Spring Rolls

Big ones, little ones, wee thin ones, crispy ones, triangular ones and that is even before you get a filling in them. You can even have them crispy deep fried or in the uncooked pancake option. My favourite were in a lattice crispy fried very light pancake and filled with prawns and beansprouts and vegetables. To complete the delicacy using your chop sticks you had to delicately catch - or stab if your name is murray - your spring roll and dip in in some delicious fish chilli sauce - yum yum.

We even went on a cookery course and made some ourselves at the start of our trip. We also managed to create an array of shapes and sizes, including the holy, crumbly number to which patches were added (Keith's).

Shona
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Tennis

At the hotel we got tennis lessons with the professional patrick leroux. Our first lesson it was the whole family and it was so good we decided to book again the next day. But the next day there was very heavy rain so it was cancelled. So the next day we had our next lesson and the kids had one hour and the adults another. It was really good fun and I definitely improved.

Erica
Keith Wilson
Paul, Hastings, Janofsky and Walker (Europe) LLP
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Last Day

Somehow it is our last day already. Where did the time go?

The blogging has decreased proportionately with the increase in available time at leisure! As I type this the sun is out and the beach scene simply stunning. The thatched umbrellas in the 50 metres or so between our backdoor and the waters edge cast long shadows just beyond the recliners. There is a gentle background noise of waves breaking on the shore.

I will need a police escort to make sure I leave and get on to a plane!

Keith
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Vinpearl

Vinpearl is an island in Vietnam which is a theme park and water park. To get there you take the cable car which is really freaky. because it is really high and i am scared of heights. The roller coaster there was really fast, scary and fun. Although because it had been in the sun all the time the seats were boiling! On the merry go round i was on a dragon because i am born in the year of the dragon. Murray was on a really really cute panda! In the water park there was a lazy river and part of it was a tunnel that was pitch black and really fun! Some of the slides you went down on your tummy, some on mats and some in the rubber rings. I really enjoyed going down them on the rubber rings. Altogether it was a really fun day.

Erica
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Murray's Bit Part 2

My favourite bits were: Banana boating but closely followed by tennis with our french coach Patrick Leroux whom I think is a great coach!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have al$o made a crab-trap, I am hoping to Catch-some-crabs (Will I)?

Murray
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Murray's bit

In Viet nam we have done LOADS of fun things, here is a list of some activities we have done Swimming,Shopping,Sleeping,
Eating,Cooking,Tunnelling,
Snorkelling,Banana boating,
and watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix!!!!!My
Favourite was

[TO BE CONTINUED IF WE CATCH HIM AGAIN]

Murray
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Hoi An

"You have to go to Hoi An - fabulous shopping" I was told. Off my list straight away then. Shona had different ideas and the next thing is we are in Hoi An for three nights.

Famous for tailors who will either russle you up a first class suit in two days or swindle you, for silk and for shoe making, we did not want a suit, shoe or silk. Or so I thought. Apparently that feeling of my life not being absolutely complete was to do with absence of silk. Who would have thought it? But when Shona says we need silk, it takes a braver man than me to argue.

And so it was also with the vendors in the street market as Shona's no nonsense "its x dong or nothing" approach left a series of shopkeepers looking glum whether or not they had made a sale.

Another thing I did not appreciate was how much I needed new polo shirts. Again Shona was on hand to open my eyes and to haggle a good price.

The kids tried their hand at bargaining too - Murray, very serious "yes, I will accept that price" and Erica secured a great handmade bag for under a dollar. Everyone was smiling.

As one of the silk negotiations was under way I took a photograph of the silks hanging on the wall and showed it to one of the shop girls who was sitting outside. She said to take her picture. She was very pretty. I agreed and then showed her the result. I said if you give me your email I can send you the picture. She burst out laughing and then told her shop keeper friends who all fell about in hysterics. Eventually one pointed up at the shop' postal address and said "here is email address". I got it. Too poor to have computer or email. We slackened off the bargaining a bit after that.

We now have a small happy budha statue, a bead bracelet, silk scarves and table runner, numerous polo shirts, some bowls and spoons and a Manchester United top. Thank heavens we were not there longer.

