Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Good news
Martin just called and said the ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow at 3 p.m. (That's Wednesday - I think we're a day ahead of the U.S.) So, he wants us to be ready to go out the door at 12:40 in the hotel lobby. That's easy for him to say. Everytime we go down there Max eyes the jewelry store and the ring. Today, he thought perhaps the man would go down to two. Two what, we ask?
After Martin called, I immediately went to get the diaper bag ready. What shall our little Princess of Peace wear for her big ceremony? I've heard that there's often not time enough to put the babies into the cute little outfits that we've picked out for them to wear, but in the off chance that there is, I've selected not one, not two but THREE outfits. Not to sound too Bergdorf Blondes about it but the truth is I don't know how big she is or what size she is wearing.
My number one outfit is an adorable Baby Gap white dress with colorful animals embroidered around the hem. Remember that one, dear sister Annie? It's a hand-me-down from my Sassy Seattle niece Sophie from years ago. One I found in a box you sent me for Max before we knew s/he was a boy. I know I should have returned it to you after you had Hattie (my new niece who was born in January and will be kissing cousins with Baby Girl McCall) but I liked it so much I didn't. Isn't that awful? Well, you still have my crib mobile... Sisters.
By the way, the diaper bag we will be sporting is a lovely striped one from the Fleurville collection, makers of top-of-the-line baby gear. Not only is it snappy, it's cleverly designed and spit-up proof. In addition, it's made by my dear friends, Steve and Catherine Granville so I thought I'd put a plug in for their company. Not to mention the link to their awesome collection of baby bags. www.fleurville.com. It's the least I could do considering they gave me a free bag! In all truth, I always carried one with Max and found it to be just perfect. I like things that can be cleaned easily.
I've stuffed the diaper bag with the three outfits (all light crispy cotton b/c it's so bloody hot), diapers (I'm hoping stage 2 swaddlers by Pampers will work), two bottles, some bottled water, wipes, two cloth diapers, bibs and a pacifier. Oh, and the little stuffed puppy dog my sister Suzy gave Max to give his sister when he meets her. I'm sure I'm forgetting something and will soon find out tomorrow.
Gift bags are wrapped and ready to go so now we just wait. This is becoming a familiar theme here in Hanoi, no?
Actually, I think we've been making excellent use of our time. This morning, we went to the Museum of Ethnology on the outskirts of town. It's a fascinating museum, highlighting the dozens of ethnic peoples in Vietnam, who for lack of a better description are akin to our native Americans or the Maoris in New Zealand or the aborigines in Australia. Many of the ethnic people here are familiar to us from our visits to the Hill Tribes in northern Thailand, like the Hmong and Lao people. They live in the hills of northern Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma and parts of China. Unlike most of the world, they don't recognize arbitrary borders made by countries.
They have very simple lifestyles and make amazing textiles. Like, I want one of everything. The older and more antique the better. One could walk around the outside of the museum to explore the "outdoor display" of replications of their villages and huts. It was fascinating and we could have stayed longer if it wasn't so bloody hot. I'm glad we're doing some of these touristy things now b/c I don't know how much heat the baby is going to tolerate. Then again, she's never known air-conditioning....
Tom and I were both blown away by the displays regarding the Communist times from the early 70s to late 80s. People lived on rations and were given coupons to obtain things. They had live video footage of an elderly woman who described her apartment. They had a two rooms that she shared with her husband, mother in law, son and his wife and other son. In addition, it was not uncommon for city dwellers to also have pigs and chickens in their apartments for extra food sources. And this family considered themselves lucky! Jam, cigarettes, and MSG were only occasional luxuries. The glimpse into these lean times made us really appreciate the good life we have living in America and I'm not a flag-waving patriot but I will say I sure am glad to be an American. Even today, the red flag with a bright yellow star on it waves everywhere. Not sure how the Socialist regime affects daily life because things sure do seem to lean towards capitalism from my narrow perspective.
Anyway, we also happened upon a water puppet show which is a wonderful thing and Max just loved it. Picture four guys who are invisible behind a bamboo screen, manipulating brightly colored wooden puppets with bamboo poles into stories and old tales. Lots of loud music and I don't know what was harder to understand = the Vietnamese version or the English translation. We also happened on a children's science/discovery room but sadly, we didn't find that til it was 15 minutes before closing. Max made a few ink prints with wooden blocks but we didn't have time to do anymore.
Note to families who are awaiting travel and will be traveling with toddlers: the children's discovery center is open from 8:30 to 11:30 only. Afternoons it's closed. Also, do not go in the heat of the day. Go early. It's a wonderful place to take children, a bit of a hike out of downtown Hanoi - near the West Lake area - but well worth the haul. There are several water puppet shows a day and kids can even try doing the water puppets in a miniature theater with different animals on poles. Max fell in love with the fish and we ended up spending $35 (a fortune in Vietnam!!!!!) to buy him one at the museum's craft store. It's his big souvenir from the trip and we were feeling a bit soft.
And a note to shoppers: the museum store is a wonderful place to shop. Very reasonable prices though no bargaining and very nice quality objets. In other words, a nice gem amidst the sea of crap along the streets of Hanoi. The store is called Craft Link and its' great for shoppers, like me, with a conscience. It's a not for profit organization seeking new markets for traditional artisans. There's another location near the Temple of Literature at 43 Vanmieu Street. I plan to dash over there in the morning before we leave to get our baby. I'm trying to get most of our Christmas shopping done while we're here which is why I packed an empty duffel. I think now I should have brought two.... I hope my little girl is a shopper just like Mommy.
