artviet travel diaries

People are coming to Vietnam for many reasons. Some are visiting the country or vacationing in 'Nam for its historical sites, its people with peaceful rural scenery, beautiful beaches overlooked by grand mountains populated by valley hill tribes. As to business opportunities, the diversities of the fields required to rebuild the country have let others consider Vietnam as a potential place to invest. Vietnamese expatriates and veterans of foreign nationalities also are returning to Vietnam as part of the healing process to make peace with the past and to contribute.

Aline Rebeaud came to Vietnam from Switzerland as a young artist, in late 1992. Any traveler of Ms Rebeaud's age with a strong passion in art, certainly would seize the occasion to establish oneself as an emerging contemporary foreign artist in Vietnam: the country has so much to offer for inspiration in art creation. Aline sold her first painting, but the proceeds went straight into the aid relief initiative of her own for the street kids, the orphans and the handicapped. And that was a turning point in Aline's life for what was simply a venture to promote her art and painting vocation, now has become a personal mission to help the needy. They called her, Mother TIM (TIM for Heart in Vietnamese), sort of Mother Teresa of Bình Tân district, a Saigon outskirt where she founded the House of Luck (Maison de la chance or Maison-Chance for short) in 1993. It was then a small orphanage / Vocational Training Center which concept has now been expanded into the building of a Village with many facilities to accommodate more than 150 members. The Village of Luck soon will be inaugurated by the end of March 2010.

If Vietnam is your next travel destination, please take a chance to drop by Aline's Maison-Chance and see how your contribution can make a difference. You can also
visit the center online at maison-chance.org for more details.

It was almost the end of the day and I was watching my cat sunbathing in the snow. Until she decided to get into the house, I stayed at the window side wondering when will I have the time to post this entry. It's been quite a while since January of this year that I have not fed my blog. Though a few entries have been drafted, none was carefully finalized to get published. Indeed, they were still not published: there is entry about the beauty and the naivety of the goats of Ninh Binh that I've commenced to write and the parallelism I wanted to draw when comparing them with Mr. Seguin's Goat, a story by Alphonse Daudet. The post needed in fact a candid photo of the goat which I tried to restore from a corrupted scan disk I brought back from my last trip to Vietnam. Then there is a great story of a spectacular escape to the west from a friend of mine, a Vietnamese contract worker in East Berlin, during the early days which preceded the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. As Khoa has now moved to Calgary and could not be reached for his approval, the post could not be published right on time on the 20th anniversary of the collapse of the infamous wall ...
As I started to wrap up on a finite set of subjects to prioritize, the sky was gradually getting darker. I felt suddenly worried about the whereabouts of my cat which was only visible by fresh traces of her footprints. After many attempts to locate her in the snow, I had to come to terms with the hope that soon she will find her way back as usual before the last kitchen lights were switched off. No need of course to be stressed out on a single incidence of little importance specially on a Christmas eve. After all, it was just a matter of patience and confidence, since the cat finally showed up on the window edge, waiving his right pawn to signal her presence. It was exactly a few minutes before midnight as I opened the kitchen door to let her in. With the heart filled both with joy and tears I said to my cat: "Please Come Home for Christmas!".

According to a Chinese legend, a week before the New Lunar Year begins, the Kitchen God returns to heaven to report on a family's behavior during the past year. A negative report brings bad luck for the family during the year to come.
In order to ensure a favorable report from the Kitchen God, it has always been a custom to feed him with Rice Cake. Either it was intended as a bribe, or it was just simply a means to have the Kitchen God's mouth full, too full to pass on an unfavorable report...

If the Rat had been a year of turmoils and destruction, the year of the Ox is the time for reconstructions. The Ox belongs to the earth element, it brings harmony, peace and relaxation.

"It is a time for rebuilding and reconstructions from the damage brought by war and natural disasters, and the financial tsunami of 2008, and also a time to seek peace settlement and to narrow the differences between different culture, religious". But the "Yin Earth" could not be considered strong earth since the hidden elements as water and metal are exhausting the earth. Therefore there is still hidden instability and disasters. Take nothing for granted but to rely on your force to build and create and let's Welcome the Year of the Ox with hope and patience cause "He that can have patience, can have what he will".

Selected quotes about Patience :

"Never run after a bus or a man. There will be another one".
"Patience and fortitude conquer all things".
"Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you,
but not in one ahead".
"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear".
"If we are facing in the right direction,
all we have to do is keep on walking".

