Happy Father's Day!

First of all, happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Great work, guys!

I thought I'd offer up a brief addendum to Debbie's cultural observations about Vietnam and give a quick update on the last few days.

Cultural Observation #1: Honking. Everything here honks. In fact, when we got to Hanoi we were a little overwhelmed by all the cars and motorbikes honking. They use honking as a mix between echolocation, letting other cars, motorbikes, bicycles, and people know where they are; and the traditional "get out of my way" message. When we got to Halong Bay, we learned that the boats too honk, particularly as they cut each other off or vie for space at the docks. Finally, we were intrigued to learn that the trains also honk, as we watched a people slowly get out of the way of an oncoming train at the Hue train station.

Cultural Observation #2: Lack of Intellectual Property Laws. Just assuming that's the case since it turns out in Vietnam you can copy anything. This is the first place we've seen photocopied books (cover, price tag, and all). It's also the only time I've heard of the issue you find in Hanoi with hotels copying the names of other successful hotel chains. Many taxi drivers at the airport are paid commissions to take unwitting tourists to the wrong hotels with the same name. Be careful which "Prince Hotel" you are taken to. And also watch out for tour companies. One of the most reputable companies here (though also the one that wound up screwing up our Halong Bay tour) is called Sinh Cafe. Which is great since there are Sinh Cafes all over Hanoi. Oh, right, except that most of them are knock-offs! At the "Real Sinh Cafe" (the real one is now forced to call itself that) they have a sign on the door noting that across the street is a fake Sinh Cafe. So confusing.

The last few days have been great...very relaxing. We're in the town of Hoi An, on the coast in roughly central Vietnam. Totally charming and historic, with lots of good food and shopping. At night the old quarter is lit up with red and white lanterns and is truly beautiful. We also opted for a few nights at a hotel in the old quarter that's entirely lit by lanterns (including our room!). Again, amazing in the evenings. We've spent the last couple of days walking around, enjoying the architecture, and stopping every hour or so for food and/or drink. It's so hot in the middle of the day here that it's basically a necessity.

Hoi An is also known for its tailors, and we decided the deals were too good to pass up, particularly since they basically construct the clothes for you from scratch. I'm having a three-piece black suit made, and Debbie's getting a beautiful dress. We're going to pick them up in a few minutes (fittings were earlier this afternoon...we only placed the orders yesterday!).

We've also loved reuniting for a few days with our British friends Becky, Adam, and Steve, who we met on the slow boat to Luang Prabang and travelled through much of Laos with. They're heading up Vietnam as we head down, and getting to see them again here has been a special treat! If anyone reading this needs ever a place to stay in England, I'm volunteering Steve to host you. You won't regret it. These are top-notch people.

Tomorrow Debbie and I are taking a cooking class (our third so far in Southeast Asia!), and the following day we're doing an all-day snorkeling trip to a nearby island. That night we're planning to catch an overnight bus to Nha Trang, a popular beach destination here. Yes, yes, life is tough...

don't be fooled by the t-shirt we are in vietnam ;)