Adopted

Would this ever happen at home?  Would you go to a tailor to have some clothes made and wind up having the store owner and her family take you in as one of their own?  Would they hug and kiss you and squeeze your cheeks?  Would they invite you to join them for a birthday celebration for their kids?  Would they tell you that you were now part of their family and would you legitimately feel like you were?

Well, this has happened to us in Hoi An, Vietnam. 

On a recommendation from some travelers we met in Cambodia, we found ourselves at a tailor shop called Diem Diem.  Immediately, we were given beer and food and made to feel completely welcome.  Within 15 minutes of being in the shop (and ordering lots of tailor-made clothes), we had been invited to the birthday party of Diem's twin daughters, who were turning 2 the next day.  We gladly accepted this invitation and at 4:30 pm the next day, Tyson and I arrived for the birthday celebration at the shop.  However, we soon learned that the party was not going to be at the shop as we were escorted, along with 13 other members of the family, into a large minivan.  We had no idea where we were going but we felt no fear or discomfort.

A few minutes later, we arrived at a local restaurant where we proceeded to have the most delicious Vietnamese meal that we have eaten since arriving in this country.  The family sat Tys and I right in the center of the table, across from the patriarch of the family (who we affectionately call "Papa").  Papa made sure that our beer glasses remained full throughout the meal and our eating was frequently interrupted by the clinking of glasses and the shouting of "YO!," which means "Cheers" in Vietnamese.  We ate family style and the food just kept on coming. 

 

The first course involved making our own spring rolls from rice paper, lettuce, mint, cucumber and fish and dipping them into a chili, garlic and rice vinegar sauce. 

 

The second course was small, whole squid, which were a little squishy for us (but the little girls sitting next to me just couldn't get enough.) 

 

For the third course we ate clams in a soup broth: quite delicious but Papa opened the clams that hadn't opened during the boiling process and insisted that Tyson and I eat them.  I'm pretty sure that you are NOT supposed to do this because it means the clams were already dead before being cooked (and rotten clams can obviously make you very sick) but we could not offend him by turning down his offers.  I managed to put down one forcefully opened clam but Tyson had to eat two!  Thankfully, neither of us got sick.

 

The final course was a Vietnamese hot pot that included fish, shrimp, squid, vegetables and noodles. By the time we got to this point, we were both so stuffed but kept eating what they put in front of us to show our appreciation.  Yes, our seafood consciences were killing us throughout the meal.

This experience was very special and unique for us.  We had the opportunity to feel, if only for a few hours, what it was like to be a part of a big, happy, lovely, Vietnamese family.  It didn't matter that we couldn't understand most of what was being discussed at the dinner table, we still felt completely comfortable, welcome and included.  And we feel very lucky that we were able to have an experience like this.  We don't know why they chose us but we are thankful that they did.  We doubt we will have another experience like this with strangers any time soon. 

The motto of this family was, "Money is number 20, family and friends are number 1."  And they are right.  This experience helped us understand how special it is for generations of family members to be so geographically close to one another and made is realize how important it is, to us, to be physically closer to our families at home.  Mom and Dad Feinberg, time to move to California!  Seriously.

PS - While in Hoi An, our adopted family fed us at least 8 meals, several cups of coffee, and more beers than we care to admit.  By the time we leave here tomorrow, neither of us our going to fit into all the new clothes we had made. 

2 suits, 1 business shirt, 1 pair of shorts, 2 jackets, 1 pair of jeans, 2 pairs of women's work pants, 1 jean skirt, and 4 pairs of shoes: $Many Vietnamese Dong.

Spending 5 days being a part of a Vietnamese family: Priceless.


 

Easy Riding

Before the trip, we made a couple of pacts with our doctors:  1) we wouldn't pet stray dogs or 2) get on motorbikes.  The stray dogs were to be avoided for fear of potentially being bitten by a rabid dog (vaccinations for rabies, and neutering for that matter, lack in all the countries we've visited).  Given the traffic patterns here, motorbikes raise obvious concern, especially if you don't really know how aggressive the driver is.  Our own pact was to not eat any fruit or vegetables that may have been washed with dirty water.  After 3 months, we are dog petting, motorbike riding, salad eating fools...and loving it.

 

It comes to a basic realization: it's not possible or fair to make blanket judgments.  If the food appears clean and sounds good, we eat it.  If the dog is obviously friendly and not rabid, we pet it.  And if the Easy Riders have comfortable bikes, friendly/safe dispositions, we ride with them.  Had we stuck to our initial pact, we would have missed out on a wonderful day doing just that in Dalat, Vietnam. 