I've bought a sewing machine on the internet for a fair price.Unlike previous online transactions, this one was finalized on site, at the seller's house, up north of the island. Vincent is the name of the chap who sold me the machine which includes some spare needles, a couple of thimbles, a screwdriver and a tiny refillable oil tube with no cap and little thread left over after a demo was given. It is a used machine, from his mother who has just moved to a senior residence. The sale was concluded short and sweet as the machine still is in good condition despite the number of years...

The sewing machine didn't escape the attention of curious street's passerby, mostly women. On a few occasions, I had to pretend that it was my mother's sewing machine for it is a true antique one!. As the trip back home seemed to take longer than expected, memories of my mother's sewing machine came back to me in a most intrusive manner: we had a couple of sewing machines too, in Vietnam: a Singer with a big pedal, and an electric one similar to Vincent Mother's sewing machine. That was with the electric one that Mother stayed late to shorten a pair of jeans and other stuff the night before I left the family home to go abroad. The machines still stayed with my mother as far as I remembered from my last trip, at our family house, thousand miles away. I doubt she has sold them, for they have a long history which goes with the house and our family. It has always been a problem to organize a trip abroad for my mother to visit us, even for a short while. It was quite contradictory since she had always shown her desire to join us, but the weight of nostalgia seemed to cloud her mind before any preparation could be made...

Vincent sold me his mother's machine but refused to give away the little metal box to contain the sewing accessories. On the carry case, one can even see his name meticulously hand engraved. There is no doubt that Vincent had sold the sewing machine against his heart , the sewing machine of his childhood. As far as I am concerned, I was buying it to bring back some long lost memories.

As the train almost came to a stop, there was favorite song of my sister which I still remember the lyrics, songs she used to hum every time she sat at the sewing table to shorten her mini skirt which my mother never let her wear:

"On ne jette pas un vieux jean usé
On recolle un livre abîmé
Par amour ou par pitié..."

"We don't throw away a worn out jean
We tape up a damaged book...
for Love or Pity ."

Both Vincent Mother's sewing machine and the song date from the mid 60s and everything in life as in love, we did it for Love or Pity, according to my sister's song.

I would like to dedicate this post to Tuduy, an artist painter from Hoian whom I first met in 2003. We quickly become friends for the same taste in arts we have and for other simple things in the old town we have learned to share and to live through. Needless to say, it was Tuduy who walked me into Hoian's lifestyle, and the more I learn about its history, the more I feel like coming back to town on every single occasion I flew home...Tuduy passed away in May 2008. The Email didn't reach me until this morning, when I suddenly feel obliged to check my mail as early as 5.30AM. My deepest sympathy to his wife and his children and my sincere apology for leaning the sad new too, too late... May you rest in Peace Tuduy, your friendship and your talent will never die.

From Venlo, Netherlands: Feel very sorry about the news I received from you about the death of Mr Tuduy. Thanks to my pleasant visit to Vietnam, I am the owner of a beautiful painting from Mr. Tuduy. Through his painting he still remains in my mind as a very creative person. I am wishing his family lots of strength in this difficult period.

From Boston, USA: I am very sad to hear this. His painting hangs in my room and truly brightens my mood even in the darkest parts of our Boston winters. The day that I spent with him and his assistant was a favorite story about my trip to Vietnam. His concern for me after the tsunami was touching as well. My sincere condolences go to his family and to you as well. He was a wonderful person to have known.

From Toronto, Canada: I like to send my deepest condolence.... Tuduy was a very great man and artist and also a good friend... I hope his spirit and love for art will remain among us.... .

Who says it doesn't rain in California? It rained on and off during the month of February and many had considered this an omen, since it rarely gets wet in Southern California. And worse, the Nationwide Series race at the Auto Club Speedway was postponed, as the rain had caused California to weep... I saw on the news that it snowed in Vietnam! That, of course, caught everyone off guard. Though it may never snowed in Vietnam, the temperature had dropped to -2°C, and sometimes -15°C in Sapa over a three week period during the month of February 2008.
Sapa a frontier town and district in the Lao Cai province in northwest Vietnam, is one of the main market towns in the area, home of many local trades such as H'mong, Dao and Tay. While its hotels and restaurants were full of tourists who traveled to Sapa to enjoy the unusual scene, happiness for some was already paid for by the misery of others since freezing temperatures had killed a record number of cattle: "families and farmers, draped blankets over water buffalos and lit fires for newborn calves to keep their animals alive for not facing the hardship from the loss of even a single cow. The cold spell, which began early February, was one of the longest running and most-severe to hit northern Vietnam". So far foreigners and locals alike generally remained in good spirits, but not all seemed to appreciate the irony of the situation -- especially for those who had come to Southeast Asia to escape the snow back in the North and Midwest, and yet to their amazement found themselves looking at white-capped peaks in a region of the world known for hot weather and tropical beaches...