After the museum, we decided to have a nice lunch and went to where else but the Sofitel Metropole. I love that place. Too bad it's too cost prohibitive to stay in. It's also too much really to eat at too which I guess is why there are swarms of Japanese tourists there. I had fresh spring rolls (I think I've eaten them every day since I've landed in Indochina). They're very low fat and extremely refreshing in this oppressive heat. I was tempted to have the pineapple basil sorbet afterwards but was too full. Tom, Max and I raised our glasses to Donald and Michelle in honor of their recent engagement. I'll try to send a photo to you guys of that.
Max and Tom have just gone for a swim in the hotel pool. It's on the third floor and Max just loves it though the temperature makes Betty Crothers' pool seems like the Arctic. I think today was in the high 90s - and coupled with the humidity it's just a big fat sweatfest. It's little wonder the expats here take their vacations in the summer. Hanoi in the summer can be dusty, dirty and stinky hot but it's a city. For Asia, it's not bad but then again we hardly leave the French Quarter with occaional forays to the old part of town.
That's it for now, folks. Stay tuned for tomorrow when Baby Girl McCall gets a name. I'm figuring Tom and I will have two hours to work it out on the trip to the orphanage before meeting her......
After Martin called, I immediately went to get the diaper bag ready. What shall our little Princess of Peace wear for her big ceremony? I've heard that there's often not time enough to put the babies into the cute little outfits that we've picked out for them to wear, but in the off chance that there is, I've selected not one, not two but THREE outfits. Not to sound too Bergdorf Blondes about it but the truth is I don't know how big she is or what size she is wearing.
My number one outfit is an adorable Baby Gap white dress with colorful animals embroidered around the hem. Remember that one, dear sister Annie? It's a hand-me-down from my Sassy Seattle niece Sophie from years ago. One I found in a box you sent me for Max before we knew s/he was a boy. I know I should have returned it to you after you had Hattie (my new niece who was born in January and will be kissing cousins with Baby Girl McCall) but I liked it so much I didn't. Isn't that awful? Well, you still have my crib mobile... Sisters.
By the way, the diaper bag we will be sporting is a lovely striped one from the Fleurville collection, makers of top-of-the-line baby gear. Not only is it snappy, it's cleverly designed and spit-up proof. In addition, it's made by my dear friends, Steve and Catherine Granville so I thought I'd put a plug in for their company. Not to mention the link to their awesome collection of baby bags. www.fleurville.com. It's the least I could do considering they gave me a free bag! In all truth, I always carried one with Max and found it to be just perfect. I like things that can be cleaned easily.
I've stuffed the diaper bag with the three outfits (all light crispy cotton b/c it's so bloody hot), diapers (I'm hoping stage 2 swaddlers by Pampers will work), two bottles, some bottled water, wipes, two cloth diapers, bibs and a pacifier. Oh, and the little stuffed puppy dog my sister Suzy gave Max to give his sister when he meets her. I'm sure I'm forgetting something and will soon find out tomorrow.
Gift bags are wrapped and ready to go so now we just wait. This is becoming a familiar theme here in Hanoi, no?
Actually, I think we've been making excellent use of our time. This morning, we went to the Museum of Ethnology on the outskirts of town. It's a fascinating museum, highlighting the dozens of ethnic peoples in Vietnam, who for lack of a better description are akin to our native Americans or the Maoris in New Zealand or the aborigines in Australia. Many of the ethnic people here are familiar to us from our visits to the Hill Tribes in northern Thailand, like the Hmong and Lao people. They live in the hills of northern Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma and parts of China. Unlike most of the world, they don't recognize arbitrary borders made by countries.
They have very simple lifestyles and make amazing textiles. Like, I want one of everything. The older and more antique the better. One could walk around the outside of the museum to explore the "outdoor display" of replications of their villages and huts. It was fascinating and we could have stayed longer if it wasn't so bloody hot. I'm glad we're doing some of these touristy things now b/c I don't know how much heat the baby is going to tolerate. Then again, she's never known air-conditioning....
Tom and I were both blown away by the displays regarding the Communist times from the early 70s to late 80s. People lived on rations and were given coupons to obtain things. They had live video footage of an elderly woman who described her apartment. They had a two rooms that she shared with her husband, mother in law, son and his wife and other son. In addition, it was not uncommon for city dwellers to also have pigs and chickens in their apartments for extra food sources. And this family considered themselves lucky! Jam, cigarettes, and MSG were only occasional luxuries. The glimpse into these lean times made us really appreciate the good life we have living in America and I'm not a flag-waving patriot but I will say I sure am glad to be an American. Even today, the red flag with a bright yellow star on it waves everywhere. Not sure how the Socialist regime affects daily life because things sure do seem to lean towards capitalism from my narrow perspective.
Anyway, we also happened upon a water puppet show which is a wonderful thing and Max just loved it. Picture four guys who are invisible behind a bamboo screen, manipulating brightly colored wooden puppets with bamboo poles into stories and old tales. Lots of loud music and I don't know what was harder to understand = the Vietnamese version or the English translation. We also happened on a children's science/discovery room but sadly, we didn't find that til it was 15 minutes before closing. Max made a few ink prints with wooden blocks but we didn't have time to do anymore.
Note to families who are awaiting travel and will be traveling with toddlers: the children's discovery center is open from 8:30 to 11:30 only. Afternoons it's closed. Also, do not go in the heat of the day. Go early. It's a wonderful place to take children, a bit of a hike out of downtown Hanoi - near the West Lake area - but well worth the haul. There are several water puppet shows a day and kids can even try doing the water puppets in a miniature theater with different animals on poles. Max fell in love with the fish and we ended up spending $35 (a fortune in Vietnam!!!!!) to buy him one at the museum's craft store. It's his big souvenir from the trip and we were feeling a bit soft.