 

They are called Easy Riders for a reason.  There bikes are like Harleys (although made by Honda), and the men driving them were two of the most gentle souls we've met on our trip, Jean and Windy.  They took us around the gorgeous Dalat countryside (which feels an awful lot like California) and showed us a behind the scenes look at the rhythms of life in rural Vietnam.  We learned how silk is made (somthing neither one of us knew we had an interest in, it really is fascinating), about Vietnamese Buddism, the American and Cambodian wars (this linked photo is the remainder of a South Vietnamese General's house after the 1968 Tet Offensive), and how Dalat agriculture works.  We climbed up a hill for a sweeping view, down a hill to the Elephant Waterfall, and learned how locals grow flowers, coffee, and use native grasses to make brooms.  There really is something special about taking the countryside in on the back of a motorbike. 

 

We highly recommend the Easy Riders in Dalat, even if you "don't" ride motorbikes.

Vietnam Videos, etc.

As we've said before, we've had an awesome time in Vietnam thus far.  We're in Nha Trang, waiting to get on an overnight bus to Hoi An (and for the rain to stop).  We took the opportunity to load some photos and videos.  Yesterday, we went diving in Nha Trang, Vietnam, and the visibility was fantastic (15 to 20 meters).  We decided to take the divemaster up on his offer to take photos...it turned in to a bit of a photo shoot, and we were exhausted from having to constantly smile.  The photos don't capture everything, but they give a pretty good idea of some of the stuff down there.  Nha Trang has some MPA's (not nearly enough) so the diving quality is head over heels better than Phu Quoc.

We've also loaded a couple of videos from our time in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).  The traffic is both chaotic and predictable...the best way to cross the street is to walk slowly and let the traffic go around you.  It's crazy but it still works.  Here's a video to that effect. 

One of our most enjoyable half days was spent touring the city on a pair of cyclos, which are old fashioned, emissions free, three wheel bicycles where you get to sit on the front.  This video shows us working our way through a traffic circle.  Jenn's driver was 62 years old, and cyclos every day.  He get's up early, rides 12km fast into the city, and then 'rides back slowly'.  He even offered for us to take home an orphaned boy he picked up a few months ago.  Don't worry, it's still just the two of us.

Finally, here's a whole host of photos that we've taken since the end of our time in Cambodia, and the start of Vietnam. Evidently, using internet cafes to load photos is akin to sleeping with hookers.  We had hundreds of viruses on our poor memory cards, which blocked us from loading anything.  They've been fixed...just remember to be careful where you stick your USB. 

P.S.  Some places in Vietnam block Blogger (probably much like China), so if this is in a funny format, it's because we submitted it as an email.  We're off to Hoi An!

Alice in WonderNam

Given America's history in Vietnam, it is perhaps the most interesting country we've been in.  Nothing is black and white.  It's grey and it's colorful.  We came with a particular interest in the Vietnamese peoples' perception of their country, their government, and the future.  We wondered if people were happy with how everything turned out.  So far, after talking to a number of people over the past week, the only sure thing is that after 100+ years of war, the people are happy to be living in peace. 

That message rings true in the messages portrayed at Reunification Palace in Saigon where the North Vietnamese "liberated" the South.  It also rings true with the two South Vietnamese soldiers (who fought with the U.S.to prevent communist takeover) that we had the pleasure of spending time with (one was a 62 year-old cyclo driver, the other a 60 year-old tour guide).  They may not have total freedom (those who fought with the U.S. are barred from getting highly educated jobs and spent years in painful "re-education camps"), but peace and the chance for prosperity (communism is basically dead here) give the country a feeling of hope, a sense of pride, and energy to put towards building a successful economy.   Are they happy with how everything turned out?  There is no simple answer, and we don't expect to find one. 



We can however, report some early observations:


-The people are incredibly friendly.  Our first big bus ride, we were the only Westerners on the bus (that was a first for us).  Everything was communicated in Vietnamese, including our 30 minute lunch/bathroom stop where we could have easily been lost in the fray.  No problem, a handful if Vietnamese travelers who spoke some english took us under their wings, showed us which restrooms to use, shared food with us, and got us set up to find a place to sleep in Saigon. We never really even needed to ask for help.


