Tag: expat

Scorpions to Soldiers–Street Scene in Beijing

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Beijing, Food, Travel, Trips outside ShanghaiLeave a comment

What a difference a day makes!  We arrived in Beijing to apocalyptic pollution-350+ AQI which means the air was “hazardous” and choking full of bad shit that was being sucked into our ever dying lungs yet the locals walked around without masks and went about their daily lives like it was no big deal.  And I thought I had low standards after getting used to 150 AQI days in Shanghai.  I strapped on my new 3M mask that was awkward but no doubt necessary even if I didn’t have a pollution app on my phone warning me of dire consequences if I stepped outside unprotected.

3M lung saving mask
3M lung saving mask

Today, as the CPPCC & NPCC meetings take center stage in Beijing, the air miraculously cleared, in part due to a stiff wind and probably some government restrictions to clean up for the big events and world press in town to cover it.  As we walked through Tianenmen Square on Monday, we saw a very heightened increase in police presence and even had to submit to several security searches of my bag.  Again, probably due to the meetings this week but also the nation is now on high alert due to the recent terrorist attack on a train station in the south.  Still, Thom and I both agree that we feel far safer walking the streets of China at night in any neighborhood, no matter how remote or dark, than we would in the U.S. 

When I woke up to blue skies, it was such a delight that we had to go out on my lunch hour and walk the streets.  Thom had already got in a lot of exploring so we headed out to a small alley he had discovered where he dared me to eat live scorpions and bugs on a stick.  Yes, they were still waving their little parts and pieces as if to say “Get me the F*&$ off this stick” but the food vendor offered to fry them up for us because crispy scorpions are soooo much tastier than live ones.  The various bugs on a stick and intestines on skewers were tempting but I opted to remain hungry and live to eat another day. 

Thom had one scary moment this week as he walked around the hutongs of Beijing and happened upon a group of protestors waving a petition.  As a security detail came to investigate the group, they decided to run after Thom as well, thinking he was part of the press perhaps.  Luckily, I have taught him to just ignore anyone without a gun, so he increased his pace, headphones on and ignored it all until they caught up with him and then he just did the “laowai shrug” and walked away with a smile.  The big ass camera he walks around with takes lovely photos but does make him a target at times.  He’s a tough New Yorker so I have to believe he can take care of himself (and it’s not like he would pay attention to my plea for him not to take chances) but if you ever see him on a “have you seen this guy” posting on a China website, don’t be surprised!   In the meantime, he will keep trying to make soldiers smile and scorpions squirm with delight as he records it all with his sensational snapshots of our adventures in Beijing.

Bullet Train to Beijing

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Beijing, Shanghai, Travel, Trips outside ShanghaiLeave a comment
WP_20140302_008
Shanghai Train Station

Just call me a local because my new regular work commute is to Beijing via the bullet train–a four hour journey speeding through the polluted countryside.  We set off today for a week long adventure to Beijing and Nanjing.  Thom and I are always amused at the security “lite” detail at the train station that consists of putting your stuff through the scanner while the security gal texts her friend and shops online and being wanded haphazardly as they yawn in boredom…it is quick and painless, at least for us.  They seem bored to death.  My husband who always seems to pack something he shouldn’t is lucky that they are so bored and not very attentive.  He doesn’t mean to pack sharp objects but, hey, you never know when you might need something in an emergency.  Of course, hours before our trip today there was an “incident” at another rail station in China that was concerning.  Never worry–we will be as careful as we can and, after dodging traffic in Shanghai and Vietnam, we are very nimble and can get out of the way of trouble quickly. We have also learned to be prepared and pack first aid and meds just in case.

WP_20140302_005
Disney Shop at train station. Disney World opens in 2015 here.

