The title is funny, but it's the truth. The Moca Cafe is a restaurant and is one of the best restaurants that I've been to in Vietnam. I ate some french toast and bacon, one of my favorite meals. It was like half a pig of bacon. Very yummy indeed.
Today we visited the Ho Chi Minh complex. Ho Chi Minh was a famous leader in Vietnam. We went to his Mausoleum and saw his body even though he has been dead for over 40 years. That was kind of neat. They had a very long line and army guards everywhere. We also went to the Ho Chi Minh museum too, but we didn't understand very much about it.
Make a silly face for your family,
Thomas
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
A few days...
It's been a few days since I blogged. I got an email today from Mrs. Dusek. Thank you for sending the email, Mrs. Dusek. Mrs. Dusek told me that the class went to the orchestra hall to see Nutcracker. And actually, we have been listening to that music here. My mom brought a CD with Christmas music and that is on the CD!
My mom checked the Dusek Digest to see what was going on at Wildwood Elementary, and she saw that you were talking about holidays around the world. I asked Mr. Hien about Christmas here in Vietnam. I learned that they have Christmas here but not many people celebrate it. Only the Christian people here celebrate it. The people here who celebrate Christmas celebrate on December 24th. I am seeing Christmas decorations at many places here, but we haven't been at people's houses to see if they have Christmas decorations.
Our friend, Mr. Hien, said that the biggest holiday in Vietnam is Tet. It's new year celebration and it is in the winter (but not January 1st). It lasts one week and everyone turns one year older at Tet, because they don't celebrate regular birthdays in Vietnam. I'll try to learn more about Tet and I will report more facts back to you.
Goodbye!
Thomas
p.s. For a souvenir, I got a Chinese lantern last month here in Vietnam. It is made out of silk and it is red. I'm going to hang it up in my room.
My mom checked the Dusek Digest to see what was going on at Wildwood Elementary, and she saw that you were talking about holidays around the world. I asked Mr. Hien about Christmas here in Vietnam. I learned that they have Christmas here but not many people celebrate it. Only the Christian people here celebrate it. The people here who celebrate Christmas celebrate on December 24th. I am seeing Christmas decorations at many places here, but we haven't been at people's houses to see if they have Christmas decorations.
Our friend, Mr. Hien, said that the biggest holiday in Vietnam is Tet. It's new year celebration and it is in the winter (but not January 1st). It lasts one week and everyone turns one year older at Tet, because they don't celebrate regular birthdays in Vietnam. I'll try to learn more about Tet and I will report more facts back to you.
Goodbye!
Thomas
p.s. For a souvenir, I got a Chinese lantern last month here in Vietnam. It is made out of silk and it is red. I'm going to hang it up in my room.
Friday, December 7, 2007
A fews day after Ha Long Bay
I forgot to tell you. I ate a chicken foot at Ha Long Bay. It was weird. I don't think I'll have another one.
We lost our camera at the Silk Village and lost all of our pictures of Ha Long Bay, but we saved lots of them. We were also able to get pictures from Granny and Gramps and Auntie Heather. They almost have the same pictures that we took, but there are some different pictures, too and one is of a dragon. It was was grass and it was on this huge mountain. My dad bought a new camera in Vietnam last night while Helen and I stayed with Granny and Gramps and had bread and french fries for supper. We thought we were having barbecued chicken delivered to our room, but it did not come. We ordered twice and it didn't come. Maybe they didn't understand English very well.
We saw how silk was made at the silk village. First you have worms that make cocoons. Then the cocoons get made into thread. Then they have a machine called a loom that makes the threads into material with fancy designs.
Well, that's it. Love and kisses from Thomas. Do extra special comments please including comments on what you're doing. I want to know what is happening, especially at Wildwood Elementary!
We lost our camera at the Silk Village and lost all of our pictures of Ha Long Bay, but we saved lots of them. We were also able to get pictures from Granny and Gramps and Auntie Heather. They almost have the same pictures that we took, but there are some different pictures, too and one is of a dragon. It was was grass and it was on this huge mountain. My dad bought a new camera in Vietnam last night while Helen and I stayed with Granny and Gramps and had bread and french fries for supper. We thought we were having barbecued chicken delivered to our room, but it did not come. We ordered twice and it didn't come. Maybe they didn't understand English very well.
