Some Sounds From Hanoi

I've been actively circling the expat music scene.

Dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing, by myself, in a circle, with a partner, with my purse, dancing dancing dancing.

Here's a link to "The Props" whose last show was this past Friday as they all flyaway to wherever people go when they leave Hanoi.

Really like this one called "Billy Bob and Ephedrine" I was swaying up a storm to it on Friday. . .hehe. . .good times. . .click here

Have also become friends with the guys in this band called "The Only Reggae Band," which is a misnomer since they should really be called "The Only Afro-Pop Band." No one can sit still when they get on stage. . .click here. . .I've been working quite diligently on weaseling my way up onto stage to sing back-up for one song. . .we'll see how that goes. . .

Keep you posted,

Tuesday

HOORAY NY!

A big step. . .at last!

click here

Hello Hanoi

Hi Everybody!

Consider me a changed person. Seriously!

Hanoi is beautiful and everyone should come and visit.

I started off in the Old Quarter by the lake with the trees and cafes. You could spend your days in Hanoi just going from cafe to cafe drinking super super super strong coffee, there's one about every 10feet.

My favorite cafe to date is this one called Kinh Do. It's super simple, kind of run down, supposedly where Catherine Deneuve went for her coffee every morning when she was filming in "Indochine" in Hanoi. You can get a great chocolate croissant and yoghurt with honey.

Everyday I walk to work past the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. One day got whistled at by the army guy for trying to cross a closed barrier. Oops. After work beer seems to be the thing. Have a canopied spot by the soccer stadium where I stop with my new South African friend to share a "Bia Hanoi" and chat. Then we slowly walk back toward the lakes where we live. A few nights ago we got caught in a serious rain storm and the water came down and down as we sipped away. The taxi ride back was like going through a network of rivers.

I was expecting to find a lot of anti-America sentiment here. But there isn't any, probably because these guys up here in the North won the American War (what Americans call the Vietnam War). They feel proud and secure about their relationship to the west. Besides, Vietnam has been through a lot since then. It's incredible how this country has bounced back. They're really looking forward.

I guess there's more anti-Americanism in the South because the Southerners really supported the Americans and feel very very betrayed by the US pulling out. Many of the people who were US supporters in the south ended up being "re-educated" or killed so it's clear why the resentment would be there.

I'm so happy to be in Hanoi. I feel such a love for the trees and the lakes and the Vietnamese people. It's a super laid back place that I can really embrace. So different from Palembang. <>

Over and out,

Tuesday

Almost Birthday Time and a Day for Blog Closure???

Hi everyone. . .anyone who is still checking this blog.

I have found blogging, skyping, and this general genre of twittertwatt cyber communication

extremely demotivating. It's fun in those manic times when for some reason or another (usually because you've been watching too much reality TV) you have fallen out of touch with the deep rumblings of the universe and need to chit chat twitter twatter talk to the void and see what, if anything, and with passing time less and less. . .comes back. . .

I know people probably have many opinions but to me, as I type here, this whole blogging scenario just seems like a very elaborate conversation with oneself. . .

I threw all of my journals in the garbage a long time ago.

Though it's been great at times. . .I'm ready to call it quits on the blog. . .at least in any real way.

Definitely check back from time to time. . .as I'm sure to post something or other. . .especially if Vienam is interesting. But for the time being. . .I'm off to bed. . .bye bye blogland. . .sionara Palembang. . .and hello Hanoi.

Didn't think the day would come. . .

Love and thanks to everyone who has given me support through this really tough year.

Over, Out, Happy Birthday,

Tuesday

4am Singapore

Depending on how you look at budget travel, it can be fun, or back-pain inducing. From my position here at 430ish am at Changi airport in Singapore the fun to back pain ratio is tilting in fun's favor. . . now that I'm no longer lying on my purse beneath a spark-emitting ceiling.

Sparks? You might ask.

Yes, very pretty actually.

Seems when you decide at around 2am that you want to go horizontal on the benches, the best spaces are already taken. . .so you wind up by the rennovations.

My trip to Honolulu is a 48ish hour epic affair. From Palembang to Jakarta, Jakarta to Singapore. I spent 13 hour in Singapore. I got to go to my favourite restaurant in Little India, this hole in the wall place called Shafira across from the Fortuna Hotel and next to the spot where everyone goes to buy gold.

I spent 5 hours at Borders reading up on how to be a producer.

Then back to the airport, stealing comfy chairs from old men and then guiltily giving them back, listening to the squeaky music of the people lifting thing as the rookie construction worker tries to put it in just the right place under the falling stars. Fell asleep for awhile. Now am at the free internet kiosk. . heading to Tokyo at 6am. . . where I continue my hunt for. . . TWEEZERS!

I have 6hours in transit so if there are tweezers in Narita Airport I will find them!

Tuesday

2AM

. . .and the music continues

was waiting for it to end

but am told

the celebration may continue booming for 2 days non stop

so

best to try to sleep

think I'll play my Thunder By the Sea track to drown out the noise

like I used to do in Seattle

but then I was trying to drown out the gunshots and bar brawls (that was nuts)

alright

to bed

am so tired

and have to face the children tomorrow

nite

Tuesday

Midnight Wedding

It's Sunday

It's 11:42 pm

Indonesia wedding music (which at this wedding seems to be a mix between snake charming music, the Miss Pacman soundtrack, and chopsticks)

no kidding. . .I'm listening to techno chopsticks right now

it might sound like an interesting mash-up but after a few hours it gets slightly repetitive

(not to mention headache inducing)

guess the bride and groom must be night owls

or insomniacs

. . .so. . .I'll drink green tea. . .

and stay up too

. . oh here we go. . .the tone deaf singer just started crooning again. . .

he sounds pretty into it

. . .wait was that "hava nagila?". . . I swear sounded just like it

anyway

don't think they'll be stopping anytime soon

over and out,

a very awake

Tuesday

Snaps

Fiji

Denial

Three blog readers in Queensland with their glasses

Bungee!

xo

Tuesday

Sweet Seventeen

Tuesday's RARE OUTING ALERT. . . Sweet Seventeen!

Note: my blurry dance partner

(yes, she's 4).

Real nice evening. . . xxo T

Check-in

Hi

Still here in Indonesia

looking for a post to write

when I find one

here's where it will go

coming soon I think

xoxoxo

T

Finally, Durian

At last I have tasted DURIAN. It's very delicious and complex. Not what you would call a sanitary tasting fruit but rich and multifaceted. It's at once sweet and bitter (almost spicy). The consistency is creamy and the smell. . .well you all know about the smell. . .very strong and particular (like smelly feet). I will have to work up to eating it in large quantities but I really think I could develop a craving for this! Durian ice cream is very popular. I would like to try it too!

Hello Kitty!

She's changed her name to Timmy

and is a vision of happiness

thank you C, H, and the lovely people at Honda