Keith "call me the wallet"

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Time to move on

We had a lovely time in Hue. A mixture of wonderful historic culture plus we even squeezed in some down time just relaxing and chilling by the pool after our days out and about. I must add this is probably the best pool yet. A large sloping pool around 30m long complete with loungers and bar stools. It was also topped up at the end of the day with water sprouting out of 12 large 'robin' shaped birds. The perfect size of water fountain for kids to splash about in - even with the rain pouring down. Family Wilson were the only ones in sight and I'm sure the locals thought we were raving mad!
Roll on Hoi An next - famous for its shopping!

Shona
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The Tale of the Silent Budha, the Mermaid and the Old Fool

Once upon a time there was a beautiful, deep blue pool shaded from the sun by some palm trees. The pool was hidden from the local people by an old fence beside a wide river. Those who knew of it knew it as the Pool of the Silent Budha because somewhere among the palms was a splendid but now rather tarnished Budha statue which silently watched over the pool.

In the pool lived a lively and pretty mermaid...with strange glasses. This is the story of how the mermaid came to possess glasses - for a mermaid is unusual but one with glasses even more so.

Nobody knew how the mermaid came to live in the pool nor how long the mermaid had lived there but the mermaid was happy - swimming and diving and doing handstands in the pool. Often she sang. She was not lonely because a cheerful golden monkey with smiling teeth had befriended her. Together they would play in the pure, crystal water under the silent gaze of the Budha.

One day a man came apon the pool. He was a foolish man who believed that wealth would come to him and did not need to be earned. When he saw the mermaid and the monkey playing happily in the water, his eyes lit with delight: now he would be a rich man for surely a real mermaid would fetch a fantastic price at the local market.

As he watched hidden in the trees around the pool he formed a plan. He was afraid the monkey would defend the mermaid so he would lure away the monkey first. Then he would return with a big net to catch the mermaid.

He had about him some magic spice. When the magic spice was spread on water anything seen only through the water seemed opposite so that love seemed like hate and greed as need.

The man cast his magic spice on the water when the monkey was resting on the bough of a tree and the mermaid deep in the water. Next he called to the monkey offering bananas and nuts. Naturally the monkey approached and as soon as he was near the man grabbed the monkey. The monkey shrieked and called to the mermaid for help. The mermaid, deep underwater, heard the commotion but could not hear the monkey's words. Worse still when she looked up at the monkey through the water his cry for help to the friend he loved appeared as the opposite because of the magic spice. It seemed the monkey was happy to be leaving with a needy man.

The mermaid was on the point of diving deeper into the pool believing her friend the monkey was leaving her because he wanted to be with the man when a large shadow fell across the pool. Curious as to what might have cast such a shadow and ignoring the pain in her heart the mermaid swam towards the surface. As she broke the surface she found a pair of strange glasses floating on the surface.

Quickly she put them on. Immediately they corrected her vision so she could see things as they were and without the influence of the spice in the water. She could see a greedy man struggling to steal her friend the monkey, who was crying for help.

Had the man made it out of the water before he too had paused at the sudden shadow across the water he might have evaded the mermaid. He had not and he soon knew he was no match for the mermaid and the struggling monkey; that his wicked plan had been foiled. He quickly retreated and did not return.

And so, to this day, the mermaid continues to wear her glasses for the magic spice may still be in the water of the pool, the man is known as the old fool for who would believe an unlikely story about nearly catching a mermaid and the shadow of the silent budha safeguards the hidden pool like a parent watching children play.
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You fool

Of course i am not going to do a blog when i can go in the pool

Erica
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Next stop Hue

Hue was the old capital city of Vietnam until 1968. We arrived in Hue after a short hop by aeroplane from Hanoi- just like the Edinburgh to London route.

We were met by a wonderful Vietnamese guide called Binh. Throughout our journey to the hotel she never stopped smiling or chatting. She was a font of local knowledge a real Vietnamese gem. We were easily persuaded to have her as a guide around the sights of Hue.

We started our sightseeing with a boat trip on the Perfume river down to the Thien Mu Pagoda. The family who ran the boat charged us $4 for the trip. Then twice on the relatively short river journey the 15 year old boat boy had to stop by an 'unofficial' police check to handover some cash. Pure corruption. The money was secretly placed in a log book and handed over for checking, while the police officer hid from site inside the cabin of his boat. We decided it was not too wise to take a photo at this stage!