We saw how silk was made at the silk village. First you have worms that make cocoons. Then the cocoons get made into thread. Then they have a machine called a loom that makes the threads into material with fancy designs.
Well, that's it. Love and kisses from Thomas. Do extra special comments please including comments on what you're doing. I want to know what is happening, especially at Wildwood Elementary!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Ha Long Bay Part 1
I went to Ha Long Bay today. Ha Long Bay is part of the South China Sea and there are tons of rocky islands that look like mountains. One of the rocky islands had a cave and it was very neat. It was a humongous cave. Some of the walls looked like stuff, like a lion, a dragon, and a tortoise.
We got around the bay by a boat. The boat was called a junk. I had to spend almost all my time upstairs on the boat, which I did not like.
Well, that's it.
Love and kisses.
From,
Thomas
We got around the bay by a boat. The boat was called a junk. I had to spend almost all my time upstairs on the boat, which I did not like.
Well, that's it.
Love and kisses.
From,
Thomas
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Circus and water puppet show and museum
First, Friday we went to the water puppet show, Saturday we went to the Museum of Ethnology, and Sunday, which is today, we went to the circus.
At the water puppet show, I liked the Dragon Dance best. The dragons shot fire, smoke, and water out of their mouths. I liked it best because I like dragons and I like dance of the four holy animals because it also had dragons. Water puppets are puppets that people go behind a screen in a pool and use rods or ropes to move the puppets and the water becomes the stage. That's how water puppets work.
The inside part of the museum was mostly boring, but the outside part was kind of cool. The outside part had houses of different tribes of people who lived in Vietnam. There was a house that was on stilts and it was hard to climb up to it and even more difficult to climb down. Grandpa helped me climb down the the ladder that was made out of a log.
There was all sorts of tricks at the circus. I liked the clowns and the first trick best. At the first trick, there was people inside these circle cages, and they rolled around in the cages and fell like a hula hoop but didn't even get to the ground. The clowns were kind of funny. They were the only people who came out more than once. They came out three times.
Actually, Julia likes riding in taxis.
I hear you got a lot of snow in Minnesota. Is there a blizzard? The weather here is kind of cool, but just right. I'm wearing a t-shirt and long pants and sandals.
Well, goodbye for now! Send in more comments, please.
Thomas
At the water puppet show, I liked the Dragon Dance best. The dragons shot fire, smoke, and water out of their mouths. I liked it best because I like dragons and I like dance of the four holy animals because it also had dragons. Water puppets are puppets that people go behind a screen in a pool and use rods or ropes to move the puppets and the water becomes the stage. That's how water puppets work.
The inside part of the museum was mostly boring, but the outside part was kind of cool. The outside part had houses of different tribes of people who lived in Vietnam. There was a house that was on stilts and it was hard to climb up to it and even more difficult to climb down. Grandpa helped me climb down the the ladder that was made out of a log.
There was all sorts of tricks at the circus. I liked the clowns and the first trick best. At the first trick, there was people inside these circle cages, and they rolled around in the cages and fell like a hula hoop but didn't even get to the ground. The clowns were kind of funny. They were the only people who came out more than once. They came out three times.
Actually, Julia likes riding in taxis.
I hear you got a lot of snow in Minnesota. Is there a blizzard? The weather here is kind of cool, but just right. I'm wearing a t-shirt and long pants and sandals.
Well, goodbye for now! Send in more comments, please.
Thomas
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Cyclo Ride and Coconut Ice Cream
Hi Friends,
Today in Hanoi I went on a cyclo ride. A cyclo is like a bicycle, but it has a small bench in the front. I sat on the bench (with my Auntie Heather) and a man sat on the back and pedaled and steered the cyclo. It was fun. We went through a lot of traffic with motor scooters and taxis.
During my cyclo ride our cyclo ran in to the cyclo in front of us. My grandpa K was inside the other scooter. That was funny. Also, during the cyclo ride we saw a man putting his kickstand down on his scooter. It didn't work and the man's shoe fell off. That was funny, too.
After the cyclo ride we went to a restaurant. I had cheese pizza and coconut ice cream. The ice cream was kind of weird and medium good. I ate it all, anyway.
I am having fun in Vietnam with my family (including my new sister). I hope to hear from you all tomorrow!