Sapa Trekking season has already begun as we are entering the last week of March. Although the weather is still foggy and wet, tourists are too excited to explore the region in the mud and in the rain, of course with a lots of ups and downs. There are so many beautiful mountain valleys to walk down, amazing sceneries to witness and unforgettable experiences with many hill tribe villages to live through, that tourists almost forgot the pain, cause for them, that's the best opportunity to really soak in the true feeling of the town, the surrounding countryside and it's beautiful people. Everyday there are always things to love about it up there and believe me, travelers like you and me, we certainly all left our hearts in Sapa, one way or another!

Thank you for your email and the nice pictures! We have been back to Holland for almost two weeks now, and although the weather is less cold than in Canada, we miss the nice weather in Vietnam. We had a great trip altogether with a lot of highlights: beautiful Halong Bay, Perfume Pagoda, the tombs and citadel in Hue, the waterfalls in Buon Ma Thuot, the buzzing beehive that is Saigon and the tranquility of tropical beaches at Phu Quoc Island. When collegues and friends ask about the trip, it takes us a lot of time to explain about everything.

It is so hard to describe the impact of what we have seen and done in a few words. Fortunately we didn't encounter any ghosts in Buon Ma Thuot (or may be we did, and didn't recognize them). It was a very beautiful place, nice to visit because there were not many tourists. In fact, I don't think I have seen any other foreign tourists at all. We were quite a sight, we noticed this when a couple who just got married, stopped and waved enthusiastically at us! We also met some of the Ede-people, a mountain tribe originating from Malaysia and Indonesia. We couldn't communicate in words with them, they didn't even speak Vietnamese. But it was already great to look at each other, wave and shake hands with the little children who were after a while brave enough to come towards us.
We have read your blog about Sapa, it sounds wonderful! We recognize a few of the entertaining stories you told us on the way up and down to the perfume pagoda. Pho Hien sounds like a nice place to visit and meet with local people. We look forward reading more details about it on your blog!

Best regards to you and your family,

Hanneke en Marijn

Good to know that you both enjoyed the trip and were not troubled by the legend of "Ma lai" ghosts. As a matter of fact, the american named Buon Ma Thuot (Kontum and Pleiku) as "Ghost cities" during the Vietnam war, for being too "mystic" dull and gloomy especially when the wet seasons arrived not mentioning uncountable stories about "Ghosts". Ma Lai ghosts borrowed the form of human being during day time(that is why you didn't recognize them), but turned into ghost / vampire at night to go out and feed themselves with human feces!. Ma lai used to disguise as a beautiful woman, married ordinary man, but at bedtime, departed from the headless body to fly out of the house, half a meter above the ground with the internal organs dangling to its head...
Will have a post about this story in a coming future. FYI, as of March the 1st, a post entry about Phố Hiến was made available. Hope you find the pleasure to discover it at least through my writings. Of course with photos!.
Until next time...

The year of the Rat is coming. Like it or not, we all have to embrace it as another new year. As for the prospects, "the Year of the Rat is ruled by the cold of winter and the darkness of night. It will be marked by speculation and fluctuations in the prices of commodities and the stock market; the world economy in general will be affected one way or another starting with a weakening US economy followed by stock markets plunging into turmoils after shares nosedive in Asia". But what is exactly the Rat, in the Chinese Zodiac?. Honestly speaking, after browsing through many websites, I become more confused about the "Virtues" of the Rat. And for what it brings for the Year to come, little specifics are highlighted but a whole lot of generalities are presented with vague exceptions and "mise en garde". For those who were born under the sign of the Rat, it's wise to look for the right Fengshui Master who can predict the future, but for a practical person like me, I have my own way to look at things...
Year of the Rat, Raise a Cat!. By the end of summer 2007, I suddenly felt obliged to shelter three kittens found abandoned under the deck of my veranda. I have kept them ever since to give them a home, but it was all part of my strategy: to scare away squirls which managed to sneak into our house through the kitchen window. And it works. No more squirls wandering in the back yard, but the cats got bored. As the winter was approaching, I almost refused the idea of having three cats in the house, not for the place is too small, but It was almost a full time job maintaining the kitchen clean. Rumors of Rats invading the kitchen of our neighbor's house recently had made me reconsider that decision.

