Wedding Celebrations Cease

Today was a restful day spent: having coffee with Vinh's close friends (above pic); visiting a leper compound built by the French in mid-1800's; having lunch/dinner feasts with Phamily, and; playing Phom this evening. A great day.
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Wedding #2 (1 of 3)

Wedding #2 in Quy Nhon, which began @ 9AM this morning, almost replicated Wedding #1 in Saigon.
Top Pic = Bride's Maids with gifts from the bride's family to the groom's family.
Bottom Pic = bride/groom (far right)with groom's family (facing camera) welcoming bride's family (backs to camera).
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Wedding #2 (2 of 3)

Top Pic = bride, groom & bride's maids with gifts from the bride's family to the groom's family.
Bottom Pic = L to R = Linh's Aunt Nhu, Linh's grandmother, bride, Linh, groom, and Vinh.
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Wedding #2 (3 of 3)

Top Pic = Wedding Banquet #2 with another delicious 7 course meal - which included a pigeon stew/soup!
Bottom Pic = Vinh, Linh & me with Linh's favorite grandmother.
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Qun Nhon Beach

Many of you have asked many questions about Qun Nhon.
It is now the "Winter Season in Qun Nhon. The weather here is about 15F to 20F COOLER than it is in Saigon and cloudy - but still very pleasant.
Above is a pic of Qun Nhon beach taken this morning. Note mountains in background.

Quy Nhon - Enemies Meet

This afternoon we arrived in Quy (aka Qui) Nhon (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qui_Nh%C6%A1n) to begin 4 more days of wedding celebrations.
The "home village" of Linh, her mother/grandmother, and the bride (Linh's aunt) as well as the groom's family are here in Quy Nhon. The bride and groom first met each other and grew up here almost 40 years ago.
Quy Nhon is also where Vinh and Thuy (Linh's mother and dad) first met.
It is Vietnamese custom that traditional weddings include celebrations in the bride's home village. So - the Ho Chi Minh City wedding celebrations will be repeated here, but on a much smaller scale. Most will occur tomorrow = Saturday. I am not sure what to expect - so - look for more blog updates tomorrow.
Above Pic = Vinh's uncle's family invited us to their house for dinner tonight. Vinh's uncle (4th from L) and his wife (far right) were Viet Cong (VC) during the Vietnam war - operating for 21+ years in the jungle mountains near Quy Nhon. We had a terrific conversation about the war. So - previous enemies meet & great 39 Years after the war ended (& 47 years since I was in the war). Indeed it is a small world.

Vietnam War Veterans Meet

NOTE - unfortunately, I sent this and the next 2 blog updates in reverse order! Sorry!
Many of the older male members of the groom's family were members of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVNs = South Vietnam) during the "American War".
One was a "Vietnamese Boat People" (above pic) who lived in Germany for 25+ years and then immigrated to Los Angeles (he now has duel American/German citizenship, speaks fluent German, English, French & Vietnamese!). He was in the ARVN in Pleiku when I was there in 1966. He, I and 3 other ARVN vets (who never "escaped Vietnam") really enjoyed talking with each other. <-- it is indeed a very small world!
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Reception

The bride wore a traditional "western wedding dress" at the reception. Top pic is of Phamily, bride, groom and me. All attendees were provided with photo ops with bride & groom.
Only 25 or so people attended the "private" wedding ceremonies early this morning. However, 500+ people attended the "reception" held in a large "event hall" at the Wedding Event center! A delicious 10-course (small portions) meal was quickly served (not a buffet) to ALL. Bottom pic is of a small portion of the event hall.
It is interesting to note that Linh (as maid of honor?) had to assemble, open, and count the "gift envelopes' money" collected as people entered the reception - because evidently payment for the "event" was made at the end (not before) of the reception!
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Wedding "Reception"

The wedding day celebrations continued Sunday evening with what we would call a "wedding reception". This was held at a Vietnamese "Wedding Event" hall (top pic) which are very common in larger Vietnamese cities.
Vinh and I entering "Wedding Event" center. Poor Vinh - the many stairs were challenging for him.
This coming Friday, we are all flying to Quy Nhon <-- the bride's "home village" where the entire day Saturday will be spent attending "home village" wedding celebrations! Look for more blog updates then!
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Groom's Family Visits Bride's Family

I attended 1st of 2 traditional Vietnamese wedding ceremonies this morning.
This morning's ceremonies were considered very "private". I was honored to be considered/invited as a close member of the bride's family!
This morning's ceremonies began with the groom's best men presenting offerings/gifts to the bride's maids (top pic) in front of the bride's family's home (top pic)..
The groom's family then formally enters the bride's family house (bottom pic).
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