16,000 Kilometers

See http://veteran-sojourner.blogspot.com/

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Back to US

After 40+ hours travel time and almost 10,000 miles (16,000 km), Linh and I made it back to WV last Sunday!
Linh's parents (Vinh and Thuy) said farewell to us at the Saigon airport. It was an emotional event for all.

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Farewell

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Farewell Dinner

Last night (Saturday) was our last night in Saigon. Thuy (Linh's mother = 3rd from left) treated us and other Phamily members to great "crab feast" just before we went to the airport. Great people and food as always.
Linh and I are now in Tokyo Narita airport - in the middle of a 10-hour layover. From here we go to Dulles and then to Morgantown - ugh!





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Birthday Celebrations - East vs West Cultures

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Thuy's Surprise Birthday Party

Linh and I hosted a surprise birthday party tonight for her mother (Thuy).
Top Pic = Thuy & Linh with the mango birthday cake. Interesting note: the birthday cake says "Happy Birthday Mother". In Vietnamese culture, it is disrespectful to refer to either of your parents by their first names. Many offsprings can't even remember their parents' first names because they never use them in conversation or birthday cakes! Btw - unlike Western cultures, Vietnamese never celebrate birthdays.
Middle Pic = We went to a barbecue restaurant for dinner - that is a hot, flame grill in the center of our table.
Bottom Pic = Close-up of ribs, vegetables, shrimp wrapped in bacon, female goats' breast (very chewy - but a Vietnamese favorite), and steak slices wrapped around cheese & onion. All food was great - except maybe the goat's breast!

Bitexco

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Night Out at the Bitexco

Linh, her 2 friends and I (top pic) went out last night to a night club/bar on the 71st floor of the Bitexco building - the tallest building in Sai Gon 

 - bottom pic and see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitexco_Financial_Tower - incredible night views of HCMC and a band that played Mountain Roads (de je vu WVU)!

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New Year's Eve Dinner

20 members of the Phamily accepted my and Linh's invitation to join us for a feast at a huge park/restaurant complex on the Sai Gon RiverGreat food and people!

Welcome 2016

After dinner, 8 of us went to the Saigon River Front in District 1 (downtown) to watch the fireworks. This area is kinda like being in Times Square in New York on New Year's Eve!
Top Pic = We began by having after dinner coffee and desserts at a great hotel coffee house on the water front.
Middle Pic = Just before midnight, we ventured outside to the water front to join the huge crowd to watch the fireworks (note crowd in background)!
Bottom Pic = Fireworks began promptly at midnight, lasted about 15 minutes and were pretty good!
This ended a great evening celebrating/welcoming 2016 with terrific friends! And - Happy New Years to all of YOU!