The Nam

I just got back from Hanoi, Vietnam. Sandra managed to get me to drink snake's blood. The first shot is always the best. They cut the still beating heart out of a cobra and mix it with his bile. If you're as quick as I am, you drink the heart while it's still beating. Wimps like Sandra just drink the straight blood. I have some graphic photos of the event, but they won't appear on this PG-13 blog. They cook the cobra 10 different ways for you. It's really quite good. It cost us $20 per person. I think our moto driver took a big slice of that.

The non-snake photos are of the prison that held American POWs called the "Hanoi Hilton". I think the real name is Hoa Lo prison.

Another highlight of the trip was our visit to Ha Long Bay. We used Sandra's camera to take the photos. I'll post them if she ever e-mails them. Don't hold your breath.

The French used this on the Vietnamese.

The entrance to the "Hanoi Hilton".

Dinner

This is booze, not preservative.

Lizard Juice

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

I'm off to Hanoi tomorrow. I'll be back on the 26th.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Days 3 and 4

Beach Day

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day Comic

Click on the comic to read it. It's brilliant!

By Balqis

Day Two: Dress-Up Day

I have a strict dress code in my class. Students must dress and act professionally at all times.

Here I am closing a deal to buy 50 rainbow ties from Arron.

I really thought this picture would be cooler than it was.

Day One: Cool Shades Day

Today was "Cool Shades Day" at ICPU. I chose to sport a retro 80's punk pair of Ray-Bans. Tomorrow is "Dress-Up Day" and I plan on cleaning my desk.

What's up with the goggles dudes?

Malaysia Round Two?

I have until Sunday night to decide if I want to stay in Malaysia for another year. Although I made a depressing post a few weeks ago, I really like it here. ICPU rocks! I'm going to Hanoi next week and I get another week off in March. I'm not sure where I'll go at that time. I'm in a little bit of a fix because I only have two pages left in my passport.

Next week is dress up week. I think I can dress up each day except Friday because I don't have any traditional Chinese clothes. Maybe I'll dress up in traditional Canadian clothes instead. I'll be decked out in track pants, a touque, and a hockey jersey.

The Party Shacks

Some very expensive bungalows are being built right next to house. The cheapest is about $600,000 CDN. At first, I was a bit sad to see that the people who are building these homes are living in shacks. However, sometimes I walk past on my way to the store and it sounds like a full-blown party is going on. I can hear singing and something that sounds like bongo drums. Someday I’ll build up the courage to crash one of their drunken bongo parties. I’ll post some pictures when I do.