Hamm in 'Nam

When secret escape from lockdown calls There is a place to go below the Pass Ditch the confines of your quarantine walls Stash your bike, come on down, but hide your ass. https://www.instagram.com/p/CPAiYTwtCXi/?utm_medium=tumblr

It's spring! Wait, no, it's still winter. Wait, it's spring! No....winter is back. Wait....I'm sure of it - spring! https://www.instagram.com/p/CLTxJqXlxIj/?igshid=5ja1cdcbrm0q

I don't post on here often enough, but here are some photos of the "hotel" we stayed at. https://www.instagram.com/p/CKvJ5Mjl75m/?igshid=1dw9mv6jvjnou

So this looks like fun! https://www.instagram.com/p/CGzyfiCFs9j/?igshid=1hpjl1gu3r1rf

A quick trip over the pass. https://www.instagram.com/p/CFkI_hElUkS/?igshid=75ahjla07bv7

Day 2 of Tết 2019 (or... technically day 1, since it's officially the first day of the year). Definitely had an idea of what to expect today (lots of visitors, lots of alcohol being shoved in my face, lots of strange food), but was told that my expectations were way off (day 1 we only go to other people's houses, there's no drinking on Tết, and the food is amazing). So, first got up late and headed to give out lucky money to the kids. By our second stop I was being force-fed multiple glasses of rice wine while being excitedly spoken at during a loud karaoke party. After a rest at home, we tried to go out again, but kept getting stalled by new visitors, so we didn't have time to visit everyone. Fortunately we had food to eat at home - gifts of weird #BananaLeaf wrapped stuff from prior stops (you can see how delicious it is by observing the faces in the last photo). Notice that the nice new table is left in favour of a typical wobbly Vietnamese style metal one...that's where you want to eat food. Also, since I had to memorize the Vietnamese new year greetings, I forced all the cousins to say the greeting to me in English if they wanted their lucky cash. What I also knew to expect was the difficulty in trying to keep track of all the second cousins ( #twiceRemoved ) and their great grandparents and how they all fit in. Happy Vietnamese New Year! (Again) https://www.instagram.com/p/Btgdz8nleEj/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=10wzeow7uny6f

It's Tết (happy lunar new year) time. So, to prepare, we head out to the hometown, see the village decorations and get a good night's sleep because we have #cleaning to do. First a #hearty breakfast (literally, chicken hearts are included) then we sweep the floor a good 22 times. Once the inside of the house is clean, we can pollute the air outside with #pyres and #fireworks . But, it's all worth it to wake up to a blossoming #marigold tree. Today we go around and give out our hard-earned money to kids and grandparents. #Luckymoney Chúc mừng năm mới! Chuc sức khỏe, hành phúc, bình an... https://www.instagram.com/p/BtfGi5vlM0O/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=qdrni8rgv8qk

Good thing we started those fires, because, after all, fireworks (get it?).

Like I said, let's start a fire.

It's New Year's (Lunar New Year), so let's all start a fire.

He came!! #VietnameseSanta DOES exist! He brought me just what I wanted: #ChristmasSocks, a 'uuge breakfast, #ABeerInATree, the opportunity to become the next great hand model, and a friend to share it all with. Incredible. https://www.instagram.com/p/BrzKxV1FE6L/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ig3jhkhw6mo

#Christmas tree up? ✅ Presents wrapped w/ random scrap paper?✅ Christmas Eve dinner? ✅ Stockings? (aka, socks)✅ Pancake batter made? ✅ Sausages? ✅ Forcing my Vietnamese girlfriend to impossibly pronounce the previous word? ✅ Breakfast wine? ✅ Banana bread baked? ✅ Banana bread tastes weird? ✅ Coffee cup ready (I "love" it)? ✅ Waiting for the #VietnameseSanta to come? I can't wait to find out if he does! https://www.instagram.com/p/Brx5eMRlnUT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ig8yu6rs3tbd

It's a Sunday morning massacre. A fish massacre, that is. Take your pick: fish, eels, or live skinned frogs. All of them delicious and ready to be served as fine cuisine. https://www.instagram.com/p/BrKZ7rpl1it/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=lwy6o1mw5bar

This goes with the last post. #PackingUpYourFishBag https://www.instagram.com/p/BrKaCr5FZ22/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1s6fxxwcb5psb

It's a Sunday morning massacre. A fish massacre, that is. Take your pick: fish, eels, or live skinned frogs. All of them delicious and ready to be served as fine cuisine. https://www.instagram.com/p/BrKZ7rpl1it/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3wfwaz65bc0p

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas.... https://www.instagram.com/p/BrC_I9FF207/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2j8tlvdosx2q