This post is about a love letter , but it's not mine. Exactly one year ago, today, I was standing in the hall of Vinh Hung Resort with all the luggages well packed. As the cab was late for the airport, I sat at the bar on the riverside, just killing a few cups of tea. The waiter who served me looks very familiar. He identified himself as the eldest son of Thành and Xuân, whom I met a couple of years ago.Indeed, Thành used to work for an art gallery but was laid off at the height of the SARS crisis. Xuân, Thành's wife worked from home as a hair dresser: she was detected with an ovarius cancer, the year I came to Hoian but has recovered marvelously well ever since.

Trung is his name, and he remembered well the day, I first stepped into his house. He sadly told me that soon the whole family will be relocated due to Hoian new urban development program. Basically, streets will be widened, and Trung's house might be torn down in exchange for a modest compensation. Knowing that I was about to depart, Trung showed me a letter with both hands. At first, I thought that he was seeking for some financial help, but as I glanced throught the letter, I quickly grasped his intentions.

The writing was all in english and started with "Dear Sweetie"...Trung never learned how to read nor to write in english and what he showed me was just an e-mail print out. In the letter, the girl said that she missed him a lot since her return to Canada as she was living with memories of their trip to Nha Trang and all the places where Trung had been with her. She worried a lot as she got no news from him despite sending so many E-mails. But she hoped that he is doing well, and must be very busy coping with his day to day life. At the end of the letter, she said that "she will pursue and complete her studies in Medicine and looks forward coming back to Vietnam"...

Trung thanked me for the quick translation he had been waiting for months, or years perhaps. I asked him if he needed help to compose a draft in english for a reply. He wisely folded the letter with his head down and preciously put it into his pocket. Trung went on explaining how he met the girl on a sunny day, as she was looking for direction in the old town. Trung never worked as a tour guide but was offered to keep her company as a pathfinder. Througout the trip he managed to use sign language and broken english and as the trip ended, their relationship has turned into love. Trung has been married for more than a year and has his first child with a Vietnamese local. He kept all of her E-mails unanswered for he is not capable to read english. For Trung, "every trip has its end, he is happy to know that she was still fond of him after all these years".

As the Year-End nearly unfolds, fresh memories of last year celebration in Phan Thiết, vividly come back to me. It was Exactly ONE YEAR ago Today, I was on the unspoilt romantic beach of Mủi Né. Images of those good moments are so alive as I can still hear the sound of waves rushing to shore...

There has been a lot of snow in Montreal, comparing to last year's same period of time. Walking in the snow is as fun as walking in the sands of Mủi Né, but the feeling is quite different, and shoveling snow is more a duty than pleasure during these days when snowstorms are very frequent.

While snow brings both leisure and miseries to us, storms and flooding in the Southeast of Asia and in Vietnam killed hundreds of people, ruined many houses and facilities. It is almost unthinkable to hear that people were mauled to death by a tiger in a San Francisco Zoo , whereas in Vietnam, villagers and tourists ran for their life after hundreds of crocodiles had escaped from the farms which were inundated. And again, sarcastically speaking, while automatic assault weapon AK47s was used in a shooting spree in Omaha Mall, US, killing dozen of innocent people, in Khánh Hòa, Vietnam, Soldiers, militiamen and forest rangers armed themselves with the same type of rifle(AK47s) to hunt down almost 5000 crocodiles that flooding had washed away from a state-owned farm...
As the year wraps up, It is good to learn from friends in 'Nam, that recovery and reconstruction effort are under completion to restore normal life: after all it is reassuring to know that they all have survived the flooding and none of them was bitten by crocs. Thanks Wendy and Jack from New Zealand for worrying about my safety. No I didn't fly home this year. Wish I could be there, to join the rescue team or at least to hunt down for the escaped crocs. Thanks Els Ternest from Jersey, Channel Islands who just sent in her Email of Sympathy to the folks in Hội an where flooding has caused serious damage: "many relics of Hội An town, a world cultural heritage, could fall at any time due to being submerged in floods".

On a more positive note, I was pretty excited after being informed by Ken, that the last group of 140 stateless Vietnamese refugees still remaining in the Philippines are soon leaving for Canada. Stella Nhung Davis, a Vietnamese-Canadian Vancouver-based immigration consultant and Ken's sister has been working actively there ever since to help administer the funds raised by the Vietnamese-Canadian community to meet December 31 2007 Canada Dead Line set for the Project Freedom at last, closing the chapter on the boat people.

