It’s been about a week-and-a-half since I arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam. Ha and I have been spending a lot of time together, and it’s been a slice of heaven so far. I’ll save the mushy love stuff for later, and give an update on other things that are happening. Here are some bytes from Vietnam.
Pics and Blogs
I haven’t taken many pictures, because I haven’t gone anywhere where I haven’t already taken a thousand pictures. Pics from this and the last trip are located at:
http://pictures.yahoo.com/danharley
Also, this and other posts can be viewed on my blog at:
http://danharley.blogspot.com/
Vietnam Is Not Just For Weddings Anymore…
Some of you know that I’m in Vietnam for many reasons other than getting married. I’ll be here for a few months, and thought that I should make the best of my time. So, I’ve planned for some Rotary related activities and some business opportunities too. Such activities are starting to roll out very smooth.
Working from 10,000 miles away.
Contrary to popular belief, I am not here on a long vacation. I am actually working every once in a while. I setup my equipment in Apple Valley for remote access through the Internet in order for me to continue working. I also setup an Internet phone that allows free incoming and real cheap outgoing phone calls from here to the U.S. The only hang up I had was getting Internet access to the house in a timely manner. It took a week longer than expected, but I’m finally completely connected in Hanoi just like I am back home.
Meeting Chuck Searcy
Ha and I had a very good lunch with Chuck Searcy yesterday. Chuck is a Vietnam Veteran who has done some incredible things here in Vietnam. He has already been a valuable contact for potential Rotary activities. Chuck immediately came across as a very nice person with a kind heart, and has already made a lasting impression on me. I am looking forward to becoming good friends with him. We covered a lot of ground in short time, and I’m expecting to meet him several times before I return home.
Not Much Traveling Yet…
I had traveled several hundred miles across Vietnam in just a couple weeks during my last trip. The brunt of this trip has so far been in Hanoi for the most part, and will be this way until Ha and I take off for our honeymoon. I have traveled extensively thorough Hanoi though. There is a lot more going on here that I had thought during my first trip here.
The World’s Largest Wal-Mart
This might be a strange way to describe a city that happens to be the capital of a communist country. Then again, I tend to see things from strange angles. The Huan Kiem District in Hanoi can be like a great big Wal-Mart. Each block or street here seems to specialize in a particular item product. You go to the computer street if you want anything for your computer. Shoes? Go to the shoe street. Books? Go to the book street. Chuck Searcy told me of a street that can be compared to a Home Depot.
Pizza in Vietnam
I wouldn’t believe there was a pizza joint in Vietnam if I didn’t see it myself. What’s even more amusing is they deliver. Ha claims that pizza is her favorite food, and I naturally had to find out why. Ha and I went to Pepperoni’s on our first pizza date a few nights ago. The pizza was a little different from American style, and was pretty good.
Where the Heck Am I?
I know Ev Butcher is waiting for travel coordinates so he can follow me with Google Earth (http://earth.google.com). I haven’t gone anywhere yet, but I don’t want to leave Ev without anything to do. So here’s the coordinates of my house in Hanoi:
Lat 21° 1'52.25"N
Lon 105°51'31.91"E
The satellite pics don’t show the tennis courts behind the house.
The Wedding and Marriage Debacle
Several of you wrote expressing confusion regarding the status of my marriage, so let me clarify everything. Ha and I have been legally married since last Monday. Our wedding will be on November 12th. For those of you who wanted to know if we consummated the marriage, I will say that the gifts were passed out, but the presents haven’t been unwrapped yet.
That's going to have to do for now. Ha has a honey-do list for me to finish before we go to bed. Write back with questions, and I'll do my best to answer them tomorrow.
Take care!
Dan Harley, Jr.
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