And a note to shoppers: the museum store is a wonderful place to shop. Very reasonable prices though no bargaining and very nice quality objets. In other words, a nice gem amidst the sea of crap along the streets of Hanoi. The store is called Craft Link and its' great for shoppers, like me, with a conscience. It's a not for profit organization seeking new markets for traditional artisans. There's another location near the Temple of Literature at 43 Vanmieu Street. I plan to dash over there in the morning before we leave to get our baby. I'm trying to get most of our Christmas shopping done while we're here which is why I packed an empty duffel. I think now I should have brought two.... I hope my little girl is a shopper just like Mommy.
After the museum, we decided to have a nice lunch and went to where else but the Sofitel Metropole. I love that place. Too bad it's too cost prohibitive to stay in. It's also too much really to eat at too which I guess is why there are swarms of Japanese tourists there. I had fresh spring rolls (I think I've eaten them every day since I've landed in Indochina). They're very low fat and extremely refreshing in this oppressive heat. I was tempted to have the pineapple basil sorbet afterwards but was too full. Tom, Max and I raised our glasses to Donald and Michelle in honor of their recent engagement. I'll try to send a photo to you guys of that.
Max and Tom have just gone for a swim in the hotel pool. It's on the third floor and Max just loves it though the temperature makes Betty Crothers' pool seems like the Arctic. I think today was in the high 90s - and coupled with the humidity it's just a big fat sweatfest. It's little wonder the expats here take their vacations in the summer. Hanoi in the summer can be dusty, dirty and stinky hot but it's a city. For Asia, it's not bad but then again we hardly leave the French Quarter with occaional forays to the old part of town.
That's it for now, folks. Stay tuned for tomorrow when Baby Girl McCall gets a name. I'm figuring Tom and I will have two hours to work it out on the trip to the orphanage before meeting her......
Monday, July 9, 2007
Another day in the sauna known as Hanoi
Hello everybody! Samantha again.
Good news! Martin says we are going to have our G&R ceremony tomorrow (Wednesday) which means we get our daughter tomorrow. Of course, I've learned by now not to get my hopes up til it actually happens because we are running on Vietnamese adoption time. Anything can happen, any time.
We don't know if we're going in the morning or afternoon yet but Martin said to prepare for a 2-hour journey to the university city of Thai Nguyen. We, being one of the three families staying at the Melia, will gather in the lobby at the appointed time and head north for the adventure of a lifetime. Tom and I are the only people in our immediate group here at the hotel who already have a kid so at least we can let go of the nerves of becoming a first-time parent.
The plan is this: first we will meet up with the other famlies in the WC group adopting from Thai Nguyen orphanage, load up in a van and head north. Martin says there are a total of 7 families - three are here at the Melia, another one is at the Somerset and another at the Hong Ngoc. Not sure about the others. We haven't met them yet but our little Melia group is starting to coalesce nicely. We check in with each other at least once a day and compare notes: good shopping spots, where to get laundry done cheaper than at the hotel (we've already spent $75), good places to eat, etc. At least we're not alone in being alone, helpless and confused.
First stop is to go to the orphanage to pick up the babies which I hear is a very emotional (understandably) experience. We will wait in a Meeting Room while the babies are brought out to us, one by one. We are not allowed to tour the orphanage facility or walk around which is rather disappointing. Not sure why we can't. Personally, I'd love to document it to show our daughter where she lives for the first four months of her life.
Once we have all the babies, we load up again in the van, this time with at least double the passengers (some people adopt "twins" - or 2 kids of similar age) and head to the department of justice in Thai Nguyen province where we will have an official ceremony that, in the eyes of the Vietnamese government, says these babies are ours. We sign books, take pictures and hopefully have an opportunity to meet the caretakers of our babies. Personally, I would love to thank our nanny as well as have photos with her and our baby. And, I'd love to find out details like when she likes to eat, when she likes to sleep, what she likes and dislikes, what makes her feel better etc. I don't know if I'll have that opportunity or not but I'm putting the intention out there.
Also, at some point we leave gifts for the justice department officials, the orphanage director, the baby's caretaker and 20 smalls bags for the nannies at the orphanage. I bought mostly everything in America before leaving but, because you can't take wrapped presents on a plane anymore, I spent the morning assembling and wrapping. Tom is writing thank you notes as I write. So that's tomorrow as I know it. Much can change as there are always a million variables but I think that's the gist of it.
So today we have yet another unscheduled free day. As Tom pointed out yesterday, as it turns out we really didn't need to come to Hanoi til today - which is Tuesday. We could have spent three more days in our beloved Cambodia which we all three agree would be preferable to Hanoi. Don't get me wrong. Hanoi isn't bad. Not that I've seen all of it but we're staying in the French Quarter and it reminds me much of my days living in Paris. Very French - then throw in the oppressive heat of a sauna mixed with the funky, pungent smells of Asia et voila! (Speaking of heat, it's been in the high 90s which, in this humidity, feels like 105 degrees. No rain yet though. Just a few sprinkles here and there but certainly not like the predictable afternoon thunderstorms in Siem Reap.)
Tom and I were hoping, at the last minute, to take a half day Vietnamese cooking class through the Sofitel Metropole Hotel. For $55, we would go to the outdoor market with the chef to pick out ingredients, come back to the hotel for cooking demonstrations and lectures and then enjoy lunch or dinner at the fabled Spices restaurant which reportedly has some of the best Vietnamese food in Hanoi. Unfortunately, when we called, the classes are postponed til renovations are finished at the hotel but maybe Tom and I should go there for dinner tonight. Leave Max at the hotel with a babysitter and have a date - just the two of us, because we probably won't be dating for awhile.