Last but not least, thanks to friends and fans who have supported me, thanks to all of my readers for visiting my blog, leaving comments (but not spam messages), subscribing to my feed, special thanks to Rina Vardi , the Poet, Artist and Painter from Aussie for her valuable advices about life and love, for sending me beautiful photos of Vietnam before it was destroyed by flooding, and Dank u wel Els Ternest for your Email of sympathy(*) and your story about trekking experiences in Sapa.

Chúc mừng năm mới, Happy New Year, Bonne et heureuse année, Gute newen yar, Gelukkig Nieuwjaar ...

PEACE on Earth ...

In this post, Thierry reveals his most recent experiences with those 3 stray cats (kittens), his deepest reflexions about animal's gratitude towards his decision to shelter them. He also presents a dark outlook of pets mistreat in Vietnam and in Asia where domestic animals generally do not receive the kind of protection and care found in most of civilized countries. Cats and dogs, Pet or Meat? Coming soon to Artviet Travel Blog.

The cycle rickshaw is known in vietnam as CYCLO. Also called as Cyclo-Pousse, it was first brought into Vietnam via Phnom Penh around 1940. The Saigon Daily La Presse indochinoise dates its entry more precisely to January 1937. The following pictures show the Cyclo Driver Bargainning, Transporting, and finally Resting ...

Event Related Link(s):Annual Saigon Cyclo Challenge Event organized by The Saigon Children's charity.

In the Western World, with many marriages ending up in divorce, more and more couples ask themselves what it takes to get married and to make it last. Some even wonder why should they bother getting married. In Vietnam, marrying the right man to get abroad is more problematic than getting divorced. The emigration obsession is so high now that it becomes a lure for many young girls to rush into a blind lifetime decision. For young men, getting married is hardly speakable when the social requirements for an engagement could not be met. If you are not an expatriate or a foreigner, you may find many challenges to overcome. The Murphy law about dating in Vietnam has shaped the way young women set out their criteria. Like in any modern societies, the guy must be educated, has a well paid job and projects himself as a trend follower if not a trend setter: always calls his date on a latest cell phone model, takes her out with an expensive motorcycle and the blessing of the family surely will follow. But not all stories about dating and getting married in Vietnam are that sophisticated. In the country side where traditions still govern, people mate easily and get married. Poultry, farm animals and / or land usually are the most popular wedding presents requirements and celebrations usually last for three days. While in urban areas where the groom arrives at the bride's house on his wedding day, bearing wedding presents of jewelry, clothing and money, in Sapa, Northern Vietnam, I've learned that four Pigs are what a groom of the tribal Tay should bring with him. Raising pigs is part of the traditional agrarian economy which is based on family farms and Pigs mean prosperity as each Pig could in turn give birth to piglets to be sold on the market for 30US$ when each one reaches about 20 kilograms in weight. Pigs also represent Happiness as matrimonial life of the ethnic minorities has always been harmonious. Divorce is rare since men and women seem to find compatible partners to share an everlasting love...

It's sunday morning as the sun is glowing through my window glass. Though I did'nt mind changing my clock to align with DST, I managed surprisingly well to raise my ass up off the bed right on time for breakfast, with Highlands coffee I brought back from Vietnam.

In canada, we observe the DST (Daylight Saving Time) and change our clocks some time between midnight and 3:00 a.m, on the second week of march. For weekdays, it might be hard to get up one hour earlier for work, but for weekend, there is little effect on my sleeping habits nor on my evening activities. As I am about to finish my coffee, vivid memories of my last journey in Vietnam come back to me in a such manner I can hardly tell myself I am having breakfast in Saigon or in Canada. Streets of Saigon, Streets of Hanoi have its own manner to start the day, but in general, they all wake up at the rising sun. Though the country does not observe the DST, each street has its morning break characteristics to commence the day at its own pace. The familiar noises of the street vendors, the smell of the Phở, the Bánh Cuốn and the motorcycles all contribute to the wake up of the city.

On March 11th, 2007, residents of countries which observe DST, shift their days forward and are likely to be working early in the morning. They save money by getting up earlier to use morning sunlight, thereby spending less lighting resources in the evening. In Vietnam, people wake up early in the morning to start the day as they are all driven by the work desire. There is not much saving to gain but instead, it is a collective effort for catching up, to Drive, to Start and to Thrive. As I am changing all the clocks in the house, I decided to keep one I never change, to have its time in sync with the time of Saigon now that I know the sun never sleeps in Vietnam.

