Monsoons In Veitnam

When I was in Saigon it rained and rained.  That did not stop me, off I went to a temple.  Really, the rain made water falls as you can see here and even on the upper steps.

Now this was the perfect photo op, as only I could see.

I handed my camera to a friend, and this is it

Now,

Do you get the picture,

The pink rain poncho looks my underwear

Look closely thru the rain drops

Are you laughing

Get the picture

Too much rain

and really water logged,

Now, I have your attention

OMG

This Chinese guy just jumped in beside me.....

Look closely, I am dying laughing at his sense of humor

Really, 

Am I peeing in my pants????

You know the old expression

Turn lemons to lemonade

Turn a rainy day 

to a day of laughs

Happy New Year

Doi Sethep

This was an adventure going up the mountain to this Buddha Temple.   It is the kind of thing, when you seen one you seen them all.

This ritual caught my eye.  As you enter the grounds of the temple, they are selling lotus flowers.  Now, that may have not been so usual, but each flower had a stick thru it. I stood and watched as they prayed, then lite a candle and placed the flowers on a pan between the two candle holders.  More and more people came and the flowers started to build up and up.

  Here come this little man all dressed in black and picked up all the flowers.  Look in the middle of this picture and you can make him out with a arm full of flowers.  He took them to the gate, but them in a bucket and sold them again.

These people really know how to make money
And the process starts over gain

This is the temple

Making Incense

 Traveling thru Vietnam,   I visited a market where they were making incense.  I was so interested in the lady rolling the sticks to the particular flavor.  After a while, I realized, she wa. s making each piece of incense by hand and making 100 per minute.  I was so amazed.

She got up and ask me, thru a sign language,  "You, try it".  So I sat down and tried my hand at making incense.  If you look closely to the right of my right hand, there is the blob of stuff that you roll as you roll the stick in my left hand, adding the flavor which is a powder that is lightly sprinkled on the surface.

After about one minute, I had one stick, about the size of milkshake straw, what a mess.  I was promptly asked to get up.  I am NOT a candidate for incense making.

The picture at the top is the lady that was training me,  she had the wrong candidate,  I am Not incense making employee.

I love getting involved and inter-reacting with the Vietnamese.  Just being kind and smiling and looking at their works, I am drawn into their daily lives.

I will not forget the expressions of this lady as she tried to help me make one stick of incense and maybe she will not forget me,

Happy New Year

Jeanne

Daily Market

 Each morning I take a walk to the local market.  These is a sense of organized ciaos.  There are vendors cooking any and everything that you could want.  These ladies are cooking a donut type pastry  This lady has sprinkled sesame seeds on these pastry above
 .

 This lady is cooking a coconut type pastry and then she folds it over and sells little tray of them.  I have not tried them yet,  Really trying to watch what I eat.  Or should I say watch what they cook and then eat it.

All of this happens right on the street, as you can see above, this guy is making the dough, rolling it our , cutting it into strips and little pieces and then to fry wok, and then to me.

I watch them with great interest and they love it and smile.  Even when I take the pictures and show it to them, they seems so pleased.

There are two of these markets within walking distance of Smith Suites, but you have to get there early, because this is the breakfast market and by 8 am, they are packing it up.  And the next crowd of vendors will be arriving.

I am trying to limit myself to eating "on the street", but as I discover something new and share it with the people I have met, they tell me about some kinda food I do not need to miss.

What a fun way to start the day......

Happy Holidays

Jeanne

Christmas in Thailand

Actually, I was able to find an English speaking church in Chiang Mai.  It was in the Chiang Mai Community School.  This was the scene at the front of the school.  The tree was in white tole with the star on top and the Thailand national flag.

The service was all in English and with the words of the songs projected on a screen.

I wore a sleeves outfit, bought from Marsh's cottage.  Oriental comes to South East Asia

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Jeanne

Oysters in Vietnam

OK, I was on a bus and got the driver to stop and I opened the oyster myself

This little lady could not believe it, nor could the people on the bus

Just too fun,

and I did not get sick

Respond

Worst Chef Ever

Ok I did not say I caught the place on fire

Use your imagination

and respond