tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-293016082024-03-07T21:10:40.036+01:00KATHRINE IN HANOIKathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-50490223744383817792008-11-06T10:18:00.001+01:002008-11-06T10:19:58.608+01:00Time's upSo my time in Hanoi has yet again come to an end.<br /><br />Tomorrow I'm off again - don't know when I'll be back, but I'm sure I will return some day. Hope you've enjoyed the pictures.Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-91923472125137659282008-11-06T10:13:00.004+01:002008-11-06T10:18:42.139+01:00More Hanoi street pics<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeIiJS5kdBACnjWW0xog60Hh-nrPdtf5jUgyVEuNaBn1qQbeo0yIQrdURoXAK_rYVcYpsGXDAOF45kukh11GhjMFhvq_s7nkSj07dBlMMeHVown9hOY3M-lRq5_FIiWBLeW_e/s1600-h/DSC01725tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265471141345069538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQeIiJS5kdBACnjWW0xog60Hh-nrPdtf5jUgyVEuNaBn1qQbeo0yIQrdURoXAK_rYVcYpsGXDAOF45kukh11GhjMFhvq_s7nkSj07dBlMMeHVown9hOY3M-lRq5_FIiWBLeW_e/s320/DSC01725tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Yy1mT71VA6YPN_jnWL46c39J1Ny0qSMu3aa0t39KFCpheOqj83WoACNp6awT0hKRU3lphrnYVSu6FOf1Qd-ceRxzJKl0_Tlt_O3GXgqHFE6w6Nyrm1TKxa0m5-FOPuDZZsig/s1600-h/DSC01749tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265471132811139970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Yy1mT71VA6YPN_jnWL46c39J1Ny0qSMu3aa0t39KFCpheOqj83WoACNp6awT0hKRU3lphrnYVSu6FOf1Qd-ceRxzJKl0_Tlt_O3GXgqHFE6w6Nyrm1TKxa0m5-FOPuDZZsig/s320/DSC01749tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezNcgdUjlVAjkX5amL1MBAPhFz18E3e_PPXajYPQqOdfrjMZDKAYhj-yGHT6HFdikSSu6OSFilPqBbwwTTU3VZ8W-iwuiFreni2gptI304u-FbUsdALh9nkyY3Za8KKl1jjXs/s1600-h/DSC01906tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265471121275703394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjezNcgdUjlVAjkX5amL1MBAPhFz18E3e_PPXajYPQqOdfrjMZDKAYhj-yGHT6HFdikSSu6OSFilPqBbwwTTU3VZ8W-iwuiFreni2gptI304u-FbUsdALh9nkyY3Za8KKl1jjXs/s320/DSC01906tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyO3-1QFgvGvn1y9rjE8uddl2K2hOTdMJUxJXDu81hchJsstgvQPqPFiULsdsCscB_4lqr2cwwsH9AtEOSxTSGzKYAzYSeSIASlLg4kyBn36EpiKQVYFSSytSvbGTBpGgmqqec/s1600-h/DSC01923tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265471122208850242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyO3-1QFgvGvn1y9rjE8uddl2K2hOTdMJUxJXDu81hchJsstgvQPqPFiULsdsCscB_4lqr2cwwsH9AtEOSxTSGzKYAzYSeSIASlLg4kyBn36EpiKQVYFSSytSvbGTBpGgmqqec/s320/DSC01923tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnekPqevLXCfsxLxbGvQvW4mI34CANbig25mHG2vxpE5Rg3gKWHUSjRwjpCZ89oIidJMKABuqxNVq62je8Rcj0XlzzJ08BmdLpi-7G3vzjlRzLNrRy8hoBpPfM2tvlaZonSXDB/s1600-h/DSC01925tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265470554226548594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnekPqevLXCfsxLxbGvQvW4mI34CANbig25mHG2vxpE5Rg3gKWHUSjRwjpCZ89oIidJMKABuqxNVq62je8Rcj0XlzzJ08BmdLpi-7G3vzjlRzLNrRy8hoBpPfM2tvlaZonSXDB/s320/DSC01925tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265470554181895250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmYqF3CSXUl6kSaZ0NIwAHyS8mXi1AW5P0umdORYQxnlA5vpblMdphlXWjqmwcOwEFfi9_kj1hgZ1hFU_X9DyZO8F5L296DO0yULhxIyAjCTqb46bA_t62sdDWBXSBrRrEPxwn/s320/DSC01946tw.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIf9pS-ll-rn1mB-cyHqnJc5J-2do5yhjARjZazEQ-Gxh2pDBxs8oqwlPJrl8pNVix0vd6xumzx9-THvXgVJaqt57bG4YqU0_4kqyvW_f1Ywjzn3f3bhvkZRDE011ysOM7hSjE/s1600-h/DSC01955tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265470546462776402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIf9pS-ll-rn1mB-cyHqnJc5J-2do5yhjARjZazEQ-Gxh2pDBxs8oqwlPJrl8pNVix0vd6xumzx9-THvXgVJaqt57bG4YqU0_4kqyvW_f1Ywjzn3f3bhvkZRDE011ysOM7hSjE/s320/DSC01955tw.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-85077744986245316022008-11-03T10:15:00.002+01:002008-11-03T10:24:16.956+01:003 days after the flooding<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUUn0A3BFKYCAVxSbu3R_IastGqe9dTjt9qY7VzR7uFkpZ6oUiA7CoU4ZI6-nFiIjES08NdmRzLQR8lyriyMD4aSe4qzvYPyA4MQFqp-WiprLMaH2SkYtIYN2-0ljLAfDLC0o/s1600-h/DSC01875tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264358902654648802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRUUn0A3BFKYCAVxSbu3R_IastGqe9dTjt9qY7VzR7uFkpZ6oUiA7CoU4ZI6-nFiIjES08NdmRzLQR8lyriyMD4aSe4qzvYPyA4MQFqp-WiprLMaH2SkYtIYN2-0ljLAfDLC0o/s320/DSC01875tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YCBDB54KMONkty-K7lXjkBzeaDjHUXJ7xhmRdidOrtMgQsZN2FraIZB8t1ZqoHvfMrPRVcls9os2S-qptWN0RKjHLZDSGV5LVBesFlpuEgZmG6U6KM_EVIGbYLmo6ZxlRmkh/s1600-h/DSC01869tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264358899965522226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1YCBDB54KMONkty-K7lXjkBzeaDjHUXJ7xhmRdidOrtMgQsZN2FraIZB8t1ZqoHvfMrPRVcls9os2S-qptWN0RKjHLZDSGV5LVBesFlpuEgZmG6U6KM_EVIGbYLmo6ZxlRmkh/s320/DSC01869tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-VaUwrPd6EngpJo8X-pHFirT0ebRCgBsX4K2H0_CPbPkzIaXV2VXnEtiyFERF5azi48l17UaWmVVf-LERp5TqaNplBSJ0ncDT-ouiEFzIAV1Yu9vbYALuVJNKGNlVZa8_bJw/s1600-h/DSC01861tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264358526519141250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-VaUwrPd6EngpJo8X-pHFirT0ebRCgBsX4K2H0_CPbPkzIaXV2VXnEtiyFERF5azi48l17UaWmVVf-LERp5TqaNplBSJ0ncDT-ouiEFzIAV1Yu9vbYALuVJNKGNlVZa8_bJw/s320/DSC01861tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eMrMD1-tQIlymbqaQ_KqhMRD1nflTUgsKOAeIgUN3fW9swZo0JIPu_8SX1CZOZJj_KYV7D6OHJvTwbP9Yb8THlrffiCl360rf15JDyWfCgWZskRMnE_tHlYO-_qHgADao4WB/s1600-h/DSC01856tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264358518812244194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eMrMD1-tQIlymbqaQ_KqhMRD1nflTUgsKOAeIgUN3fW9swZo0JIPu_8SX1CZOZJj_KYV7D6OHJvTwbP9Yb8THlrffiCl360rf15JDyWfCgWZskRMnE_tHlYO-_qHgADao4WB/s320/DSC01856tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmhA-_4kQtiQlU3Lk9_hUc7rNBXc8myOSyc51n2QJkpcVaveM3yIaeAb5FTAxyLtSOxH9sxrrnxIOzYSN08cQY3Xsv-S4K5ZsVPKKMuEPJuc30TqVrrdtyUrtBI4wPmHD9pts/s1600-h/DSC01850tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264358514877523298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCmhA-_4kQtiQlU3Lk9_hUc7rNBXc8myOSyc51n2QJkpcVaveM3yIaeAb5FTAxyLtSOxH9sxrrnxIOzYSN08cQY3Xsv-S4K5ZsVPKKMuEPJuc30TqVrrdtyUrtBI4wPmHD9pts/s320/DSC01850tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264359354110420754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgemnV3B5ZLGB_H9xA_Jh2hhgO3qPf8maH2pEuIq0ES1vbuyNOvP3ceNc5XlFrNVWZtze37Zm1LGhEEOxQ-pDRtMjA1Cck_2oaXimeWtZpz8mwXja_AfZTjxgDRB1foYF2Th4Ai/s320/DSC01818tw.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264358513056190802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Mo40MP2uQF4MyfwP3RKBBR54xj1gNMgQ5r5Ds8wCOI70RmcOK3OqQsraDAKONp56mLs1CiX-CGRIpqpz9BZ6MMBDsqCIMMYJ_nuFVsNwbgPVbBUy6idJr_938VAMV3q8aAkz/s320/DSC01820tw.