Also, huge congratulations to my adorable Baby Brother Donald who proposed to his girlfriend of 4 years this weekend. Michelle, we love you and look forward to you being a part of our family. As if you already weren't.... You guys make a beautiful couple. You're great people with big hearts who do good things. Max is so excited that Michelle is going to be his Aunt now!! Can't wait to see the rock - I hear it's as big as the Hope diamond.
And to Adison (aka Madison), please know that Max is getting his baby sister tomorrow. We can't wait for you to meet her.
Thank you all who are reading this blog. It's a wonderful way for us to document the trip and also to share it with you. We love getting your comments. It feels like we're not as far from home as we actually are. Keep 'em coming. We love you.
Good news! Martin says we are going to have our G&R ceremony tomorrow (Wednesday) which means we get our daughter tomorrow. Of course, I've learned by now not to get my hopes up til it actually happens because we are running on Vietnamese adoption time. Anything can happen, any time.
We don't know if we're going in the morning or afternoon yet but Martin said to prepare for a 2-hour journey to the university city of Thai Nguyen. We, being one of the three families staying at the Melia, will gather in the lobby at the appointed time and head north for the adventure of a lifetime. Tom and I are the only people in our immediate group here at the hotel who already have a kid so at least we can let go of the nerves of becoming a first-time parent.
The plan is this: first we will meet up with the other famlies in the WC group adopting from Thai Nguyen orphanage, load up in a van and head north. Martin says there are a total of 7 families - three are here at the Melia, another one is at the Somerset and another at the Hong Ngoc. Not sure about the others. We haven't met them yet but our little Melia group is starting to coalesce nicely. We check in with each other at least once a day and compare notes: good shopping spots, where to get laundry done cheaper than at the hotel (we've already spent $75), good places to eat, etc. At least we're not alone in being alone, helpless and confused.
First stop is to go to the orphanage to pick up the babies which I hear is a very emotional (understandably) experience. We will wait in a Meeting Room while the babies are brought out to us, one by one. We are not allowed to tour the orphanage facility or walk around which is rather disappointing. Not sure why we can't. Personally, I'd love to document it to show our daughter where she lives for the first four months of her life.
Once we have all the babies, we load up again in the van, this time with at least double the passengers (some people adopt "twins" - or 2 kids of similar age) and head to the department of justice in Thai Nguyen province where we will have an official ceremony that, in the eyes of the Vietnamese government, says these babies are ours. We sign books, take pictures and hopefully have an opportunity to meet the caretakers of our babies. Personally, I would love to thank our nanny as well as have photos with her and our baby. And, I'd love to find out details like when she likes to eat, when she likes to sleep, what she likes and dislikes, what makes her feel better etc. I don't know if I'll have that opportunity or not but I'm putting the intention out there.
Also, at some point we leave gifts for the justice department officials, the orphanage director, the baby's caretaker and 20 smalls bags for the nannies at the orphanage. I bought mostly everything in America before leaving but, because you can't take wrapped presents on a plane anymore, I spent the morning assembling and wrapping. Tom is writing thank you notes as I write. So that's tomorrow as I know it. Much can change as there are always a million variables but I think that's the gist of it.
So today we have yet another unscheduled free day. As Tom pointed out yesterday, as it turns out we really didn't need to come to Hanoi til today - which is Tuesday. We could have spent three more days in our beloved Cambodia which we all three agree would be preferable to Hanoi. Don't get me wrong. Hanoi isn't bad. Not that I've seen all of it but we're staying in the French Quarter and it reminds me much of my days living in Paris. Very French - then throw in the oppressive heat of a sauna mixed with the funky, pungent smells of Asia et voila! (Speaking of heat, it's been in the high 90s which, in this humidity, feels like 105 degrees. No rain yet though. Just a few sprinkles here and there but certainly not like the predictable afternoon thunderstorms in Siem Reap.)
Tom and I were hoping, at the last minute, to take a half day Vietnamese cooking class through the Sofitel Metropole Hotel. For $55, we would go to the outdoor market with the chef to pick out ingredients, come back to the hotel for cooking demonstrations and lectures and then enjoy lunch or dinner at the fabled Spices restaurant which reportedly has some of the best Vietnamese food in Hanoi. Unfortunately, when we called, the classes are postponed til renovations are finished at the hotel but maybe Tom and I should go there for dinner tonight. Leave Max at the hotel with a babysitter and have a date - just the two of us, because we probably won't be dating for awhile.
Also, huge congratulations to my adorable Baby Brother Donald who proposed to his girlfriend of 4 years this weekend. Michelle, we love you and look forward to you being a part of our family. As if you already weren't.... You guys make a beautiful couple. You're great people with big hearts who do good things. Max is so excited that Michelle is going to be his Aunt now!! Can't wait to see the rock - I hear it's as big as the Hope diamond.
And to Adison (aka Madison), please know that Max is getting his baby sister tomorrow. We can't wait for you to meet her.
Thank you all who are reading this blog. It's a wonderful way for us to document the trip and also to share it with you. We love getting your comments. It feels like we're not as far from home as we actually are. Keep 'em coming. We love you.
Walking in Hanoi
Tom here.
I just got out of a great cinematic experience. I saw Casablanca in Hanoi overdubbed 80% in Vietnamese, 20% you could hear the English and with English subtitles. "Here's looking at you kid" never sounded like this before! It was also interesting watching a pro french film in a former colony.
