I've got friends, too!

For some reason, this blog is packed with photos of my kids, and my kids, and my kids and even... my kids' friends. But actually, I've got friends, too! Yesterday it was time for our yearly Christmas get-together, at fancy Don's restaurant around the corner. We started with drinks on the roof top terrace.

Cristina, Pernille, Petja, me, Michelle, Soma, Jenny, Marta, Lieve.

Today's quiz

How many plates can you fit on a table?

And - who ordered that second round of food...?!?

More flying around

This week I went far down south to the Mekong River Delta provinces of Can Tho and An Giang, to enjoy some nice southern food and tropical climate. And to do some work as well.

Early morning in Long Xuyen City.

Village road along the canals.

Coffee break.

.

And no way I am going to calculate my 2010 CO2 footprint. Even though I insist on not using plastic bags and always carry my fancy foldable nylon bag along can it far from compensate all this flying around...

December fun

Another busy month in Hanoi is coming to its end. On Sunday we are all flying off to Japan for winter break, Christmas holidays, New Years celebration or whatever you call it.

Chiharu, Yuuki, Hana and Kai - camping in the garden.

Making ginger cookies at Elvin's place.

Robbie, Hana and Ayla. International day in school.

Papi the photographer, taking photo course and all.

And I, I got myself an early christmas present. A new sofa!

On the Red river banks

This weekend we crossed the dyke road that separates our neighborhood from the countryside and the Red river and drove down for a stroll along its banks after the Saturday morning soccer session. It is not the cleanest beach on earth and a swim is definitely out of the question, but there is always something interesting to explore.

"Look, its the boat from where the wild things are"!

And of course in Hanoi no public space is complete without a white wedding photo session.

Hung Yen province

Bordering Hanoi to the southeast is Hung Yen province, one of Vietnam's smaller, but also one of the most heavily populated, by people and animal. I just spent two days there for work and as it is fairly close Keisuke asked me if the place was maybe worth a weekend trip. The answer was actually, no.

Chicken, anyone?

Or maybe better bananas...

Cheap animal drugs are popular among the farmers. Loads of antibiotics keep sickness away and the animals "healthy".

Anpanman

Anpanman is a Japanese super hero, with loads of special powers and as famous in Japan as Bamse and Pippi and Emil and all of those together, or as Mickey Mouse or whoever. I would say that absolutely every Japanese kid, without exception, know who Anpanman and his friends Shokupanman, Melonpandachan, Vaikinman, Dokinchan and the rest are. We have plenty of books and films here, of course.

Anpanman by Kai.

The original.

Getting busy again

Apparently, I am getting busy again, with one consultancy after the other coming up. Which is good. Of course. I think. But apparently I spend less time taking pictures, hanging out in town or with the kids, and more with the computer, although not with my blog.

Here, just a few pictures from life in Tay Ho during this month.

Doll house play. Sometimes it is not that bad to have a big brother. Or little sister.

Hanging out with NZ/Thai friend Amy.

Keisuke the coach is busy, too.

Fika time at favourite cafe down the street.

Ordinary soccer argument with Australian friend Jordan.

Then, next week I am off travelling again, this time to neighbouring and maybe not so exciting Hung Yen province. The week after that, far down south to the Mekong river delta Cambodia bordering An Giang province. After that - winter break. Puh.

Fruit family

Today Kai gave all family new names:
We are mammamango, pappapapaya, Hana Banana* and...
Kai DRAGON fruit.

Weekend afternoon fika from le Maisone Vanille. Tres yummy.

* although, there is certain confusion about Hana, as she generally is Hana Luna, and there apparently is another Hannah in school who is supposed to be the Banana...

Tomten kommer!

Somehow kids have managed to find out that Christmas is approaching. That means, they say, that Santa is going to come. And - of course! - with loads of presents. I havent really told them yet that we will be in Japan by then, most likely in a small village way up in the mountains, or even more likely, on the train on our way there, and that Santa most likely wont be able to find his way. Guess we will have to do a pre-Christmas party before we leave...

Tomten kommer!

Daddy's in Italy

This week, Keisuke is off for some work in Italy, and the kids and I spend the week "home alone". Now that they go to school every day and acutually sleep at night - Kai I rather have to drag out of bed in the mornings, to not get too late to school - it's not such a big deal.
We do miss him of course and every morning Kai asks if it isnt Saturday yet. Apparently he was really popular during the weekend before he left

Me and my dad.

Kiwi bird

Kai continues being our little artist. The other day he showed me a picture of a kiwi bird he'd just drawn, looking at a little soft animal.

"That's very nice" I said. "I coudn't do that!"
"Don't worry mum, I will help you" he said.
And then came back to me with a dotted-line one...

Two and a half

Yesterday I pointed out to Hana, she actually turned two-and-a-half. Naturally she demanded cake and singing, but I somehow managed to get out of that. Anyway, big girl she is now!

My boys

Cool. Here checking out the citadel which has just been opened up to the public. Nothing special but at least a huge area where kids can run around without getting run over by a car or a motorbike. And they sell ice-cream.

Five million dollars

One really good thing about our house is that we have no neighbours - and this in the middle of extremely densely populated Hanoi. One one side we have the owners "garden", a piece of land where he most likely and probably sooner than later (when he has made enough money from our rent) will build another house. But not yet. It is still just a mess of mango trees, banana plants and orchids. In front we have the little lake. And finally, on the other side there is, strange enough, a totally abandonded piece of land. Just huge bamboo and trees growing wild, no-one ever there. Until last week. When a big group of young men stormed in and cleared the whole lot in a few days. And, yesterday, we got it confirmed: the land has been sold. The price: five million dollars. Million. Dollars. Thats about 35 million kronor. For a little piece of muddy land next to a dirty pond. Now it is of course just a matter of short time until our backyard will turn into a construction site. Including the regular workers-from-the-countryside camp. They will live there and they will work long hours, seven days a week. We know we have been spoiled, but couldnt they have waited just another six months...

Nothing to do with the post really...

Buddhism

Mindful. Heartful. Peaceful. If I am ever to pick a religion it most likely have to be Buddhism. Just another reason for staying in the region, and...

... the kids already seem to have gotten hold of it.

Urban planning

Well. As the old one was so beautiful... why not another one, just the same.

Riverfront urban planning, Vientiane...

... which is also the city currently on top of my where-to-move-next list. Hm... Guess it is good that Keisukes contract finally got officially extended, until June at least it seems.

Halloween

This year Kai and Hana teamed up with a bunch of friends and went "trick-or-treat"-ing around the neighbourhood. Very excited running around the little alleys making "bus" - and late at night and all!

Big Yuuki, new Yuuki, Kai and Jolan.

Very tired witch.

Flying around

Saturday evening I finally got back home, from yet another travelling week. This time work took me to Vientiane, Laos - a country currently on top of our where-to-go-next wish list! - and another visit to Jakarta, Indonesia, before returning home Saturday evening, to a wonderfully sunny and fresh autumn Hanoi.

Vientiane. Small, quiet, sleepy and with a total provincial feel. Not exactly beautiful but very friendly and very nice.

Even so. Definitely enough of flying around for a while!

The Monks

Every morning around six o'clock 300 monks passed by the tiny street of our hotel, collecting offerings from every house and one or another tourist, like us. There are temples everywhere in Luang Prabang, just as in Vientiane, and the orange dressed monks just an ordinary a sight as the common tourist.

Waiting for monks to arrive.

The street outside our hotel. Collecting breakfast offerings from the neighbours. Every morning.

Very common Luang Prabang sight.

The kids...

... just loved it in Laos, enjoying space and freedom, looking all countryside cute and wild.