1 - Vinh/Linh & US Air Force Colonel = Chu Chao!

Visited house of my friend of 23+ years Jeff - a retired US Air Force Colonel.

Top pic - Jeff wearing his US Air Force (AF) leather "Bomber's jacket" with Linh & Vinh. NOTE that Jeff is wearing a communist Vietnam hat that I bought in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City or HCMC) and gave to Jeff 5+ years ago!

Bottom pic - Vinh wearing Jeff's AF bomber's jacket with Jeff saluting him!
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2 - Vinh/Linh & US Air Force Colonel = Chu Chao!

Vinh saluting Jeff!
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Chu Chao - Pentagon

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Chu Choa - Pentagon!

Most of day was spent solving Linh's cell phone problems with AT&T. But we did squeeze in a mini-tour.
As a result of 9/11, it is very difficult to get a good picture of the Pentagon <-- a must pic for Vietnamese visiting DC.
The best Pentagon pic position now is from the US Air Force (AF) Memorial - top pic.
Bottom pic is of Linh/Vinh at base of AF memorial with "AF Honor Guard" statue. <-- with Vinh doing his best salute! My reaction to Vinh's salute = chu chao!

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Chu Chao - 1st Korean Friend

Our evening ended at a Karaoke bar where we met Sang - my Korean friend of many years. Sang is the 1st Korean Linh/Vinh have ever met and spoke to!
We shared great discussions/fun, and Vinh even tried karaoke with me = "House of the Rising Sun! <--- another 1st for Vinh! And 2nd US bar for both!

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Chu Choa - Linh's 1st American Bar, Dance & American Boyfriend!

After dinner tonight, I took Linh/Vinh to the my favorite Bayou bar in Old Town Alexandria <-- where they always have great live rock-n-roll music. It was Linh's 1st visit to a US bar! They both loved the music!
AND Linh met a guy @ the bar named Joe! Joe was just 21. Linh is 24.5 (top pic - Joe in the middle)! <-- a very nice guy.
AND - Joe ask Linh to dance and she DID (bottom pic)! <-- the 1st time she EVER danced with a man AND she danced many times - she even danced with ME!
We were @ bar for 4+ hours - and - we all had an incredibly terrific evening!!
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Chu Choa - Smithsonian Natural History Museum

After lunch with my niece - we went to "the world-famous Smithsonian Museum of Natural History" <-- most Vietnamese are familiar with "Elephant"!
While there - I took them IMAX movie!
Top pic - Linh/Vinh in from of museum.
Bottom pic Linh/Vinh @ elephant - poor pic but the best I got.
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Chu Chao - Lunch & Vietnamese Waitress!

We had lunch with my niece's family and our waitress spoke Vietnamese. Our beautiful waitress (2nd from left) was born in Austria - Austrian father + Vietnamese mother!
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Chu Choa! - US Capital & Washington Monument

It was very warm/sunny in Washington DC today - and rain is forecast for next 2 days. Because there so many more DC monuments they had not been photographed with - today was dedicated to a short, 3-hour DC monument tour.
Top pic is of Linh/Vinh in front of US Capital. They were amazed how "large, white & bright" the US Capital was <--- Chu Choa!
Bottom pic is of them with Washington Monument in background - taken from Jefferson Memorial Tidal Basin surrounded with Japanese cherry trees.
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Chu Chao! - Jefferson Memorial

Jefferson Memorial in bright sun - "so white, bright and beautiful stone - Chu Chao!" (top pic - back of Jefferson Memorial)
Bottom pic is of Linh/Vinh @ the front entrance of Jefferson Memorial <-- lousy lighting - but - had to go with it!
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Chu Chao - Washington National Cathedral

Top pic - Linh in front of National Cathedral.
Bottom pic - Linh with one of National Cathedral's famous "rosetta stained glass windows.
I guided Linh/Vinh through the cathedral's tower (with great views of DC), catacombs, many chapels, nave, etc!
I explained to Linh how Mary was a virgin who gave birth to God's "only son" but still was married to Mary. I also explained that God sent angels to tell the 3 wise men (kings) and 3 shepherds to follow the star to Bethlehem and see the world's"new born King and savior". This gave them an even better understanding of the meaning of Christmas AND Christianity!
They were amazed how much the cathedral looked like Notra Dam in Paris - and also amazed that the National Cathedral was larger than Notra Dam in Paris! Their overall reaction = Chu Chao!
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Caphe Banh Mi <-- Chu Choa!

