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4/8/24
And some more random thoughts…
As has always been the case, going back to the beginning of time I suppose, your mode of transportation has always been a symbol of your status in society. Here you see two xe đạp (bicycles) and two xe máy (motorbikes).
A large portion of the Vietnamese cuisine is fish. This carp will soon find it's way into a variety of dishes ranging from soups to pan-fried dishes to roasted (over open fires) dishes. This carp, by the way, is medium size. I'd guess this weighs in at about 7 or 8 lbs, 20" in length, and probably 7 inches in breadth. I've seen carp pulled out of the lake by my house that would weigh in at 20lbs, 30" in length, and a good 10" in breadth.
The "red leaves" on this decorated dormant tree (soon to bud) represent "lì xì" (pronounced “lee-see” with a falling tone) which translates to “lucky money”. Lucky money is small denominations of money given to each other during the Tet Holiday - you put it in red envelopes (red is a lucky color).
Yesterday was International Women's Day. We celebrated this day of recognition by taking all our female faculty and staff out to lunch and giving them flowers and money. I can't help but wonder how this woman in Hai Phong was honored? (that's the ocean harbor in the background)
When it rains in Hanoi folks just adapt and carry on. Note the windshield on the three wheel vehicle (called a “xe lam” - pronounced “say lam” with a flat tone) conveniently folds down. The folks on the motorbikes (called "xe máy" - “say mah-ee” with a raising tone) just stop anywhere on the road and put on a rain poncho and continue on. Cars ("xe ô tô" pronounced “say oh toe” with a flat tone) just put on the windshield wipers. :)
Nothing to crow about here…
NOVEMBER p.2, p.3, p.4, p.5, p.6, p.7