These Charming Men

Other Places

Inspired by today’s featured article on Wikipedia here are a couple of pictures of some charming Vietnamese men. These pictures were taken during my short visit to Hanoi in 1995. Here is what I wrote at the time:

“Dec 7, 1995. Another long day in Hanoi, I enjoy sitting by the lake with the old men. This morning I went to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum with two Danish women I met on the train. It was not as strange as visiting Mao in Beijing, but still weird. Last night I ate at a Vietnamese restaurant that only serves on dish – Fish Stew. It was great! Later, I wondered the streets and a very old lady with black teeth stopped me and said ‘Bonjour!’ I didn’t know what to say. Did she think it was 50 years ago and I was a French colonialist? I said ‘Bonjour’ in return. It was strange, but I found an odd reassurance in talking with her.”

For more about my trip to Vietnam see this earlier post.

Breakfast Steam

Japan

I was sitting with my cup of coffee and bowl of instant oatmeal trying to think of something interesting to post when I remembered this photo of early morning Beijing. This street vender was serving the typical sidewalk breakfast of rice soup, noodles, and (my favorite) deep fried dough. Street food is always available in most Chinese cities. In some places there is a designated “food street” where licensed vendors line up serving all manner of dishes. I have many fond memories of fried noodles, steamed dumplings as well as various “food on a stick.” As long as the vendors and their cart looked to be generally germ-free I was up to try almost anything if the mood hit me.

All that studying finally paid off.

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On Monday afternoon, I got a phone call from my academic advisor. He told be I had passed the comprehensive examinations I took on the 4th. This is a huge relief. Coincidentally, I had made my final tuition payment earlier the same day. So, as long as I don’t totally bomb the course I am taking this quarter, I am officially finished with my Master’s of Education. I would like to thank the academy and my family for their support. Also my colleague Kris, who gave me a pair of earplugs, I couldn’ thave done it without them!

If you are curious about the exam: It is a four hour written test, either on the computer or blue book. I was given seven questions and had to answer four of them. Going in, I felt very apprehensive; I hadn’t taken a class in the program since summer. My main study method was walking around feeling anxious about how unprepared I was. I guess it worked.

American Made

Seattle

This car is usually parked down the street from my apartment. Every time I walk by it makes me feel proud to be an American. Seattle is full of art-cars and it is always a thrill to see one on the road.

In other news, The Steelers managed to pull of a win despite not looking their best. I do agree with many Seattle fans that the officiating was somewhat sub-par. But in the end I think Pittsburgh played much better football, especially in the second half. Seattle made more than a few bad plays and didn’t manage the clock very well. Plus, anything owned by Paul Allen is doomed to failure.

Gamesteria

Seattle

In case you are living under a rock (or in Paris) you know today is game day for Super Bowl XL. In recent years I have found myself following football more and more. Why? I can’t cay for sure, other than it gives me an excuse to avoid doing anything productive on Sundays.

Living in Seattle I have witnessed a kind of mass hysteria sweep across the city. It started out small, as people began to realize that The Seahawks were having a pretty good season. And then, like the aroma of Tacoma, it has blown through town leaving no innocent bystanders.

I feel that it is safe to announce here on my blog (read by five people) that I will be rooting for The Steelers today. Having grown up just south of Pittsburgh I was often exposed to the myths of “Mean Joe” Green, The Terrible Towel, and Myron Cope. I wasn’t into football at all as a kid, but nostalgia has a strange effect on one’s memories. I also think Pittsburgh is the better team.


Hartsfield

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I’ve been spending a lot of time in airports lately and while they are all pretty much the same, a few stand out. These two photos were taken at Atlanta’s Hartsfield airport which is note worthy because of its immense size and innovative vending machines. More than once, flying in/out of Atlanta someone within earshot mentioned that it is the world’s busy airport and a plane lands or takes off every 30 seconds. I don’t know if those statistics are true but I know that getting from one gate to another in order to make a connecting flight can take days.

And then there are the vending machines selling iPods and iPod accessories. Although I am not as anti-iPod as some people, I don’t quite see the point of buying a music player from a vending machine in an airport. How are you going to put music on it? I suppose you could use your laptop but what about charging it? Maybe they come preloaded with songs and a full battery. It might come in handy if you are looking for a last minute gift.

Jack & Louis

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Jack is my parent’s dog, he’s only a few months old (5 or 6?) and is quite the trouble maker. Every week I hear a different story about his antics, such as pulling an entire cantaloupe rind out the garbage disposal and swallowing it whole. The Pug is Louis, formerly of Seattle, who moved in with my parents when my brother and sister-in-law moved to Paris. I guess there was some tension between the two of them when Louis first showed up, but when I saw them last week everything seemed okay. Jack does get a little jealous of Louis, but his extreme short-term memory allows him to get over it quickly.

Lego Vietnam

Other Places

Way back in 1995 I made an overland journey from China to Vietnam. The trip was long and hard, 24 hours in a couple of overcrowded buses along very treacherous roads then 10+ hours on a train. When I finally made it to Hanoi I was exhausted but the city was relaxing and enjoyable. Here’s what I wrote at the time:

“December 6, 1995. Hanoi is a cool place, laid-back and upbeat at the same time. After walking around the city all morning I have found a quiet park in order to sit and relax. The surrounding streets are full of busy traffic, mostly mopeds. I went to the town citadel this morning, which dates back to the French occupation. It is strange to think that for the first time in many generations there is peace here. Most people seem happy and consumer goods abound.”

For more photos of my trip to Vietnam click here.