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggU_XPVLTWXGjH04ULS5-MfHsBy9Cuu_aya1SJgeBUidsJ_et0SFrd7dO2EsQIN7yrz08vquoOvKQNd97HtQLQ5kP74NibdcrCMuJifKEUr9lrqh_N0d_k1ypVhpjlKKJCmCWt/s1600-h/DSC01818tw.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-36962448788696305992008-11-01T09:22:00.005+01:002008-11-01T09:42:23.780+01:00Flooding in HanoiIt's raining in Hanoi - and not like the normal monsoon rain, with heavy rain for a couple of hours - this has been almost 36 hours of heavy rain!<br /><br />Yesterday after a meeting I went out and tried to cross the road - it was around noon and the water was knee high. I caught a taxi and as I passed through the narrow streets I watched people barricade their shops as the the taxi "sailed" by. Some waved at me, I guess finding it funny that the taxi was acting as a boat - others stood stunned and anxious obviously afraid if barricades wouldn't hold.<br /><br />This morning I read the rain fall has been the heaviest in Hanoi for 2 decades. Friday 300mm of rain fell. The news paper showed pictures of people wading through breast-high water trying to save their moto. And apparantly several people have died in the floods.<br /><br />It's still raining and the weather forecast predicts heavy rain for the next couple of days.<br /><br />It's raining in Hanoi.Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-62143736479116376632008-10-26T15:15:00.011+01:002008-10-26T16:08:34.892+01:00Hanoi moments<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi457fawN3jXt_FKdjILJUUCJFLrtOzfk91tBbKZNgrG7yYvVWHNAiyFZVjXzkvswFJHU0yfFBCXqcGfq8KyP0ZriqEpS9bHHXJ3lJ1z94bXcDzqwsAh9UH1HgrRXVYR-wAQ2H7/s1600-h/DSC01589tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261479530094958658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi457fawN3jXt_FKdjILJUUCJFLrtOzfk91tBbKZNgrG7yYvVWHNAiyFZVjXzkvswFJHU0yfFBCXqcGfq8KyP0ZriqEpS9bHHXJ3lJ1z94bXcDzqwsAh9UH1HgrRXVYR-wAQ2H7/s320/DSC01589tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRRMZCPOusWo8fLzOLmguzA5keGryT9dH0kFcXn09Dqpv30cadYAFFSGPP1NpgkHvV5aG6k77wgU9qrg5zG4LUWWbgq9fxP3n4qey3olJQSy2qWfjZo6jVRIGNj5nJm85b6G5/s1600-h/DSC01591tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261479212399064786" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRRMZCPOusWo8fLzOLmguzA5keGryT9dH0kFcXn09Dqpv30cadYAFFSGPP1NpgkHvV5aG6k77wgU9qrg5zG4LUWWbgq9fxP3n4qey3olJQSy2qWfjZo6jVRIGNj5nJm85b6G5/s320/DSC01591tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAepOiYxH6-HdtIH5dOwoY181ePcW0zgezooAj5KO2WfeC_a-Ohclyncm-QHflSxcjDD3LbBzBL06V4xEgw-yokjrLBjo_t_uPpR_sUBOj75e0DuvXE06yZZHb3O_mmDBjKEX/s1600-h/DSC01579tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261473969089320354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEAepOiYxH6-HdtIH5dOwoY181ePcW0zgezooAj5KO2WfeC_a-Ohclyncm-QHflSxcjDD3LbBzBL06V4xEgw-yokjrLBjo_t_uPpR_sUBOj75e0DuvXE06yZZHb3O_mmDBjKEX/s320/DSC01579tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLHvUnYtovdI7cm4ubnLVBt6oYZQhOrwBlh22PvO9OExCCL2e_q59mvHCjrZ8lhlbXC6g-kFYw-M0aR6QdiOKjAdzYT-k5l8KrTsLN2yGOpvMXXzCrrOhEQScbySayvpj-nvC/s1600-h/DSC01600tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261473966974104034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLHvUnYtovdI7cm4ubnLVBt6oYZQhOrwBlh22PvO9OExCCL2e_q59mvHCjrZ8lhlbXC6g-kFYw-M0aR6QdiOKjAdzYT-k5l8KrTsLN2yGOpvMXXzCrrOhEQScbySayvpj-nvC/s320/DSC01600tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUrF6aw647bxvAgeyqFOdln7G45V8TE3P-yAtsuLSRTe7YE3GkmORa1myfFQZx9KrwM4d9uD1SSM4sMRvx_sf_ivS1RQEcnA2ob_UEqKCHTK0Yln_OI6AvFvUcPM-HozfhCKI2/s1600-h/DSC01591tw.jpg"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WawdeLerOCPvotNA2Cj8QJmEm8L7NiXK84S01RZCTB2x6RBcPBGzeem7vumbXFYDxeTnAXyrQF4c7n_IvzQrV2Ev5o-T-jqZyMIA1lpctVGBbuqLVmOI4MAW1Pv0yWiTJTuU/s1600-h/DSC01626tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261471167093879506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WawdeLerOCPvotNA2Cj8QJmEm8L7NiXK84S01RZCTB2x6RBcPBGzeem7vumbXFYDxeTnAXyrQF4c7n_IvzQrV2Ev5o-T-jqZyMIA1lpctVGBbuqLVmOI4MAW1Pv0yWiTJTuU/s320/DSC01626tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5261469383671410658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7AreuPYKXUHLlL830hMmKUQYjJaCN-L9BN7VvaGKxhBTICaXaduilHgYNTU4UIR6HNl0nFkvGrymYKaNUbb-h-jFW0XhXQ5C32c408qsGMKf79WBo4jpzF3BL2jejhX9Hvtc8/s320/DSC01692tw.jpg" border="0" /> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-65723072224970419062008-10-21T14:22:00.002+02:002008-10-21T14:31:52.072+02:00A little fat?My tailor's reaction when she saw me after nearly two years away was:<br />"Very long time - you big now!"<br /><br />I went to visit my "old" maid and she sad: "Maybe, you a little fat now" and gave me her biggest smile.<br /><br />Yes, I have gained weight since I left Vietnam, granted - am I fat? Well, no not excatly.<br /><br />But here, being fat is a sign of wealth. Being fat means having enough money to fill you stomach every night. Being fat is a compliment. I knew that, but nonetheless it was a tiny bit difficult not to be a little bit offended as I am raised in a culture where being told you're fat is certainly not a compliment. Furthermore, I doubt any person with a bit of sense in their mind would said it that frankly, should someone they knew years ago have gained a bit of weight.<br /><br />But that's Vietnam and within a split second I smiled back and said: "Yes, I'm a little fat now"Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-15314922576819400532008-10-16T18:09:00.003+02:002008-10-16T18:12:00.919+02:00More food...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqeeWBM5AhabPcWZ0QOIhbU-YuJu-3chvuwec4WYDN0fHZkiGiSqfC7HK3Zy2PiVY4HnUW8XSozVjHiuSjYPCu7LmEABRDv5lKC-rb7dQSY6_TaM-OOmK30SKsCBALhA-lxpg/s1600-h/DSC01537tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257785110671893250" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMqeeWBM5AhabPcWZ0QOIhbU-YuJu-3chvuwec4WYDN0fHZkiGiSqfC7HK3Zy2PiVY4HnUW8XSozVjHiuSjYPCu7LmEABRDv5lKC-rb7dQSY6_TaM-OOmK30SKsCBALhA-lxpg/s320/DSC01537tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4OarrSxg4bPW4N_SCYPsrG6siRhmE7fJyxTZmpI-r3LGj5Aa2-UFm5yIOze-nmCmlWubuqzMOGGB7GLWdPx3MnlzIKLsA1vdrT8kNmJRZ067Hhw2zrz9GsZg9A5MW56rlXHz/s1600-h/DSC01539tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257785114217585874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL4OarrSxg4bPW4N_SCYPsrG6siRhmE7fJyxTZmpI-r3LGj5Aa2-UFm5yIOze-nmCmlWubuqzMOGGB7GLWdPx3MnlzIKLsA1vdrT8kNmJRZ067Hhw2zrz9GsZg9A5MW56rlXHz/s320/DSC01539tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG0dWch_xLPVKpmSBFHNI5wDyBCN3WM8iX4td7LgEl89hl6VzYlbR5ydrRSmTORneVeCtmM8W3JUwEveejxm1T7arKMPX-YYMPZbLe1hWBD1hYye53cqha19xDvFG1jjTgpj3/s1600-h/DSC01551tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257785113645118018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOG0dWch_xLPVKpmSBFHNI5wDyBCN3WM8iX4td7LgEl89hl6VzYlbR5ydrRSmTORneVeCtmM8W3JUwEveejxm1T7arKMPX-YYMPZbLe1hWBD1hYye53cqha19xDvFG1jjTgpj3/s320/DSC01551tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWORm5-gh4uOtqZYhlcY_gtpy_z34qDSfqMk1WHG_GfnqtHXjn1t8hDja4ySNV9jVJEz_sCYspqPhqfqeWjh4SPJk25ErKsNROT83Ptdqv6Tst1fT_DbsDpxToeekK0S4hxjUD/s1600-h/DSC01557tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257785119540755730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWORm5-gh4uOtqZYhlcY_gtpy_z34qDSfqMk1WHG_GfnqtHXjn1t8hDja4ySNV9jVJEz_sCYspqPhqfqeWjh4SPJk25ErKsNROT83Ptdqv6Tst1fT_DbsDpxToeekK0S4hxjUD/s320/DSC01557tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-12438683661979451282008-10-11T18:30:00.005+02:002008-10-16T18:13:12.598+02:00Back in HanoiSo, I'm here. Back in Hanoi.