After racing through security, we walked through various American stores like Disney (featuring the blingiest Mickey stuff imaginable), Jeep, Polo, etc. that line the train station.  We never see anyone buying anything but the snack shops are always busy with folks buying tasty treats like dried seaweed to take home to the relatives.  Then, we head over to Costa Coffee (they have a Starbucks too, of course) and sometimes we score an egg tart at KFC but today Thom got a toastie-a yummy breakfast sandwich with a meat-like substance.  He’s really not that picky and never seems to get sick like I do from the food so I passed.  After Thom visited the men’s room aka the “smoking lounge”, we headed over to the gate, dodging the DNA that seems to come hacking out of most passersby.  COVER.  YOUR.  MOUTH.  It’s really not that hard!  I wait to go to the ladies room on the train–the station has “squat” bathrooms which I avoid if at all possible.

WP_20140302_010
And I thought I overpacked! People here haul LOTS of stuff on the trains!

 

At any time/any day the station is packed with people and they do NOT travel light.  I thought I overpacked but, holy Hell, the crowd here is loaded down with those ubiquitous plastic expanding bags that haul LOTS of stuff and you learn to get out of their way fast as they drag their possessions through the tight aisles or you WILL be mowed down.

Playing the “laowai” card, we go to the VIP gate and talk our way through feigning ignorance of the real process of waiting with the masses streaming through the regular gates.  We board the first class car and settle in for the four hour ride to Beijing.  Strap on the air masks and off we go!

Trying Desperately to Stay Healthy in Shanghai

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Shanghai, TravelLeave a comment

Life in China is difficult to say the least.  Some days just staying alive seems to be a challenge….will the bus hit me or will the pollution get me first?  I regularly go into the epicenter of bad air, Beijing, where the frequent  AQI of 500+ is apocalyptic to say the least.  But, business needs dictate, so off I go!  My new masks will be put to good use.   The breathing valve helps to not fog up my glasses and looks oh so fashionable as well.

WP_20140222_004
I hate wearing my mask!

In order to combat all that seriously unhealthy stuff we face daily, I am trying to take some steps to stay alive.  First, we only use bottled water. Okay, I use bottled water and Thom doesn’t–he has a stronger stomach than I do.  I even had to yell at Thom today to make sure that he washes our food with bottled water too.  No tap water ever passes my lips.  Ever.  Then, we have started buying fruits and vegetables from the online Western store that guarantees organic quality produce.  Who knows if it is really organic since I don’t trust anyone or anything in China but their food has got to be healthier than the van on the corner pedaling produce.  We also go to the gym in our apartment complex and we take lots of walks when the pollution isn’t too bad (again, our standards here are very low as anything below 150 AQI Unhealthy Level seems good to us now).

Melinda Fruit Juice-2
Fruit Juice Bars are plentiful in Shanghai

This week I got a cold and then life seemed very difficult indeed.  I worked from home today so I wouldn’t have to go through the commute which is difficult and where I probably got the cold in the first place from my millions of fellow commuters who hock and spray me with their DNA daily.  Thank goodness we have all the OTC meds you could want because you can’t get them here in China.  Someone today suggested I try Chinese Traditional Medicine (CTM) but no thank you!  The only time I tried CTM, I bled from a place that should not ever bleed.  Nuff Said.  I did end up going to a doctor eventually for my self-diagnosed bronchitis.  He barely spoke to me and told me to rest to get rid of it.  I laughed and asked for antibiotics and cough meds instead and he then grudgingly gave me a prescription.  I would love to just “rest” but I am on the road again next week to Beijing and Nanjing and need to get well fast.  Give me drugs that work quickly!!!

People say that in Shanghai there is nothing to do but smoke and drink and eat.  Not exactly a healthy lifestyle!  It’s hard to make friends when you are empty nesters like us.  I actually met another woman executive when I was waiting for Thom outside our massage place, Dragonfly, and she and her family seemed to be checking it out.   We had a nice talk (she’s an exec with Disney) and Thom actually has already gone out with her trailing spouse to play cards with some expats.  We also met another nice couple on the plane home from Vietnam and I look forward to getting to know the gal, who is another woman executive with a trailing spouse.  Go women executives in China -there are a few of us!  Of course, we go to Trivia Night at the Pub.  We really enjoy the crazy Brits that are in our group but healthy it is not—between the greasy pub food, alcohol and plentiful smoking, we come home and have to immediately strip our smelly clothes that have absorbed a pack of Marlboros.  Yuck!

