Tet Trung Thu = Vietnamese Moon Festival

     In the fall, the Vietnamese celebrate the moon festival in honor of their children. Historically it is a time after the harvest, when parents make up for time in the fields and spend time with their children.  Earlier in the week, we made our own lanterns to hang in the kitchen, and we watched as they hung beautiful lit lanterns around Hung Vuong 2, our apartment complex.  Maeve came home from kindergarten with a Vietnamese hat decorated ala Maeve.  Then, the celebration came to us!   Bich, our bilingual Vietnamese friend, called us to tell us what was going on right beneath our balcony. We were on our way down. 

We promptly got lit lanterns, (Yep.  Even the two year olds were handed lanterns with candles in them to run around with - love this country - it has the spirit of what it used to be like for us as kids before lawyers.) and joined the throngs of little ones that live in Hung Vuong 2.  Wow - the music 

and talk was loud.   So loud that Maeve bailed quickly to watch Mr. Bean with Dad.  Sophie couldn't get enough. The girls fell asleep literally in the midst of concert level loudness.  

      On Saturday, we headed to the SSIS pool which we had to ourselves!  So nice.  I scooted across the street to Well Being for an end of the summer trim.  Well, the trim was only the beginning.  After a hair wash and condition, facial, head,  and upper body massage, and chilled cucumbers on my face, I walked back to the pool with a smile on my face feeling better about the world. Damage?  80,000 Dong.  ($5!)  This week I'll try the full body massage place.  I told Charles that I thought I probably needed a weekly trim. : )

     We're trying to emerge from our first kindergarten colds.  Hopefully Maeve will make it to school all week.  I have to go, because We Wish You a Merry Christmas on the second alarm clock that I have purchased since I have been here will be singing all too soon.   Only in Vietnam...