We have it really good here. We have great housing, good friends and one another.
Yet every week it gets a little bit better.
After three months of living here, I decided to try the "complimentary breakfast" from our hotel restaurant. You may be thinking "why did it take you three months?!" Well, it comes down to expectations. I thought that I would have to order and wait and I always seem to have just enough time to make it to the shuttle. Secondly, I thought it would be mediocre food. After thinking about it, we decided to meet a friend downstairs one morning.
Our neighbor friend did not show, but we were pleasantly surprised.
Each morning they serve croissants, breads, sausages, bacon, vegetables and a different kind of Vietnamese noodle soup each day:
I have no idea what this is called, but I call it YUMMY. My friend recommended I add a poached egg and YUM. Now I know why Vietnamese eat Pho for breakfast! I am hooked.
I love most things Vietnamese. Currently in Hanoi, there is a lot of hustle and bustle due to the upcoming Lunar New Year. Traffic has been insane and it seems like the markets have been overflowing with even more vendors than before. It's a very happy time and we are grateful to be a part of it.
Last week we tried out a newly re-opened restaurant: Luc Thuy. It's a fusion of Sichuan and Vietnamese food.
the most beautiful lazy susan I have ever seen
amuse bouche: peanuts, chilis and sour mango
mango salad: delish!
fresh spring rolls
two buns: fried or fresh
Chicken and vegetables; plus jackfruit, which is not something I would recommend
Sichuan beef: SPICY!
Ginger chicken
Check out the rooster!!! The tofu was mediocre, but the rooster was beautifully made
It was a very nice lunch and incredibly ornate. Our table of 5 sat in a private room on the second floor overlooking Hoan Kiem lake. Our server knocked every time he entered the room, and he gave us a remote to call him when we needed him. It was a bit over the top and the service was slow, but I would go there again. They also have a nice outdoor area that I'd like to try next time.
I love Vietnamese food and am really getting into the spirit of the season....I may even be turning Vietnamese...
Pho ba
Beef Pho for breakfast!
Pho ga
Chicken pho with a poached egg
This is a picture from our pool, as you can see, you cannot see much,
no wonder everyone is getting so excited for Spring!
Noodles & pork breakfast
Tofu & beef noodles
I think I'm turning Vietnamese....and I like it....
Last friday we had our Embassy Tet Party which is put on by our Locally Employed Staff Association. Me and a group of friends performed a dance. The dance was coordinated by one of our Assistant Regional Security Officers, he is really into it. He explained to me that the Vietnamese people get a kick out of watching us be a part of their celebration, which made me even more excited to be a part of it. I was excited about the Ao Dai<pronounced Ow Zai>
This is 3/4 girls on dress rehearsal night
The four of us girls during dress rehearsal. Two Americans, Two Local Vietnamese Staff. Can you believe that we could not get more women to dance?? All 4 of our dance partners are American Men.
After dress rehearsal I went to try out another <surprise> Vietnamese restaurant, Wild Lotus.
The Tet tree in the lobby
Fresh spring rolls and peanut crusted shrimp in the background
Pan fried sea bass in Mango: YUM
It was a delicious meal, but we didn't eat a lot because we wanted to save room for popcorn;
we went to Les Miserables afterwards!
Holiday decorations outside of Vincom Towers
It feels like Christmas all over again!
Vietnamese breakfast #6: Beef Pho and a poached egg, they now see me coming and get the egg ready in the soup, I love them!
Now finally, the moment you have been waiting for: THE TET PARTY!!!!
This was one of my favorite nights I have had in Vietnam....
The stage.....
My assistant V and I, aka "PINKY TEAM"
No, we did not plan our matching Ao Dais
Hubs and I
Watch our Tet Performance HERE
Dance buddy & the birthday girl
Dance buddy #2
My two dance buddies and their cute kids in Ao Dais
It was awesome. The following morning, Hubs and I decided to check out the Tet Market at Ecopark. The Hanoi American Chamber of Commerce had a bus to haul us out to the Suburbs.
Tet trees for sale outside of our apartment
Balloons at the Tet market
Kumquat trees, the other kind of Tet trees....
Tet trees are either Peach Blossoms or Kumquats, and they are EVERYWHERE.
Peach blossoms represent luck and Kumquats represent money, so the Patriarch of the family chooses which one the home has each year
We bought a Peach blossom branch for our home:)
Tet decorations
Vietnamese version of a pinana: clay pots in mesh
Traveling Dragon Dance
Little men painting stall
As Hubs and I walked through the market, we were in the 5% I think. One little boy stood up at the Bánh chưng (traditional Tet cake made of glutinous rice, bean and pork) table and yelled "người nước ngoài!" which means FOREIGNER! I walked up to him and said "không phải là gà" which loosely translates to "I am not a chicken"--chicken is slang for westerner. His eyes got SO BIG and everyone started laughing around us. He then would not speak to me, although his mother and sister were very interested in chatting with me. I sat down next to them at the table to make my own Bánh chưng.
There's my little new friend, he did not want to look at me anymore.
HOW TO MAKE IT:
6 leaves plus rice...
then smash the bean paste and add pork...
then smash more bean paste on top...
add more rice....
then wrap!!!
TA-DA!
Ours is number 47, they are going to bake it and deliver it this week. It takes them 20 hours to cook it!
The girl working at the table said "Oh, you are so good at wrapping" and I said "because I wrap presents at Christmas!"
We felt like celebrities, both Hubs and I got interviewed for Vietnam News...
More Kumquat trees....people want wealth!
Many people want to get married in the year of the dragon,
so we saw a lot of people getting wedding photos taken that day
Traditional Vietnamese performances
Pomelo trees with tape...I am not sure....
Cute little wild turkeys...they are polka dotted!
The dragon dance was awesome....
Look at that lift!!!
After a long morning of walking, we decided to grab some burgers at a local pub Tracy's Pub
They were awesome. The Pub probably sits about ten people, and they deliver.
We are very happy about that!
Hubs ordered Tracy's Damn Good Burger ...special sauce, lettuce, mayo, mustard, tomato, pickle, onion, bacon, egg & cheese
I ordered the Hawaiian Chicken burger...grilled ham, lettuce, grilled pineapple and the Kona & Kahala sauce. It was one of the best chicken sandwiches I have ever had!
Happy Hubs!!
We had an awesome weekend.
Hubs is off playing in a golf tournament and I am soaking up the sunshine on our balcony after shopping at the fabric market after Facetiming my Bro & going to church.
a beautiful day in Hanoi!
This is the Hanoi Club, where Hanoi International Fellowship services are held. We went for the first time last week. Yes, that is a driving range on the lake! The golfers hit into the lake and it's retrieved by Vietnamese women in conical hats, as opposed to teenagers in carts.
Life is good and each day we dive a little deeper into Vietnamese culture.
Tonight, we are going to our favorite street food place, because; we're turning Vietnamese I think we're turning Vietnamese I really think so.
***If you do not catch this reference, I invite you to watch this video***
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