Of course, the stress from living in China, being away from family and friends, working at a new job, etc. is tough on us as well.  We have started to go to church and that is helpful to me.  I have to remember to pray frequently and remember all my many blessings every day.  Some days are harder than others but it’s always better when I pray.

Massage Date Night in Shanghai

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Shanghai, TravelLeave a comment

It’s Date Night and foot massages are once again on the agenda!  Arriving at Dragonfly, we didn’t think to schedule the private couples room for our massages so we were shown to the “big” room where 8 barcaloungers were spread out in the darkened room.  After initially recoiling because I like my privacy, the soothing water fountain and twinkling lights on the ceiling put me at ease.  Thom joked that he had arranged for the “big” room because I had to shut up and not talk to him or risk disturbing everyone else-he thinks I have tendency to gab instead of quietly enjoying the massage as he prefers.  So, since I couldn’t jabber,  I slipped on my headphones and listened to Cyndi Lauper because “girls just want to have fun”!  Cuddling with a blankie and warm lavender infused rice pillow….ahhh….now, this is my idea of fun on a cold night in February in Shanghai!  At only $23 US with our VIP discount card, it’s expensive by China standards for a foot massage but Dragonfly is very clean and upscale, especially the one in the IFC Mall where we go in Shanghai.

WP_20140223_012 (1)
Reclining in the leather loungers looking up at the twinkling lights while they rub our feet for 60 minutes…ahhhh….

With thumbs of steel, even though it was a 60 minute foot massage, she started with my shoulders first while my feet soaked.  Moving on to my feet and calves, every inch was massaged in great detail.  Last time, we had the hot stone foot massage but this was equally nice and I actually preferred it—those stones were FRICKIN’ HOT!

As my massage ended, I was a little jealous of the person across the room getting the double treatment—one gal massaged his feet while another worked on his shoulders.  Maybe next time!  You would think 60 minutes is a long time to get your feet rubbed but it actually goes by very quickly and ends before you know it.  Thom’s ankle, which was still hurting ever since his Vietnam incident, actually felt better after being massaged—we were worried it would hurt more but it ended up being very healing.  Putting on my Uggs for the long walk home, my toes were happy, warm and content at least until the cold, long, ugly subway commute on Monday morning.  BLAH!

You know you’ve become a Shanghai local if….

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Shanghai, TravelLeave a comment

You know you’ve become a Shanghai local if:

1.  You schedule your entire day around your foot massage appointment and are a card-carrying VIP member with Dragonfly.  60 minutes of pure pain & pleasure.  Hot Damn!

2.  You don’t stare in horror at the man peeing into the shrubs on a busy street, his not-so-privates fully exposed to any and all passing by.  You just think to yourself, glad he’s not taking a crap ‘cause that would be really disgusting.  My standards are in the gutter and so is A LOT of urine.

3.  You are touched on your body by 10+ complete strangers in the course of a subway ride and it doesn’t bother you in the least.  A little hand sanitizer and off you go!

4.  The baristas at the local coffee shop greet you by name and ask about your CNY, which for most expats means exploring Asia.  For me, CNY was a quick trip to Vietnam.

5.  Lady selling fruit out of her van on the corner near your home recognizes you and greets you enthusiastically.  You feel guilty with the knowledge that you started buying organic fruit online instead of from her because you know her fruit comes from the polluted fields and has been sitting outside getting even more polluted by the minute.  The organic fruit is probably just as bad but you have to try to eat healthier food to make up for all the “foggy” air you breathe in.