The streets are so alive here. It is sweat through your underware hot, so everyone hangs out on the relatively cool streets. They play a board games (mah jong?), slice raw pork, or just sit with a straw conical hat in a heat pummled stupor.
It is amazing how many mopeds are in this city. All traffic rules are mearly suggestions. Traffic lights, center lines down the street, even one way traffic flows are merely suggestions. It is taoism in action. A beeping flow that seems to work. The one rule is once you start to cross the street, don't stop and don't change direction suddenly. A lunging sea of 70 mopeds flows around you as if you were a granite rock in the middle of a stream. It makes the heart race.
I am reading a biography about Pol Pot, the Cambodian mastermind behind the Khmer Rouge genocide known as the Killing Fields. Apparently Pol Pot was a bit of a putz growing up. Not so bright. And he came to a place where he expedited the murder of 1.5 million of his countrymen (a staggering one out of 7 people.) How is that possible? It has really got me thinking about Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. How power plays have been going on for centuries both between these countries but also when foreign powers come to exert and extract. We saw lots of people without legs hobbling about, begging at temples. the legacy of land mines continues to haunt Cambodia.
Walking down the street here in Hanoi, you see the bold yellow star in the red flag. This is a communist country. We lost the war. And yet they don't seem to care when I say, "I am from America." Just don't care. I walked by the infamous Hanoi Hilton today.
Still in waiting mode on the baby. Maybe we get her wednesday....maybe not. Loosey goosey seems to be the name of the game.
Now I will eat my spring rolls and fried milk cake.
I just got out of a great cinematic experience. I saw Casablanca in Hanoi overdubbed 80% in Vietnamese, 20% you could hear the English and with English subtitles. "Here's looking at you kid" never sounded like this before! It was also interesting watching a pro french film in a former colony.
The streets are so alive here. It is sweat through your underware hot, so everyone hangs out on the relatively cool streets. They play a board games (mah jong?), slice raw pork, or just sit with a straw conical hat in a heat pummled stupor.
It is amazing how many mopeds are in this city. All traffic rules are mearly suggestions. Traffic lights, center lines down the street, even one way traffic flows are merely suggestions. It is taoism in action. A beeping flow that seems to work. The one rule is once you start to cross the street, don't stop and don't change direction suddenly. A lunging sea of 70 mopeds flows around you as if you were a granite rock in the middle of a stream. It makes the heart race.
I am reading a biography about Pol Pot, the Cambodian mastermind behind the Khmer Rouge genocide known as the Killing Fields. Apparently Pol Pot was a bit of a putz growing up. Not so bright. And he came to a place where he expedited the murder of 1.5 million of his countrymen (a staggering one out of 7 people.) How is that possible? It has really got me thinking about Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. How power plays have been going on for centuries both between these countries but also when foreign powers come to exert and extract. We saw lots of people without legs hobbling about, begging at temples. the legacy of land mines continues to haunt Cambodia.
Walking down the street here in Hanoi, you see the bold yellow star in the red flag. This is a communist country. We lost the war. And yet they don't seem to care when I say, "I am from America." Just don't care. I walked by the infamous Hanoi Hilton today.
Still in waiting mode on the baby. Maybe we get her wednesday....maybe not. Loosey goosey seems to be the name of the game.
Now I will eat my spring rolls and fried milk cake.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
G&R ceremony delayed
Hello Hanoi!
We arrived late last night and didn't get settled into our hotel room until about 1 a.m. The flight from Cambodia was delayed 40 minutes and then delayed even more as we had to wait for a thunderstorm to clear before take off. (I hadn't taken any xanax til then, especially after hearing about the Cambodian flight that mysteriously went down a week ago killing all passengers onboard.)
We are now based at the Melia Hotel which is reportedly a "five star" hotel though the rating is questionable. It's enormous (350 rooms?) and Hanoi's hopping spot for convention gatherings. It has a very convention like feel and I'm at a loss for describing the decor. Modern Vietnamese? Art deco meets cheap modern? Very angular, not entirely comfortable or welcoming furniture but we have a very generous sized suite which I know we will really appreciate once the baby arrives. We're on the 19th floor which Max just loves because there are floor to ceiling windows in the suite and he loves looking out across Hanoi in nearly three directions. There aren't many skyscrapers so the view is quite endless and uninterrupted. He of course especially like the bridges crossing the Red River.
We found out early this morning - purely by chance - that the highly anticipated Giving and Receiving ceremony scheduled for tomorrow has apparently been delayed. Martin, the adoption agency's Vietnamese coordinator here, says that one of the officers hasn't yet returned from his vacation. So maybe it's Tuesday? Or maybe later in the week? It's all entirely vague and I'm just trying to go with the flow. I think "maybe" will become my Vietnamese mantra. My other mantra is to remember to look at the forest, not the trees. If I can look beyond the trees of weak communication and other vagueness, this trip will run a lot more smoothly and gracefully. It's out of my hands and I just need to go with the flow.
As I said, we happened upon the info. because Tom was trying to get the international cell phone hooked up (thanks Jeanie and Jim) and he called Martin to give him our cell phone number. Tom asked him what was going on today and that's when Martin told him that the G&R ceremony was delayed til some nefarious date. So, while we had our hearts and hopes set on meeting our daughter tomorrow, I guess we'll just have to wait a wee bit longer.
Max and I were talking about names today and he looked at me and said "But her name is Gopala. We already decided that." Not sure who "we" is. I tossed out Lily or Molly, even being as generous to include Gopala as a middle name. "What do you think of Molly Gopala McCall?" I asked him. "No, mommy. It's Gopala Molly McCall." So he's a bit focused on his entry. Meanwhile, Tom and I are still tossing names back and forth and still feel like we need to hold her and see her in person before the enormous responsibility of bestowing a name on her.
