Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

Happy New Year Everyone! Sunday was the first day of the Year of the Pig, and we were in Saigon to enjoy the Tet holiday. We didn't intend to be there, but. . .

We went to Phu Quoc Island about two weeks ago for what we intended to be a five day vacation. Phu Quoc (where the first two photos were taken) is a small island off the coast of Cambodia, owned by Vietnam, that is poised to become a world class vacation destination. It has beautiful beaches surrounding it and a mountainous interior, and is where the world's best fish sauce and black pepper are produced. (Who knew?) Right now, though, it is mostly red dirt roads, some chaotic development, and lots of energy. We were able to get a beautiful beachside bungalow for only $40/night in a resort with a swimming pool and a restaurant that had a free breakfast buffet. We ate at a variety of local restaurants, trying to find a balance between the foods that Anne and I like (seafood, local cuisine, etc.) and foods that the kids like (pizza, ham and cheese sandwiches, more pizza). It was really relaxing, and we toured around the island one day with a taxi we hired, looking at distant beaches, and visiting a pearl farm, a fish sauce factory (godawfully smelly), and some souvenir shops.

For about a week prior to our trip, my right arm had been bothering me, and the pain intensified while on Phu Quoc. Knowing that the Tet holiday was coming up and that there was no real reason for us to return anytime soon to Can Tho, we decided to head to Saigon, where a Fulbright-approved medical facility is located. I was able to get an appointment for our first morning there, and it turns out I have tendinitis, exacerbated by hauling a heavy suitcase. (We tend to overpack.) It's no big deal, really, and treatable with ice, heat, and massage. Once we were in Saigon, we decided to stay there through Tet for a variety of reasons that you can feel free to choose from: nothing pressing in Can Tho, the desire to experience the holiday in the country's biggest city, and difficulties in traveling during the holiday.

We wanted to be real tourists for a day there, and hired a car to take us around to the Reunification Palace (bad 1970s decor), Notre Dame Cathedral, the central post office, a Buddhist temple (see photo), and the zoo, where I took the photo of the dragon, meticulously made for Tet.

Tet was eerily quiet in Saigon. We had been warned about the chaos we'd face in the city, and the days leading up to the holiday were jam packed with people moving about, shopping, leaving for provincial hometowns, etc. At one point we were in a traffic snarl by the riverfront that made a one-mile taxi ride take 45 minutes. But on the day of Tet and the following days, the streets were pretty empty, except for the tourists who were able to finally stroll the streets in an unhurried fashion. (The last photos is Anne and kids on one such street. Sorry that it is sideways; I couldn't figure out how to format it properly.)

Our last night there the hotel feted us with a gala dinner for all of their guests. Anne would do a better job of telling you about it, and this has gone on for too long, so I'll quit for now.

All Best,

mark