Random Thoughts...

Final Thoughts About Habitat Mission

My overriding feeling about the entire trip was how fabulous it was. The Habitat mission was just so very rewarding with all good feelings about my fellow team members, Habitat representatives, other workers, family members, neighbors and the people of Vietnam. It was a comfortable environment, making it easy for us to fulfill our mission. A special thanks to Gina for organizing and leading. And to Larry for introducing me to the opportunity. My teammates were all caring, giving and hard working and this made the mission a joy.

What I will always remember about the build is how seriously everyone took the mission and how hard we all worked. This was not just some feel good tourist venture where you get bragging rights and a certificate for showing up. While writing the blog posts about the build, I found it difficult to convey how real and difficult the work was, especially considering the small work space and hot and humid weather. And as I write this, weeks after the mission it renews that sense of accomplishment that we all felt at the end of our time on site.

The Food...

Food. WOW!!!!  The food in Vietnam was wonderful. It was fresh, flavorful, appetizingly prepared and presented and fun to eat. I got home and threw out all my forks.

Since arriving back in the US, I have had Vietnamese food twice. Once in Santa Fe while visiting my wife and just this past Monday when Larry and I went to the Vietnam Cafe in Philadelphia before going to the Phillies game. We ordered by showing the waiter pictures of the food from our trip. That's Larry on the other side of the table checking for more food pictures.

Flying and Flying and Flying Some More

I took 14 flights in the four weeks that I traveled. They were all pretty much on time with no lost baggage or anything to really complain about. Of course, the trans Pacific flights of 11 to 13 hours each were long and tedious but I was able to get some sleep. On both flights the seat next to me was not occupied giving me some extra leg room. I had downloaded a few movies and TV show episodes. My wife has stared watching and enjoying Masters of Sex so I had the first five episodes ready to watch. Little did I realize that there was actual sex scenes (all for research purposes!) so I ended up with my head huddled under my blanket with the iPad.

Let's review the flights.

1)   Philadelphia to San Francisco
2)   San Francisco to Tokyo
3)   Tokyo to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)
4)   HCMC to Siem Reap, Cambodia
5)   Siem Reap to Hanoi
6)   Hanoi to Hue
7)   Da Nang to Da Lat
8)   Da Lat to HCMC
9)   HCMC to Hong Kong
10) Hong Kong to San Francisco
11) San Francisco to Phoenix
12) Phoenix to Albuquerque
13) Albuquerque to Phoenix
14) Phoenix to Philadelphia


Before I Went Home To Philadelphia

For part of the time that I was away, my wife was in Santa Fe working on a play and doing some other writing. The flights to Albuquerque were to visit with her. Spent a wonderful few days with her in that mystical place. The environment and landscape is very different from Vietnam but I similar feelings of appreciation and serenity. And we had dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant.

Pop Pop Nam

And the main reason to return to the US. - my 2 year old grandson, Tyler. I missed him but my daughter sent pictures. He calls me Pop Pop and since she told him that I was in Vietnam, he started referring to me as Pop Pop Nam.

The Kids and the Neighborhood

The neighbors in the area of the build were just wonderful. It was affirming each day walking down the alley to be greeted by the people who lived there. And there were many children, all so kid-like, happy and playful. No different that my grandson. There was such a positive vibe and acceptance by the neighbors that it helped fuel our enthusiasm.

The Homes Are Finished

When we left, the promise was that the homes would be completed and the families would be able to occupy them. Our team did as much as we were capable of doing and the finishing work needed to be done by skilled labor. As part of the arrangement, the families had to pledge money and pay for the hired labor. Well, I'm please to be able to report that the homes are complete and the families now can reside in them. These are pictures of ceremonies celebrating the completion. While the photos are small, you can see the finished floors, walls and ceilings. These families now have a home for them and their future generations to enjoy.

Last stop before going home

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon as some still refer to it is the final place I am visiting before heading back to the United States. I've actually been here two times on this trip but only overnight when we originally arrived and for part of a day before flying to Cambodia. Back to the same familiar hotel where I stayed before, close to the market and the sites that I want to visit.

I arrived in the morning, had lunch and then went to the market to shop for gifts and other items to bring home. At the market, it is all about negotiation. It's all part of the game. The merchants start high and after the two of us go back and forth a few times, the deal is done. But also at the market are foods. Fresh fruit, like a whole ripe cut up mango for a dollar and dried fruit sold by the gram. There is coffee and tea, spices and nuts. I bought a nice embroidered tablecloth, two small tea sets, two pairs of sunglasses and a small toy bicycle for my grandson.

The next morning, the start of my last day in Vietnam began early with a walk in a park. Just like around the lake in Hanoi, there were people exercising in a many different ways. The closest I saw to dancing was a group of women doing a cha cha line dance. I was tempted to join them!!

I spent the remainder of the day visiting all the places on my wish list. First was the Museum of Art. Housed in two buildings, the collection includes ceramics, textiles, sculpture and paintings. A number of the paintings were lacquered. Maybe a preferred style due to heat and humidity? Very enjoyable, nice collection and an easy, no hassle way to spend a few hours.

Stopped for lunch at a small cafe. Ordered a Banh Mi sandwich with a mango shake. The roll is so light that the flavor of the meat and veggies just pops and the entire sandwich just melts on your tongue. There was a woman who came in right after me and we started talking. She was from Australia, on her last day of a six day holiday. We ended up sharing a table and conversation.

As I was leaving, the workers at the restaurant started asking questions about where I was from and I ended up speaking with them for a while. Just wonderful to learn about a country's culture first hand.

I was off to see a few more sites. Right by the opera house is the post office, Notre Dame church and the Diamonds department store. The post office is the star of the area. Constructed in late 1800's, it's architecture is heavily French influenced. They have re-purposed the old pay telephone booths into ATM stations.

 

This is the Diamonds Department store. Reminds me of our present day mall stores except the products and brands inside are very segregated, like each is its own store and it is very modern and sleek inside. The modern building in the rear is Diamond Plaza.

  

Ended the tourist day at the Unification Palace, home of the ruler of south Vietnam during the time of the US war. Construction started during the rule of President Diem in 1962 but he never occupied it, having been assassinated in 1963. In 1975, North Vietnamese tanks broke through the gates and hung their flag on the building. That was end of the war and the start of the unification of the country.

The basement is a bunker with a maze of rooms, built to be a secure area in case of attack. Old 1960's machines and furniture remain in the rooms.

To cap off my visit, in the evening I went to the Caravelle Hotel and its iconic 10th floor Saigon Bar. When opened in 1959 it was one of the tallest buildings in the city. The Saigon Bar located on the top has wonderful views and western style drinks and food. The entertainment is a Cuban band rocking away with Latin music.

Then it was off to bed for a few hours sleep and a 2:30 wake up call for my 5:30 am start to journey home.