HANOI - timelapse

Phew. Our lazy Tet week, "abandoned" by all in empty Hanoi - we thought, turned out to be one of the most social weeks we've ever had here. Today it seems, business is also back as usual, but we did have time to bike around relatively empty streets. And, with or without traffic, I will miss this frentic, chaotic, engergetic, crazy place so much!

MANILA

So, it's been decided. We're moving to Manila, Philippines. Papers have been signed and sent and there's no turning back!
But not just yet. While Keisuke will leave mid March to start his new job at ADB - Asian Development Bank - the kids and I will stay in Hanoi until early June when schools end. But for sure we wont be able to wait that long, and will most likely have to go visit our new home country and city before that.
And although Manila probably wasn't our first choice - we were sort of thinking of somewhere smaller and less chaotic than Hanoi, not a 15 million mega metropolis - the Philippines and the Filipinos seem fantastic. And Keisuke gets his Pacific island country (there are more than 7,000 islands and an infinity of beaches), at the same time as the country belongs to South East Asia - from where I have declared I will never move!
And - this is the third time in less than six years that I will be following my husband to a country I have never been to. Must be true love. Or absolute crazyness. Either case, the nomad in me is definitely waking up again!

True love.

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới

Or... Happy New Year - part III ...

... as here we're celebrating New Years again, today entering the Year of the Dragon.

Family time in Laos

Between computer break down, winter break and everything else, I completely fogot about the very BEST part of the Laos tour in November. We did very little, spent lazy days at small bungalow resorts outside Vientiane, thinking this could definitely be a good place to live. It will have to wait a couple of years though, as meanwhile next move for the Taketani family has been decided...

A walk around the lake

Yesterday Keisuke and I went for a walk around West Lake - Hồ Tây. It is supposed to be about a two hour walk, but as we made so many stops - at our friends at Chula (I got a super fancy new dress and Keisuke had to jump in as japanese-spansish translator for some super customers), to see fish being released into the lake (yesterday was the day the Kitchen Gods travel on the back of a fish to the Jade Emperor to inform about the family's behaviour during the last year, one week before Tet, the moon calendar New Year), to buy some bread and other snack here and there, have a drink at a fancy boat bar, and take some pictures - that when we got back to our side of the lake four hours had passed, and we had to take a taxi back to not be too extremely late for kids pick up.
So much to see! (and months to go, but... am I already getting nostalgic?!?)

Trần Quốc Toản - a tour to daddy's office

On one of the winter break days the kids and I took bus 31 that goes - super fast as everyone knows that buses dont stop for anything and thus quickly gets out of the way - directly from Âu Cơ street in the Tây Hồ area where we live to Trần Quốc Toản street downtown, where Keiuske's office is. The street is very narrow, but long. And very interesting.

Very common street stall.

"Look, chicken on the street!" (not too unusual either)

Hana brought bow and arrow - just in case.

Waiting for lunch? For somebody?

Anything can be fixed.

Incense

Possibly, even more than the fantstic plastic, I love the smell and looks of incense burning at the pagodas.Truc Bach pagoda. January 1st 2012.

Plastic fantastic

I cant help but remain fascinated by all the plastic. It is ugly, it doesnt last very long, it is bad for the environment, but still...

FiviMart plastic section. Oh, the colours.

Tay Ho sunset

Oh, how we have longed for a little bit of sun these last couple of freezing cold and grey weeks. Today it is a little better, thankfully, but still grey and still havent seen the sun this year...

Xom Chua, Tay Ho (West Lake). December.

20120101 Happy New Year part II

In Japan the very first day of the new year is more important than the night of the last day of the last year, and although we didnt make it early enough to catch the first rays of light of the day, we went, as usual, to ask for good fortune and happiness at the pagoda, and then had a tremendous dim sum lunch that kept us full for the entire day and more.

20111231 - Happy New Year part I

New Years eve we spent at Khan and Jennys place. And what could be better a freezing night like that, than a warm hot pot on the second floor of their stilthouse gallery, all rounded up around the fireplace.

2011. Anh Khanh preparing hot pot.

2012. Warm and cosy around the fire place.

Photographers comparing photos. Keisuke and Jenny.