Jim and I saw the last of our patients today. They were are going home to their families and getting on with their new lives. The mother of one of the girls thanked us for making her daughter " beautiful". Amymore, I can cry so easily. I was tearing up at all the thanks, hugs and good byes today. Hopefully, they thought my tears was just perspiration vs tears. The weather has been my biggest agonist on this trip. I literally feel sweat run down my back from doing nothing. My face at my hairline is always moist. I really hope Seattle is cool when I get home, as I will not miss this humidity.
The last couple of days have been relaxing, with morning wals, afternoon naps, and dinner parties for us both. Wednesday night, Mrs. Huong cooked us dinner in their rooftop restaurant just for Jim and I. She also gave us Vietnamese coffee as gifts to take home. She was so thankful that we brought multi-vitamins from America for her children, that she wanted to thanks us.
Wednesday evening after dinner, we were picked up and taken to Dr. Nguyen's house for tea and dessert with her parents, husband and sons. They too, gave us gifts of Jasmine tea to take home.
Today, we cound this wonderful restaurant called the "Blue Butterfly". We had a wonderful lunch, and if we had more time, they give cooking classes. The cost is $35 and they tKe you to the local market to shop for your ingredients. The menu is: papaya salad with spicey beef and spring rolls. You are then brought back to the restaurant where you prepare your meal, then get to enjoy it. We spoke to some New Zealanders that just finished their class and they absolutely loved the experience.
This evening, Dr. Vy picked us up and took us to her home where she prepared whole crab, clams, spring rolls, a rice noodle soup with crab and cilantro, red wine and jasmine tea. She said that Vietnamese go to the market daily to shop for their days meal. They do not buy ahead and freeze items, like we do at home. I noticed that when our plate was empty, they kept putting more food on my plate. I asked them if they do "leftovers", and they do not. What is not eaten is thrown out, but they rarely waste much food. It was wonderful knowing everything was freshly bought and prepared. There were more gifts for us. I received a beautiful silk scard of pinks and blues. We were also given a box of a "candy" it is a Vietnames bean curd cake. They look like bouillon cibes, very small. They have a very slightly sweet taste and a local after dinner treat.
When we got back to the hotel tonight, my last gift was waiting: weasel coffee. The story is weasels here,or civet cats, as they are known, like to eat arabica coffee beans. The digested beans are then taken from their feces and some bright, industrious fellow, decided to roast them and make coffee outmof the digested, eliminated beans. Google it, if you don't believe me! I have always wanted to try some, but didn't know if I could actually brew some in my pot and then actually drink it. So, now that I have some that I am bringing home, beware if you come to my house for coffe and dessert. Who knows, you may actually like it!
I had such a good time meeting the families these last 2 nights. They have lots of questions about America, just like we have lots of questions about life in Vietnam. Hanoi is a very interesting place. It has been such a wonderful travel spot. The city is very hectic, noisy and many different smells. The countryside of the mountains of Sa Pa was a wonder, for sure.
My last time here, 3 years ago, I visited Ha Long Bay, and that was a wonder too. If I return, I would love to visit central and south Vietnam: beaches, temples, pagodas and more of it's history. I am not sure if I will return, but I know that if I do return, I will have friends waiting.
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