<br /><br />First impressions: Traffic has gotten worse - even though people are wearing helmets and there are more traffic signs up, it seems worse.<br /><br />There are more flashy shops, more ATMs and you can actually withdraw 20 million Dong as opposed to 4 million in 2006.<br /><br />Here are some pictures of the beautiful food I have been enjoying:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi126tolWDVotQirWQOgXGd6enNiamLx78-irEYxJ1xCFa4CFHTgLIDq5xIAFh4e-uFE9hOL8qunNEXZ8DKT-3vhORnHUDrlEFyU_fUu_WNRLu7hw4eGW11VJVSJxxQwjW1jMt-/s1600-h/DSC01477tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257783933181335874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi126tolWDVotQirWQOgXGd6enNiamLx78-irEYxJ1xCFa4CFHTgLIDq5xIAFh4e-uFE9hOL8qunNEXZ8DKT-3vhORnHUDrlEFyU_fUu_WNRLu7hw4eGW11VJVSJxxQwjW1jMt-/s320/DSC01477tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4M9JLptw4Hr1UYXG8dim9GElrHbhBfxHX2H93SvHUQqqh-Pv6X1iPsqG4M6HpufyuIlbLDHtrHrsOuzkE1FtBDU0OIluXBPkZxLWo2xFde-iP5m2iqEmoz9sIyXwOGscXa8KQ/s1600-h/DSC01495tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257783935279929218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4M9JLptw4Hr1UYXG8dim9GElrHbhBfxHX2H93SvHUQqqh-Pv6X1iPsqG4M6HpufyuIlbLDHtrHrsOuzkE1FtBDU0OIluXBPkZxLWo2xFde-iP5m2iqEmoz9sIyXwOGscXa8KQ/s320/DSC01495tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyQaFaSs5YgG-bShg_ni_6hzc3ZilkjxlEFgZKcBhAv7cWSGtDyzLLo-SPtET47hViv9nEpXWMI1k1zWR2cu3DGw3eAMVNapxjYYpwBwXm5tbW3aox21Ru5yrxRRVdO5BbSMk0/s1600-h/DSC01499tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257783942945784354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyQaFaSs5YgG-bShg_ni_6hzc3ZilkjxlEFgZKcBhAv7cWSGtDyzLLo-SPtET47hViv9nEpXWMI1k1zWR2cu3DGw3eAMVNapxjYYpwBwXm5tbW3aox21Ru5yrxRRVdO5BbSMk0/s320/DSC01499tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaDzCILNbc0EkhUzODraGdQC1innCbVo7GKCF3HpAcAb4RrzSzrN-Zy2x_-0o8LJx82e8VYBB4iLNRgNcogCTLRNzLbTtuuBnEhXctkDePdvKa-tPztV1SkgpIP9ugn-NxfIm/s1600-h/DSC01520tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257783947979050274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaDzCILNbc0EkhUzODraGdQC1innCbVo7GKCF3HpAcAb4RrzSzrN-Zy2x_-0o8LJx82e8VYBB4iLNRgNcogCTLRNzLbTtuuBnEhXctkDePdvKa-tPztV1SkgpIP9ugn-NxfIm/s320/DSC01520tw.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTB0Px-_L_KefbeX8obCV7Gq2DiHqPz1h119Wk0DH4PsAZpvFZJ-F2dRcEDYUvu-bj4dtReGWBIDBn8Bq6BufBAsH9-HNZjltdBrmCaWnkwiyQi3tCPd1r7shFXjrO1CMtJ6lR/s1600-h/DSC01521tw.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5257783944622162162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTB0Px-_L_KefbeX8obCV7Gq2DiHqPz1h119Wk0DH4PsAZpvFZJ-F2dRcEDYUvu-bj4dtReGWBIDBn8Bq6BufBAsH9-HNZjltdBrmCaWnkwiyQi3tCPd1r7shFXjrO1CMtJ6lR/s320/DSC01521tw.jpg" border="0" /></a>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-26683323909245136752008-08-26T20:45:00.003+02:002008-08-26T20:59:55.614+02:00Hello again!It's been a while since my last post. I said goodbye to Vietnam knowing that we'd one day meet again.<br /><br />A quick brush up on my life: Since my stay in Vietnam I lived in Sweden for half a year. The last year I've been based in the lovely Danish capital, Copenhagen. I've travelled quite a bit. Mostly in Asia, but I haven't revisited Vietnam.<br /><br />I put some of my Hanoi memories into words and was published in the guidebook "To Vietnam with Love: A Travel Guide for the Connoisseur". Check it out if you're heading to Vietnam. The book is packed with personal stories from Vietnam.<br /><br />So, why am I writing again after after nearly 2 years of silence? Well, I guess it's not that difficult to figure out - I'm going back to Vietnam! The tickets are booked, I'm leaving 8th of October. I'll be staying in Hanoi for a month doing some research. I think it'll be strange coming back. Most of my friends from "back then" have left the city looking for new adventures and I'm sure Hanoi is changing fast. I'm excited to go back. If anyone's still out there reading this - I will be updating on a regular basis while in Hanoi.Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-592993696119287912007-01-14T05:05:00.000+01:002007-01-14T05:07:06.323+01:00Goodbye and good luckSo it's time to say goodbye... I've always hated goodbye's and this one really hurts.<br />It's been an amazing ride. During the last 6 months I've met some really nice people, led a very comfortable life, travelled in Asia and gotten to know Vietnam better. In short I've been happy living in Vietnam.<br /><br />It'll be quite an adjustment to cross a street without 100s of motos coming right at me, to do my own laundry, cook and clean again, to enjoy the sound of silence, to study, to be exposed to temperatures under 15c and to pay 13 USD for mojito! I'm not quite sure I'm actually ready to leave, but nonetheless I am leaving.<br /><br />I've seen how Vietnam's rapid development is changing everyday life in Hanoi. New shops pop up by the day, traffick is getting worse (as more people can afford a moto), KFC has opened two "restaurants" in Hanoi and soon you'll probably see McD, Starbukcs and Pizza Hut opening. It's globalisation people say, it's the way development works, when it works! Maybe they're right. I hope the development strategy will included preserving Vietnamese culture and traditions. I hope Hanoi doesn't turn into Singapore, which in my view has lost so much of its' Asian spirit. I hope the distribuation of the new wealth is not as unequal as it in China. I hope Vietnam is able to cope with the development.<br /><br />I don't know whether I'll blog from my next destination, but I can reveal I'm going back to Scandinavia, but I'm not going home. If I do decide to do another blog on my Northern adventures I'll be sure to put a link on this one. It's going to be my 4th country besides Denmark since the summer of 2002 and I'm slowly beginning to feel more like a world citizen, which is good I suppose. One of my friends asked me whether I thought moving around from country to country in the pace I've done is hard - I don't think moving to a new country or adjusting to its' pace is that hard, but saying goodbye always is...