As the Vietnamese once said about Phố Hiến, it ranked first among the country major cities, second only to Thăng Long, the Capital of Đại Cồ Việt(*), the Very Big, Big Vietnam. Indeed, Phố Hiến once played a major role as a busiest trading port, but after two centuries of its establishment, it changed from being one of the most bustling commercial center to a small town with nostalgic old traits...

Going on a trip to Vietnam is something everybody is talking about these days. To visit places like Phố Hiến, one might wonder what it has to offer in terms of vestiges and attractions. My most recent stay in Vietnam dates back to early January of this year, and Phố Hiến (*) destination was on my itinerary. That idea was thrown in at the last minutes to close my journey in the Northern part of Vietnam, with a location in Hưng Yên 60km south east of Hanoi, a site rarely mentioned by tour operators.

Using the national Highway 39A, running through rice and corn field we arrived at Phố Hiến, after 2 1/2 hour drive. For a cold season of January, the weather was mild comparing to Hanoi. Our first stop, the Chuông Pagoda. Walking through the three-door entrance gate, we found ourselves at a lotus pond with a stone bridge that leads us to the main compound court. The place was so quiet as there was only the four of us, visitors of the forgotten city. Once in the yard, by the side entrance we introduced ourselves into the lateral part of the main sanctuary, to be greeted by statues of Arahats (Thập Bát La Hán) and from the 10 halls in the Kingdom of Hell (Thập Điện Diêm Vuơng) which line up along the wall. Knowing it is a trip with no tour guide assistance, the research made a day earlier was of great help: those 18 Arahat (*) statues made of lacquer-coated earth - the type of lacquered antiques unique to Viet Nam, represent accomplished and immortal Saints - spiritual practitioners who had 'laid down the burden' and realised the goal of Nibbana, the culmination of the spiritual life. "Such a person, having removed all causes for future becoming, is not reborn after biological death into any samsaric realm!". While each Arahat statue is presented in a different attitude, thoughtful and expressive, the other 10 statues show tough looking face but appear righteous for they represent Presidents of ten tribunals in the Kingdom of Hell (Thập Điện Diêm Vương).That is exactly where those who sinned are judged on their way to Hell. "Each court deals with a different aspect of atonement. Most legends agree that once a soul has atoned for their deeds and repented, he or she is given the Drink of Forgetfulness and sent back into the world to be reborn".

Time is precious and True Love has always been scarce. In modern societies, Escort Services often help remedy to those problems by offering for a fee, the pleasant company of a mate for your convenience either for business or leisure. In Japan, professional married couples who could not agree on a timetable to share their holidays together, usually turn to "Husbands and Wives for Rent" services to pick up a companion to fill up the place of the missing partner. "No woman no cry", now that the Japanese have found a reason to revamp their Geisha concept adapted to the modern life: select your partner with a matching social / professional profile, to guarantee a durable and joyful relationship, at least for the moment of the service fulfillment...

Not long ago, before embarking on my first trip back home, I have heard stories about the Love Market in Sapa. It's a city that lies on the Hoàng Liên Sơn mountain pass in the northern part of Vietnam, close to the border with China. That' s where you can find ethnic minorities like the Black H'mong, the Red Zao, with young girls trekking down every Saturday morning from their remote hillside villages to hawk souvenirs to the tourists who come to take pictures. There were accounts and unconfirmed rumors about "trading places" for single travelers to Sapa. "If you're going to Sapa, don't forget to visit the Love Market. If you want the companionship of a lover, pick up a girl for less than a hundred dollars, but if you want to marry her, pay her more and the rest has got to be lived.." Sounds incredible, but for a country like Vietnam which was left alone in isolation by history circumstances, for nearly 30 years, one might feel tempted to believe the existence of such a market. Of course to have a good reason to come to Sapa for the sake of adventure...

That opportunity finally came to me in October 2004. By the midnight express train from Hanoi, I reached Sapa early in the morning. Despite the fatigue of a 10 long hour ride, I managed successfully to check into the Mountain Views hotel for a fair price and jumped right away on the backseat of a Russian motorbike heading towards Ta Phinh. Under a sunny sky, I discovered a small commune surrounded by mountains with water buffalos wallowing peacefully in the rice fields. It was an absolutely fascinating day and probably the most amazing scenery I have ever seen since a long time. Girls dressed up in colorful traditional costumes speak amazingly good English. In less than no times both my wrists were filled up with bracelets I had to buy in exchange for photos I was allowed to take. Scenes like that went on repeatedly during the next day en route for Ta Van as I was trekking on small paths distance then down through the Seo Bridge to reach Bản Hồ village, home of the Tày, another colorful ethnic tribe. There I spent the night at the village: during the super, I was briefed by the Tay woman about the virtues of her tribe, wedding traditions and the legend of the "Piu Scarf" and countless popular stories until unknowingly I closed my eyes to drift away into a deep sleep ..