-While the people are incredibly friendly, vendors will vigourously befriend you as they attempt to lighten your wallet with inflated prices.  We have to haggle for almost everything.  We've won a few, we've lost many more, but we're getting the hang of it.  Once you know the game, its fun to play.  Otherwise you feel like an idiot.  Take our $10 'Oakey' and 'Diesle' knockoff sunglasses for instance.


-In Saigon, the motorbike is king.  At major intersections, there is literally a sea of motorbikes zig-zagging and weaving to get where they want to go.  Minor streets and intersections are much the same. As if crossing the street wasn't enough, on the sidewalk it is not uncommon to hear a friendly honk behind you asking for you to step to the side for a motorbike to pass.  We popped in to a shoe store one afternoon and had to step aside to let a motorbike pass.  He wasn't pushing it, he was riding it.  With the motor on. 


-The motorbike opens up a world of social opportunities.  In Saigon, couples and singles gather in beautiful tree shaded open spaces to eat, drink, play a sort of badmitton hackey sack, dance and just hang out.  Many teens and twenty-somethings simply sit on their motorbikes like couches.  It is a beautiful, communal sight..

-Many things are the same as home.  The ice-cream man sounds the same here, except that he or she is usually on a bike of some sort.  Unfortunately we can't load our pictures (endless computer troubles), but we have a great one of two police men sitting in the front window of a donut shop.  No further comment necessary.


And in Saigon, you can watch movies.  We were so excited.  Not only were there movies, they were showing Alice in Wonderland.  It was so fun to be in a theatre in Vietnam.  So far, it really does feel like WonderNam.

If Wishes Were Fishes

Yesterday, Tyson and I went diving off the northwest coast of Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam.  We knew that the diving was not going to be as spectacular as it was in Ko Tao or the Similian Islands in Thailand but we were excited nonetheless; it's hard to not be excited about diving in 85 degree water.  What we saw when we sunk beneath the surface of the waves was dramatic and depressing.  Although there were some corals in varying states of health, there were hardly any fish.  And the fish that we did see were very small.  The hundreds of fishing boats that we had seen lining the harbor and coastline (and lighting up the horizon like a baseball game at night) have clearly taken their toll on the marine ecosystems here on Phu Quoc. 

We had our suspicions that overfishing here was a problem. The twenty-odd food stalls at the night market all proudly displayed an array of fresh fish, squid, shrimp, scallops, clams, cockles, and crabs.  EVERY NIGHT.  And every night, the market was full of tourists (mostly Vietnamese but some Westerners) who just couldn't wait to get their chopsticks around these delights from the sea.  This level of harvest, this rate of extraction - it just can't be sustainable.  And the impacts of this fishing were blatantly obvious as we drifted through the ocean, breathing our compressed air, and wondering where all the fish were.

Concern about the state of our fisheries, locally and globally, does not seem to be at the forefront of the general public.  We all hear that eating fish is good for us (we need those Omega-3 fatty acids) but we don't really think about where that fish is coming from or how the way it has been fished might have a broader impact on the ocean as a whole.  Educating yourself about where your seafood is coming from and whether it is fished sustainably is huge step in helping make sure that Tyson and I (and everyone else) always have lots of fish to see when we go diving.

If you want more information about how to buy sustainable seafood, please check out Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch website. 

PS - I must note that the diving at Ko Tao and Similan Islands was so stunning because the waters are fully protected marine reserves where no fishing is allowed.  Support the creation of marine protected areas; they work!

Cambodian Favorites...Top Ten

After 17 days in Cambodia, we are officially in Vietnam, Phu Quoc Island to be exact.  It is phenomenally nice here.  Before writing about Vietnam, we want to reflect on our time in Cambodia, which was beautiful, disgusting, heartwarming, and disheartening all in the same breath.  Above all though, the place is full of hope and potential.  We really enjoyed it.  In no particular order, here are some top moments from our time.

10.  Perhaps the first thing we noticed were the pajamas.  The ladies wear them everywhere.  Maybe with high heels on a motor bike going to the market, maybe in sandals while serving lunch in a cafe.  They favor the long kind some people get over Christmaka....and it is hot.  We're sweating our tails off, they're parading around merrily in long, flannel-looking PJs with pictures of bears or kitties on them.

