tour. The door opened, and we stepped inside to a large brick structure. We paid for tickets and waited for our guide.

    At 3:05, a guide arrived and began telling us the history of El Zanjon.

    The land originally sat just off the port, but had routine problems with flooding. To remedy the problems, the owners of the property on which the mansion was built, and the owners of the adjacent properties, built a series of tunnels and cisterns below the properties, into which the water collected. Over these tunnels and cisterns, huge mansions were built.

    The house called El Zanjon was one of these mansions — two stories, with high ceilings, and plenty of space for family and servants. The house was occupied by a single family from the mid 1800s until the late 1800s, when the family left to escape the cholera and yellow fever epidemics that spread across BA at that time. After the family left, the house became a conventillo, in which approximately 200 people lived with two bathrooms and a single kitchen. The structure continued as a conventillo until the 1960s, when it was abandoned due to crumbling.

    The structure sat abandoned until the 1990s, when a local wealthy businessman (whose family had made millions through owning a tannery) decided to buy it and renovate the building for a restaurant. At the time, San Telmo was still a poor neighborhood, but there were hopes for its resurgence. The restaurant would have been part of this move to gentrify the neighborhood. As the rebuilding of the structure began, the tunnels and cistern were discovered. Eventually, the gentleman who bought the building decided not to build the restaurant, but to instead engage in a private archeological dig, which would allow exploration of the history of El Zanjon and the surrounding area. Obviously, this project has taken decades, and has probably cost millions of dollars. The result is one of the first privately owned archeological dig, which has given us a fascinating look at the history of BA, not to mention a gorgeous building in which to wander. We all really enjoyed the tour.

    For our last evening in BA, we went to a much lauded restaurant called El Banquero. The chef, who worked at El Bulli in Spain, favors molecular gastronomy, in which each dish showcases the marriage of cooking and science. While the results were sometimes confusing, and never straightforward, many of the dishes were fantastically interesting. The first course was a trio of bites, which included a gyoza filled with alligator. One of the courses featured stewed llama meat, on a bed of three kinds of crispy quinoa — this was Arie’s favorite. My favorite was a riff on prosciutto and melon, where the prosciutto was made from cured llama meat and the melon was actually a sorbet. For one of the dessert courses we were presented with a “beet” on a bed of chocolate dirt. You used a spoon to crack the beet, and inside was a beet sorbet and creme fraiche — the taste was ok, but the presentation was fantastic. (I even got them to tell me how it was made, which involves using beet juice which is used to coat the inside of a balloon. Once it solidifies, the balloon is removed and through a hole in the bottom the chef inserts the sorbet and creme fraiche.). Kelly was a super good sport, as the meal — even for Arie and I — was at the edge, and we all got a great story and good meal.

    Hard to believe that we leave tomorrow.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Street in La Boca
    Kelly, Sharon and Arie in La BocaCoventilloArie and Tango DancerMural of the MothersStadium of La Boca Juniors

    La Boca

    6 de março de 2018, Argentina ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Another day, another neighborhood . . .

    Today we went to La Boca, which is the neighborhood near the old port. As is often the case in the housing closest to the port, the neighborhood was settled by immigrants who arrived by boat. Many of these immigrants were lured by promises of free land. But, after they arrived the President rescinded the offer and these immigrants were penniless. They quickly moved into old mansions that had dozens of people in each room, or they threw up new structures called “conventillos.” The name referred to the fact that the individual rooms, which were often occupied by people who slept in shifts, were the size of the cells that monks or nuns lived in at a convent! To protect the shacks from the rain and elements, men who worked on the docks brought home nearly empty cans of paint and used whatever was left in the bottom to paint a portion of the wall. This resulted in buildings whose walls were brightly colored patchworks. (The traditions continues today, although the coloration is undoubtedly brighter and more uniform than in early years.). Despite the splashes of color on the walls, these conventillos were true slums, filled with tremendous poverty and disease.

    In the squalor of these slums, the music and dance of tango grew. We were told that the dance was originally done by men, as a way to show off for the prostitutes and battle for their favor. The steps where the leg of one dancer winds around that of another dancer was a way for one man to trip the other, showing off his prowess. The music to which the tango was danced was also a product of La Boca. The music was created through an amalgam of musical instruments that the immigrants brought with them. The primary instrument was a German accordion called a “bandoneon” which is at the heart of all tango music. Today, the bandoneon is no longer played or manufactured in Germany, but is frequently used in Argentina. We had the pleasure of listening to an old fellow play the bandoneon. (I’m going to try and upload the video . . . .)

    As we continued to walk through La Boca, we got to see some tango dancers on a small stage near a restaurant. Although the dance was obviously being done for the tourists, it was fascinating to watch — very stylized, and elegant, all at the same time. As we watched, we learned about the history of tango, learned the names of a few famous dancers, and generally enjoyed the neighborhood.

    Our next few stops were a series of murals. One set showed the local firefighters, who are a volunteer battalion. A second set showed the “mothers” who are still searching for the disappeared, and the last set was all about the Republic of La Boca. It seems that in the 1930s, there was a clash between the stringent policies laid down by the current fascist government, and the more progressive people living in La Boca. So, the neighborhood rebelled, and claimed to be a separate republic, creating a new flag and government. The Republic of La Boca lasted for all of three days, before the rebellion was put down. But, there is still a fondness for the history, and the neighborhood still has a strong identity.