<br />But it is the life that I've chosen to lead at the moment (some say once you're on the track you never get off it again), and I feel very privileged that I'm able to live this way.<br /><br />I'd like to say thanks to the 15 somewhat readers a day that actually have tuned into this discount version of my blog (the Danish one getting the funny stories and the best pics). I hope you've enjoyed my Vietnam adventure as much as I have.<br /><br />Goodbye Vietnam, I hope I'll recognize you when<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span><em></em> I see you againKathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-38248820522290081042007-01-14T04:53:00.000+01:002007-01-14T05:03:50.456+01:006 months in AsiaTran Phu, UM, Pho,Lemon juice, Solace, Shopping, Bun cha, Little Hanoi, Teitur, "Xe om, em oi?", Tailor, Hanoi Taxi, Dragonfly, Ipa Nima Party, Spring rolls, Tiger Temple, Fruit shake, Foot massage, Bangkok, Traffick, Balcony Bar, Champagne brunch, Hoan Kiem, Sentimental journey, E-mails, Kuala Lumpur, Moto rides, Country side, Development, HAU, Hong Kong, Dim sum, Bia Hoi, Noise, Cultural differences, Christmas dinner, Markets, Bobby Chinn, Star ferry ride, Beijing, Humidity, Being Asian, Being European, Loosing my accent, Boat trip on South China Sea, Pollution, Nhuong our lovely maid, Graditude, Never cooking, Blog, Adventure, Puku, Sunday outings, Singapore, Friends, Rice with soy-sauce, Green Tangerine, Impatience, "Sorryyyy", Communism, Air con, Hoi An, Typhoon, Fresh Fruit, Hanoi Opera, Missing, Coca Cola, Happiness, La Place Café, Anh Khanh, Beautiful Beach, Highlands' Coffeee, Explaining myself, Embassy, Travelling, Female Power, Phu Quoc, Tiny dogs, Life in the streets, "Danskere på taget", Luna, Street food, Modernization, Rats on the roof, Waiting, Reckless transportation, Purchase power, Cocktails, Building sites, Reading books, Halida, Beauty, Cakes, Cofe, Squat toilets, Being ripped off, Handicraft, Caught in the middle, Bicycle guy in the street, Sushi, Rude people, Airports, Expat, West Lake, Uncle Ho, Luxury, Poverty, ContrastKathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-22922729849394634852007-01-10T03:50:00.000+01:002007-01-10T03:53:46.863+01:00Personal recordSince end of June 2006 - 31st of December 2006 I've been on 21 different planes going to/from and within 7 different countries. That's a personal record!Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-79337110309408797272007-01-08T09:41:00.000+01:002007-01-08T12:03:15.529+01:00The sound of silenceThe other morning in bed feeling a wee bit hungover I thought to myself that Vietnam was really growing on me. Yes, I know it might not be the most obivious thought a Saturday morning feeling a bit sick, but the thought came to me 'cause I wasn't annoyed by the salesmen and women shouting in the alley outside or house even though the woke me up a good few hours too early for me to sleep my high alchohol level away. It sort of felt homey that they were shouting whatever it is they shout.<br /><br />Last week a noise guy came to the embassy to measure the noise level. As the embassy is located right next to a big street with lots of motos and cars it wasn't surprising that the noise level in the front offices hit the same level as in a factory hall!<br /><br />But I don't notice it anymore. The colleague I share office with has 3 phones and they're ringing most of the day. She'll be on one with the two others ringing. I don't even think about it anymore! Vietnamese have a more relaxed relationship with their mobile phones. They'll gladly keep them ringing when in a meeting or on the other line. Sometimes it's like they're enjoying their ringtones before answering. Back home it's almost embarrasing how much noise a ringing phone can make in a class room or at a meeting. In my previous workplaces there have been rules phones are to be switched off during work hours. Here it seems the rule is almost opposite. Noise is a natural part of my Vietnamese world.<br /><br />I remember the first weekend I went back to my parents when I was at boarding school. Suddenly all the sounds I grew up with was infamiliar to me and I couldn't sleep. My boarding school was in the country side and silence was the only thing you could hear at night. Back home with my parents the city sounds souded louder than ever...<br /><br />It's funny how you can adjust your perception of what is normal to whatever environment you're living in...Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-45488509931984354782007-01-07T17:14:00.000+01:002007-01-08T03:26:43.652+01:00Phu Quoc - paradiseNo words needed....<br /><br /><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBmI2hMB1STa59kTAokKnMcdPhRCpMnQz_bxGwr0W-njmJvVBqlAxFOnPLMDGH2Q6U11A_53UVfO2wDVGsVmbBqTDyDGYsFqg-DVwUKP2vZ8b8vtYdhVfG79Kr2IC2X3awubP/s1600-h/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017326168915128690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKBmI2hMB1STa59kTAokKnMcdPhRCpMnQz_bxGwr0W-njmJvVBqlAxFOnPLMDGH2Q6U11A_53UVfO2wDVGsVmbBqTDyDGYsFqg-DVwUKP2vZ8b8vtYdhVfG79Kr2IC2X3awubP/s320/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+011.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiJ5jBkNWayDp-SwBTckntYdPSFoJsRIF_m0IKd_NIO2FYe8UuOaRFxgyR45A4yQCijXXdfX5VkKm-a1Yzxzs9-QWV6WKIEGtl_Pbh8Hef22qFxDLNJjRJQGUEs9SNmW60aCK/s1600-h/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+022.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017326173210096002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaiJ5jBkNWayDp-SwBTckntYdPSFoJsRIF_m0IKd_NIO2FYe8UuOaRFxgyR45A4yQCijXXdfX5VkKm-a1Yzxzs9-QWV6WKIEGtl_Pbh8Hef22qFxDLNJjRJQGUEs9SNmW60aCK/s320/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+022.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_r9knm-dfXfDNe3ZNDf0OopDeuZCOKs_ffwXYo09pJlmHJQBQtQxdhvLTEZSi7FKd6sJlxhjGipMO_QygcSn-2gp9_TQslXQPV-Q9tOjiregB7NRb4oRX7v9SGQUR3QNuvFZ/s1600-h/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+032.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017326181800030610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_r9knm-dfXfDNe3ZNDf0OopDeuZCOKs_ffwXYo09pJlmHJQBQtQxdhvLTEZSi7FKd6sJlxhjGipMO_QygcSn-2gp9_TQslXQPV-Q9tOjiregB7NRb4oRX7v9SGQUR3QNuvFZ/s320/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+032.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkUNCSZRKxq_ygps8a1B0w-I5dGCZsIpLtqFanZl3lq1ipePf8jQQOcjjuA9OCJjDC3pe2wg_xBimapKVecjfxbG40jLRtjekaVdZN-79yhQt3x-Q_u3g-69TTFobZynHJKBA/s1600-h/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+052.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017323866812658018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkUNCSZRKxq_ygps8a1B0w-I5dGCZsIpLtqFanZl3lq1ipePf8jQQOcjjuA9OCJjDC3pe2wg_xBimapKVecjfxbG40jLRtjekaVdZN-79yhQt3x-Q_u3g-69TTFobZynHJKBA/s320/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+052.