Birds from San Diego

Dearest friends,

Just some pictures to share from San Diego, US.

Don't see no highways like this in Vietnam. I'm used to small and crowded roads now.

Just a stop to enjoy the view.

Love the swing of that bird.

I guess the birds are enjoying the view too.

Still watching.

A helicopter brings in some noise to the scene. 

Nature and Technology!

hmm.... they are still watching and more...

Museum of Ethnology

Hi there,

I have some pictures to show you today of the museum of ethnology in Hanoi. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is both a research centre and a public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. The mission of the Museum is scientific research, collection, documentation, conservation, exhibition and preserving the cultural and historic patrimony of the nation’s different ethnic groups. The museum also serves to guide research, conservation, and technology that are specific to the work of an ethnographic museum. (http://www.vme.org.vn/aboutus_history.asp) 


When I am walking around the museum, it takes me to all the different ethnics present in Vietnam with information on the language, culture, living style and crafts. My pictures are not showing everything at the museum, just some of the items that caught my interest. Enjoy!

The front of the museum. Besides the main building, there is also a very big surrounding garden which showcases some ethnic houses around the country. 

Royal decree of King Le Hien Tong (1768). Nowadays, the decrees are just printed on A4 size papers. 

Two-string Lute *Đàn Nguyệt*

Hand-painted crafts

I don't remember very clearly what it is, but it may be a painting used to protect children ritual. 

Stamps and Seals used for Ritual Materials. At least I know, I will not be jobless if I was a crafter in this period. 

Bamboo lunar calendar. Wow, we don't need no fancy iCalendar application. 

Manuscript with pictographic script. These are more fun to look than old plain English but... I don't understand a word of it. 

Very long boat. This must take a lot of coordination and collaborative effort.

The front

The famous woodblock painting on *wind* paper. Tranh Đông Hồ 

Mmm.... this is just a house in the museum area. No one is living there though. There are different herbs in the garden. 

A long house style.

A tall house style.

Kids playing rope pulling. Look at the kid on the ground who is sill trying to do his share of the pull. 

Looking at this picture. I wouldn't think I am in Hanoi. 

Water transferring system. I am sure there is an official name for it but I just create names that are easy for me to understand. Hope that works for you too. 

Green space is precious in a capital like Hanoi, so couples take advantage and chooses this kind of location for their wedding pictures. 

That was a lot of picture and a long post. Hope you enjoyed it! 


Much love,


My First Card

Temple of Literature

Hi there, 

This weekend, I went to a temple/former university of Hanoi a long time ago. Now it is called Temple of Literature. I enclose here description from wikipedia:

The landmark was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple. Only parts of the Văn Miếu complex date back to the earliest period, although much of the architecture dates to the Lý (1010 – 1225) and Trần (1225 – 1400) Dynasties. In 1076 Vietnam's first university, the Quốc Tử Giám (國子監) or Imperial Academy, was established within the temple to educate Vietnam's bureaucrats, nobles, royalty and other members of the elite. The university functioned for more than 700 years, from 1076 to 1779. Given the extreme difficulty of the doctor laureate tests, few students passed final examinations. The list of names engraved on the stone stele every year during this period is very small. The stele records 2,313 students graduating as doctor laureates. Emperor Lê Thánh Tông established the tradition, dating back to 1484, of carving the names of the laureates of the university on stone steles that were placed on top of stone tortoises. Of the 116 steles corresponding to the examinations held between 1142 and 1778, only 82 remain.

Beautiful entrance and lanterns hanging from the top. I tried to take these picture when not too many people are around, but it was really crowded that day. 

A very cool tree but the sign is distracting... there is no grass to step on but it says "Do not step on grass".

Cool drum. I am guessing this is the university drums to start and end a class. 

I love this tree with the miniatures on it: old man fishing and old men playing chess. 

Hope you enjoyed it!!!

Much love,

My First Card

Nha Trang Beach

Dear friends,

Here are some pictures I took when I went to Nha Trang, located in the central of Vietnam.

 Nha Trang, beautiful beaches, islands and corrals 

Pathway to the dock

 View from my hotel during the day

View from my hotel at night

 The view onto the street during the day

The view onto the street at night

 Cable cars from inland to islands

Hoi An City Pictures

Dearest friends,

Hoi An is where I spent my honeymoon and this city is just so lovely. It is old... yes, very old but I love its oldness.

Shops on the street

Restaurant

Art Exhibit

Bookstore and Restaurant with quite unique decor

Much love to you all,

My First Card

Hoi An FLowers

Dear friends,

I love taking pictures and flowers too, so it's awesome to combine these two, right? These pictures were taken in the city of Hoi An, Da Nang, Viet Nam.

Hope that you enjoyed it!!!

Much love,

My First Card