6.  The Doorman lights up when he sees you get out of the minivan but then promptly groans as he lifts the five 75 pound suitcases filled with U.S. cheese and sausages and vitamins, oh my!   Best import–Girl Scout Cookies!!!

7.  You give your Ayi a key to your apartment so the plants won’t die and the dust doesn’t pile up while you travel all over the world and hope she enjoys trying on your clothes while you’re gone.

8.  A scooter almost hits you and your blood pressure doesn’t even rise…you just count yourself lucky and try to be more careful cause if you do get hit, you are SOL.  You know no one will help you, no ambulance will come and take you away so you better drag your ass over to the curb quickly before a bus finishes you off and pray you can hail a taxi to take you to one of the few Western-style emergency rooms, the address of which I’m considering getting tattooed on my chest just in case so it’s handy.

9.  You don’t even bother wearing an air mask until the AQI (Air Quality Index for those of you inhaling clean air who don’t have to track this type of thing to save your life) hits 150 or more.  Once again, our standards continue to slip—Seattle AQI is 20 or lower most days but here in Shanghai, anything less than “hazardous” is considered a beautiful day.

10.  The hocking sound of phlegm getting ready to take flight sounds like home…watch your step!

Living the “local” life by riding the ferry across the river for a walk along The Bund.

Welcome Home!

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Shanghai, TravelLeave a comment

When the count got up to 8 people physically touching my body in the packed subway car this morning (one guy was actually sleeping standing up because, hey, no need to hang on to the pole when you’re packed in so tight), I thought it couldn’t get worse.  And then it did.

Sleeping standing up..packed in like sardines.
Sleeping standing up..packed in like sardines.

At my final stop,  a huge crowd surged to get on cutting off my escape.  I locked eyes with one sturdy gal, one of the many who was also fighting like Hell to get out of the subway car, and proceeded to grab on to her for use as my battering ram.  Did she mind that a crazy Laowai was physically touching her?  Probably but I prefer to think that she appreciated the additional brute force needed to move in the mob scene.  Teamwork in a time of need!  Shouting at the top of my lungs, “GETTING OFF!”  and not caring that they couldn’t understand a word I said because the surging masses could by God understand my no nonsense “GET THE F*&@  OUT OF MY WAY” tone and look, together she and I elbowed and pushed our way to safety.  Alone, we might still be in that subway car or trampled to death but together we provided enough critical mass to move forward.  Policeman were screaming at the crowd as the overcrowded train was barraged by more people trying to get on before others got off.   This experience on my first day back from our trip to the U.S. was by far the scariest moment of my commuting life so far in Shanghai and that’s saying a lot.  WELCOME HOME!

Shanghai vs. Seattle

On By Travels with MelindaIn Dog, Seattle, Shanghai, TravelLeave a comment
????????
Izaak, we miss you buddy! He would like China-the smells would drive him crazy!

I’ve been living in Shanghai now for about six months and it’s starting to feel like home.  I wondered what I would miss most about Seattle and, of course, besides our wonderful kids and family, my heart aches for my dog, Izaak, that we had to leave behind with Hannah.  Though I know he gets lots of love from Mike & Hannah and his new brother, Ollie, the Great Dane, I miss him so much.  Seeing all the dog crazy people this week in Seattle walking their best friends, I was soooo jealous.  We will get to see him this weekend when we visit Boise and I’ve already warned Thom he should don a plastic poncho because when Izaak sees him, he is going to jump into his arms for a full body hug and then Thom can expect a warm river of piss to run down his torso as Izaak has a tendency to leak a little when he gets excited.   Nothing says love like sharing some warm urine, right?   We may not miss that little habit so much but we do miss you buddy.

