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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

HAPPY TET, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy new year!  What a celebration.  Live music, fireworks, dancing, street entertainers and snake charmers.

I don't have much time so I thought I'd throw up a few pics up from yesterday's missions.



Deirdre and I paid our respects yesterday to Vietnam's national Communist hero Ho Chi Minh.  After passing through numerous security checkpoints, getting lectured for having my hands in my pockets and Deirdre shushed, we entered the dimly lit chamber where his embalmed body rests.  It was a very eerie yet powerful experience.  The 8 armed guards that surround his body emphasize the importance of this man in vietnemese culture. 





Hoa Lo Prison, aka "Hanoi Hilton", was built by the French to detain Vietnamese dissidents.  US POWs were also housed here, Senator John McCain among them.

The second picture is the death row area.

Dad and Earl, expect a rock from the Hanoi Hilton when we get home!





The still active main railway line that runs through the french district in downtown Hanoi.



Man this kid was too much.  He was so serious taking photos of his family, I couldn't help but take one of him.

Deirdre and I are off to Halong Bay tomorrow for the weekend.  Take care eveyone and we'll touch base with you all next week.

CF

6 comments:

  1. looks like good times,
    enjoy
    cheers
    Rich

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  2. Hi guys, Sounds awesome. We are enjoying the pictures. We have safely returned from Costa Rica. Had a great time. Miss you both. Stay safe. Love mom and dad xx

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  3. I will try again .... having some technical difficulties ....

    Great blog guys ... play safe and watch out for Hanna

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  4. So glad that you guys are having fun - love the pics!

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  5. Kid's got a sweet photographer vest to go with his obviously budding skillz. The kind of vest that you'd expect would have about fifteeen pockets, and double as a life preserver. I imagine that hung over his right shoulder, and therefore hidden from view in this photograph, hangs his other camera — the one with a lens as long as his leg.

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  6. These pictures are moderately upsetting because I can't see D or C's faces.

    These places are always going to look exactly like the do, but what are D & C doing? I can't really tell.

    I guess this is a magical trip of sorts. I just can't tell how D & C feel about it.

    I hope these updates get sent to my iphone's twitbookfacespace. I can't keep up.

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