Vietnam: First Few Days

Ah, the olden days of Hanoi. This is what things used to look like...charming isn't it?

But not anymore. With a real GDP growth rate of almost 7%, it's all hustle and bustle.

Now it's frantic chaos with endless streams of motorcycles and bicycles - people seem to be constantly on the move.

Saigon (Ho Chi Minh city) seems to have a different vibe but run at an equally frantic pace. Below is a photo of Hotel de Ville (People's Committee Building). It was built between 1901 and 1908 but unfortunately, is not open to the public.

The gardens in front of the building are lovely though...

...with a nice statute of Ho Chi Minh himself.

The detail on the building is amazingly ornate. Apparently, at night, the exterior is covered in thousands of geckos feasting on insects.

I love this. A couple playing badminton in the middle of a major road (Dong Khoi area, Saigon).

I feel a bit overwhelmed with my first two days here. There's a lot to take in. Landing in Hanoi, flying to Saigon the following day, and planning for a the first field visit to Binh Thuan tomorrow has left me a bit disoriented. More to come, so please check back...

Just the factoids, please.

I've been thinking a lot about facts and factoids recently. I like the word "factoid." It sounds neat. What does it mean and how is it different than a "fact"?

Well, we can verify or prove facts. A factoid is "an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact." Norman Mailer is credited with coining the term and the Washington Times referred to his term as "something that looks like a fact, could be a fact, but in fact is not a fact."

Over the past few months, I've been reading about Vietnam and sifting through content trying to discern what is fact and what is factoid. I've been reading about Vietnam's history, people, culture - and at the same time, trying to peel back layers of bias, unravel half-truths, and figure out what really happened in this country?

Here are some of things I've come across during my reading...fact or factoid?

* The Hanoi Hilton (the Hoa Lo Prison) served each new 'guest' a rice cake, tea and a kick in the groin upon their arrival.

* There are more waterbuffalo per capita in Vietnam than in any other nation.

* Agent Orange defoliated 100% of over 1.6 million acres of forest.

* 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 people being killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth defects.

These are just a few examples...it will be interesting to see how much truth there is to what I've read, how many misconceptions I unwittingly hold, and how little I know about a fascinating country: Vietnam.

For the Love of Jam

There's one thing I always seem to really miss when I travel. Jam. There's something utterly delicious and homey about that good old-fashioned jam that you can pick up at almost any Canadian farmer's market. For me, it's a comfort food that I crave every time I go overseas.

If Bobbles and Uncle Gary ever joined the dark side, I think they'd be jam bandits.

I few days ago, I was ravenous and the only thing that could seem to satisfy me was thick cuts of a fresh baguette heaped with spoonfuls of sticky jam. Unfortunately, I had to settle for store-bought jam instead of some lovely home-made concoction, but still it was so jammy and good...and so simple and so divine.

I know I can find good baguettes in Vietnam, but I wonder if I can find good jam there. I hope so.

A Source of Inspiration

I met up with a friend a couple of nights ago. He's a brilliant chemistry professor and wonderful conversationalist.

He's not brilliant just because he has a PhD, is a leading-edge chemist, and knows what the phrase "liquid chromatography-based bioanalytical techniques to probe bioinorganic chemistry-related mechanisms that take place in the mammalian bloodstream" actually means - but also because he's extremely inquisitive and curious about life. Every single time I sit down and talk with him, I leave the conversation with a freshly-shaken view of the world around me. I love that.

Our last conversation covered many topics - from recent budgetary decisions made by the federal government and their devastating effects on research at Canadian universities, to the fabulous cheeses of Spain, to a 25-year-old rock lobster in a basement laboratory in Australia, to the near-absence of inspiration in education. We spent some time discussing the importance and absence of inspiration in academia, education, teaching and learning. This lead to a discussion of inspirational quotes.

Over the years, I've found several quotes to be a great source of inspiration. One of my favourites, I have framed at the entrance of my home:

"Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you." - Sartre

Yes, it's a bit dark, but it reminds me of where I've come from and where I strive to be.

At one point in my life, when I was struggling with forgiveness (both extending it and graciously accepting it), I'd look daily at this quote:

"Forgiveness is the scent that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." - Mark Twain

So, over coffee the other night, my friend spoke of his admiration for Santiago Ramón y Cajal. Don't be embarrassed if you don't know who he is - I admit, I didn't either. Cajal is someone we should all know. He was the father of modern neuroscience, a Nobel laureate and a man ahead of the times.