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07ge_JsNj8FVqWf64nJrH8DsSss3t4-gm9SDSqojYlxVA1LevyeO8fUJbhQtXe__CB-BDmMMpO0BFz_VIYYpFBCd0Is5tg6z2G8-8P80Odp3nvoBLud9hzW65Wcgq8OtsiOij/s1600-h/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+084.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017326186094997922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07ge_JsNj8FVqWf64nJrH8DsSss3t4-gm9SDSqojYlxVA1LevyeO8fUJbhQtXe__CB-BDmMMpO0BFz_VIYYpFBCd0Is5tg6z2G8-8P80Odp3nvoBLud9hzW65Wcgq8OtsiOij/s320/Phu+Quoc+og+Saigon+25-311206+084.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathihanoi/sets">More</a></p>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-17208477643565140142007-01-05T03:31:00.000+01:002007-01-05T13:33:35.052+01:00Being a Danish KoreanBefore living in Vietnam I’ve always felt weird whenever associated with Asian culture and values. Other bloggers have blogged about how they when people wrongly assumed they were Chinese or Japanese in the US. I guess their experience is somewhat different to mine as most of them are Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) and when people wrongly take them for another nationality they’re labelled as belonging to another culture than the one they’re rooted into.<br /><br />In Denmark most people assume I’m Chinese. I’ve always thought that was rather natural, since China is the world’s most populated nation, but it also made me think how little people know about adoption and where Asians in Denmark actually come from. American friends in Vietnam have asked me about “Asian community in Denmark”, but to my knowledge there are no Asian hoods in Danish cities as most non-Caucasian are from the Middle East or Africa. Where I’m from there are some Vietnamese (without having any statistical background I’d say maybe 100-200), but an Asian community as “China Town” or “Little Saigon” does not exist. Even though Denmark has huge integration problems compared to many other countries it is a fairly homogenous society. I know Danish readers might not agree, but my main subject in this post is not integration of immigrants, but me, the Danish Korean adoptee, currently living in Vietnam, and my view of being an Danish Asian in Denmark and in Asia :)<br /><br />As far as I know most Asians in Denmark my age group (twenty-something) are in fact children (most of them girls) adopted from Korea. How many? One of the Danish adoption agencies state that from 1970-2005 3118 Korean babies where brought to Denmark to grow up. As there are two major agencies in DK and it’s bloody hard to adopt (lengthy application process and lots of tests) I’d guess the total numbers is roughly 5000 out of a population of 5.5 million people.<br /><br />I used to be somewhat offended by the assumption that I was Chinese and I always wondered why, since I perceive myself as Danish it shouldn’t really matter whether people label me as being Japanese, Chinese or Korean, but it does. Because even though I, as a Korean adoptee who came to Denmark barely three months old, have no emotional connection to Korean culture or society, I nonetheless am Korean by blood.<br /><br />I’ve earlier blogged about <a href="http://kathinhanoi.blogspot.com/2006/08/ahh-you-doctor.html">how tired I am of explaining who and what I am</a> since apparently everything comes down to the colour of your skin and some people almost are offended when I persist on claiming my European (cultural) roots. It’s like I’m abandoning my Asian roots. I’m not – I just never realised I had any besides my looks. But one thing I’ve learned during the past 6 months in Vietnam is being in a group of purely Asian people (who might all have grown up in the Western world), but before coming here I’d never been in a group of all Asian. And I think to some extent I didn’t want to be in an Asian group in Denmark because I was afraid I would be taken for an immigrant (no, I don’t think there something wrong with being an immigrant, but the fact is I’m not one in the typical sense of the word). During my years I don’t know how many people who’ve said to me – “I don’t even think of you as not being white”. To them it was a compliment and I can understand the meaning of that sentence, but somehow there’s also an insult in the words; being white means included, not being white means being excluded. I’m adopted, I’m Asian, but they see me as included.<br /><br />Here in Vietnam I’ve made Viet Kieu friends, and no to be honest I have not made many purely local friends. But hanging out with Viet Kieus have given me the opportunity to be in group of people looking like me with almond eyes and black shiny hair (or greasy if you use wax). Living in Vietnam has been very different from my previous travels in Asia, in many ways I blend into everyday life ‘cause of my looks and many ways I don’t ‘cause of my Western upbringing. Yesterday sitting in a bar with all Asians, I realised that I felt quite comfortable with me being Asian, them being Asian – I did not feel I had to try to be “more Danish” so that people wouldn’t think I was Asian born and bred. I didn’t even care. I don’t know whether I’ll feel the same when in Denmark again, but I hope so.<br /><br />Being comfortable in your skin is alpha and omega for allowing yourself to be whoever you are. Being an Asian adoptee in Denmark will probably always bring up some issues, because no matter how much you’re upbringing is Danish, you’re looks and biological roots are not. I don’t have the same cultural roots vested in a “home country” that Viet Kieus have. I cannot go to Korea to find “my roots” in the same way (if at all) since the culture I would meet there would not be one I’d find familiar in any way or identify with. I don’t speak the slightest Korean and I have no desire to learn, but I’ve come to learn that I am in fact Korean, I’ve even been told by American Koreans that I act Korean. I think it always bothered me to be labelled Chinese, because I knew I should take some pride my Korean DNA. Living in Asia has taught me a lot about myself regarding my Asian appearance, the pros and the cons. It has taught me to be proud of my Korean heritage – the heritage that I’ve also claimed I didn’t have. My Korean heritage is my Asian looks and even though it is not WHO I am since you cannot and should not boil an identity down to looks, it is the first thing people do when the meet you. I will always be Danish of heart and mind, but I’m only now learning to be Korean as well : )Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-70631569059747215542007-01-01T12:43:00.000+01:002007-01-01T12:58:52.102+01:00Speed weddingA couple of weeks ago I went to my first Viet-wedding. It was one of my co-workers who was gettig married and I'd asked her a ton of questions regarding the wedding, so I was pretty excited to go even though my other co-workers warned me that Vietnamese weddings were not fun at all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-E2QYiKw2BXZGb-MJBNM6nspyAsLC3wBDjy_pBLTSFSHQ7wxS9vxKLyCh4jMXcinWqT38QGSxOzOFlP3zRS3nb-XgqH8R1QOTvJXHE3HezEDF3JvBH0vixDoOKO8Ri7OOUGK_/s1600-h/Hanoi+18-231206+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-E2QYiKw2BXZGb-MJBNM6nspyAsLC3wBDjy_pBLTSFSHQ7wxS9vxKLyCh4jMXcinWqT38QGSxOzOFlP3zRS3nb-XgqH8R1QOTvJXHE3HezEDF3JvBH0vixDoOKO8Ri7OOUGK_/s320/Hanoi+18-231206+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015029951335943106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vU-cLzTpzdmms5jvp6QDA44n4qoXA8pONJ_BIdrUpEv-X8hyphenhyphenZMU_RvqAMXxcPN6yvNh1GDasFN3WNKnamWoMoUon0u_mG77q6iLF1_nL6-1m0uieZuv2_U0cqqc6SlYlp5s6/s1600-h/Hanoi+18-231206+013.