"Kids of Phan Thiet
Earn what they did

We Took in a jeep tour of nearby sand dunes at sunrise on the last morning of December 2006. There we did some plastic wobble-board dune-surfing with little help from "The Kids of Sahara" (later they were paid generously instead of 30 cents per board) . It was fun for Etienne and Annabel, but it was hard work walking up for another ride!. The sand dunes in Mui Ne also called the Sahara of Phan Thiet, Vietnam could bring out playful moments for the family.

Part I - I Discovered Hoi an. I first walked into Hoi an late in january 95, when the sun barely showed up after an intermitant rain. That was a few days after I left Hue, where I enjoyed the most, contemplating the immensity of the Imperial citadel, wandering from one court to another, in search for the spirits of the Nguyen Dynasty's 13 emperors. It was almost as fascinating to visit Hue and its historical sites, and one can't stop wondering what will be the next destination to go, back both in time and in space. And I landed in Hoi an like Michael Fox in "Back to the future" movie. The city has the characteristics of an old quarter named after FAIFO , the oldest port which traded with Japanese, Chinese and Europeans merchants way back in the XIII century. Its traditionnal architecture showed undeniably the passage of time, with its old houses, temples and pagodas once inhabitated by those traders. And there is the legendary Japanese bridge built in 1593. According to an old man's account, the bridge's location was carefully studied by Japanese Fenshui experts to better control the resurgence of the Dragon, which tail was under the river bed that the bridge was crossing. Interestingly, the Dragon is associated with the Vietnamese people, and the bridge built over its tail was a perfect metaphor for the Japanese colonization...

Those were the pictures of Hoian I kept in my heart before I returned to the old city a few years later, and just like in "Back to the future Part II", there was a sense of renewal. Yes, for another Cao Lầu noodle that I was still craving for, for unfinished stories I had heard like the mystic tombal stone yet to be demystified. And there was The Quiet American (*) movie's famous quote which really dragged me back to the old town: "They say whatever you're looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived." For a while, I had my share of real life experiences with new acquaintances in this city. Starting with Thành, I helped him overcome the fear of going broke in his efforts to fight a long battle against his wife's cancer. With Duy the artist or the Crocodile Dundee of Quang Nam, I laid out a blue print for an after SARS reorganization of his art gallery. Good moments, I had with KThoa who introduced me to her favorite restaurants and relaxing gaden cafe of Hoian. Often we finished the days at the beach, having delicious sea crabs. My journey in the old town was quite meaningful for what Hoian had offered me, not only for its beauties but also its own problems and intricaties, then like any short stories, mine too just fizzled out...

The project came to my attention in a most unusual manner, early morning Oct the 9th, in Saigon. While browsing thru the Vietnam Economic Times, my eyes were set on a monkey photo, posted at the left corner of a two page report. And it was all about preserving wildlife animals in Na Hang(*). The animal looked so much innocent and inspired a great deal of sympathy. The more I browsed for news to read, the more frequent I was brought back to the same page, just like a bookmark effect. As the rain didn't stop as I had wished, I stayed on a bit longer, digesting Vietnam latest news update. Obviously breakfast at the hotel instead of a Phở with Sister Hằng as planned: time for a coffee and another coffee, a good cure for jet lag and a reason to let time go by without wondering "Who'll stop the rain"...

The young biologist as depicted in the PORTRAIT, showed a lot guts and determination to manage the project which ended in 2005. Bettina Martin is her name and she worried about the efficiency of her small army of rangers to guard the forest, and the snub-nosed monkeys are in no doubt threatened by local hunting and wildlife trade (a monkey costs about 2 MM VND (~ $125 US) in Vietnam, while in China, a monkey costs $40 per kg for the delicacy and for the tonic traditionally called as chinese elixir!)... I kept reading her portrait as I found her very committed to lead the project, this time on her own. And she did it quite right with a different approach: she encouraged local women to revive their traditional weaving skills in the pursuit of creating opportunity for local communities. But promoting those products to the tourists, along with bags and T- shirts she designed, including bee honey, mugs and necklaces, was not an easy task. The money raised from the proceeds of sales rarely cover the capital costs. Where she got the money? from non-government supporting organizations, and from people like you and me. Money is like love, it doesn't come easy, and there is always a time value to what we received. The monkey population has less than 200 remaining in the wild to be protected, and it's one of the 25 most endangered species in the world. If the funds came too late, local poachers will be lured by the high price tag set for each catch. Either for a pot of gold, or for the account of the Chinese medecine, the damage is not reversible...

