Six Candles

     It's hard to believe that it was six years ago that Maeve Waugh came into our lives.  It is so fun to see her happy, flourishing, and enjoying life.  It's also a good thing that Asia has fancy dress up princess dresses even at the grocery store.  Sophie had a bit of a  problem with the "only presents for Maeve" idea, but I think, overall, it was a successful 6th birthday.

      Part of Maeve's birthday present was a girls spa day out.  We started at the nail studio where the girls got beautiful little flowers painted on their toenails.  Mom treated herself to a foot massage, callus slough, and general shape up.  (Almost a necessity after wearing sandals for almost a year without putting any other type of footwear on.)

      Then we were off for new dos, shampoo and pampering included!  It is so fun to watch these guys just eat up the salon attention.  We had the run of the place, and the girls all of the attention, because we were the only ones in there.  Fun.  Total bill for three cuts, washes, styles, and tips?  200,00 Dong or $12.00.

      My colleague and friend Bonnie is an extraordinary baker and she made Maeve a beeayoutiful birthday cake. So thoughtful!  Anyone want to come over for a piece?   We have some to share.  : )

     Our trip to Vung Tau gave us a few nights away from the hustle and bustle of HCMC.  The girls are getting better and better at traveling, which is wonderful.  One of my favorite memories of the trip was walking up the gazillion steps of the Jesus statue atop small mountain, happily, when Charles said to the girls "You guys are great travelers!"  Maeve turned around with her sweet smile and said "I want to see the world."

     Yes, you may notice that the following pictures are not mine.  The definite lowlight of the trip was when I left my camera in my pocket and it must have slipped out into one of the many taxis that we took around the town.  Yes...*%#$^%&!!!!!  I had a good cry over that one - seeing that it was a treasured and well used gift from my colleagues at the Center.  Realizing that it was worth more than two months salary of most Vietnamese and probably long gone made me have to let go of it.  (Although I am still a little upset with myself...) Hardest was loosing the cool pictures form our trip.  You probably also noticed that I replaced it with a not so fabulous camera, thanks to the Lotte Mart.  It is Maeve's birthday after all.

     We did truly enjoy our climb up to the Jesus statue.  Don't pay attention to the Lonely Planet Vietnam guide (In fact we are ready to ditch the Lonely PLanet Vietnam guide because it has not served us well many times.), it was a great experience and they did not have any caged animals anywhere on site.

      We took a boat like this one down the Saigon river.  A little over an hour trip.  It was  an interesting journey.  Had it not been hot, sweaty, and close inside the cabin, it would have been downright delightful.

     Vung Tau is a clean, smaller beach town.  

     We stayed on Back Beach, at a clean and well kept hotel.  Service?  Well, that's another story as we are finding in Vietnam.  The inconsistency is consistent.  By the way, if you have mental illness of hypertension, you are not allowed to swim in the hotel pool.  And, if you are an expat foreigner staying with a Vietnamese native you have to present your marriage certificate before being allowed to stay at the hotel.  Very interesting.  (Vung Tau is famous for its extracurricular offerings that cater to people who work the many, many oil rigs, refineries, and oil platforms that dot the oceanscape.)

     Charles found some interesting sea life specimens in the ocean, like starfish and cuttle fish, and both girls enjoyed the surf.  We have this little family tradition of night walks on the beach with light sticks which is always fun.  We could see the stars! So beautiful, and so long since I have seen them. There is something wonderful about all falling asleep in the same room, and watching TV before bed in a hotel room.  It was a good getaway. 

    And we were reminded of the extra challenge of traveling with small children, like the fact that I had to take at least one, if not two, little people to the bathroom after the very first bite of each and every meal, which involves communicating the word "toilet", finding it given the directions, and quickly finishing as Sophie decides she wants to go back to the table "by herself" instead of waiting for us. I often returned to a cold meal that was mediocre at best when it was hot.

    We are still nursing our colds, Charles a bad back flare up, and I am wishing for another week of break. I am missing oatmeal and Orangina - two things that we could consistently buy on each visit to the store. Now that are NOWHERE to be found.  It is so weird. I think that what happens is that lots or bundles of things become available and cheap for import. Vietnamese companies buy them.  When it is gone, it is gone.  Looking for that silver lining....who knows what we will be able to buy tomorrow?  : )

    Love, especially, to all of our friends' new babies I follow copiously via my friend the internet.

    Sleep tight little ones.