My weekend started off on Friday morning with a trip to a local salon down the alley from the MCC office. Chi Oanh escorted me, and I left with a wonderfully easy and cool haircut. I also received, in the bargain, a hairwash and mini-facial. All for about 4.50 USD...
...That evening, the fun continued with a trip to the Ha Noi Opera House. A little Beethovan in a beautiful French building suited me just fine....
...Following the symphony, we got ice cream from the best place in Ha Noi. We had heard previously that this was the best place, and this rumor was confirmed when we got there and could hardly enter the shop for all the people and motos milling around outside. The rumor was re-confirmed when we ate the kem. Note in the picture: below the ice cream shop sign hangs a garland that says, "Merry Christmas." There are random Christmas decorations all over the place. Apparently the actual holiday is also quite a big deal, in the secular, commercial sense, of course. I wonder if they leave their decorations up all year, then get new ones at Christmastime? Or if they see how many years one garland will last? This particular one sported quite a few cobwebs...
...On Saturday, we visited a village on the outskirts of Ha Noi that is known for its ceramics. Actually, there appears to be nothing there but ceramics. I was overwhelmed, as I often am here, by the sheer volume of stuff...
...But I did find a tea-set I would like to get at some point....
...And then I found another one...
...and another one......and something far too cheesy for real life, but that I secretly thought was really cool...a wedding gift, maybe?...
...I have started a collection of pictures that demonstrate my giantish stature, but at the ceramic village I found one that actually proves the opposite!...
...We rode the bus to the village and back--always good for some excitement. Like Ali being told off by either the conductor or ticket collector for talking (you're technically not allowed to talk on the bus, although the conductor lays on the horn for pretty much the whole ride), or almost falling over every time it stops suddenly, or being asked by the man behind you if he can be your boyfriend....
...On Sunday we went to church, and then to this great Indian restaurant afterwards. Here is a picture of Derek and his family leaving the restaurant on their moto. (From the left, Lucas, Derek, Chase, and Ana.) Also an excellent example of the extreme number of people I see riding around the streets of Ha Noi on motos. I don't think I've seen more than four people on one, but I've heard tell of seven people riding a single moto!... 
...Today I (and everyone else) have the day off work because it is a National Holiday (Independence Day). Last night Ana, Ali, Derek, and I stayed up far too late playing a card game they taught me (yay for learning new games!) called "Hand and Foot." So I slept quite late this morning, then sampled a Vietnamese delicacy that Ana brought home for me: A hard-boiled duck egg, complete with bones and feathers. Ana was impressed with me. She said she has never seen a foriegner--particularly an American--eat a whole duck egg! It wasn't bad--I would probably eat another one... (Sorry Arkus!)
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