Liu Ce and and other bizarre, observations.

Aaaaah Vietnam and the internet. I had the most wonderful blog for you, saved it and then the internet decided to stop working and therefore nothing went through and appears it not saved. I will do my best to recreate....

Our school is almost over, I had my last lesson yesterday...phew. Wish it would have gone better, but I did my best and I will at least pass. I promised to give you something witty and entertaining and here it is...

I have been in Hanoi for 7 weeks now and have learned a few things, especially the bizarre and things that just don't make sense. Liu Ce (our little dog) has basically been a star and viewed as a precious, adorable oddity of sort, as long as she is carried. People point, people pet and in general coo and go crazy as if she is Madonna in the body of a hairless dog. Now, once she is put down on the ground she is something else...just a dog. It is so dangerous virtually everywhere to put her on the ground for fear of being hit, smashed or kicked. People are not accustomed to a dog being walked. For the most part she is ignored or viewed totally different. Many times (normally older folk) have pointed aggressively to tell me she is not welcome and must be taken elsewhere to do her business. Keep in mind if you see a dog here, it is a mutt, not on a leash, pooped, pissing everywhere. Liu Ce does not. I will show the poop bag and usually that works, but at times not. I had to have words with one lady the other morning and I lost it. (likely because it was 6.15 am and was stressed from school) She was yelling something and I was yelling something and neither understood except gestures and tone. How dare she not see Liu Ce as a celebrity!! It was all rediculous and should have been on Youtube, but alas....now she will not look at me and I give her the stare. Perhaps I will proved to her that the poop was picked up and show it to her next time.

Ok, now for the bizarre...

- It is Ok to allow children to poop and pee in public, but not a dog on a leash...toilets??

- Children are allowed to play with the many exposed electrical wires everywhere and mothers giggle. Also, young men pull on them as if at the gym. May I add electrical wires in general here are one big safety hazzard and normally all come crashing down after a storm, lay or hang exposed and it is not fixed for.....a while.

- Pho (Vietnamese soup) is only eaten for breakfast. Oatmeal is only eaten for dinner.

- All outdoor furniture is children sizes (seriously!) and believe all children plastic furniture must be made in Vietnam. Most people here are under 100 lbs. and if you are a westerner you must pull two chairs together to accomodate both cheeks!

-You can buy almost any drug here without a prescription for $5 that we would pay over $100 for in the U.S. with only a doctor prescription. Of course we already knew the pharm industry is a cash cow business anyway.

-Saw a blind man being pushed in a wheelchair down the middle of the highway amongst the cars and scooters that were barely missing him. Why?!? I wish I could tell you. Most of the bizarre I can never explain or understand. You simply shake your head and chuckle and write about it in a blog.

Michael and I will be done with school Friday and go on a holiday to see some of this beautiful country.....and rest and relax our brains and bodies. More blogs to come.