As I write, Max is sleeping and Tom is doing the best he can to keep his eyes open for the Wimbledon match. It's the final match and it's being broadcast live. Funny how that works. It's 8:50 p.m. in Hanoi but around 3 p.m. in England.
Let's see. What else is new. Oh, I have a few funny tidbits to add.
1. Sorry the photos were posted sideways. Not sure how that happened and even less sure of how to correct it. If anyone knows, please let me know.
2. After breakfast this morning, we went on an exploration around this huge hotel. There are several shops in the lobby and one of them is a jewelry store. Completely on his own accord, Max insisted we go in and with the same insistence, suggested buying me a ring. He picked out an oval shaped blue topaz in white gold for $116. It might fit my pinkie it's so small. He was telling the Vietnamese shopkeeper that he wanted to buy the ring for me but needed to check with his Daddy first. He asked the price and then found Tom to report what he found. I've never seen him so insistent. We finally suggested that we wait because it's our first day in Vietnam and we should look around first. He asked me if I was sad about not getting the ring, and I told him no, I wasn't sad. That in fact my heart was very happy because he wanted to do a nice thing for me. Before bed, he said "maybe I can talk the man down to two."
3. We crossed the street several times in Hanoi today. Though it's only Sunday and I'm guessing traffic is less than during the week, the three of us braved the streets. There are few traffic lights and even fewer crosswalks. Just lots of motorbikes, scooters, rickshaws, buses, bikes and cars plying down the wide boulevards. Pedestrian crossing is a rather daunting task at first but after setting foot on the street, there's only one direction and that's forward. Miraculously, traffic diverges around you, with invisible angels guiding and protecting you across the busy streets. The motorbikes, like in Cambodia, seem to flow down the boulevards rather like leaves calmly floating down a river. Cars and taxis beep incessantly, just like in India with no other agenda expect to say "I'm here. See me."
4. Max prefers Cambodian pancakes over Vietnamese. I know I write about him a lot but we're really trying to savor this time with him. He's at a great age for this trip, soaking it up and able to hold his own. Whether he remembers the trip or not doesn't matter. He is present for every moment and it's a treat to see the world through his eyes. He rarely gets fazed, even when the Vietnamese grab his cheek and say "hello boy!" When asked how old he is, he has been overheard saying he's 6 - sometimes 16, depending on what mood he is in and how much of a clown he is being.
Oddly enough, or maybe not so oddly, the Asians ready identify him as Korean. Without a doubt they can tell by his features. The friendlier, South East Asians are curious and want to know why a Korean boy has American parents. (As if it's that hard to figure out??) The Thais, Cambodians and Vietnamese are very upfront and curious about his identity and dote on him like the royal prince that he is. Ironically and, truthfully, somewhat sadly, the throngs of Koreans we've encountered, mostly in Cambodia, refused to acknowledge his presence. Surely if the Asians from other countries could recognize Max as Korean, one would think the Koreans would certainly see it as well. None ever said hello or approached us. Weird.
Of course, all this question about Max's identity from others has led to some interesting conversations. For the first time in the four years of his life, I think he's recognizing that he's not exactly like Mommy and Daddy. That we're different - even different nationalities. He told someone the other day in the hotel swimming pool that he's Korean but his Mom and Dad are Americans although we all speak the same language. Very casual. Later that day, when I pressed for him to elaborate on that observation, he said "Well, Momma, you are a GIRL. And you're a grown up so that's why you're American." This trip is a very growing experience for him.
5. After a sluggish morning, we decided to do our first really naughty thing in Hanoi. We went to the Sofitel Metropole for Sunday brunch. At $35 a person (and Max, mercifully, was free), we supped on an awesome, unbelievable spread of food. Favorites included fried lychees stuffed with truffle, shitake and asparagus; enormous prawns with sweet potatoes, grilled mango with foie gras; duck breast with a tarragon sauce; salmon in beurre blanc; filet wrapped in pastry; scallops in reduced orange sauce; and a creamy pumpkin sauce to die for. Not to mention the French breads (a prevalant bow to the French colonial times), cheeses and desserts. Definitely would make the Four Seasons brunch look like McDonalds. Okay, not McDonalds but, well, inferior. Oh, and fresh tomato sauce - as in freshly squeezed tomatoes, not the canned stuff loaded with sodium. We stuffed ourselves silly and, dear Suzy, you would have died and gone to heaven with the fresh seafood bar.
Tom, not me for once, started lobbying to move from the Melia to the ultra-posh Sofitel which would be way more expensive and not nearly as good a value as what we have here. I'd rather we pop over for lunch every few days rather than cramming into a small "deluxe" room with two kids, one of them being a new baby. The Sofitel also has - EVERY DAY - an elegant chocolate buffet that made the dessert selection at brunch look small. It's $10 and includes afternoon tea. We will be checking that out. And I must confess that for the indigenous people of Asia, French colonialism did few favors in their occupation of Southeast Asia but there are some wonderful leftovers and signs from those times. Baguettes and pate in Vietnam? The most delectable croissants this side of the Ganges? Who would have thought.
After lunch, we tried to walk off our indulgence and circumambulated around Lake Hoan Keim. The tree-lined lake provided welcomed shade from the sultry tropical heat and a feast for our eyes. Max's goal was the oft photographed red bridge so there we went. We couldn't figure out quite what was going on there - there was a temple with people praying ("I'm not going to do it this time," Max declared without prompting) and in the other side of the building was an enormous stuffed turtle in glass, humidity-controlled display case. Random.
