I am allergic to Hanoi.

Hanoi Flag Tower

Chao Ban!  We are in Vietnam and have spent time in Hanoi and Halong Bay so far.  We're waiting on my visa for India (just getting that out of the way so we can travel at-will from here on out), so we are spending a week in Hanoi.  I think I may be allergic to the intense smog here, but we took a two-day/one-night tour to Halong Bay and I feel much better now.

I'm more comfortable with Hanoi having been here a few days and walked along almost every confusing street - but I'm not in love with the city.  There are two million motor bikes here and crossing the street is like that scene in Indiana Jones (#3 - Holy Grail) where he has to step out onto the invisible bridge - you just have to brace yourself and walk - slow and steady.  The many motorbikes and cars will flow around you - it's fascinating and a bit scary - but I am getting good at it.

Tasty Hot Chocolate!

Our food list is growing and I'm getting braver about trying weirdness (some of it is even good!).

• Good stuff: squid, buffalo, cooked oysters, duck, Vietnamese spinach, pomelo, jicama, cat fish spring rolls, ban my (sandwiches), hot chocolate, Hanoi beer.  
• Not good stuff (in my opinion, not Jefferson's): snails, fully clothed prawns (eyes and all), scallops, Son Tinh (Vietnamese liquor - Jefferson tried four kinds), hot kakao, and Saigon beer.

We have two more days and have a few more goals in the city (like try street food and maybe see a water puppet show) - but mostly just relax!  We'll probably spend a lot of time at Jamocha - a tasty little coffee shop we found with really good hot chocolate (not kakao - that was meh) - and per Jefferson, really tasty lattes.  I shall plan our next destination from here!

In front of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (we did not go in)

Arrigato, Japan!

For our last day in Japan we did as the locals do and put on some super sweet facemasks. Maaaan, we look good. They are also pretty uncomfortable.
EVERYONE CALM DOWN. I found Domo. He was tucked away in an shop under the weird Nagoya oasis (a third story observation deck with a glass bottom pool in the middle). It is also his 15th birthday and he is celebrating by dressing as a strawberry. As you do.
Today we leave the land of cute for Vietnam - which neither of us have been to - woohoo!  Byeeeeeee.

Andy, Karen and Jefferson with masks - so sexy.

Andy and Jefferson looking quite handsome.

Us at the Nagoya Oasis.

Meatlaaaand!

Andy took us to one of his favorite restaurants last night, Meatland, and it sure was tasty! Delicious lumb, tasty t-born, (honestly really good food) and a cool atmosphere at a tiny modern place. Nom nom nom. Plus the lady gave us hand warmers as we left to use in the cold weather - how freaking nice!

Tasty T-born steak, mmmmm

Delicious Lumb!

Go ahead, it won't kill you.

Meiji Shrine, Tokyo, Japan

NOM NOM NOM

And with that ringing recommendation, (which so far is true) we have had raw horse meat (three kinds - none good), beef stomach stew, lots of different kinds of octopus, plenty of sushi (none with cream cheese, dangit), donuts (mister donut!), Zima (it still exists!), squid, tempura, chicken skin (straight up), Mexican food our first night (it's tradition), and the list goes on.  Last on my list before we go is kobe beef - and we'll hopefully find that tonight.

Mexican for dinner! (with zebras)

We've been in Japan for six days now and are doing really well with the time change.  I really liked Tokyo a lot and we did a ton of walking around there - through Harajuku, Shibuya, Yebiso and Shinjuku.  We only got to see a few of the Harajuku girls (who are famous for their super crazy dress - like anime cosplay) probably because IT IS COLD HERE.  I knew it'd be in the 40's and 50's - but it's been more like the 30's and 40's and I packed for a more tropical climate.  Tokyo also had their first snow in about 15 years - we must have brought that from Chicago.  You're welcome, Japan. 

Harajuku candy shop

We found a candy shop that let us watch them make the little hard candies - which was pretty cool (plus we got free samples).  And of course, we went to a beer museum that also had free samples (I really like the beer here - right up my not-much-flavor-alley), but the whole tour was in Japanese so we just nodded and smiled a lot and drank our beers.  They had us play one game on the tour that really confused me - "five-two-zero" - until I realized (much later) that it was rock-paper-scissors.  Perhaps the beer was stronger than I thought. 