Thien Mu Pagoda was built in 1601 and had a beautiful 7 tiered tower in the front area. Each of these tiers, according to Budhism, being dedicated to one of the human forms taken by Budha.

This is also a working monastery and we met His Most Reverend the senior monk. Monks start as young as 8 so he was delighted to meet Murray and hijacked him into his gang at one stage. Murray really did not want to stay with him any longer than necessary and quickly made his way over to be very close to his parents for the rest of the day!

We then headed into the Citadel and Imperial City. This was the area reserved only for the king until very recently in only 1970? It comprises of a square 2km long, 7m high wall built by the emperor in 1804. It comprises of 3 walled enclosures where he carried out his business meetings and the inner area where he lived with his 120 concubines and family. It is really like Beijing's Forbidden City.
This was a real cultural day as our smiley friend Binh then led us to two Emperors tombs in the area. The 1st was Khai Dinh's tomb. Followed by Tu Duc's who died in 1883. Perhaps he was still a little upset as when we arrived at this tomb area the heavens opened and the rain poured down. We enjoyed this visit in bare feet and rolled up trousers!

The rain did not stop the family ending the day in the pool at the hotel!

Shona
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More Pictures

We have added pictures to some of the earlier posts and here are some more.



Halong Bay was beautiful



Murray relaxing in the water



Erica in the pool too



What's for lunch?



A little precarious




Flooding in Hanoi does not stop life

Halong Bay

On wednesday we went to halong bay. It was a boat trip through all the beautiful rocks to a cave. The rocks were in different shapes. My favourite was the dog rock. The cave was really pretty with lots of different rocks. The cave was discovered by a fisherman trying to find shelter from a typhoon

Erica

The Journey to and from Halong Bay

Today we visited Halong Bay. It sounds simple but actually that is three hours in a minibus on a crowded road, four hours out on the water in this remarkable natural phenomenen and then three more hours of horn blowing, collision avoiding, people watching and snoozing (holidays can be tiring).

From timber yards with massive tree trunks ready for processing to green paddy fields undergoing processing with scattered conical hatted workers, from family cafes with crouching groups in deep conversation to lone dust masked women at tables selling fuel or water, from the man pushing the harnassed water buffalo to till the field to the roadside children one step away from the speed and dust, it is quite a journey.

Much of it is "highway" but the undulating road surface and the waves of cyclists and scooters belie this description. More like a human highway playing to a background music of horns tooting - ever warning a participant in this crazy race of some further imminent danger and meeting a casual nonchalance in response.

The road is wide enough to permit some passing but not always to accommodate two vehicles and two motorbikes abreast on each side of the highway heading in opposite directions. Much frantic hooting and somehow each time no-one has hit anyone or a scooter ended up in a rice field.
In Britain there would be an incident with rage and quite possibly violence, here it is already forgotten and the next such situation approaching. Necessity breeds tolerance.

As we get nearer Hanoi the paddy fields finally give way to concrete factories with long over-flowing motorbike shelters. The sudden contrast between the sunlit fields and the sterility of the factories and the differing lifestyles and rewards they offer is sharp. They say all human life is a journey.

Keith
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World Cup Final

On Sunday 11th July 2010 it was the world cup final live from Johannesburg Spain V Holland!!!
(Here is the full time score)
HT 0-0 FT 0-0
ET Holland:0 - Spain1
I wore my Spain top non-stop on Monday.I wanted Spain to win from the start!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Erica chose Brazil,Dad backed Spain and Mum... Brazil.

Murray
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Around Old Hanoi

The heavens sent rain and the roads began to flood but to clan Wilson, the only question was when are we getting out there?

With prescient timing we had scheduled a walking tour for the wettest day of the year in North Vietnam. We had to concede a slightly later start but soon we were ankle deep in water. And the good news was that all the rain had caused the temperature and the humidity to drop. When we arrived in Hanoi it was 37 celsius and 98% humid - any reduction would stop us contributing to the liquid by melting.

First stop was the Revolutionary Museum which contained pictorial records of the various conflicts - involving at different times Chinese, Japanese, French, American, Cambodian and British (happily as liberators in 1945). forces - which have helped shape modern Vietnam. There were many pictures of "father of the nation" Ho Chi Minh and a handsome chap he was in his youth. Perhaps not as handsome as William Wallace (who, of course, was a dead ringer for Mel Gibson) but close.