SAPA a missed rendez-vous
Unlike 2004, where I was caught in the traffic for hours when Viet Nam played host to the ASEAN Trade Fair, I came this time to Hanoi, a month earlier before APEC began. Needless to say, my plan was to stay at most 2 days in the city before taking off for Sapa. But the course of life often took me to a different path...

Café Des Arts-In search for the artist. Hunting for the artist I was looking for was not an easy task in Hanoi, not mentionning the deception of having a steak medium cooked, not well done and not to my expectations at the Café Des Arts. It was somehow an opportunity to talk to Gérard Gastel, the owner of the Café, and have the privilege to share with him, the merits of his success after 9 years in business, a reward of hard labor and sacrifices. But very little information about the artist specializing in lacquer was given to me. Gérard could not be seen after I finished my steak as he left quietly "à la Jean Bruce". Not surprisingly, I noticed the presence of the artist paintings all over the walls: for Gérard, those are valued materials like the "Livre du maitre", reserved exclusively for teachers at the French Lycée during the colonial area. Definitely, Gérard kept the best of Hanoi's artists in his pockets!.

The surging Turtle at Hoan Kiem Lake(Oct 18 2006). I was strolling alone, around the Hoàn Kiếm lake early the next morning, looking for directions when I spotted " a sea snake head" surging out of the water: its size smaller than an anaconda, but bigger than a boa. People practising Tai chi around the lake were shouting, urging me to take a picture. It was in fact a giant turtle, which according to the locals, surfaces only on very rare but important occasions. As per the legend of the Hoan Kiem turtle, a giant golden tortoise snatched the sword from the Emperor while he was out fishing and took it to the depths of the beautiful lake. That's why the Hoàn Kiếm Lake or the Lake of the Restored Sword (The Emperor was handled the magical sword by the turtle to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam and the turtle took it back after the Emperor had won the war).

Going out for a coffee is more fun during these days in Saigon. As an alternative to hanging out at the Sun Wah Café Central, or perhaps lamenting endlessly at the sound of Trịnh Công Sơn music, with languor and nostalgia at traditional coffee bars, Saigonnese have transformed themselves into "Highlanders". Not to be mistaken with Christopher Lambert armed with a sword in the "Highlander" movie. They are just having coffee, Café Trung Nguyên brandnamed as Highland Coffee, undeniably in Crayola-colored chairs, with pop music soundtrack and a trendy ambiance. The "Starbuck mania" seems to sweep the whole country, from Saigon to Hanoi. It's Highland Coffee shop at every street corner, and one cannot resist the temptation of having a cup of coffee at a price nearly one US dollar, a luxury only middle class citizen can afford. Globalization has found its way to Vietnam!. But it has no way out.

I met TuDuy during a trip to VietNam in summer 2003. It was on a quiet river side in Hoi An, under the palm trees that the artist talked about himself. As a person of the country side, he has landed in arts for the transparency he manages so easily in portraying rural women beauty in different life scenes. Not only he conveys marvously the emergence of his subjects' feelings with simplicity and directness but also adds a touch of freshness in his colors. As a result, the figurative meaning of the nature elements he wants to set the viewver's focus on, leaves no room for misinterpretation. TuDuy has been painting for more than 30 years, he spoke of his art as creating some kind of magic thread--ties that bind us together with the loved ones. His source for inspiration came from the deepest memories of his childhood. In his own fashion, the subjects were painted with serenity, grace and realism reflecting beautifully Cham influence and Impressionism french art movement. TuDuy is a gifted artist, he learned to draw in the red sand of the central highlands during his adolescence, much the same way, Finnegan Bell of Great Expectations who sketched art works with his fingers on the Florida beach. His first art exhibition abroad landed him in Paris 1995, like a Crocodile Dundee of Danang. Tuduy never lived in a big city, he acted naively and was unprepared for his first trip abroad.Though he speaks broken english and virtually no french,TuDuy soon earned his success for his talent, with zen and humbleness. His paintings are presented in major art exhibitions in France. Mme. Danielle Mitterand, wife of the former President of France, Francois Mitterand counts among his prestigious buyers.