Zima ztill zucks in Japan

A list of things from the states that I find amusing to find here: Frishes Big Boy, Garrets Popcorn, Denny's, Krispie Kreme (NOM NOM NOM) and Zima (I know, second mention, but who has had that in the last 20 years besides Jefferson yesterday?). We also watched a crazy documentary on the host bars in Japan called, "The Great Happiness Space" - and then we saw real hosts on the street (men with hilarious hair-do's trying to attract women) - I highly recommend watching this.

 

Yebisu Beer Museum

We are staying with Andy Lee right now at his Nagoya apartment - which is the same size as our apartment in Chicago - so we feel right at home. Today we're on our own to explore Nagoya so we're going to hit the cat cafe (where you sit with cats while you drink your tea/coffee), shop for things with funny English on them and try desperately to find anything with Domo on it.  Andy says he rarely to never sees Domo and thinks he may have gone out of style for now UNTHINKABLE.  Unacceptable, JAPAN.  You may rest easy at night knowing that Beavis and Butthead live on strong here, though.
 

We will be avoiding bunny island, cat island and monkey park, but we'll let you know of anything else post worthy happens to us in our last two days in Japan - and then we're off to Vietnam on Monday - woo!

Jefferson at a noodle shop

Jeff Drank The Water!!!

AHH! Ha. It's been a while since we traveled, I guess. Usually travel rules like that are second nature to Jefferson (or Yelfrey like they called him here), but while at the movies yesterday he drank out of a water fountain. Twice. After the second time he realized what he'd done and now we await - but so far, he's good to go.

We are having a great time in Cancun - we're here for our honeymoon - and it's beautiful here - not too hot, not cold, and not that many people (which I love). The first day we just explored all the different shops, restaurants and places the hotel had to offer - and drank an assortment of anything they threw at us (champagne, frozen drinks, beer, etc.). We also (see pic) attempted to squish our new flip-flops into the sand to show everyone that we're "Just Married" - but it's harder than you'd think. Our room had rose petals and swan shaped towels on the bed the first night - that was sweet. And our mini bar is awesome - everything is all inclusive so we have lots of pop, water, beer and 4 bottles of full size booze options in the room. I only touch the beer and water, but it's cool anyway.

Day II was a lot of the same - with that fateful drinking fountain incident at the movies. Plus we sat around and read a lot. It's just like home but a better view. And more booze options (although at home right now there is a lot due to the wedding). I've gotten to sign my new name a few times now - and that's fun but very different. Currently I can just do "Karen H" - but I'll work on finishing the name Hansen in a signature style I like. Get this - we even worked out on Day II. What WHAT?

Day III is today! We got our couples massage on the beach! It was awesome, but the guy that gave me the massage told me next time I need to relax more. He should try being totally naked in a gazebo on the beach where everyone can see. Sure - there was a towel, but still. Tonight we have dinner reservations at 10 pm (it's the only time we seem to be able to get) for Asiana - their Asian fusion restaurant. I have a feeling it's going to be a lot like Beni-hana. I'll let you know if there's an onion tower.

No sunburns, no hangovers, and sadly, no mangy dogs here. But I have seen a toucan and a bunch of lizards. Perhaps tomorrow we'll actually go into the water...maybe. Definitely not during peak hours. I would blind people.

7 Countries Down - 1 To Go...

Another Retro Friendly Update here...So after the Portugal Wedding we
headed to Porto, Portugal to drink some Port. We've had steak in
Salsbury, UK, we've had Pisco Sours in Pisco, Peru - we must keep
the trend alive!

So we did. But I don't like Port. I thought it was supposed to be
like wine - I tried the white and the red - and neither tastes like
wine to me. This tastes more like a strong alcohol - and that's not
something I handle well. Jeff liked it, though, so we had to try it.
Porto was a cute little town with only 2 downfalls: 1. It is very
hilly and although I am a big fan of downhill, I do NOT love anything
that makes me walk uphill. 2. We were both just getting colds of some
sort (not swine flu) from having too much fun for 2 weeks straight.