So, Thom and I are back in Seattle this week, for me to work and for Thom to get a break from China.  We notice the culture contrasts constantly.  For example, this guy in a bathrobe and slippers came trudging onto our elevator at the hotel, all sweaty from the steam room I presume as there is no pool here (am I painting a pretty picture here?).. a Chinese gentleman, of course.  You see, in China, many men in their bathrobes, pj’s and slippers walk in the streets of China every day but here in the U.S., it’s not a regular sight, thank God, especially in a nicer hotel.  Thom and I just looked at each other and burst out laughing as he wandered to his room.

Staring out my hotel window overlooking downtown Seattle, I just sighed deeply because the bright lights shining in the darkness of the Seattle night are so crisp and clear compared to the eternal grey fog of China that hangs like a veil over everything.  Even on a less than 100 AQI night, the lights don’t “pop” out of the dark like they do here.  I miss clean air so much.  WINNER:  SEATTLE

Thom is very committed to take one photo a day as a personal challenge.  Last night before our son James came to visit (and celebrate his upcoming 21st birthday), we walked to Pike Place Market to take some pictures of the bright neon lights.  While at no time have I ever felt uncomfortable or in fear of being attacked in China, I definitely felt that way walking the downtown streets of Seattle.  Having lived here, I have personally witnessed drug deals, people acting out their mental illnesses and actual physical violence.  I have not seen that at all yet in Shanghai.  WINNER:  SHANGHAI

I just spent an hour in Bartell Drugs, the Walgreens of the Pacific NW, and loaded up a cart of first aid supplies (so we can self medicate when Thom hurts himself, which he always does), cheese, sausage, vitamins, Sudafed (for my newly ruptured ear canal that happened when the plane landed) and other miscellaneous items that I just had to have and could not get in China.  I just hope Mr. Customs Officer isn’t hungry when he searches my luggage and finds my horde of treats.  WINNER:  SEATTLE

Our first night in town, we immediately went to the supermarket and loaded up on deli–cole slaw, potato salad, broccoli salad, cheese, ham, etc. and had a picnic in our beautiful hotel in downtown Seattle.  I miss my deli, not being much of a cook.  For James early birthday celebration, we got some Cheesecake Factory takeout and watched the Olympics.  Staring at the ENORMOUS portions of cheesecake at the front counter of this very popular restaurant, it occurred to me that everything is bigger here.  The portions we serve in the USA are huge.  Big is not always better (men, and some women, of course might disagree with me on this point) but I do appreciate the confidence I have in eating the food here and drinking the tap water.  WINNER:  SEATTLE

Stepping outside to go get those huge portions at Cheesecake Factory, the sidewalks seemed quiet and, quite frankly, boring.  In Shanghai, every time we step outside we are confronted with a barrage of sites to see.  The people watching on the busy sidewalks is always interesting.  Dancing on the street corners, morning and night, and the masses living their lives on the sidewalks, eating and socializing, is so completely different than life lived here in our comfy heated homes with kitchens and hot running water–luxuries in China.  Just as in NYC, we are never bored in Shanghai.  It’s just impossible to see it all but we are giving it a go.  WINNER:  SHANGHAI

Seattle Traffic-5355
Thom’s beautiful photo of traffic in downtown Seattle.

We laugh at how polite the drivers are in Seattle, giving pedestrians the right of way.  Here we feel comfortable stepping into the crosswalks when we have the green light to get to the other side of the street.  In Shanghai, that would get you killed.  Any time you walk in the street, you better be nimble because you are a magnet for that bus that is bearing down on you, ready to strike you down.  That being said, I was stuck in traffic for over an hour in the rain getting home from work in Seattle and was missing my subway to whisk me home.  WINNER:  TIE-DRIVERS ARE MORE POLITE IN SEATTLE BUT THEY NEED A SUBWAY!

WATER. AIR. SPORTS. DOGS. MOUNTAINS. HIPSTERS. FOOD.  Seattle has it all but no one said it would be easy in China.  If it was the same, we would be bored and why would we want to be there?  So, despite the chaos and pollution, we both feel we made the right choice to experience a new culture and move to a new country.  Of course, I just read in The Shanghai Daily online edition that the H7N9 bird flu toll continues to climb.  Oh well, I hear fox and donkey meat taste pretty good if chicken is off the menu but perhaps I’ll just stick to veggies and carbs.  I’ll let Thom eat the donkey!