Goodbye,
Thomas
Today in Hanoi I went on a cyclo ride. A cyclo is like a bicycle, but it has a small bench in the front. I sat on the bench (with my Auntie Heather) and a man sat on the back and pedaled and steered the cyclo. It was fun. We went through a lot of traffic with motor scooters and taxis.
During my cyclo ride our cyclo ran in to the cyclo in front of us. My grandpa K was inside the other scooter. That was funny. Also, during the cyclo ride we saw a man putting his kickstand down on his scooter. It didn't work and the man's shoe fell off. That was funny, too.
After the cyclo ride we went to a restaurant. I had cheese pizza and coconut ice cream. The ice cream was kind of weird and medium good. I ate it all, anyway.
I am having fun in Vietnam with my family (including my new sister). I hope to hear from you all tomorrow!
Goodbye,
Thomas
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
The Boat
Well, first I want to say that we went on a boat ride. It was kind of fun. It was eight hours and that's weird. It was on the Red River in Vietnam. Dad and I got to go to the top of the boat.
We stopped at three places. One was a market and two other places were temples. At the market I got a souvenir of a ceramic vietnamese fisherman. At the other two temples they were neat. I even got to touch gold and I got to see a gold chair. It had a mirror on it.
Well, do as many comments as you can because I love reading them. Try to do one after you read this blog. So...goodbye.
Thomas
We stopped at three places. One was a market and two other places were temples. At the market I got a souvenir of a ceramic vietnamese fisherman. At the other two temples they were neat. I even got to touch gold and I got to see a gold chair. It had a mirror on it.
Well, do as many comments as you can because I love reading them. Try to do one after you read this blog. So...goodbye.
Thomas
Monday, November 26, 2007
Hi friends,
Today we spent the day in Hanoi. We had peanut butter and honey sandwiches at the hotel for lunch, and for supper, we had chicken nuggets and french fries! It was a good food day for me.
Some vegetables came with my chicken nuggets. Julia ate some of my broccoli. She even seemed to like it! That was funny.
Last night and this night I am sleeping in my Auntie Heather's hotel room so that there is more room in the beds in my family's room. I kind of miss sleeping with my family, but my auntie does funny exercises and that is funny.
Tomorrow we are going on a boat ride on the Red River. We have to get up early to go, and we will be gone all day. I hope it is a good trip.
Today Julia played more with Helen and me than she did the other days. She also learned to give me five.
Bye bye for now!
Thomas
Today we spent the day in Hanoi. We had peanut butter and honey sandwiches at the hotel for lunch, and for supper, we had chicken nuggets and french fries! It was a good food day for me.
Some vegetables came with my chicken nuggets. Julia ate some of my broccoli. She even seemed to like it! That was funny.
Last night and this night I am sleeping in my Auntie Heather's hotel room so that there is more room in the beds in my family's room. I kind of miss sleeping with my family, but my auntie does funny exercises and that is funny.
Tomorrow we are going on a boat ride on the Red River. We have to get up early to go, and we will be gone all day. I hope it is a good trip.
Today Julia played more with Helen and me than she did the other days. She also learned to give me five.
Bye bye for now!
Thomas
Saturday, November 24, 2007
When Julia starts playing with cups
Me and Dad taught Julia how to play with toy cups. She loves the stacking cups.
We finally found a park with sculptures and fountains and even a playground which was really fun! At the playground I went down slides (lots) and mostly fell down in the sand. The sand stuck to me because I had bug lotion on me so mosquitoes don't bite me.
We take a pill every day so that we don't get malaria. I take my pill by putting it in my mouth and swallowing a drink of water.
Goodbye and stay healthy!
Thomas
We finally found a park with sculptures and fountains and even a playground which was really fun! At the playground I went down slides (lots) and mostly fell down in the sand. The sand stuck to me because I had bug lotion on me so mosquitoes don't bite me.
We take a pill every day so that we don't get malaria. I take my pill by putting it in my mouth and swallowing a drink of water.
Goodbye and stay healthy!
Thomas
Friday, November 23, 2007
Julia
Today Julia Binh An Atkins became my sister! I will be very special to her because I am her big brother and I can teach her things. I will teach her words, mostly common and proper nouns.
After the adoption ceremony, we rode on a bus back to Ho Chi Minh City. On the way we stopped at a place that sells coconut candy that they make in Ben Tre. It was kind of good.
For supper tonight I had peanut butter and honey on a yummy type of french bread that they make in Vietnam. It is called banh mi. I love it.
