A Day in Hanoi

Here is a picture from the boat. It's about 3 hours from Hanoi

Today we started out on a walking tour around Hanoi. We called for a taxi and went down to get it. However, since the maid (yup, our host has a maid) called for the taxi, we had no idea which type of taxi they called. So we got in the taxi that was waiting down there. Little did we know it was a tourist taxi which means they charge double for a ride. All well, it got us where we wanted to go.

I was the tour guide. We walked around the lake, then went to explore the old parts. Not sure if you have tried walking tours from books, but they are not always easy to follow. This one... was ok! I got us around the winding streets and all the way to the end. It's quite interesting to walk in the streets. The sidewalks are full of parked motor bikes so we have to walk on the street, which is also packed with motor bikes!

Here is part of the "meat market". Notice the picture frames in the background... so unique...

Here you see all of the motor bikes on the sidewalk. So... we have to walk on the street. Do you see a good dominoes opportunity?

We are here just before Tet which is the big Chinese New Year celebration. For some reason orange trees have a big part during this celebration. Motor bikes often carry these small trees throughout the streets.

We stopped for lunch and ate some Pho, which is just like Chicken noodle soup from America. Also similar to Beef noodles from China.

After touring our host's (Coral) school, we walked to a museum and then jumped in another overpriced tourist taxi home! Now we are waiting for supper... Tomorrow we fly out early for Ho Chi Minh.

Same, same, but different

For those of you who have gone to Thailand, or read my posts from Thailand last year, may remember the phrase, "same, same, but different" That is how I can compare my school this year from last year. It's the same, but very different. Here are my lists:

Same:
Chinese students
Teaching English
Limited communication between office people and teachers
Students don't understand when I talk to them.

Different:
Older students
I am in the classroom alone (no co-teacher)
I never teach in the morning (unless I need to make up a class)
I can actually speak in English and somewhat be understood

Overall, I do like my school. It keeps me busy, but also allows me to have free time to do what I came here for. The past few weeks I have been able to have people over here Thursdays nights. We bake and play games. This past week I made pancakes for supper and then we baked cupcakes for dessert! I used one of my boxed cake mixes from America. The best part... frosting!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have powdered sugar so I whipped some up.

Good news of the week, I got the tickets for my trip to and back from Vietnam for this winter break!