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4vU-cLzTpzdmms5jvp6QDA44n4qoXA8pONJ_BIdrUpEv-X8hyphenhyphenZMU_RvqAMXxcPN6yvNh1GDasFN3WNKnamWoMoUon0u_mG77q6iLF1_nL6-1m0uieZuv2_U0cqqc6SlYlp5s6/s320/Hanoi+18-231206+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015029959925877714" border="0" /></a>Well, it was def rather different from a Danish wedding. The bride and the grooms' guests sat in two differenct sections of the room, I counted somewhat 400 seats so it was quite a big wedding.<br /><br />While people were eating the ceremony with the rings being exchange took place and some family members gave a perfomance. After that the happy couple went around greeting the tables, everyone ate and chatted and around 45 minutes after arrival the first table of 20 people got up and left. I stayed approx 1½ hour and our table was one of the last to leave!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5xI-oi6vBfBQMpBgG6p0EaHhWmrtCspFnqLg72hS90BOxDOSXRkTrVdNUlhTyc4i6d9eMO4ybpFBJ2hLz0fXSYzKmaCm3FgCvbVapchct09LXUmrleRv08C3bDyAbbtd7Bcg/s1600-h/Hanoi+18-231206+031.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_5xI-oi6vBfBQMpBgG6p0EaHhWmrtCspFnqLg72hS90BOxDOSXRkTrVdNUlhTyc4i6d9eMO4ybpFBJ2hLz0fXSYzKmaCm3FgCvbVapchct09LXUmrleRv08C3bDyAbbtd7Bcg/s320/Hanoi+18-231206+031.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015029964220845026" border="0" /></a><br />So no, my first Vietnamese wedding couldn't excatly be described as "fun", but I still thought it was fun to see how everything went about.Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-85272153597642598392006-12-21T14:40:00.000+01:002006-12-21T15:06:56.068+01:00Winter in Hanoi<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BK9a_OvzKbIkhy-s9hNrktDA3Jy2Q-96OXvUOxQ6Y_OVzaf4UoSA_QzhgrqrkCLyVNB5jFv_xTJ6UqK2qhmICpi8B1NXrAi24u9ozQznIndDL7FXaGqH_bgs7eHbjVjE7M5d/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+049.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BK9a_OvzKbIkhy-s9hNrktDA3Jy2Q-96OXvUOxQ6Y_OVzaf4UoSA_QzhgrqrkCLyVNB5jFv_xTJ6UqK2qhmICpi8B1NXrAi24u9ozQznIndDL7FXaGqH_bgs7eHbjVjE7M5d/s320/Hanoi+171206+049.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010981004587061362" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Wouldn't want the dog freezing - it was 22c that day</span><br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyL5XiWq7QBfAlrBoA1G5taXjdCuxfamq1cVgMhKhpvUA7i01ywo1xHcPM203uZGKlvqFfL2OQgMhOp3omayTpaJs4lLNeTpCElh9kp77spcnUQQoOf7rRxzLjzx_sLOqJQH_o/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+051.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyL5XiWq7QBfAlrBoA1G5taXjdCuxfamq1cVgMhKhpvUA7i01ywo1xHcPM203uZGKlvqFfL2OQgMhOp3omayTpaJs4lLNeTpCElh9kp77spcnUQQoOf7rRxzLjzx_sLOqJQH_o/s320/Hanoi+171206+051.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010979213585698866" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOttqVkAQGgwGsX9lIUsH8mMweIOUpwFomvbFyTNLd90BPvGPfVAISzG9VzYqFHmD55jLVNxIleioGnbspJ-HdRN07i-99lpRCm80icPP11MgXjK3tb4aTJo_XE7jUAlTBwQII/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+055.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOttqVkAQGgwGsX9lIUsH8mMweIOUpwFomvbFyTNLd90BPvGPfVAISzG9VzYqFHmD55jLVNxIleioGnbspJ-HdRN07i-99lpRCm80icPP11MgXjK3tb4aTJo_XE7jUAlTBwQII/s320/Hanoi+171206+055.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010979226470600770" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgooK9fYNj5cjzwb05GyWoE9v8jPh4VVfSklE7yo6DwG7tJU90EbR6_x9lzjTuE7G_Y_MUmMiAUcluQcf2OJgQdxLZqLAKB0uC-DBpptUcay8Kswwgl86GstIaShpd5yVqMhmqB/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+052.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgooK9fYNj5cjzwb05GyWoE9v8jPh4VVfSklE7yo6DwG7tJU90EbR6_x9lzjTuE7G_Y_MUmMiAUcluQcf2OJgQdxLZqLAKB0uC-DBpptUcay8Kswwgl86GstIaShpd5yVqMhmqB/s320/Hanoi+171206+052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010979235060535378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9p8pGQi_KZfyQk36F1X-i5SpmXCdkF1dPzvngcnJg2t2K96NrKIwbUArhZoseuDyMbh8yatmc0nJn8g8w_qTjVmeRqDRNv7b3dR_9NOsw82I2z35hJAEVqJY3yVjvxu8ISEIi/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+033.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9p8pGQi_KZfyQk36F1X-i5SpmXCdkF1dPzvngcnJg2t2K96NrKIwbUArhZoseuDyMbh8yatmc0nJn8g8w_qTjVmeRqDRNv7b3dR_9NOsw82I2z35hJAEVqJY3yVjvxu8ISEIi/s320/Hanoi+171206+033.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010976713914732498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCf7FdOEIRpAptzuoJfgBgfmpmNlmhq63MYyI9ubscJZkjGxJz5zwYt5CYaDzXp7NRk1AkOR-YfbP_1D5Q2gkSKEq-KUnP6ALNLILS_3pzEm2NVrMeF0OObr0sUu5La0W6r7r/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+035.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCf7FdOEIRpAptzuoJfgBgfmpmNlmhq63MYyI9ubscJZkjGxJz5zwYt5CYaDzXp7NRk1AkOR-YfbP_1D5Q2gkSKEq-KUnP6ALNLILS_3pzEm2NVrMeF0OObr0sUu5La0W6r7r/s320/Hanoi+171206+035.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010976722504667106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC11HiepZ2SN1l15730IBsTY15vJtKEdOW5tTMDupeiqaKzExqlOiBUcRanfOnLOw8CJxR0EUl-EKdBKtteDsHounChZjTUJPNuykEP7kSgzoZfY86YTtR9h2-oOB9lCCZqRtV/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC11HiepZ2SN1l15730IBsTY15vJtKEdOW5tTMDupeiqaKzExqlOiBUcRanfOnLOw8CJxR0EUl-EKdBKtteDsHounChZjTUJPNuykEP7kSgzoZfY86YTtR9h2-oOB9lCCZqRtV/s320/Hanoi+171206+037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010976731094601714" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBHl7gt4y9927flSLgEqD0OvTqQsOiVD6cofz2rdRzsimPGvjI3zN5yybZmNA381_aJeEXo7l_nn6xxZi62jsGrrPrsmhTsj8OZ8WGhyAgGUy6J1fR3x8UtO7duYL6K2EctS1/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBHl7gt4y9927flSLgEqD0OvTqQsOiVD6cofz2rdRzsimPGvjI3zN5yybZmNA381_aJeEXo7l_nn6xxZi62jsGrrPrsmhTsj8OZ8WGhyAgGUy6J1fR3x8UtO7duYL6K2EctS1/s320/Hanoi+171206+040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010976748274470914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGJ06y4KVAmrD_xXkyWbb7Ff2rAkVOZGYdFLj_p76w8HR_23N51vlEzwvTqjuCpMF5g76BFHW_Orx-KBpUFoB7newAe2Vn98w9ALv6CFrMs-Eh80fBsdT2sCMwaK0uOV-LgMN/s1600-h/Hanoi+171206+042.