Monkeys Make Me Smile

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Shopping, Travel, Trips outside Shanghai, VietnamLeave a comment
WP_20140205_024
Wild monkeys in Ha Long Bay

Experiencing the adventure of gliding through a stone cave at low tide to access the secluded inner sanctum of the tropical forest sprouting out of an ancient rock formation in Ha Long Bay was magical.  I expected to see a dinosaur at any moment because it reminded me so much of a scene from Jurassic Park.  In of itself, that would be an awesome memory.

Gliding through the cave at low tide to reach the monkey kingdom
Gliding through the cave at low tide to reach the monkey kingdom

Layer in the wild monkeys of Vietnam strutting their stuff among the treetops and shoreline and you now have a once in a lifetime rare glimpse into a private world unchanged by civilization.  These adorable creatures have probably been part of the animal culture here for millions of years and would make even the grumpiest person smile to see them tearing through the canopy of vegetation to joyfully play with one another.  Enjoy this private glimpse into my short video of our great adventure.

Ha Long Bay

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Travel, Trips outside Shanghai, VietnamLeave a comment
WP_20140205_004
Ha Long Bay shrouded in the morning mist

Ha Long Bay in Vietnam is just as beautiful as all the pictures you will see.  That being said, it was a terrifying trip there from Hanoi.  Probably 50% of the time, our van was on the wrong side of the road careening straight into the oncoming traffic of other crazed drivers.   That we survived is a miracle.  I would never do it again..ever.

Our cruise on the Princess Luxury Cruise Ship was so special and memorable, especially after our life or death experience getting there.

WP_20140204_048
Ha Long Bay bathed in sunshine

These stone formations jutting out of the green water have been around for 500 million+ years and we got to see them in the sunshine and also shrouded in the morning mist-both were spectacular.

We stopped on the way here at a tourist rest stop.  There, they had many ladies doing hammered egg shells in and coat with lacquer many layers and then paint beautiful pictures on top.  There was also jewelry, clothing, scarfs and embroidered pictures.  So many to choose from that I couldn’t make a decision.   Most cost less than $50.  The lady selling said all the people doing the artistic work were disabled but you tend to be skeptical when told that here.  Either way, the craftsmanship was amazing and I hope the artisans were paid decently for their lovely art.

WP_20140205_035
Gorgeous new hotel restaurant by the bay

In the “van from Hell”, we shared our adventure with a couple from England and a couple from San Fran.  We exchanged stories of China for their travel adventures around Vietnam.  In general, the houses we saw in the villages are much nicer than in rural China.  Made of concrete and bricks, they are usually three stories high, narrow in design with patios and beautiful wood doors.  The interiors I could peer into looked quite nice with tile floors, circular metal staircases and almost all with large screen tv’s.  However, their infrastructure is seriously lacking in Vietnam.   Roads are broken concrete messes with many bumps and sections of unpaved roads.  By contrast, when we got to Ha Long Bay, it felt like Miami Beach with new condos by the water and modern sleek hotels and restaurants, fueled by the almighty tourist dollars.

WP_20140205_034
Princess Luxury Cruise-very nice!

Our boat had just 18 cabins, filled with mainly Europeans and some Chinese folks.  The meals were lavish with pork, chicken, seafood, lots of vegetables and impeccable service.  During the safety announcement, Jimmy, our steward, showed us a hammer and told us that it was to be used in case of emergency only, i.e. to break out the windows to get out of the boat.  In other words, you are ON YOUR OWN!  He encouraged smokers to smoke outside (this is on a totally wooden boat mind you) and not to smoke inside as it would set off the smoke alarms.  No shit…However, doubtful that those hard core smokers paid attention but, just to scare them, Jimmy warned the passengers that everyone would break out their hammers and it would be complete chaos if they smoked inside.  To recap, if there is an emergency, grab that life vest, use the hammer and out you go into Ha Long Bay where the jellyfish are as big as a Labradors and good luck climbing those steep cliffs once you reach shore.  Luckily, we didn’t need the hammer as we couldn’t even find one in our cabin.

