Ingrid John Jack & Amber Vietnam Adventures

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Ingrid John Jack & Amber China Adventures 6

Jack and Mummy on the Teacups

The Disneyland MTR Train

Disneyland Hong Kong

Ingrid John Jack & Amber China Adventures 5

The Disneyland Hollywood Hotel

The Maglev Train in Shanghai

Sometimes travel just gets to much!

Mr Cool Jack

The Oriental Pearl Tower Shanghai

The view of Shanghai from Jack & Ambers eyes

Ingrid John Jack & Amber China Adventures 4

The Oriental Pearl Tower Shanghai

The Bund of Shanghai

The nightlights of Shanghai

Panda at Beijing Zoo

The Gardens of Shanghai

View of downtown Shanghai

Ingrid John Jack & Amber China Adventures 3

The Forbidden City

Outside the Ming Tombs

The Great Wall

Friday, September 01, 2006

Ingrid John Jack & Amber China Adventures 2

Tianamen Square

On the Great Wall of China

John at the Gate to the Forbidden City

Jack and Mummy taking a cyclo ride in the old quarter

The kindergarten at Soc Son, Hanoi

Amber in the drawer

Ingrid John Jack & Amber China Adventures

Our Final Blog - Visiting China

Our main feature of this blog is our visit to China but in the meantime we are getting prepared to come home to Australia and will depart Vietnam on the 14th September.

You may recall that I was involved in raising funds for the construction of a kindergarten for very poor children in the Soc Son region of Hanoi. Well I am very pleased and proud that the kindergarten is now completed and ready for the children to begin their new school year this month. What is even more satisfying (and surprising) is that it was completed on time, within budget and without having to pay out any “brown bag money” to officials or local government personnel to ensure it’s completion on time. The school is really lovely by local standards. We hope that we can raise sufficient money by the end of the year to enable a well and proper toilets to be built for the children as these were destroyed during construction. When you see something like this it just makes you realize how very fortunate we are with the educational facilities that are so often take for granted in Australia and other parts of the western world.

Amber has been busy growing up into a little explorer and her photo below shows how investigative she is with all the doors, drawers and cupboards in the house. We really have to watch her closely as she is quite a keen climber. She is nearly walking and taking sets of 5 steps followed by a rapid crawl to wherever it is she is headed.

Whilst Jack was on holidays from his school we decided that he and I should be tourists for a morning and take a cyclo ride around the old quarter of Hanoi. It is a truly fascinating part of the city which teams with people, all sorts of weird and wonderful products, foods and things that are just plain unidentifiable. The old quarter has about 36 streets which originally were named after the specific product sold in them. These days the products are different and streets have more than one type of item. However there are certainly still distinct streets for purchasing toys, clothes, silk, hats, shoes, household items, metalwork and hardware just to name a few. We loved our ride and Jack was particularly keen to be so close to the cars, buses and trucks that rushed past us on our leisurely tour of the city. I felt sorry for the poor driver who was peddling very hard in the hot sun for a very small sum of money – we gave him a handsome tip afterwards and shared a glass of tea with him on our tour completion. Now each time we pass the cyclo’s Jack says that they are “Jack’s bikes”!

We left for China on the 18-July with our first stop being Beijing. This city was a surprise as it was far more developed with its infrastructure than I had anticipated. Naturally it is a city in preparation for the coming 2008 Olympics and so there is much construction and excitement. Its people are extremely keen to speak with foreigners and practice their English speaking skills. There is great contrast in Beijing. Some parts are sparkling modern. The new main stadium for the Olympics is awe inspiring with its 'bird nest' type construction. There are rose gardens adjoining much of the roads around central Beijing. However some of the city is reminiscent of its communist history with dour grey apartment blocks still prevalent in the suburbs that we saw.

Our first day visits were to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, both of which were wonderful to see. The square is enormous and it is easy to imagine this as a place well suited to a large public demonstration. The Forbidden City has an imposing and beautiful architecture with many wonderful buildings dating back to 1406. It was the Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties and for over 500 years 24 emperors ruled from this location. It occupies an area of 720,000 square metres and has over 900 rooms and halls so as you can probably guess we did not get to see very much of it with the two children on a very hot day (nearly 36 degrees). The rooms are extravagant and beautifully detailed with many priceless treasures housed inside them. It is said that many of the treasures have been stolen during wars by different countries over the years. On of the guides complained that the Republicans stole most of the treasures before fleeing to Taiwan (obviously one of the many sore points still festering between the two Chinas). The Forbidden City is now included on the list of World Heritage sites and really is deserving of this listing.