Last night, I took Linh & Vinh to a relatively new Vietnamese restaurant in Old Town, Alexandria called Caphe Banh Mi <-- rough translation = sandwiches (banh) and soup (mi).
Both were amazed how good the pho, and a very common liver pate on baguette sandwich in Vietnam were! Their reaction/opinion = BEST Vietnamese restaurant in US & Chu Choa!
Top pic is Vinh quickly consuming his pho!
Bottom pic is of Linh/Vinh in front of Vietnam map in restaurant with Vinh pointing to Hai Phong (where he was born and attended universities = degrees in English, journalism and law!
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1st's Maryland & Delaware

Top pic = 1st entry to US state of Maryland

Bottom pic = 1st entry to US state of Delaware

Linh & Vinh have now been in 4 US states + District of Columbia!
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Chu Choa 1!

In Vietnamese, Chu Choa = amazing, surprising, unbelievable, incredible, OMG. <-- Vinh has used this expression many, many times since he arrived in US - including his reaction to the below experiences.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge is the longest & highest bridge Linh & Vinh have ever seen & traversed! Another 1st for them! Top pic is of Vinh at Sandy Point Park with Chesapeake Bay Bridge in background! To Vinh - "amazing, fantastic, beautiful" AND chu choa!.

I found a new Pho' (in English pronounced = Pha') restaurant in Old Town Alexandria. Vinh's reaction = "chu choa"!
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Chu Choa 2!

Last night I took Vinh to my (and my nephew's Kevin <-- Kent/Mary's son)favorite restaurant (sushi) in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware = cultured Pearl - that has sort of live music most nights. Entertainment last night was a small band with a "Frank Sinatra" imitator - Vinh likes "mafia Frank Sinatra".
Vinh & I struck up a conversation with 2 ladies sitting next to us at bar (see above pic) named Stephanie (r) & Helen (r).
Like Vinh - Stephanie is a newspaper editor! We had an incredibly long, entertaining & humorous discussion with all parties learning new things about people, politics, and being both a Vietnamese & US newspaper editor <-- and - as usual - Vinh did MOST of the talking! Vinh's reaction to encounter = "Chu Choa!!!!"

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More 1st's & Rehoboth Beach Shopping/Exploring

Linh (using Santa's stocking $'s) and Mary spent the entire day (7+ hours) shopping for clothes at Rehoboth Beach's many "named brand outlet" stores with NO sales taxes! I do not understand why - but unfortunately - Linh did NOT buy anything because she said everything was "too expensive"!?

Vinh & I did some Rehoboth Beach area exploring. Vinh had his 1st-ever Cafe' Breve' (cappuccino made with half-and-half) - he loved it better than ANY Vietnamese strong coffee (top pic)!

I also took Vinh to a Veterans of Foreign Wars club <-- I am a member because I am a Vietnam war veteran. Vinh was SCHOCKED because: 1) you CAN smoke inside (and can NOT smoke ANYplace else in US), and; 2) he thought it was very strange that everyone there was/must be a "war veteran"! <-- This also intimidated Vinh because he understood that most people at VFW must be Vietnam War veterans - like his new Vietnam veteran friends (bottom pic)! Everyone @ VFW club welcomed Vinh to US, were very friendly & enjoyed talking to him.
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1st Christmas Dinner 2013

My brother, Kent, prepared Christmas dinner for this evening - filet mignon topped with butter-herb crust with a barbera wine sauce, broiled asparagus, broiled seasoned sweet potatoes. Delicious meal (top pic)!

Vinh, Linh's father, doesn't tolerate "western cuisine" well. Therefore, Linh has been preparing special "Hai Phong" (his Northern Vietnam birthplace) food for him. Bottom pic of Vinh eating his Hai Phong Christmas dinner.

1st American Christmas - 1!

Christmas Eve Mass - Last night all of us attended a late (10PM) Christmas eve services @ Mary's Catholic church. The services were filled with Christmas carols sung by congregation and "backed-up" by the church choir and organ. Lyrics to all carols were provided to attendees. Even Vinh sang aloud AND told the priest that he "could feel the holiness" during the services!

Christmas Day - We all awoke about 8:30AM. Linh prepared a great Vietnamese breakfast = liver pate' on toasted baguette topped with sunny-side up eggs (cooked with fish sauce & in sesame seed oil). <-- my favorite Vietnamese breakfast! All enjoyed very much.

After breakfast - Santa Clause time!

Pham's & Hannaman's Christmas Day 2013 (top pic) - note Kent's christmas sweater!