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGJ06y4KVAmrD_xXkyWbb7Ff2rAkVOZGYdFLj_p76w8HR_23N51vlEzwvTqjuCpMF5g76BFHW_Orx-KBpUFoB7newAe2Vn98w9ALv6CFrMs-Eh80fBsdT2sCMwaK0uOV-LgMN/s320/Hanoi+171206+042.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5010976752569438226" border="0" /></a>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-738852742527859372006-12-13T15:54:00.000+01:002006-12-13T16:15:23.968+01:00Vietnamese performanceA couple of weeks ago I went to a perfomance by Anh Khanh, dare I say Vietnam's most famous artist? It was out at his house in Gia Lam - neighbour province to Hanoi. His house and the surrounding grounds are filled with installations, sculptures and paintings - and the perfomance itself was quite something. I cannot explain what was going on as my art interpretation is not advanced enough to understand him, so I'll let the pics speak for themselves.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2VxWH8dbxRD3cM5ZJJy7t6ANHL0_SoI4ZuVOpzp8lNWhBYki7Qe9dWzn1-ko0UdWNV6gL5yOR3J3gJWoj5vsVNp9iKr7tlARXSa-kh2-060jv8J9M77Du9I3-pcoE6CFyyKo/s1600-h/Hanoi+20-301106+006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu2VxWH8dbxRD3cM5ZJJy7t6ANHL0_SoI4ZuVOpzp8lNWhBYki7Qe9dWzn1-ko0UdWNV6gL5yOR3J3gJWoj5vsVNp9iKr7tlARXSa-kh2-060jv8J9M77Du9I3-pcoE6CFyyKo/s320/Hanoi+20-301106+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5008029630537175970" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWymc-CYAxNd-UoJYgrDMaoA4Cx9emHUgiRyIWTQs1ZwUAgEhJebjIl8EPOAQxtSq-gGbUTS2rcKAIwC_1HKCBlBIs5Sl2bo2sWnmCeJOVXQjUwRq5Zi8gw4v28ipEc9trCifl/s1600-h/Hanoi+20-301106+005.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWymc-CYAxNd-UoJYgrDMaoA4Cx9emHUgiRyIWTQs1ZwUAgEhJebjIl8EPOAQxtSq-gGbUTS2rcKAIwC_1HKCBlBIs5Sl2bo2sWnmCeJOVXQjUwRq5Zi8gw4v28ipEc9trCifl/s320/Hanoi+20-301106+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5008029621947241362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzBN5N6iSS2AWTJc-ngfgAik3to8_b_j2pplppYLAnGoXXE6pNbG7MQIYI-nEBQm9PgwCliuS9Nhyphenhyphenf8U6eCAGlx1MgK_ot-cix3oicm4d3CHljGF7cWDN5etpj4q_ol6i6CrX/s1600-h/Hanoi+20-301106+010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzBN5N6iSS2AWTJc-ngfgAik3to8_b_j2pplppYLAnGoXXE6pNbG7MQIYI-nEBQm9PgwCliuS9Nhyphenhyphenf8U6eCAGlx1MgK_ot-cix3oicm4d3CHljGF7cWDN5etpj4q_ol6i6CrX/s320/Hanoi+20-301106+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5008029643422077874" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI8VFRyOhRKNosFwrX9wp7fGF8jidxg3V_DgRfhqIR7teO-zV6ODgNE-MbF4NuxA_IMRh4krDdmdMSC8aWvsGnGpDJZR9P8GCgkOJ0YKsoRrrkWNQgtxqn6mpTNU9BXZM-ZN2/s1600-h/Hanoi+20-301106+014.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGI8VFRyOhRKNosFwrX9wp7fGF8jidxg3V_DgRfhqIR7teO-zV6ODgNE-MbF4NuxA_IMRh4krDdmdMSC8aWvsGnGpDJZR9P8GCgkOJ0YKsoRrrkWNQgtxqn6mpTNU9BXZM-ZN2/s320/Hanoi+20-301106+014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5008029652012012482" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5vPv77LFdAl5VYoByoVuO2ceUTUyzOHL9SOHQg42-gK_LPw47n85yfot-v5Z7srKej4dow124T2HmFJewfEb1SD9mi2nkcRo_XNpWkBGSKZsmiPnSuQQTxPiLvsguGVzredV/s1600-h/Hanoi+20-301106+016.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH5vPv77LFdAl5VYoByoVuO2ceUTUyzOHL9SOHQg42-gK_LPw47n85yfot-v5Z7srKej4dow124T2HmFJewfEb1SD9mi2nkcRo_XNpWkBGSKZsmiPnSuQQTxPiLvsguGVzredV/s320/Hanoi+20-301106+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5008029664896914386" border="0" /></a>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-77821810012666184472006-12-11T17:23:00.000+01:002006-12-13T11:10:04.676+01:00Violence in Hanoi StreetsLast week walking down Hang Trong towards the lake two moto's stopped in the middle of Nha Tho. There were two guys on one moto - two girls on the other. One of the guys jumps of, pulls the girl-driver off by her hair and stars punching her in the face!<br />We start screaming "stop!" - others pull up by the side, but no one except the other girl does something to try to stop him...<br /><br />The girls run towards the church in her high heals - he chases her, punches her till she's on the ground screaming. She gets up and runs and tries to hide between the rather big crowd and finally a guy pulls the violent man by his arms and stops him.<br /><br />The girl has blood running down from her lips - she looks dead scared. We start walking again, stunned and scared. I've never seen anyone hit a girl like that. I have never seen anyone hit a girl in my life! I felt paralysed - afraid to butt in. Maybe it's an excuse, maybe an explaination, but I'm a girl, tiny of size and I wouldn't have the strength to hold him down and stop him. But what about the 20 something guys standing around just looking doing nothing? Why didn't they try to stop him?<br /><br />I didn't understand what was wrong as the guy was yelling at her in Vietnamese, but it was obvious they knew each other - and maybe there's some codex here in VN saying you don't mess with other people's domestic affairs? I don't think there's anything in the world that justifies domestic violence and when you take it to the streets of Hanoi, you'd except someone to react, step in, try to help. I don't think I have a guy-friend who wouldn't try to step in if he saw a girl getting beat up in the middle of the street...<br /><br />Why was everyone so passive? I don't understand....Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-15503025894828231202006-12-05T15:44:00.000+01:002006-12-05T16:10:19.865+01:00It's oh so coldAfter Hong Kong I went on to Beijing where I for the first time since March felt really cold. The temp reached 0c at night and when I visited the Great Wall of China I could see my own breath piercing through the mist. I even bought a new winter jacket to keep the Chinese cold out ; )<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEm2ri0TKsp7UNID6fmaH9T6s0V2QF8n-Yo19oVJLnkHgAebBM1uNu8i6Y8SvmsETVVPBkPrh8Exu7x50aHWFWKuzYsVQ-59_spnYEEPusqBapesmoWkSbxE1q5kI0RnUHt_L/s1600-h/Beijing+14-191106+088.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZEm2ri0TKsp7UNID6fmaH9T6s0V2QF8n-Yo19oVJLnkHgAebBM1uNu8i6Y8SvmsETVVPBkPrh8Exu7x50aHWFWKuzYsVQ-59_spnYEEPusqBapesmoWkSbxE1q5kI0RnUHt_L/s320/Beijing+14-191106+088.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5005055667201094818" border="0" /></a><br />After 6 days in Beijing I was looking forward to feel the warm humid Hanoi weather again and I was pleased when the temp showed 23c when I set foot on Vietnamese ground 11 pm. The humidity pressed against my body and I felt at home.<br /><br />But oh, the joy only lasted a few days. After a hot weekend with the temp hitting a rocking 32c in the afternoon the following Monday summer was over and winter came in a flash! 19-23c is not much when you're used to 30c. The Hanoi winter feels cold and damp and last night I wore my grannie's home-knitted wollen socks, that's how cold I felt.