Our next day was spent with a visit to the Great Wall of China and the Ming Tombs. The Ming tombs are 13 tombs housing the relics of past emperors whom were buried there. The Chinese have opened just one of the tombs as they are trying to resolve how to protect the contents from damage when exposed to the open air. There are many beautiful treasures and lots of lovely old buildings, but you are not able to visit the actual tomb which I found somewhat disappointing. For our tour of the Great Wall we visited the section in a town called Badaling. This part was in good repair and had access that was good enough to take the children. Wow, this is really something to see, it is just so difficult to imagine how they would have built this at the time. How well the wall has survived the test of time is also amazing. Jack had a wonderful time climbing up the steep steps and ramps on the wall and peering through the holes that were used for defenses at the time. The views from the top of the wall are sensational. I was very excited to see this as I had wished to visit this for a long time. The only drawback is that, like most of China, there are scores of vendors selling trashy touristy junk, fake Rolex’s and anything else they can lay their hands on. They are pushy, I mean extremely pushy and don’t seem to take no for an answer. Many times you have to walk away from what you want to see just to get rid of them.

We decided on a day visit to the Beijing zoo to see the famed Panda Bears. Jack of course was rapt in these although Amber is still a little young to appreciate them. The housing of them was quite nice but I recall them visiting the Melbourne Zoo many years ago and the accommodation then was a lot better – bit like going from home to a hotel – a lot of things are a little nicer! The rest of the exhibits at the zoo were as many Asian Zoos are; very archaic and bordering on cruel in their lack of natural habitat, but not as bad as the Hanoi Zoo thankfully.

Of course, I had to try out some of the renowned food of Beijing and couldn’t miss an opportunity to sample the famous “Peking Duck” now known as Beijing Duck of course. We all enjoyed it and it was delicious. Jack enjoyed filling the little pancakes with duck, hoisin sauce, spring onion and cucumber to make a tasty parcel. The rest of the food along the way was also good with dumplings; rice and the more typical style of stir fried Chinese foods.

Our next stop was Shanghai, a much more vibrant and visually exciting city. With around 20 million people living there, the place is enormous and filled with skyscrapers as far as the eye can see. There is a lot of neon lighting and a buzz all day and night. We took a city tour around the Bund (old district), the French Concession area, a silk making factory and a Chinese Tea Ceremony and tasting session. We all (except Amber) enjoyed the Chinese Tea and the little sesame snacks served with it. I think that you are supposed just to eat a couple of the snacks however Jack decided there is no time like the present for a little sesame luncheon!. He actually loved all the teas, especially as they were served in delightful little teacups perfectly suited to a two year olds hand. They served a Jasmine tea where the whole dried flower bloomed with a glorious red blossom in the teapot. Apparently these flowers are from Tibet and take around 1 year each to fully grow and bloom. The silk making was also interesting but like a lot of the arranged visits in China, the visit becomes a sales opportunity at the end. We didn’t buy anything but there were some lovely bedspread covers.

We took a visit the next day to the Oriental Pearl Tower which is quite futuristic in its appearance. The area where it stands has only been built up in the last 15 years and therefore all of the buildings are of a very modern style. The 360 degree views are fantastic, although marred by the heavy pollution that fills the skies in China.

Due to the fact that Jack is currently very enamoured of trains we decided on a ride on the fastest train in the world. The Maglev train is a train running on magnetic levitation and reaches speeds of 431 kilometres per hour. It just runs to the airport but you can take a round trip ride which takes about 7 minutes each way to cover approximately 30 kilometres. Traveling at 431 km/h is exhilarating. Up to 300km/h it seems very normal as the ride is smooth and the country side doesn’t seem to fly past. However as you get towards 400 km/h there is a slight vibration in the train and the country side is flashing past. We took the same trip in a taxi the next day and it took nearly 45 minutes and it was a hair-raising ride in itself – but not nearly as safe!