Linh opens Santa's stocking gifts (bottom pic).

1st American christmas - 2

Linh's 1st Stocking Present = $'s for Outlet Shopping tomorrow (top pic).

Linh with "Believe in Santa Claus" from Santa himself! (bottom pic).

1st American Christmas 3

Linh & me @ Breakers Lighthouse in Lewes, Delaware (top pic).
Vinh & Kent @ Atlantic Ocean - with sunshine - but bitterly cold!

1st American Christmas 4

Today - Linh explored beach area for 1st time with sun!
Linh & me @ Breakers Lighthouse in Lewes, Delaware (top pic).
Linh & me @ World War II Atlantic Ocean coastal Watchtower in Lewes, Delaware (bottom pic).

Delaware Updates

The sun finally came out today- but was bitterly cold!
Linh & Vinh continue their rapid adjustments to weather, food & culture! <--- massive improvements the last 2 days!
Linh went grocery shopping with Mary (my sister-in-law.)
Vinh received his "formal" welcome to Rehoboth Beach (top pic). Also, me and Kent (my brother) showed Vinh the Atlantic Ocean in sunlight (bottom pic).

First Seafood Dinner in US!

Linh's & Vinh's "adjustments" improved vastly today - so we all ate a great Christmas Eve seafood dinner (above)!

3 New Firsts!

Rained all day. Drove 3.5 hours from Alexandria, VA to Rehoboth Beach, DE today. Linh & Vinh slept most of the way. They were both well rested and "ready to go" when we arrived at Rehoboth Beach. So much so - Linh insisted on buying groceries and preparing cum tam (pork loin & broken-rice) and Vietnamese soup for dinner this evening (bottom pic). It was delicious!
3 NEW 1sts today: 1) Atlantic Ocean (top pic); 2) Maryland, and; 3) Delaware!
Also, they experienced their longest, highest bridge - Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Great day because I believe Linh and Vinh have finally adjusted to time change (-12 hrs), food, and climate changes.

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 1

Linh's & Vinh's 4-FIRST-life-time experiences = 1) 1st professional, live performance; 2) 1st professional orchestra; 3) "sing-along", and; 4) 1st time experiencing the Kennedy Center!

Venue = Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Program = "Washington Chorus (235 member choir & 18-piece orchestra [including pipe organ & harp]) Presents A Candlelight Christmas"

This famous "show" is presented every Christmas and is ALWAYS "sold out" <-- I bought ticket 4+ months ago! It is VERY popular because it is non-demonational, and active involves/incorporates audience participation (sing-along with choir/orchestra)! <--- and they provide large-print song lyrics to ALL members of the audience.

For many years, Linh has had a "dream to experience a US Christmas" . As a result, she has listen to US Christmas carols on many US television Christmas programs broadcast in Vietnam - and - as a result - she has committed to memory the lyrics of many Christmas carols! As a results of this & the lyrics given to the audience, Linh actively participated in EVERYthing! Vinh followed the words on the lyrics - but had difficulty understanding the "old English" words - like "Hark", "Halauhla"(spelling?)!

I think they both enjoyed the production tremendously - and - really had a great time!

Top pic @ Kennedy Statue
Bottom pic - in Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 2

Top pic = Hall of States in Kennedy Center
Bottom pic = Hall of Nations in Kennedy Center

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 3

Top pic = Vinh @ Kennedy Center Potomac River promenade

Bottom pic = Washington Choral Group @ Kennedy concert Hall

Vietnam Veterans' Memorial 1

Linh & Vinh slept for 16+ hours last night and both were feeling much better today. After eating a good lunch (at a Thai restaurant), I asked if they wanted to do a "short tour" of DC. They were excited and said yes.
I insisted that the first monument that Linh & Vinh visited be the Vietnam Veterans' memorial.
Top pic is of me showing Vinh the 3 names of the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) that I lead who were killed in 1967.
Bottom pic is of Linh & Vinh being amazed by the number of names who died and how "beautiful" the memorial is -- and many visitors certainly agree because it is visited by more tourist than any other Washington DC monument!
It was a very emotional visit for me - but very special because Linh/Vinh were the 2nd & 3rd Vietnamese people that visited the memorial with me. Max was the 1st Vietnamese that visited the memorial with me. BTW - I have known Max for 15 years!

Vietnam Veterans Memorial 2

Top pic is of us at the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial "statue"
Bottom pic is of Linh & Vinh at the Vietnam Nurses statue.