The final part of the museum was given over to happier, more recent times with pictures of oil installations, a giant model of a hydro-electric plant and of serious looking delegations from Russia. It could do with some photographs from the frenetic streets with a multitude of overlapping advertising bill boards, swarms of scooters and the colour of local trading in everything from raw meat to fine art to complete the picture. The colours of the freedom so hard won.

And which we then witnessed first hand.

The rain had become a fine drizzle so we felt at home as we set off to explore the Old Quarter by foot. The Old Quarter dates back to the pre 1954 French period but also has the influence of:

- the Chinese with distinctive roof lines;

- a period of planning liberalisation between 2000 and 2003 when development was uncontrolled; and

- of taxes which make a narrow shop front with a very long thin building behind more desireable than the wider frontage one see in Edinburgh or London.

Combine all this with the typical Asian street life which makes every blank wall an advertising opportunity, every inch of pavement a market or a cafe or a motorbike stand and the unfinished knitting of telephone wires necessary to support all this in a digital age and you begin to have the picture of streets that teem with life.

I don't think it was always thus. In 1991 when Shona and I were in Vietnam last we were told to avoid Hanoi because it was much more strictly communist. The streets, we were told, were clean and well organised. Our impression was of a sterile and controlled environment. And yet these are the very same streets and buildings that now pulse with life. Thanks be to Moi Doi - the Communist capitalist freedom under which Vietnam now operates.

The real estate in the Old Quarter may have a small frontage. The doorways may lead to long passages and stairways containing many sub-divided dwellings - which are mainly shared "bathroom". Yet prices are very high - $3000 per square metre - and nobody is selling.

Everywhere there is activity and people. Smiling people. When Shona slipped in the market (needs to stop the morning sherry, I feel) there were many helping hands offered spontaneously. Ever the big spenders we bought a packet of sweetened dry strawberries and a grapefruit which was peeled for us with a small cleaver. But we could have bought almost anything. A memorable metaphor: colourful streets where you can buy almost anything from smiling people.

Keith
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Down came the rain...

... And the floods came up!
Yesterday it was really rainy so it flooded. It was like a river outside the hotel. You weren't allowed to go the outside way to the hotel reception so you had to walk all the way through all the first floor corridors . When we got outside the water was up to our knees but it was ok because it was warm not cold. We asked the reception if this type of rain was common and she said no, we were very lucky! The floods went down very quickly. There were still light showers but nothing like as bad as the morning.

Erica
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Cu Chi Tunnels

During the war there was heavy fighting in an area called Cu Chi. This area has other countries to its north - Cambodia and Laos - and Saigon to its South. The Saigon river runs through this area to Saigon. For the North Vietnamese it became an important supply route to the war in the south through the neighbouring countries. The Americans had a base close by and were intent on closing the supply route through bombing and on the ground combat. The North Vietnamese (the "Viet Cong") defended it with guerrilla war fare.

This included an extensive network of tunnels 28km long and sometimes 3 storeys deep in which the Viet Cong would avoid or surprise the Americans, make grenades and man traps and live for extended periods.

Here is Murray's story of visiting the tunnels at Cu Chi:

The tunnels were very dark! Me and Erica went all the way through, but Mum and Dad went out at the first exit (What whimps)! Overall I loved the Cu Chi Tunnels.

Erica was there too:

It was really spooky and dark, especially in the last 100 metres. That bit was really spooky because it was narrower than any other bit

Poem
"Into the dark
Finding animals from noahs ark
If you find 1 you find 2
Hoping a ghost wont go boo"

Wilson family
In Vietnam
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Cooking

Yesterday we did a cooking course called 'A Taste of Vietnam' We watched a chef make the food then we got to do it ourselves. My favourite of the things we made was the spring rolls, Mum's was the sweet and sour soup, Dad's was the caramel catfish and Murray's was the spring rolls as well. At the begining when we went to the market to get the food, there was a fish that was still alive! We definately got a taste of Vietnam and it tasted delicous!