We had wanted to go to the theatre to see the Acrobatic performances in Beijing but ran out of time so we decided to do this at the Grand Theatre in Shanghai. The Grand Theatre is a very modern design and quite spectacular from an architectural viewpoint. The acrobats were great, we all enjoyed them and their skills are quite something. Definitely people of this country are talented in the arts of acrobatics and gymnasium.

Following on the train theme, we couldn’t resist a ride in the street tourist train which went up and down the main shopping/tourist strip, particularly as each time we went out of our hotel it went past us and Jack chanted “train – train’ train” so we all piled in for a ride up the street. Jack loved it.

Next stop – Disneyland – Hong Kong. We booked into the very “cheesy” Hotel Hollywood on Lantau Island just near the Disneyland Park. This was great and most convenient to get to Disneyland. The children, Jack in particular loved Disneyland. We had rides on the Autopia cars, the teacups and Dumbo the flying elephant. The only thing Jack was not keen on was the long wait in the queues. We did take a short trip into HongKong for a visit to Victoria Peak to take in the spectacular view of the city and have a nice meal at the top of the peak. We would have liked a gondola ride but the line up was just too much to bear at 8pm at night and we didn’t fancy a two year old meltdown in a crowded street! We did not have much time for sightseeing otherwise but enjoyed our stay there at the end of our trip.

Overall we enjoyed China but I must say that we all (including the children) found the people a bit much with wanting to touch and hold the children all the time. I guess that our young blond haired, blue eyed children are quite a novelty, but I doubt that if I walked up to their child picked them up and walked away that they would be very contented either. Jack got to the point of telling them “go way!” and Amber just cried. This was the same throughout China and we found the Chinese far more invasive of your personal space than the Vietnamese.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Amber's first birthday adventures in Vietnam

Chau couldn't miss Amber's party even though she had finished her job with us.

You are even allowed to stand on the table for your birthday!

Bathtime is always a hit with two in together!

You can do what you like at your own party!

Amber's first birthday adventures in Vietnam

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Jack and his friend Ella from school at Amber's birthday party

Jack and Ingrid in Bangkok

Amber, Jack and Ingrid at the Army Museum in front of the bust of Bac (Uncle) Ho Chi Minh

The birthday girl

The birthday guests

Ingrid's birthday dinner at Edo Japanese restuarant

Amber's first birthday adventures in Vietnam

Unwrapping gifts

Amber's number 1 cake

Our 8th update - Amber's first birthday!!

The major news item for this blog update is of course the celebration of Amber’s first birthday. We had a small birthday party for her at home with several of her friends from mother’s group. Sadly at this time of the year many people head home to Europe for holidays and consequently many of our friends were unable to make the party but we had a lot of fun and Amber seemed to enjoy the presents and attention. Like most one year old children she really liked the wrapping paper the most.
I made her a number one cake (pink of course) along with fairy bread, fruit, sandwiches and cocktail frankfurts – all very popular with kids and the adults. She received lots of lovely presents including dresses, dolls, musical guitar, shape fish and a new car to ride around on. The car is a huge hit with Jack as well.
As you can see from the photos Amber is growing up quickly but not quite walking yet. She is happy walking behind the walker and riding on the Pooh car but not game to take the first steps without a hand yet.

Jack has been attending summer school at Morning Star and still loving his time there with all his friends even though many of them are on holidays at present. He is roaring around the house on Amber’s new car and even faster and more radical on his little Pooh car.

Our maid Chau has left us for a new more interesting job working with a children’s charity. I am very pleased for her as I assisted her with gaining the role through a contact of mine. It is something better suited to her university degree and I imagine far more rewarding than cleaning house, albeit she will miss the children and was fantastic in caring for them.
We have new maid named Hue who has just returned from working in Cyprus for several years as a nurse and housemaid. She seems very good and loves the children already.

Sadly as often happens in cities where expatriates congregate, they eventually finish their assignments and head home or to new destinations. This happened with our good friends the Butterfields. I miss Kath in particular and Jack always enjoyed playing with their three boys. We hope we will see them sometime in the future when we next visit Melbourne. Before they left Kath and I managed to fit in some frantic present shopping for all her family and friends, along with a visit to the Temple of Literature which she had not previously visited – that is the way it is when you live somewhere – sometimes you just don’t make the time to visit the tourist sights! We also enjoyed a lunch at Koto with the kids who strategically sat themselves right next to the dessert cabinet and I know that Jack practically ate the lot with his eyes. We had a goodbye luncheon at the beautiful restaurant “Wild Lotus” which has the most serene and calming décor I have seen in a restaurant in a long time. The food is really wonderful too.