Though we were all dragging in the heat - Tom moreso because he had Max on his shoulders, we decided to press on make our way around the entire lake. Max, of course, announced his desire to get a cab several times but we didn't relent. (We wanted him to metabolize his chocolate infusion). It was a great first taste of Hanoi - lots of families out for a Sunday stroll walking hand in hand, little tykes Max's size riding their bikes, men squatting on their haunches and smoking opium in the street, hawkers selling postcards and the famous Vietnamese conical hats, old women cutting up Asia's stinkiest fruit: durian and old men doing tai chi along the water's edge. We even saw Jimmy Carter's Vietnamese look-alike.
7. Vietnam - Asia really - is still in the dark ages about smoking. In fact, there are people smoking in restaurants and in public and it drives this non-smoker nuts. I hate it and detest the foul smell. It's something Max has noticed as well. While we were having cold drinks on the club level this afternoon, he noticed a non-smoking sign on the table. He then proceeded to explain to the waitress that his Granny couldn't come in there because she smokes. "But my Gaga could. She used to smoke but she stopped smoking. She had a heart attack last year." He says this as if a) the waitress understands him and b) she also knows who Granny and Gaga are.
Again my apologies for writing so much. The thing is I just love writing in case you didn't notice. And I'm hopeful that this will one day be a great record for our dear baby who we are hopefully just a few days away from meeting. We're inching closer, getting anxious and just can't wait to have her in our arms. Believe it or not, I'm calm, cool and collected. That, of course, could change with the blink of an eye.
Not sure what tomorrow will bring. We're allegedly supposed to meet Martin in the morning and then not sure what happens after that. Thanks for reading along dear friends. I will quiz on this when we get back.
We arrived late last night and didn't get settled into our hotel room until about 1 a.m. The flight from Cambodia was delayed 40 minutes and then delayed even more as we had to wait for a thunderstorm to clear before take off. (I hadn't taken any xanax til then, especially after hearing about the Cambodian flight that mysteriously went down a week ago killing all passengers onboard.)
We are now based at the Melia Hotel which is reportedly a "five star" hotel though the rating is questionable. It's enormous (350 rooms?) and Hanoi's hopping spot for convention gatherings. It has a very convention like feel and I'm at a loss for describing the decor. Modern Vietnamese? Art deco meets cheap modern? Very angular, not entirely comfortable or welcoming furniture but we have a very generous sized suite which I know we will really appreciate once the baby arrives. We're on the 19th floor which Max just loves because there are floor to ceiling windows in the suite and he loves looking out across Hanoi in nearly three directions. There aren't many skyscrapers so the view is quite endless and uninterrupted. He of course especially like the bridges crossing the Red River.
We found out early this morning - purely by chance - that the highly anticipated Giving and Receiving ceremony scheduled for tomorrow has apparently been delayed. Martin, the adoption agency's Vietnamese coordinator here, says that one of the officers hasn't yet returned from his vacation. So maybe it's Tuesday? Or maybe later in the week? It's all entirely vague and I'm just trying to go with the flow. I think "maybe" will become my Vietnamese mantra. My other mantra is to remember to look at the forest, not the trees. If I can look beyond the trees of weak communication and other vagueness, this trip will run a lot more smoothly and gracefully. It's out of my hands and I just need to go with the flow.
As I said, we happened upon the info. because Tom was trying to get the international cell phone hooked up (thanks Jeanie and Jim) and he called Martin to give him our cell phone number. Tom asked him what was going on today and that's when Martin told him that the G&R ceremony was delayed til some nefarious date. So, while we had our hearts and hopes set on meeting our daughter tomorrow, I guess we'll just have to wait a wee bit longer.
Max and I were talking about names today and he looked at me and said "But her name is Gopala. We already decided that." Not sure who "we" is. I tossed out Lily or Molly, even being as generous to include Gopala as a middle name. "What do you think of Molly Gopala McCall?" I asked him. "No, mommy. It's Gopala Molly McCall." So he's a bit focused on his entry. Meanwhile, Tom and I are still tossing names back and forth and still feel like we need to hold her and see her in person before the enormous responsibility of bestowing a name on her.
As I write, Max is sleeping and Tom is doing the best he can to keep his eyes open for the Wimbledon match. It's the final match and it's being broadcast live. Funny how that works. It's 8:50 p.m. in Hanoi but around 3 p.m. in England.
Let's see. What else is new. Oh, I have a few funny tidbits to add.
1. Sorry the photos were posted sideways. Not sure how that happened and even less sure of how to correct it. If anyone knows, please let me know.
2. After breakfast this morning, we went on an exploration around this huge hotel. There are several shops in the lobby and one of them is a jewelry store. Completely on his own accord, Max insisted we go in and with the same insistence, suggested buying me a ring. He picked out an oval shaped blue topaz in white gold for $116. It might fit my pinkie it's so small. He was telling the Vietnamese shopkeeper that he wanted to buy the ring for me but needed to check with his Daddy first. He asked the price and then found Tom to report what he found. I've never seen him so insistent. We finally suggested that we wait because it's our first day in Vietnam and we should look around first. He asked me if I was sad about not getting the ring, and I told him no, I wasn't sad. That in fact my heart was very happy because he wanted to do a nice thing for me. Before bed, he said "maybe I can talk the man down to two."
3. We crossed the street several times in Hanoi today. Though it's only Sunday and I'm guessing traffic is less than during the week, the three of us braved the streets. There are few traffic lights and even fewer crosswalks. Just lots of motorbikes, scooters, rickshaws, buses, bikes and cars plying down the wide boulevards. Pedestrian crossing is a rather daunting task at first but after setting foot on the street, there's only one direction and that's forward. Miraculously, traffic diverges around you, with invisible angels guiding and protecting you across the busy streets. The motorbikes, like in Cambodia, seem to flow down the boulevards rather like leaves calmly floating down a river. Cars and taxis beep incessantly, just like in India with no other agenda expect to say "I'm here. See me."
