Hanoi

Hanoi is hard to capture in a few words.  Traffic, people, street vendors, sights, smells, food.  The streets are teeming with action.  The sidewalks are used to park the 2 million motorcycles, so you walk in the street.  The lights and crosswalks are only suggestions, but the chaos all seems to flow.  You learn quickly how to navigate through cars and cycles and motorcycles and vendors.  Some people would think the town is too crazy but we liked it.  The Vietnamese are a friendly, smiling, welcoming people.

Halong Bay Vietnam 2014

Stunning, jaw-dropping scenery.  I could have stayed here for the entire vacation.

Hard to capture all the layers and layers of the limestone karst formations

There were hundreds of cruise ships but it added to the ambiance

The ships tend to bunch at certain stops, but on the whole we felt alone on the sea.  It was very peaceful and relaxing.

The Tai Chi Instructor.  Class at 6:30am.  I attended.  It was held on the deck.

On the floating City Tour.  (Tom and Yeow)

Bike Tour of Cat Ba Island

The brightly painted houses of a floating village

Sunset Kayaking.  Definitely the Highlight. (and my personal favorite photo)

On Kayak trip:  visiting another floating village

We were on our own in the kayak and could go wherever we wanted.  It was a fabulous place to explore.

Our cruise ship:  Au Co

Fun to make new friends.  This is one extended family from Malaysia, the family Yeow.

one year ago today

We moved into this apartment one year ago today.  It still feels like we did find a pot of gold!

Christmas on the Grand Place

It's probably too long to view here on the blog, but I want to always remember it.  Beautiful music and stunning light show.  It sent chills up my back, and it wasn't just because it was freezing cold.  Very classy show this year.  Amazing.  Right up there with the flower carpet.  The show lasts 15 minutes and this clip is only 3 minutes.  

The First shall be Last

Went to dinner with the old Stake Presidency: Tom and Marc Vanuvel and Mike Scheurk.  During our meal they told us that the Gardners have moved back to the US.  (Specific destination unknown).  With them gone (American/Belgian) and the Casares family now in Den Haag (Danish/Mexican American) and the Teasdale/Wells back to CA this summer,that leaves us, the last of the long term expat families.  Of the families we knew, we were the first to come and now are the last to leave.

Monterey and Austin

Sunset on the first night in Monterey from our windows

Hard life

Barbies and Football

The chef

Pancakes make life so sweet!

I think it was a Western Movie!

Pretty sure they would have done it if we would have let them

Blueberries and ice cream with your pancakes

October Ends

 It's the end of October, and I only have a few photos to post.  I spent a fair share of time looking out of the window b/c I was homebound, thus the cool urban shots.  The guys repairing the building next door, that might be a scary job!  Bike riding is easy and fun, much easier on the feet than walking, so Freya and I biked to Gaasbeek Castle. (on electric bikes of course!)
Normal life is slowly but surely coming back for me.  Hooray.