Our little bungalow by the sea, on an island (Final Post # 5 Vietnam Travels 2019)

Hello!

Am sure I would win the prize for the longest drawn-out poster of holiday snaps in Blogland!

So, here are the final lot and, even though it was months ago now, I couldn't not share these because, well, it was a fabulously wonderful holiday.

Enough chat, here's the pics and a short video at the end:

The view we saw each morning... just a few steps away

I loved to get up early 

...and flip flop around on the sand

our bungalow by the sea

Beach to the left of us

Beach to the right of us 

To show where we were ... Phu Quoc Island, about a 40 minute flight from Saigon (HCMC) 

... now back to the pics:

Each sunset was beautiful.
The weather was warm, not too humid and no mosquitoes

So much relaxing ... 

A short walk to the restaurant

A little look inside the bungalow:

Don't think I stopped grinning all the time we were there!

Silhouette of my dear hubby, who organised it all and made sure my birthday wish, of staying somewhere by the water, came true
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
❤️❤️50 plus years together❤️❤️

A short video:

~ thank you for visiting and sharing our enjoyment of this happy time ~

To Da Lat in the Central Highlands (Post # 4 Vietnam Travels 2019)

Hello!

Well... the time since I last posted went by in a flash.  Nice to be back.

This must be the longest series of travel posts but back into it.  

Onwards from Hanoi we flew to Da Lat which is in the Central Highlands.  Da Lat was developed as a resort by the French in the 1900s because, in part, of its year-round temperate climate. 

Minimal packing - hubby had a backpack.  We were always asked "is that all the luggage you have?" 

Neither of us had visited Da Lat before so it was exciting to see what would unfold.  Our hotel was out of the city and in the surrounding hills.  Our taxi ride from the airport took quite a while so I put together a collage of shots I took through the window (when I remembered that is... we both loved the adventure of a new destination):

...and arrived at our hotel:

Our suite is on the top left of this photo

From the balcony

I always love to check out the bathroom... loved that we each had our basins - oooh luxury

A walk around the gardens:

This photo is from the internet.  It was better than mine and showed the surrounds so beautifully.

Breakfasts were veritable feasts:

The spaghetti in the middle lower photo was a big hit with the younger teenage guests.
There was so much choice and the chef always came out to check if we wanted anything different!
One morning I opted for chicken broth - and my favourite vietnamese roll (pic lower right) which was so tasty and comforting for an overworked tummy 😉 

Visiting the Flower Gardens was an absolute must, so off we went:

Here's a close-up of the structure of that entrance ... its made up of hundreds of individual pots of flowers:

I'm probably overdoing the collages a bit, but I'm having trouble deciding what to include!

It was warmer there than we thought, so we both treated ourselves to hats.
Mine a pretty yellow one... I felt like I was blending with the flowers quite well!

...and Hubby in his smart new hat

 We'd both noticed the lovely hanging wooden planters and so I took extra pics and have placed an order for next time Hubby is in his shed with not a lot to do! 

Some more orchids - just in case you hadn't seen enough (wicked laugh)

A few more shots around the gardens:

We each did our lovey-dovey stuff at this heart prop...well, we were on our Anniversary Trip eh!
I think I was trying to show "50" but got a bit mixed up ... lots of laughs though 💝💝

Heaps of amazing bonsai

The umbrella had lots of little bells that were tinkling in the breeze, it caught my attention and, aw well, what's one more photo.  Such a lovely place to visit!

Think I've kind of got to the end and I hope you enjoyed the visit.  Thanks for popping in  xx

My day at the Vietnamese Women's Museum, Hanoi (Post #3 - Vietnam Travels 2019)

Hello!

Whisking you back to my tales of our recent travels in Vietnam...

Still in Hanoi and one of the items on my "Must-Do (again)" List was to go back to the Vietnamese Women's Museum.

We'd visited previously in late 2011 but as I had developed, what I found out a few days later, a bad chest infection, I wasn't feeling the brightest.

This time round though, I was fit and full of anticipation at having the whole day to wander and absorb what I already knew to be a really interesting collection that is a tribute to the women of Vietnam through the ages.

The entry foyer and where I was kitted out with my audio guide.

lol... feeling pretty cool with my earphones (just had to remember how to work the audio buttons!) 

... and off we go.

The photos I've shown here are just snippets from some of the many categories that have been covered in the Museum's collection.

 Hardship:

 Above is one of the photos in the foyer, see description in the next photo:

The photo below, I say without a doubt, is the main reason I wanted to return to the Museum.  Back in 2011 I'd taken a phone photo of it and it had blurred.  I made sure I got a good one this visit.
The title is "Mother and Son Reunite" and it touched my heart.
I have included an explanation below the photo and a link for further reading if anyone should wish.

(Source: VNA Photo by Lam Hong Long and following extract from Vietnam News):
In a small, cozy house, "Mother and Son Reunite" is framed in a glass case in the living room under the family altar dedicated to his dear mother. She had cried her heart out when her only son was sentenced to death after being accused of being a Viet Cong spy.

Somehow she managed to remain strong, and after learning her son had been exiled in Con Dao Prison, a true "hell on earth", she started to investigate the situation. Upon hearing the news from the Liberation Radio that prisoners were to be released from Con Dao, she travelled all the way from Ben Tre to Vung Tau (181 kms) in search of her son.

Read more at http://vietnamnews.vn/sunday/features/275724/behind-every-famous-war-photo-is-a-story.html#oe3phDUrYjrF6oUj.99

Up a level - pretty thankful there were lifts here, the stairs were long!

Work:

 This beautiful photo caught my eye too.  The description of it is below: 

Marriage:

Embroidered pillow case by a bride-to-be.

Wedding attire

The bride remains hidden throughout the ceremony

An essential kit for the new bride.  The Betel Box and accompaniments are part of everyday life in households:

Wooden Betel Pot inlaid with Mother of Pearl

Betel chewing is an important age old custom in Vietnam.
The lime pot (bottom right in the above photo) is used in preparing the betel leaf for chewing.
(note: it's not lime juice, rather slaked lime ...calcium hydroxide

Childbirth:

I think it was for a week or two that the new mother is required to sit beside and above a pan of coals which provides warmth and therefore healing to her.
 

The following is an unusual little wooden storage box that caught my eye amongst the childbirth section:

 The next photo explains what it is...

This poster reads "Food for your baby for the first year"

Personal Adornments:

This is a silver waist pin with 7 objects that symbolise women's role in housekeeping
(a Thai ethnic group in Vietnam)

Huge Earrings... see the gorgeous photo below of them being worn:

These items are for the ears also.
Mothers have their daughters' ears pierced at a young age and every year the ear hole is widened until,  at a mature age, it is held that the wider the piercing the more beautiful the woman.

If, over time, a woman's earlobe tears because of the size, it is celebrated.
A  buffalo is sacrificed to commemorate the occasion and all villagers are invited to celebrate with her.  They believe the broken helix reflects the full beauty and wealth of the woman ... something the cannot be achieved by everyone.
The poor have bamboo and the rich have ivory.

Teeth Lacquering:

Crafts:

Applique:

Batik:

I love this photo -  it speaks volumes

Fashion:

Just some of the beautiful Ao Dai - the Vietnamese national garment.
 

What's one more picture eh!
 Back in 2011 ... pretty lucky to have made it back to that spot once more I reckon :D)