    The last stop was the “Bombonera” which is the stadium in which La Boca Juniors play — the futbol team that is beloved by the working class in BA. (The more affluent residents tend to root for the rival team, River Plate.). The team is owned by the people, and there is an elected president who runs the team. The current President of the country of Argentina got his start in politics as the president of La Boca Juniors! The fans are maniacs and the construction of stadium is such that the fans are super close to the pitch and when they yell and stomp the whole stadium shakes. We did not have a chance to go to a game, but I understand that it is quite an experience. (Honestly, it sounded a bit frightening, but I suppose that if you are sports fan it is quite thrilling.)

    At the end of the tour, we stopped for a quick bite to eat and decided to come visit again, the next day. Just a charming neighborhood.    Leia mais

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  • Sabbatical 2018
    Jose San Martin -- Liberator of South America
    Mansion in RecoletaClock Tower Given to Argentina by England on CententailMansion, now a rental from Four Seasons, just $12,000 USD per nightPrivately owned mansion in RecoletaFrench EmbassyChurch in RecoletaEntrance to Recoleta Cemetary"Atlas" Holding Up Tree in park near RecoletaTango Dancing

    Recoleta

    5 de março de 2018, Argentina ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Today we tackled the most upscale neighborhood in BA — Recoleta. This neighborhood is also home to the most famous cemetery in all of South America — the Recoleta Cemetery.

    We joined another walking tour led by Buenos Aires walks — a group that I highly recommend. Our guide was Mariano, who grew up here in BA. With 70 of our closest friends, we spent 3 hours engrossed in stories of the aristocracy in BA.

    Recoleta was settled in the late 1860s, following two cholera and one yellow fever outbreak in San Telmo (the part of the city that was closest to the river, and which had stagnant water that bred mosquitos). To escape illness, the wealthy residents of San Telmo fled to their “estaciones” (landed estates), and established new homes. Since this period of movement coincided with a tremendous growth in affluence in Argentina, these wealthy landowners built mansions, typically in the French style. It was due to this period of building that Buenos Aires was given the nickname of the “Paris of South America.” (Apparently, Portenos — as residents of BA are called —hate this nickname.). As you walk through Recoleta, you see one huge mansion after another. Although a few of the mansions are still privately owned, most have been converted into hotels (the Four Seasons), and embassies (the French embassy is in a particularly beautiful mansion, which the French saved from destruction when the Argentine government planned to demolish it to install a new freeway.). One of the main streets — Alvear — is like the Rodeo Drive of BA, filled with fancy boutiques, perfumeries and gorgeous hotels. Many of the buildings have gorgeous ironwork on the doors and balconies. The streets are lined with beautiful old trees and there are lots of parks with monuments. The area is just stunning. Honestly, I could have walked for hours in the neighborhood.

    We ended the tour at the Recoleta Cemetery, where the aristocracy of BA rests for an eternity. Since we were famished, we decided to save the cemetery for another day, and headed to a lovely French cafe named Roux, where the service was lousy but the food was yummy.

    After lunch, Arie and Kelly headed back to the apartment for a nap, while I wandered aimlessly around the neighborhood. Just walking around gave me the sense of the vibrant life of BA. I also enjoyed watching people pick up their kids from school. Here, the children are in school from around 9am, to at least 4 pm, and sometimes as late as 6pm. A fair number of the children go to private, parochial schools, and wear uniforms. The children who go to public schools also wear a type of uniform — a white coat (like a small version of what a doctor wears) or a pinafore (for the youngest children). We were told that the wearing of these coats/jumpers were meant to level class distinctions. It doesn’t appear to have worked, as you can still see the children’s clothing, but the tradition has lingered. I laughed as I watched the kids peel out of their “coats” as soon as they left school, stuffing the discarded items into backpacks or thrusting them into the hands of their parents.

    For dinner, we went to an old school parilla — Pena Parilla — which has been open for decades. We ate delicious steaks, and French fries. I swear that I’ve eaten more red meat since arriving in this country than I have in the past 12 months.

    We had arranged to have a very late dinner (10 pm), so that we could go to a Milonga afterwards. A Milonga is essentially a dancehall for tango. This is NOT a show with professional dancers. Instead, it is a hall in which regular people go to dance. Some people arrive with partners, or with groups of friends, but many people (women and men) go alone, just for the joy of dancing. There are over 300 Milongas in BA, and they are open every night of the week. We went to Milonga Parakultural, which is open on Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Classes for novices are held from 9-11pm. Afterwards, the dance floor is open to anyone.

    We arrived at the Milonga around 11:15. We paid 150 pesos per person to get in (which is $7.50) and we were seated at a table one row back from the dance floor. We ordered a drink, and started watching the dancers. The dancers were all ages, shapes and sizes. The women were more dressed up then the men, but some of the men sported jackets or vests. Some of the couples only danced with each other, but most people seemed to change partners every few dances. Some of the dancers were great, and some were so-so, but they all seemed to be having great fun. The thing that was surprising was that the number of dancers grew and grew, as the evening wore on. (We had read this in articles about the milongas, but it is hard to believe that this actually would happen on a Monday evening.). So, when we arrived at 11:15, there were people on the floor, but plenty of room to dance. By the time that we left at 1am, the dance floor was packed, and people were still arriving. Apparently, the best dancers don’t show up until 2 am or 3 am at some of the more popular Milongas. Watching the people dance was delightful. While I can’t imagine mastering the tango, perhaps Arie and I try out some swing dancing when we get home.    Leia mais

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