At the end of June we took a four day break with a short holiday in neighbouring Bangkok. John had some business to do so we were able to tag along for the ride. For me it was interesting to see how much Bangkok had changed since my last visit there in 2001. It is one of those Asian cities that is constantly improving the infrastructure and seeking to achieve western standards – it has come a long way towards that and now the sky train has a pedestrian friendly walkway between Central Chitlom and Siam Square which is a great shopping and tourist area. For John, not having been to Bangkok for closer to 15 years it was a big surprise.

We decided to have a look around the city and took a ferry up the Chayo Prayha river passing many prestigious hotels, temples and floating housing structures still nestling the banks of the river. It is a busy waterway and is the heart of the city in many ways. We walked to Khao San Road, one of the places where I have stayed many nights and John spent much of his time there also. Khao San road has traditionally been the place of choice for backpackers to stay but is slowly changing with the rest of the city and now even boasts a Starbucks and several Irish pubs, 7 Elevens and other notable American outlets. The good old Khao San Palace is still there but much of the other older style accommodation seems to be long gone – I am not sure I like the change but no doubt many do. I did however, take the opportunity to visit a real supermarket, just like home in Australia with choices and all the things we are used to buying, not like the small shops here that have one choice of something similar to what you like. It was quite a shock to the system, luckily I didn’t have a large fridge or I would have bought much more!

I also had a chance to catch up with my old friend Khun Prapas who lives in Bangkok and have a lovely dinner with him – thanks again Prapas. It was so nice to see him again, it has been nearly 4 years since we caught up so there was plenty of gossip about what was happening in Steelcase whom he works for and I used to many years ago.

As child friendly entertainment venues in Hanoi are few and far between we elected to visit the Siam Paragon aquarium. It was beautiful and I suspect designed by the same organisation as the Melbourne and Darling Harbour aquariums as the style and features are remarkably similar. Jack certainly enjoyed seeing a lot of fish and sharks and it made a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the city.

As most of our holidays seem to go, one or the other of our children gets sick, this time it was Jack’s turn. He came down with a nasty virus and as we were about to leave for Hanoi we had to make a visit to the doctor at the airport who advised us to stay over as Jack was really not well enough to travel. Consequently we had to make a visit to the Bumrungrad Hospital the next morning to get him checked up and dosed up with antibiotics for the trip home. Poor little Jack was very much worse for wear on the trip home.

Little Jack didn’t really improve greatly on our arrival back home so we decided upon another visit to the doctor who diagnosed him quite dehydrated and weakened from the virus and admitted him to stay in the small hospital they have at the international clinic. Naturally I stayed with him, the accommodation for him was a portable cot and for me, the examination table! He had to have a drip for 2 days and a night so we spent rather a lot of time playing with cars and trucks. The only positive part of the experience is that the Sofitel Hotel Metropole does the catering for the in-patients – the best hospital food I have ever had – it was 5 star hotel standard, just missing the glass of wine! Anyway, more importantly Jack has recovered well and naturally did the right thing by passing on his virus to Amber who managed to fight it off well enough to stay out of the hospital.

Doing the tourist thing we agreed on a visit to the Army Museum which was very interesting. Jack in particular loved all the planes, tanks and missile equipment that are displayed in the outside part of the museum. There is a good deal of information liberally interspersed with Communist propaganda but it does give one another view point compared to our education on the subject in Australia.

Our next blog update will most likely be our last as we are heading off to China for a 10 day holiday. We will be visiting Beijing to see the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. We then head to Shanghai to take in the sights of the city and finish our holiday with a few days in Hong Kong staying at the Disney Hotel so we can maximize our time in Disneyland.

After that we will be ending our time in Hanoi and heading back to Sydney to find a new house to live in and resume our Australian life – not to mention catching up with our families and friends. We will certainly miss Vietnam and it has been a wonderful enriching experience with many challenges (particularly for John). I feel that I have achieved a lot in my 12 months here and could have done much more if we were able to stay but it is not to be at this time.
We will of course be sad to leave the many friends we have made here, some of whom we do not expect to see again and some we do hope will come to Australia for a visit and of course, you never know what might happen in the future.