Bye for now.
Thomas
After the adoption ceremony, we rode on a bus back to Ho Chi Minh City. On the way we stopped at a place that sells coconut candy that they make in Ben Tre. It was kind of good.
For supper tonight I had peanut butter and honey on a yummy type of french bread that they make in Vietnam. It is called banh mi. I love it.
Bye for now.
Thomas
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving From Thomas
Hello friends,
Today I got to meet my new sister two times. We are in the province of Ben Tre. We went to the orphanage to meet her and I got to help rock her to sleep. She is pretty afraid of my family and me. Tomorrow we will visit her in the morning and in the afternoon she will become my sister.
I am very excited that today I got to get a Vietnamese hat. It is made of straw and is in the shape of a cone. I will show it to you when I get home. I also hope to get a paper lantern when we go back to Ho Chi Minh City (after the adoption ceremony tomorrow).
Goodbye!
Thomas
Today I got to meet my new sister two times. We are in the province of Ben Tre. We went to the orphanage to meet her and I got to help rock her to sleep. She is pretty afraid of my family and me. Tomorrow we will visit her in the morning and in the afternoon she will become my sister.
I am very excited that today I got to get a Vietnamese hat. It is made of straw and is in the shape of a cone. I will show it to you when I get home. I also hope to get a paper lantern when we go back to Ho Chi Minh City (after the adoption ceremony tomorrow).
Goodbye!
Thomas
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
When I ate dragonfruit
Today's my second day in Vietnam and I tried dragonfruit for breakfast. I tastes kind of like weird watermelon. It is white with little black spots.
In the airports there were moving sidewalks and I loved them.
There are a lot of motorcycles in the streets here in Vietnam.
Today we are going to go to Julia's town, Ben Tre, and then tomorrow on Thanksgiving we get to meet her.
I am having a good time. Goodbye.
Thomas
In the airports there were moving sidewalks and I loved them.
There are a lot of motorcycles in the streets here in Vietnam.
Today we are going to go to Julia's town, Ben Tre, and then tomorrow on Thanksgiving we get to meet her.
I am having a good time. Goodbye.
Thomas
Thomas is in Vietnam!
Hi,
I'm Thomas' dad. Thomas made it to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (formerly called Saigon) today as planned! Because it is a really long, tiring trip, Thomas went to bed early to try and catch up on his sleep so that he is ready to travel to Ben Tre province tomorrow. When he wakes up, I'll ask him if he has anything to say.
Thomas' Dad
I'm Thomas' dad. Thomas made it to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (formerly called Saigon) today as planned! Because it is a really long, tiring trip, Thomas went to bed early to try and catch up on his sleep so that he is ready to travel to Ben Tre province tomorrow. When he wakes up, I'll ask him if he has anything to say.
Thomas' Dad
Monday, November 19, 2007
We left and now we're in Taiwan
We found a Hello Kitty store in the airport. My sister, Helen, loves it! I'm never going to like Hello Kitty.
I stayed up until midnight Minnesota time while I was in Los Angeles. We were on a plane for 14.5 hours and it was dark the whole time. I got a Leapster game on the plan to pass the time!! It's fun!
We're going to Ho Chi Minh City next. I'm curious about how it will be. I'll try to write when we get to Vietnam.
Goodbye!
Thomas
I stayed up until midnight Minnesota time while I was in Los Angeles. We were on a plane for 14.5 hours and it was dark the whole time. I got a Leapster game on the plan to pass the time!! It's fun!
We're going to Ho Chi Minh City next. I'm curious about how it will be. I'll try to write when we get to Vietnam.
Goodbye!
Thomas
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Before we leave
It's Saturday. We're packing. We had pizza for lunch. I can't wait to go. We don't know much information. After we leave it will take us 29 hours to get to Vietnam I am so excited because I will get some surprises during the trip. That's all. Good bye.
I'll try to write something when we get to Ho Chi Min City
Thomas
I'll try to write something when we get to Ho Chi Min City
Thomas
Thursday, November 15, 2007
I'm going to go to Vietnam!
I'm going to Vietnam to get a new sister! I will leave on Sunday, November 18 and I will get back to school after Christmas vacation. On this blog I will tell you what is happening in Vietnam during our trip and I will share pictures so you can see what Vietnam is like and what my new sister looks like. Check back soon to see what is happening!
Thomas
Thomas
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