Merry Christmas
December 25, 2009
Quite the contrary to what most people might expect we have had a very Chrismassy Christmas. There is no public holiday and there is no present exchange but there is definetly a celebratory atmoshpere in the air and families and friends come together.
Santa came to Tycho and left plenty of cheap crap toys which he picked up at the Tuy Hoa Market – mostly Ben Ten paraphanalia. Ben Ten is an Asian super hero who is ten and turns into ten different aliens to save the day. Yes,very intoxicating cartoon for any boy from the age of 2 – 6. Then they suck the older demographic in by having a acted version of Ben Ten as a 15 year old so the obsession continues. Can’t wait for Hollywood or Disney to find it, remodel it and make a mess of it for western kid consumption. There is definetly money to make and lots of it.
Christmas Eve was spent at the Cendelux – a great hotel. Serenaded by a Christmas Chroir, scrumptous food laid on, over the top Christmas decorations and lights, a thin santa with a crooked beard and a good bottle of red wine. Children running a riot even for Tycho’s standard, he tended to retreat on my knee.
Presents appeared miraculously under our $3 mini Christmas Tree. We had to remind Tycho it was Christmas. He had forgot. After presents were ripped opened we all had a date back to the most fancy hotel in town for Christmas breakfast with Anthony and Steve’s students. This was a real treat for their students and a great way to mark their final teaching day. Presentations were made and certificates awarded and that wrapped up a fantastic ten week teaching contract for them.
Tycho was given his very own cyclo to take home from The Tuy Hoa Technical College – cute.
And to top of a marvellous Christmas Anthony has gone to the airport to pick up a friend (Marylla) who is dropping by or a few days on her way back to Berlin.
Three days left in Tuy Hoa before we fly to Sagion. Around 4 days in Saigon and then a bus to Phnom Phenh (Cambodia), followed by Luang Prabang and Ventiane (Laos) and parts of Thailand and Malaysia and Singapore. We are returning to Melbourne in mid Feb from Kuala Lumpar.
hello darlings
OMG – i thought you weren’t puting anything on facebook as i hadn’t had any alerts so just went into your profile to check – and saw news about Typhoon – bloody full on – quite the misadventure you’ve had.glad u r ok r u in Cambodge now? send my love to Rachel, Mark and Paul.
xxxs sarah
Slight change of plan and staying in Vietnam for a little longer unfortunately having to bypass Phenom Penh this time. We are sad about this as we have some good friends to catch up on but it can’t be helped.
xx
Happy New Year my intrepid family. much love to you all on your south east asian adventures. Love your blog – sounds like you’ve had fantastic adventures. enjoy the month of travelling. give Veintiane and Luang Prabang a big sabaidee from me. drink some beer lao on the river and eat some larp gai, pedal those bikes and smile at the hmong nana’s from us too – I can see it all so vividly. sorry you have to miss PP but maybe next time
talk to you soon. if you have a phone anywhere email me the number. lots of love from us M M Isla and eve xx
Sorry to burst your bubble but Ben 10 is already well and truly here. Don’t know how it relates to the original as I’ve never seen either but a trip to Target to buy kids T-shirts indicates that it is pretty popular.