Safe and sound in Vietnam

Stray and I arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam this morning...it's just as vibrant and crazy as we left it, last year. Blogging won't be a priority until we return to Chiang Mai. Too much to do, fear of getting another virus in my camera and limited commenting access (Martyn, there's a funicular up to Wat Doi Suthep, isn't there? ;) will keep me quiet for a while.

Anyway, I've caught up on some sleep with a Nanny Nap and Stray's out wandering, exploring ... somewhere.

Cheers!

Snap's other blog Chiang Mai Thai

What's wrong with this picture?

Apologies for the phone photo quality!

Snap's other blog Chiang Mai Thai

Volunteer English Teaching and Learning Thai

Stray's been volunteer English Teaching at TFH for a few weeks now.

As you can see, the ages of his students are varied...as are their personalities. It's been a real delight to listen to his experiences about teaching the class and to watch him devise games and strategies to keep the entertainment factor incorporated into his lesson plans. After all, if you have young students (or learners like myself) attention spans can be short lived, if learning isn't made interesting.

A Vietnamese Wedding

Back in 2008 (I think) Stray and I returned to Vietnam for a second time. Before taking the trip, I'd befriended a reservations officer (Dung - pronounced Yuum in the south) at one of the hotels we'd be staying at, via email. If you haven't read some of the opening posts on Cooee you wouldn't know that we were lucky enough to catch a barge across the river and bicycle out to visit Dung's family farm to meet Mum, Dad and some uncles.

Ms. Dung, Stray between two uncles and Dad

Me, Dung and Mum

Last year we revisited the ancient town of Hoi An and Stray peddled out to the family farm once more to

Durian - the thorny truth

Just recently Stray, Lani and I met up with fellow blogger, Catherine, at Hugh and his lovely wife, Khun Pikun's, home. It was a real treat to meet each other in the flesh and in such hospitable surrounds...the evening went far too fast.

I can't remember if it was before or after I'd finished stuffing myself silly with delicious Northern Thai food, that the topic of durian fruit arose.



Durian fruit has sort of haunted me since we started travelling throughout Asia. Smelling it, before passing it, in the streets. Chuckling at the 'NO Durian allowed' signs on the back of hotel doors...it's always been on the 'must try that one day' list.

Re-retreating to Chiang Rai

It's been a while since we visited our friends just outside of Chiang Rai, so it was a nice change (again) from Chiang Mai's tourist scene. We did, however, have dinner in town at the restaurant right in the centre of the night bazaar, a couple of times. Nice meals, great company and some good and bad entertainment up on stage.

Sawadee, G'day and Bonjour

Did I mention that Stray flew back from Paris last week, just in time for Songkraan? He had an unforgettable time with his wonderful hosts S1 and S2. In 2009 he met these lovely Parisians here in Thailand. Last year and I also had the pleasure of catching up with them, in the flesh, here in Chiang Mai.

Stray, would you like to tell our readers what you got up to?...Stray?...Stray?

Oh, no, that's right, he's flown off AGAIN and left ME to do all the talking! ;)

Apart from the obvious Paris landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower, River Seine and Louvre, I have no idea where these photos were taken. But, I do know, that I like them and it was hard to pick just a few from the disks Stray left behind...in my hot little hands.

First of all Stray is not responsible for the incredible photography, apart from being in some of the shots. 1. our camera is not that great and 2. I didn't want to part trust him with it.

Troot Songkraan

Out with the old and in with the new year!

It all starts out quite serenely with *Tungs waving gently in the hot breeze from sand pagodas and street poles. Fine sprays of mist, softly and respectfully, refresh you as you walk through the gates of temple grounds.

Aloha Chiang Mai

For the last week or so Hawaiian shirts, sarongs, psychedelic moo moo dresses and large tops made from material similar to that of a table cloth, have been appearing on mass in the department stores. Not only for sale, but worn by the store staff. Blue Hawaii, except I haven't spotted Elvis...yet!

This is great, because we're going to Phuket soon and Chiang Mai isn't usually a flood with beach going gear. Understandably, considering there's isn't a beach within cooee. I'm still not quite sure how I feel about those one piece swimsuits with the skirts attached, which seem to be in the majority...but, then again, this is Thailand!

Presuming, but not sure, this was all in preparation for Songkraan, I asked my favourite checkout chick...she just loves my dumb questions...I mean, she really does!

This is really bugging me!

Gotcha! I'm not really going to have a whinge, I've been going through photos from when JJ was here and completely forgot to post about the Siam Insect Zoo...which is on the way to Maesa Elephant Camp.

The zoo/museum is a small affair which appeared to be somewhat family run. The owner/collector happily filled us in on some of the non dead creeping, crawling displays on show, inside the building. Regrettably, many of the photos weren't up to par because of the protective glass.

Note the two butterflies on the right, one male, impaled on a pretty pink sewing pin and one female. Now look at the butterfly on the left. Half male, half female, or super glue?