Erica
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Reunification Palace

Vietnam is famous because a war took place there in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Officially it was a war between two countries: North Vietnam and South Vietnam but to a certain extent it was a war between Communism and Russia (who secretly equipped and supported the North) and the Capitalist USA who were directly involved fighting with the South until 1973 and then providing support on the ground until the war ended in 1975.

This was one of the first wars where television and newspaper coverage was available in real time so the world watched everything happen...and war is not pretty. Terrible things happened. The war ended in 1975. Many people think it ended at the American embassy in Saigon because there were famous television pictures of the last Americans and South Vietnamese closely linked to the Americans frantically fighting to get on the last helicopters out while the North Vietnamese army were at the gates of the American embassy. In fact around the same time Russian made tanks were crashing through the gates of the Presidential Palace where the South Vietnamese president unconditionally surrendered ending the war.

The Presidential Palace is now the Reunification Palace. The gates have been restored but otherwise the Palace has been preserved as a symbol of the united nation. It preserves sixties design and as a consequence is a time capsule of fashion long since past and its passing not lamented! It was awful.

Erica and Murray liked the cinema room with its two enormous reel to reel projectors.

Murray also liked the rusting tanks in the grounds which were the same model as the tanks which crashed through the gates in 1975.

Although the Communist Party is still in Government, they adopted a free market approach in the early nineties. Shona and I visited Saigon in October 1991 and the contrast between then and now is facinating. Now the city abounds with modern glass and steel office buildings, there are many top international hotels and some great restaurants - we sampled three excellent dinners in differing establishments - and scooters have replaced bicycles as the mode of transport. While it is impossible to know what would have happened if the war had ended differently, it is hard not to conclude that reunification has brought a happy and posperous future to this former war zone. And no more sixties design either. All good.

Keith
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Swimming Pool

Every day when we get back to the hotel we go swimming in the pool. It is really cool because around the edge it is glass not concrete so when you are outside the pool you can watch people swimming.There are hardly any people in there normally so we tend to get the whole pool to ourselves! LUCKY US!

Erica
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Hot

Pretty hot and sticky out here. In fact had my most successful dieting day ever. I have "glowed" away a stone. Roll on (unintentional pun, groan) tomorrow.

Shona
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How much for dinner?

First night - logical to eat in the hotel. Buffet or a la carte. All right buffet looks good. Eat too much (predictable). Then have dessert. Did not need that either but it was nice. Let's'get the bill.

HOW MUCH?

Two million Dong for dinner? What? Will you take the children in part exchange?

OK, calm down, let's work it out. Knock off 4 nothings and divide by two. Oh, $100? Is that all? For all that? We are going to like it here.

The big family Wilson
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Flight

My best bit in the flight was watching PERCY JACKSON AND THE LIGHTNING THEIF (sic) (even though I am only half-way through it!) - Murray

On the plane i was really tired so i watched a film, had tea and went to bed. I watched "How to Train your Dragon". It was really good - Erica

Up and till landing in Frankfurt we had 4 seats in wildly different parts of the cabin. Neither phone calls nor attempts to log in on-line nor haranging the check- in guy had made any difference. But we like our children - so we persevered. A tIcket person in Heathrow sent a telex (apparently telex still exists) to Frankfurt and hey, it is all fixed by the time we land in Germany. My best moment being with a united family Wilson in row 24 - sappy Keith.

I don't love flying and always look forward to being on the ground. All was going well and we are on final approach to HCM City when suddenly the plane turns up again. Captain announces that there is bad rain around the airport and we are going around for "another attempt". Don't you hate the word"attempt" in this context - really fills you with confidence. Anyway, after a few green moments we landed s +s. It was only a rain storm after all .....perhaps the pilot had forgotten all about rain with the summer we have been having back home - Shona.
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First Impressions of Saigon

Arrived safe & sound in Ho Chi Minh and departed the airport straight into rush hour. What an experience! There are 1001 mopeds to every car plus they do not appear to have any road rules except survival of the biggest, fittest & pushiest. Poor babies cling to Mum & Dad as they (mum and dad, not the baby) jostle for a spot on the road, all sharing a 50cc moped. Pretty scary & how on earth a pedestrian ever crosses , I have no idea. I will just keep walking in a big circle on one direction on the same side - Shona

"Billy wonka meaning weird and wow!" was Murray's slightly enigmatic contribution before falling into a dead sleep in the taxi. Perhaps too much movie on the plane.

