Things I can fit on my bike...

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We've been amazed at the things we've seen on the back (and front, and sides) of bicycles and motorbikes here. Here's a little game we like to call "On my motorbike I can take..." Here are some real-life examples to get you started:
- two large sows in bamboo cages
- many small piglets in burlap sacks
- a big-screen television
- my three best friends
- my wife and three children
- about 400 rolls of toilet paper, in 24-roll packages
- an entire restaurant - stools, tables, food, stove, pot
- 6 car tires
- two bicycles turned upside down and my friend to hold them
- a keg of beer
- 8 24-packs of beer
- one fat white tourist
- a chest freezer
- 20 foot long metal poles (but not on busy Hanoi streets)
- a refridgerator (not a beer fridge, a full-size one)
Feel free to elaborate, if you can think of it, its probably carried on a bike here.

This weekend Brian and I cycled around Ho Tay (West Lake), about 15 km, which was great fun until Brian's pedal fell off! He made it the rest of the way around with a pretty funny looking mix of pedalling with one foot, pushing on the metal stump and pushing off the ground with the other foot. Good thing it's so flat here! We saw a beautiful pagoda on a peninsula into the lake, very relaxing. It is amazing to see how once you get out of the downtown there are big new 20 story buildings beside bamboo huts and cows. We stopped by the Museum of Ethnology, which is very well done, but a wee bit boring after a while. Brian wants me to tell you about a funny quote that during the subsidized economy years (1975-1986) there was no hunger in Vietnam. Hmm, we don't really think that's so true... The day ended in a very strong downpour, which was nice because it cooled us down! We got lots of funny looks from locals who were hiding out under umbrellas and inside as we tramped along through puddles and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It also became an excuse for me to go shoe-shopping - my sandals didn't last too well through the drenching.

We also managed to see one of the fairly rare performances at the Hanoi Opera House. It is a beautiful building built by the French, and the National Symphony performed very well. We couldn't forget where we were though - there was a large crowd of Vietnamese behind us eating individually wrapped candies and opening pop cans for quite a while (and provoking a bit of a whispered screaming match), a leak dripping on Brian's leg and a bat swooping around for much of the second half. So much fun!!

I also made it to church this week, but not for long! There is a gigantic Catholic church not far from here, its very beautiful, and on Sunday morning it is so packed that they set up plastic stools all down the front steps and broadcast the service into the square in front. I was lucky enough to find a seat, and was there for about 10 minutes before I started to look around and get my bearings. I was thinking, "wow, there are a lot more men than women here" and then I thought "hmmm, there are many women over on the other side... hmmmm, there are no women on this side except me...hmmm, I think that perhaps they split the genders in church here, and I'm on the wrong side..." Then I noticed the stares, and I freaked out and left during the next hymn. Doh!!

The water puppets are great too. I particularly like the way those words sound together, try saying it aloud! I love it. It is very impressive to see, and the traditional music is beautiful. It's a big pond of water, with a screen hanging down to the surface. The puppets are controlled by long underwater poles with levers to move various parts of the body.

We'll update soon on our coming up adventures - hiking in the northeast, etc. and I just bought myself a ticket to Singapore for a few days, so I'm sure you'll hear about that too! Hope all is well!

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Photos

Brian almost running into a motorbike
No pedal at this point

Ho Tay
Much of the lake is cut off by houses, but here's a patch where you can actually ride along the shore

Comments

[Crystelle]

homesick
I love seeing Vietnam through your eyes. You have a way of showing more than the Hot Spots. I think you must be getting homesick now for "real food" and cool weather though.

[Matt Kirby]

Wow..
Hey Sara... Good to know your having a good time.. its cool seeing viet nam. Im writing to tell you that with your help, i managed to pass my science exam! and I passed science! I will redo Math, but thats fine. Thanks alot for an awesome year, hope to see you next year, a little less, but still see you! Matt