<br /><br />Yes, I know 19c is not that cold and in Denmark I'd probably be out in my bikini the first day of spring with temp barely over 20c, but here my body has gotten used to the humid hot Hanoi weather and does not seem to adjust very well to Northern Vietnamese winter weather. I wear a jacket and a scarf to work even though it's just across the street. It helps that the scarf is a lovely soft deep purple pashmina that bought on my most recent trip to Thailand ;)<br />Feeling cold reminds me of winter in Europe and that this Asian journey all too soon is coming to an end. Time is flying...<br /><br />More Beijing images <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathihanoi/sets/72157594392222889/">here</a>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-39481304758380040792006-11-26T10:09:00.000+01:002006-11-26T10:22:29.494+01:00Sorry, I've been lazy...and enjoying life in Asia<br /><br />So, here's a few pics from my recent trip to the amazing city of Hong Kong<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/539746/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/320/300512/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20006.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Hong Kong island from the Kowloon side<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/107232/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/320/62637/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20011.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Ladies market - which I actually didn't find too impressive</span><br /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/452360/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20017.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/320/486947/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20017.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Hong Kong from Victoria Peak<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/356766/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20031.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/320/533669/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20031.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">South side of Hong Kong island<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/777647/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20034.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger2/7016/3576/320/971916/Hong%20Kong%2011-141106%20034.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">South China sea sunset<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">More pics <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathihanoi/sets/72157594392222122/">here</a><br /></div></div>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-62602020099613790382006-11-08T12:02:00.001+01:002006-11-08T12:02:38.930+01:00Street games<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tlxbzU260to"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tlxbzU260to" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" height="350"></embed></object> <br /><br />Does anyone know the name of this game?Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-69588078127082396792006-11-02T11:52:00.000+01:002006-11-02T11:53:34.119+01:00How many people live in Hanoi?I wonder how many people actually live in Hanoi city? I think the embassy website says 2,5 million, Lonely Planet say 3,5 and the locals say 5 million.<br />What is your take?Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-71558315604612960262006-10-29T11:27:00.000+01:002006-10-29T11:58:54.632+01:00Cook & CookI normally leave the food bloging to experts like <a href="http://www.stickyrice.typepad.com/">Sticky Rice</a> and <a href="http://realthai.blogspot.com/">Real Tha</a>i, but I'll make an exception.<br /><br />So, back in Hanoi my family and I wanted to try some of the different cuisines available (besides Vietnamese food of course).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/20-211006%20027.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7016/3576/320/20-211006%20027.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>So one night my sister and I opted for Cook & Cook, a Korean style teppanayaki place off Ba Trieu. It turned out to be quite an experience!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/20-211006%20023.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7016/3576/320/20-211006%20023.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Each table has its' own chef and ours certainly new some tricks. It was kind of a mixture between circus and cooking with beautiful food and entertainment with knives and fire as the result.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/20-211006%20025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7016/3576/320/20-211006%20025.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>We had a set meal consiting of around 11 dishes (as far as I remember); salad and soup, scallop with vegetables in curry sauce, grilled veggies, chicken with vegetables, grilled fish, prawn cooked in red wine, Australian steak with vegetables, fried rice, noodles and fresh fruit. It was fab, just fab ; )<br />Video available <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfvAB5vColg">here</a><br /><br />PS: After the meal we chatted with the owner who informed us a new KFC was opening just across the street. He seemed quite cheerful about it which I didn't really understand.<br />Anyways, I promised him to recommend his restaurant which I hereby do!Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29301608.post-40321172469211698472006-10-24T14:03:00.000+02:002006-10-24T17:19:29.063+02:00Holiday in ThailandMy family came from Denmark to visit me and we spent 5 days of our holiday in Thailand.<br /><br />I love Bangkok - shopping heaven, good food, lots of fruit juice from the street vendors and life in the streets after 10 pm!<br />But besides the joys of big city life we also went for a one day trip to Kanchanaburi, probably best know from the book and film "The bridge on the river Kwai".<br /><br />The highlight of the day - besides walking on the brigde, riding on the "death train", getting cooled down in the mist of a beautiful waterfall and having a lovely Thai lunch surrounded by mountains - was a visit to the <a href="http://www.tigertemple.org/Eng/index.php">Tiger Temple</a>.<br /><br />As you can see below I actually got to pet a tiger. As a matter of fact I touched 3 full size live tigers!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7016/3576/1600/14-181006%20105.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/7016/3576/320/14-181006%20105.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>More pics from Thailand <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kathihanoi/sets/72157594251116402/">here</a>Kathrinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13700953468794202059noreply@blogger.com0