My friend shared a quote he recently came upon when reading Cajal's biography. It's become my new favourite quote:

"It is strange to see how the populace...disdains the world around it as
commonplace, monotonous and prosaic, without suspecting that at bottom it
is all secret, mystery, and marvel."

Now doesn't that give you a lot to think about? I'm going to carry this quote with me in Vietnam and use it to reflect upon the secret, mystery and marvel that I am sure will surround me.

What's your favourite quote? Please share with me in the Comments section below...I would love to hear from you.

The Seychelles

Picture-perfect. Those are the two words I would use to describe the Seychelles. Like the Maldives, every photo I look at from the Seychelles looks suspiciously like a postcard. To think that I was actually standing in the exact spot the photo was taken feels surreal. For example:

Isn't that stunning?

The Seychelles are made up of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean and the nearest neighbours are Madagascar and the great continent of Africa. Only 30 of the islands are inhabited.

I had the privilege of visiting four islands:

Mahé: the largest granitic island (152 sq km) and home to 90% of the population.

Praslin: the second largest island with soft, white, sandy beaches and palm forests.

La Digue: a small island (10 sq km) with secluded beaches and boulders that look sculpted.

Ile Cocos: closed to the public for 10 years, this tiny island is now open and an excellent spot for snorkelling.

Trip highlights include:

Seeing old friends and meeting new ones. What a treat it was to meet up with our friends Jolyn and Melvin, and to meet their colleagues who quickly became our friends as well. Everyone was so warm and welcoming that it felt like we'd know them for ages. The people we met and the conversations and laughs we had were definitely the highlight of our trip.

Seeing the famous Coco de Mer tree -a rare and protected species, endemic to the Seychelles.

Seeing the Aldabra giant tortoise - the only remaining natural population survives at Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, a World Heritage Site. There are over 152,000 of them

there, 10 times more than the Galapagos giant tortoise population. The average male weighs around 550 pounds but still manages to float. They are huge, lumbering, and beautiful.

Feasting the eyes and palate on food. I enjoyed each and every bite and sight, from tiny bananas, to

gorgeous Arabian delights (thanks to Chef Hassan!), to sticky coconut cake-like treats, to markets bursting with colourful fruits, vegetables and spices, to the most delicious passion fruit I've ever eaten (thanks to Aileen!), to jalebi bought from a convenience store, to home-cooking (thanks Tomi!). Oh, my awe-struck eyes and my happy, full tummy.

The flora and fauna. The Seychelles are the epitome of a lush, verdant, jungle paradise full of lots of little creatures.

Visiting sites around the islands. Like the tribute to the Coco de Mer on Praslin island.

Relaxing in the lovely Victoria Botanical Gardens.

Exploring the capital city, Victoria (population 25,000).

Visiting the tea plantation near Port Glaud.

Visiting the Capucin Mission Ruins - a reminder of the slave trade.

Hiking near Grande Anse.

Enjoying both simple and extravagant treats, like mangosteens and fancy drinks.

Exploring the under-water world near Ile Cocos and Felicite Island and seeing sharks, turtles and schools of colourful fish.

Visiting L'Union Estate Park and seeing the vanilla plantations.

One of my favourite parts was visiting the La Veuve Reserve, home to the endemic and endangered Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher bird. The staff person in the small office was very helpful and we managed to spot both a male and female Flycatcher.

Exploring the island of La Digue by bicycle was a lot of fun and a reminder of how long it's been since I've ridden a bike. It also helped us avoid the ox-powered taxis.

And of course, the gorgeous, jaw-dropping, eye-popping, take-your-breath-away beaches...like the first beach we visited on Praslin...

The beach we stayed at, Petite Anse, Mahe...

The very quiet beach at Port Launay, Mahe...

The lovely Port Glaud, Mahe...

Beautiful Anse Soleil, Mahe...

The beach near Maria's Rock Cafe, Mahe...

The deserted beach of Anse Corail, Mahe...

Anse Forbans, Mahe...

Grande Anse, Mahe...

Sunsent at La Digue...

Anse Source D'Argent, La Digue...I think this is where the commercial for Bounty chocolate bars was made...

Anse Pierrot, La Digue...

Grande Anse, La Digue...

And most importantly, much gratitude to all those who made this trip possible and allowed me to have such a luxurious holiday - the experience was truly a treat and I am very, very thankful!