4. Max prefers Cambodian pancakes over Vietnamese. I know I write about him a lot but we're really trying to savor this time with him. He's at a great age for this trip, soaking it up and able to hold his own. Whether he remembers the trip or not doesn't matter. He is present for every moment and it's a treat to see the world through his eyes. He rarely gets fazed, even when the Vietnamese grab his cheek and say "hello boy!" When asked how old he is, he has been overheard saying he's 6 - sometimes 16, depending on what mood he is in and how much of a clown he is being.
Oddly enough, or maybe not so oddly, the Asians ready identify him as Korean. Without a doubt they can tell by his features. The friendlier, South East Asians are curious and want to know why a Korean boy has American parents. (As if it's that hard to figure out??) The Thais, Cambodians and Vietnamese are very upfront and curious about his identity and dote on him like the royal prince that he is. Ironically and, truthfully, somewhat sadly, the throngs of Koreans we've encountered, mostly in Cambodia, refused to acknowledge his presence. Surely if the Asians from other countries could recognize Max as Korean, one would think the Koreans would certainly see it as well. None ever said hello or approached us. Weird.
Of course, all this question about Max's identity from others has led to some interesting conversations. For the first time in the four years of his life, I think he's recognizing that he's not exactly like Mommy and Daddy. That we're different - even different nationalities. He told someone the other day in the hotel swimming pool that he's Korean but his Mom and Dad are Americans although we all speak the same language. Very casual. Later that day, when I pressed for him to elaborate on that observation, he said "Well, Momma, you are a GIRL. And you're a grown up so that's why you're American." This trip is a very growing experience for him.
5. After a sluggish morning, we decided to do our first really naughty thing in Hanoi. We went to the Sofitel Metropole for Sunday brunch. At $35 a person (and Max, mercifully, was free), we supped on an awesome, unbelievable spread of food. Favorites included fried lychees stuffed with truffle, shitake and asparagus; enormous prawns with sweet potatoes, grilled mango with foie gras; duck breast with a tarragon sauce; salmon in beurre blanc; filet wrapped in pastry; scallops in reduced orange sauce; and a creamy pumpkin sauce to die for. Not to mention the French breads (a prevalant bow to the French colonial times), cheeses and desserts. Definitely would make the Four Seasons brunch look like McDonalds. Okay, not McDonalds but, well, inferior. Oh, and fresh tomato sauce - as in freshly squeezed tomatoes, not the canned stuff loaded with sodium. We stuffed ourselves silly and, dear Suzy, you would have died and gone to heaven with the fresh seafood bar.
Tom, not me for once, started lobbying to move from the Melia to the ultra-posh Sofitel which would be way more expensive and not nearly as good a value as what we have here. I'd rather we pop over for lunch every few days rather than cramming into a small "deluxe" room with two kids, one of them being a new baby. The Sofitel also has - EVERY DAY - an elegant chocolate buffet that made the dessert selection at brunch look small. It's $10 and includes afternoon tea. We will be checking that out. And I must confess that for the indigenous people of Asia, French colonialism did few favors in their occupation of Southeast Asia but there are some wonderful leftovers and signs from those times. Baguettes and pate in Vietnam? The most delectable croissants this side of the Ganges? Who would have thought.
After lunch, we tried to walk off our indulgence and circumambulated around Lake Hoan Keim. The tree-lined lake provided welcomed shade from the sultry tropical heat and a feast for our eyes. Max's goal was the oft photographed red bridge so there we went. We couldn't figure out quite what was going on there - there was a temple with people praying ("I'm not going to do it this time," Max declared without prompting) and in the other side of the building was an enormous stuffed turtle in glass, humidity-controlled display case. Random.
Though we were all dragging in the heat - Tom moreso because he had Max on his shoulders, we decided to press on make our way around the entire lake. Max, of course, announced his desire to get a cab several times but we didn't relent. (We wanted him to metabolize his chocolate infusion). It was a great first taste of Hanoi - lots of families out for a Sunday stroll walking hand in hand, little tykes Max's size riding their bikes, men squatting on their haunches and smoking opium in the street, hawkers selling postcards and the famous Vietnamese conical hats, old women cutting up Asia's stinkiest fruit: durian and old men doing tai chi along the water's edge. We even saw Jimmy Carter's Vietnamese look-alike.
7. Vietnam - Asia really - is still in the dark ages about smoking. In fact, there are people smoking in restaurants and in public and it drives this non-smoker nuts. I hate it and detest the foul smell. It's something Max has noticed as well. While we were having cold drinks on the club level this afternoon, he noticed a non-smoking sign on the table. He then proceeded to explain to the waitress that his Granny couldn't come in there because she smokes. "But my Gaga could. She used to smoke but she stopped smoking. She had a heart attack last year." He says this as if a) the waitress understands him and b) she also knows who Granny and Gaga are.
Again my apologies for writing so much. The thing is I just love writing in case you didn't notice. And I'm hopeful that this will one day be a great record for our dear baby who we are hopefully just a few days away from meeting. We're inching closer, getting anxious and just can't wait to have her in our arms. Believe it or not, I'm calm, cool and collected. That, of course, could change with the blink of an eye.
Not sure what tomorrow will bring. We're allegedly supposed to meet Martin in the morning and then not sure what happens after that. Thanks for reading along dear friends. I will quiz on this when we get back.
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