Lucky for me they have what is called a Foonicular. I've never heard
of it (or maybe I have and my brain dumped the info long ago before I
started hating uphill and realized this would be a good bit of info to
have...). A Foonicular is basically a godsend for lazy people. It's
a cart on tracks that takes you up and down hills. SO worth it. So
we just had to try the Foonicular - and since we had to go up hill to
get back to our hotel it was really a win win situation. So Porto was
cute for 2 nights and then we were off again, this time via Ryanair
(the airline so cheap that they will soon charge for you to use their
bathrooms in the air) to Paris, France.

Now Paris was just ok. I know it's supposed to be the most beautiful
and romantic and all that, but it was just ok. We saw some catacombs
- which are really gross if you think about it - we payed money to
walk through caves with thousands of dead peoples bones piled neatly
all around us. But also interesting - and of course we visited Notre
Dame and a museum and the Eiffle Tower. Then comes the reaaaaally fun
part of France! We went to Tours! This is the town closest to
Vouvray - where my favoritest wine comes from!! We got to rent bikes
(and of course it rained) and go around to different vineyards and
drink Vouvray (in Vouvray - the trend continues). It was awesome and
fun (biking on flat land is doable even for me) and we bought 3
bottles of yummy wine. We dropped Rocko's business cards in case we
could get something more interesting but the tastings were already
free. I was THIS close to having Jeff speak only in French to the
vineyards and tell them he was Rocko and to call anytime...mua ha ha -
that would have been hysterical. But we didn't. Promise.

Portugal Weddings Rock!

This is going to be a Friendly Update in Retro. We barely had time to
think on this trip, let alone sit down and write friendly updates -
wah - so I'm going to do it all in now!

This wedding pulled out all the stops. First, Sarah Wild and Ruth had
a civil ceremony in London - where they live. Jeff and I flew over
after visiting the tall, tall Dutch and attended the ceremony and the
awesome mini reception after at a bar/restaurant. Lots of champagne
and other drinks - a good time had by all but mostly by our friend
Mara. She had a waaaaay good time. :)

Sarah Wild's surprise wedding gift to Ruth was to order a double
decker bus to pick us all up the following morning and take us to the
airport (about 12 of us) with champagne and bagels and our own music
selection. That was a bumpy but fantastic ride! We had a slight
snafoo at the airport when Jeff and I realized we booked our tickets
for the wrong date but a 10 minute run two terminals over led to
purchasing more useful tickets and getting to Portugal on time. D'oh.
But we made it. Thank goodness.

We got to stay in not one but TWO, count them on your left hand, TWO
castles! First we stayed at the "other" castle about 20 minutes from
the one the wedding was going to be held at. This one was a bit more
rustic but beautiful and had a dungeon (which we couldn't go in - sad
for me). Showers were a little tricky in that the hose went wild and
sprayed the entire bathroom - and I hear I'm not the only one that had
this problem.

Then we moved to the main castle (or Pousada as the Portugese call
them). This was more modern and our wedding had the run of the entire
place. It was kind of like a dorm where people just walked from room
to room, left their doors open and generally had a great time. The
wedding was out on the deck portion of the Pousada (see new pics on
Photobucket of the wedding) - and lucky for our side of the bridal
party - we got to stand in the shade! Ha! The poor girls in blue had
to stand in and look towards the sun. I don't know how they did it.
Our good friend, Maan, from Kenyon performed the ceremony and did an
amazing job. Then we had drinks and appetizers and then moved onto
the main meal in a nice dining hall. The place cards were fantastic -
they used a picture of you to mark your name and seat. Most were you
with one or both of the brides, or some were just super old and funny
pics of you. I loved seeing a random old picture of me and Sarah -
and I liked that she had one of her and Jeff from last year for him.

Dinner was followed by a dancing reception with great music and an ice
luge. That's right - a dolphin shaped ice luge. I had to bail around
1 am (because I do that and I got a beer spilled down my dress by a
magician). But the party went on until 5 am. I don't know how people
do that and still get up for breakfast in the morning. All in all it
was a blast and then Jeff and I headed to Porto. More retro updating
on that in a bit...