WP_20140204_052
Boat Merchants selling snacks and booze

As our Head Steward urged us to keep the bartender busy, who am I not to comply???  Seeing our pale white skin glistening with tanning lotion was a welcome if creepy sight after a winter of grey polluted China skies.  Need an Oreo or wine?  Small junk boats, merchants selling pearls and snacks and booze come alongside the  bigger cruise ships selling their wares.  You put your money in a net and in return you get your goods.  A tough life for these merchants rowing their boats all day with babies in tow.  Thom’s brother told us that he swept this bay near here in 1971 on a mine sweeper.  Hard to imagine this commercial tourist attraction was once a war zone but the people who live here still lead a meager existence in contrast to the beautiful cruise ships.

WP_20140204_095
Thom aka The King of the Squid

Thom spent the late evening hours fishing for squid off the back of the boat.  The crew was impressed with his results-two squid, scared out of their “ink” which they proceeded to jetson into the green waters of Ha Long Bay as he reeled them in.  Thom didn’t eat the squid for breakfast, as the crew suggested, but he will be boasting for many years to come of his prowess with the hook.  Whatever!  I stood at a distance and took the pictures to document his expertise–I don’t do the “squid” thing.  Anything that ugly can stay in the water and certainly shouldn’t be eaten.  Holy.  Hell.  No.  Way.

Park Scene in Hanoi, Vietnam

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Parks, Shanghai, Travel, Trips outside Shanghai, Vietnam1 Comment
WP_20140206_018
Flowers are blooming in Hanoi!

It was lovely to see the ladies dancing in Vietnam just like they do in China.  They had their loud speakers going and were working it!  Our only day to enjoy Hanoi, we decided to  walk around Hoan Kiem Lake today and enjoyed the warm weather.  This lake is in the heart of the Old Quarter in Hanoi and seems to be enjoyed by all the locals.  From the lovely pagoda in the middle of the lake to the bridge over to an island,  the flowers were blooming everywhere.  This is the one public space we have seen in Vietnam that is in good repair and maintenance.  There is a nice walking path around it and we are looking forward to enjoying the lights that are strung up between the trees tonight as we plan an evening walk.  There is a café on the lake as well as several restaurants with a view of the lake for everyone to enjoy.

On the first walk around the lake, we not only saw ladies dancing but many families out taking a walk and street vendors selling their wares.  After we had gotten almost the whole way around, Thom turned to me and proposed an adventure.  We would  walk back, find the “seasoned” lady selling wooden children’s toys and buy them all.  Thus, she could enjoy a well deserved day off and we would then spread some love around the park by giving away the toys.  Done and done. 

Oh what fun we had on this Vietnam “pay it forward” project.  First, several gentlemen came to the lady’s aid when they thought we might be trying to swindle her.  No, we reassured them that we really wanted her to have 500,000 dong to buy all the toys she had to sell.  They were shocked and laughed.  She smiled.  Then, off we went around the park with Thom approaching any and all children and giving away the toys.  Another vendor selling cards found out what we were doing and encouraged us to find the children from the “working” families and give them the toys.  This, we tried to do.  While we mainly got smiles and nods, Thom did manage to scare a few children with his goofy smile and outgoing positivity. 

WP_20140206_031
Thom giving away toys in Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam

Hopefully, stories will be told of the tall smiling Laowai wearing the bright green Xbox Sounders shirt and the joy he tried to bring to the children in the park.  For us, it will be a very fond memory and may become a new tradition of spreading joy throughout the world as we enjoy great adventures wherever we go.