"Lots of motorbikes and really warm" Erica.

"Yes!" said Keith

The Injections Panic

Shona is on the ball, as always. Doctor's'appointments for the Wilson clan with aim of avoiding being like Cheryl Cole (that is not to say one Wilson might not have the unworthy thought that a transformation of another Wilson to more like a fit Cheryl Cole would not be interesting but as I say unworthy) and contracting Malaria. Apparently drinking buckets of gin and tonic is not enough so that activity has to be pursued on its own merits. No problem there, then. We digress.

Efficient and perhaps authoritarian nurse breaks the bad news - too late to defend against Malaria - and the good news - along the coast where we will be is not high risk. Then the shocker - "we had better update your injections".

Tutting at our absence from the world of sterile needles for a good 10 years (did not really seem necessary to seek to avoid Typhoid when sheltering by the Aga in a Lake District "holiday house" watching the rain but we live in cautious days) Shona and I became multiple stabbing victims. The chillies escape with a mere two skin punctures each because they have looked after themselves better - its a new generation thing.

So sporting our multiple shoulder plasters, we are definately on the way to Vietnam.

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The Visa Panic

So we booked the flights last friday and the travel agent confidently assured us you can buy your visas on arrival. We tell the kids we are going to Vietnam. After the inevitable "where" question, review of the atlas and description of likely activity, a high level of excitement for adult and child alike breaks out. All have good weekend.

Monday brings a brief conversation with a colleague who visited Vietnam last year. She says she thought visas were essential without which you are not allowed to board the plane to go there. Must have changed. Will check when have a moment. Ok, tuesday morning (two days before departure). Take a quick look on-line. Mild concern turns to deep feeling of dread in guts, turns to rising sense of panic. "Visa essential", "Five Working Days", "Do not book your flights without obtaining visa". Urgently need toilet.

It can be done as an express 2 day service. It can be started by fax. Panic turns to hysterical sobbing (perhaps I do need a holiday). Print forms, trawl together photos to find something suitable, scan passports; scan passports again - lighter; scan passports a third time on lightest setting. Ok visa is for West Indian family Wilson (and nothing wrong with that). Fax it all off. Email a PDF for good measure. Call. Told call unecessary - collect between 9.30 and 12.30.

Passports in hand, set off to collect. Arrive station 10.30 and get last parking spot in station. All trains delayed. A train has broken down at Farringdon. Just a normal morning then.

Can't shake the feeling it is all going to go horribly wrong. Eventually train arrives. Driver announces there will be SEVERE DELAYS as we near London so, this being First Capital Connect, it turns out to be the fastest and most hassle free ride this year. But the earlier delay means time is tight. Vietnamese embassy is on Victioria something so onto the tube to Victoria knocking tourists out the way as is the custom in the Big Smoke. Out at Victoria, remember to get cash to pay for the visas. Time tight but ok, should have 15 minutes to spare. Ask a policeman the way to the Vietnamese embassy. Blank look. "Are you sure it is near here?" Check address "Victoria Road". Check map. Victoria Road is not at Victoria; it is South Kensington. Bad language is inexcuseably used.

Back on to the Tube; more tourists damaged. Off at Gloucester Road - 10 minute till the embassy closes and a 15 minute walk. Break into jog. Minutes pass; strange looks at man in suit jogging; jog becomes run; looks become stares. Ok on Victoria Road, where is it? Other end. Resume running. Through gate and in at 12.28.

Stand at desk and become aware that I am soaking with perspiration and am dripping on Vietnamese soil. Is that a crime? Briefly vision of being jailed before even leaving London. Inscrutable Vietnamese diplomatic official feigns that he does not see the torrent of drips.

It is done. Wet but triumphant and with visas, we are going to Vietnam.

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Erica's Thoughts on Packing

Packing is boring but i guess i'm gonna have to do it! Dad says you can get t-shirts there so we won't have to bring ALL our t-shirts. They have really cool hats there. I am definately going to have to bring my swimming stuff because we will be swimming LOADS!

The Beginning

One week ago there was no plan to go to Vietnam. Then Dad had more time off work than expected and then Mum and Dad booked the holiday. And toilets there can be just holes in the ground and Erica says that is scary because you might fall down the hole.