9.  Siem Riep and Ankor Wat is saturated with trinket peddlers (we've talked about them before).  We found the most common words out of our mouths were "no" and "no thank you" (and later 'a te a kuhn').  People employed some creative tactics to gain our business.  Take the young lady who offered me bracelets that would help me with my "boom-boom" or even better, "they help your girlfriend boom-boom if she shy".  The girl was 7.  No bracelets for me, thanks.

8.  Angkor Wat Sunset Moon Rise.  We were fortunate enough to see the sunrise and set (twice) at Angkor Wat.  It really is a majestic setting.  Even cooler, after watching the sunset from the steps of the Angkor Wat Temple, we saw the full moon rise behind it.  One of the best moments of our trip.  The pictures can't capture the beauty, but this gives an idea:

From Cambodia...Ankor Wat to Pnom Pehn

7.  The moon rise delayed our 7km bike ride back into Siem Riep town.  So, instead of cycling home in twilight before the rush back to town, it was basically dark, and everyone else was coming home too...on motor bikes, tuk-tuks, buses and cars.  We thought riding down Market Street in San Francisco during the commute hours was hectic.  Market Street is Bush League compared to this.  Exhilarating and terrifying come to mind.  It was great fun, and great to make it back to the hotel in one piece.

6.  We've got Friends in New Places.  Our friends (Daniel and Henry) (and colleague/boss) happened to be in Siem Riep for one day while we were there.  It was so fun and surreal to meet halfway around the world for dinner and drinks!

From Cambodia...Ankor Wat to Pnom Pehn

On a similar note, we were able to spent a good amount of time with an old friend, Andrew Muss, who we hadn't seen in 5 years (since he moved to Cambodia).  He gave us an outsiders/insiders look into the country that we would not have been able to get on our own.  This "helmet" allows him to comply with the law (in letter, not spirit)....

From Cambodia...Ankor Wat to Pnom Pehn

5.  One of our stops was in Kampot, an old French Colonial Town famous for it's amazing pepper.  It has a great, sleepy waterfront.  We noticed some big speakers and two guys dancing on our first pass.  When we came back a crowd of 20 or so Cambodian women had assembled for some evening aerobics.  With minimal prodding from me, Jenn joined them.  They weren't sure what to think, but as the class wore on, Jenn became one of them.  We were the only fair skinned people around.  It was great, and unfortunately, the one time we didn't have our camera with us.

4.  On a somber note, trash is everywhere. There is minimal infrastructure developed for refuse.  As a result people either throw it where ever they are, or burn it.  It's a big, depressing problem.  If we were King and Queen, it's the first thing we'd address....

3.  Phnom Phen relaxation.  This city is going to be a hot spot very soon.  They're developing the waterfront, tastefully, and assuming the government proves its stability, business should increasingly be attracted to the area.  That said, it is hot and a little dirty.  As a respite, we managed to find a leafy hotel pool that we could swim in if we bought cocktails.  They had some made with passion fruit that are worth writing home about.  How did Jenn feel about it?  We think this picture captures the mood:

From Cambodia...Ankor Wat to Pnom Pehn

2.  Cambodia's Resiliency.  Cambodia and the Khmer people have been to hell and back, within many of our lifetimes.  Poverty is still everywhere (aside from tourism and farming, economic opportunity is minimal), you aren't supposed to go off trail for fear of stepping on a landmine, and the guy living next to you may have contributed to the genocide that wiped out your family.  That being said, the people are eternally optimistic and gracious.  Jenn said it best...."Cambodia is wonder, beauty, savagery and resilience".  We really enjoyed it.

1.  Our true and undisputed number one happened on a little island off of the southeast coast, called Rabbit Island.  There are about five bungalow restaurant operations, no electricity, coconut palms, 80 degree F waters as calm as a lake, hammocks and plenty of shade (in other words, tropical paradise).  On the way back from a late dinner, Jenn wandered into to ocean and noticed incredible bioluminescence (which was easier to spot given the lack of generated light and moonlight).  For you non-science types, bioluminescence is what you see when fireflies light up at night; it's a bright-green light created by a chemical reaction in the body and in our case, it was created by plankton in the water.  We stripped down, jumped in and had every movement highlighted by this amazing plankton.  Swimming made us look and feel like superheroes as sparks and fireworks shot from our fingers and toes.  If we had a chance to make a short movie about our lives, this scene would be in there, no question.

Alright, that is enough for one sitting.  We loved Cambodia, have enjoyed a day in Vietnam, and are looking forward to more!  We hope all is well on the homefront!

From Cambodia...Ankor Wat to Pnom Pehn