Grammie and Da Boys again.

Mom, Leon and Aunt Karen came to Vietnam for a week, during the biggest holiday of the year in Vietnam – Tet. Tet was of course made famous in the U.S. during the Vietnam war because of the ‘Tet Offensive‘. But it is not a holiday typically associated with conflict or battle by Vietnamese. It is, instead, a time for family to join together to mark the  end of one year (to learn more about the lunar year go here) and the beginning of the next.

For many Vietnamese, this is the one time of the year they get to leave Ho Chi Minh City (still referred to as ‘Saigon’) and travel to their home town, usually in a rural area in the South, Midlands or North of the Country. In each of the major regions of the country, the Tet New Year is celebrated with

The Hoa Mai tree (Ochra Flower) for Tet at the hotel where they stayed.

different traditions. In the South, the Mai tree blossoms with bright yellow leaves. This is the only time in the year it blossoms, so it has special signaficance as marking new beginnings. See the photo to the right of the Mai tree Karen took a picture of at the hotel where Mom, Leon and Aunt Karen stayed.

They all just got back home a little over a week ago and are still settling back into their routines (and timezones!). They did really well to stay healthy and alert during their time here. We got to do quite a few things together and we had some really good memories come out of our week together.

I think they each had a special time here – and of course, they loved seeing the new Baby James! Check out photos below of their trip – they’re are quite a few, so grab a drink. You’ll be here a little while!

Hold your mouse over each picture to see the caption. Click on any picture and a slide show will open:

The view from Aunt Karen’s hotel room

Auntie and Jacob together again!

Grammie and ‘Da Boys’ all together — for the first time!

Auntie and James – together for the first time!

Leon and James together in Aunt Karen’s hotel room

Grammie and Jacob reading

Jacob eating in his ‘Prince Lionheart’ chair

Mom’s bouganvillea

Auntie and Jacob reading

Chewing on Grammie!

That’s better!!

Dad, James and Mom

Aunt Karen and Lam – in pastels.

Sweet

Playing chess with Grammie

Swimming together for the first time during the trip

Jacob loved this.

Hanging by the pool.

Mom and her boys.

The hotel where Mom and Aunt Karen stayed.

The Hoa Mai tree (Ochra Flower) for Tet at the hotel where they stayed.

Tide anyone? At a local supermarket.

Aunt Karen next to David’s bike. She loved riding this!

James on his perch.

Making sugar cookies on Valentine’s Day.

Jacob stirring the pot (he’s good at that!).

James: ‘Huh?’

Trung (Lam’s brother in law), Her Sister Van and Bong, their daughter.

Lam’s Mom on the left and the girls and kids.

All of Lam’s fam and us.

The grandparents and us.

At NYDC Cafe in Phu My Hung (our local area) for Jacob’s birthday.

Grammie and James – they match!

CHEEEEEESE!

David looking pretty.

Aunt Karen in front of the Tet display near NYDC Cafe where we ate.

A giant lotus in the lake.

More of the display.

James in his ride.

Grammie and Jacob – they went to see Monsters, Inc in 3D.

The Tet decorations at the local shopping mall.

Leon and James.

James: ‘Hello up there!’

Lam and James having a cuddle.

Jacob’s birthday gifts!

A remote controlled airplane from Grammie!

The Mai flowers in front of their hotel.

The entrance to their hotel.

Aunt Karen and Jacob putting together his LEGO boardgame.

It’s a hobbit town!

All 6,793 pieces put together!

Jacob’s card from Auntie Karen and his foam model airplane.

Lam’s birthday gifts.

Her scarf!

More cookie action (afte the dough was chilled).

Putting the red sugar on (yes – imported by Auntie Karen from the US!).

Lam looking lovely.

Play time.

Jacob being silly, as usual.

Hi!

Jacob’s finished plane he painted.

He put red and yellow on the wings – jus like the Vietnam colors.

Aunti and ‘Da Boys’.

Grammie and Mom.

Starting out on the tour of Saigon given by Lam’s Dad.

Typical Saigon traffic.

The Duc Ba cathedral (Western side).

The City Post Office – built by the French.

The U.S. Consulate.

The old Shell Oil Company building.

The Zoo.

The University of Pharmacy.

Duc Ba temple again.

More giant Mai flowers.

Thanh Dinh cathedral – it’s bright pink!

This is a very common sight in Saigon. Selling stuff on the side of the road – balloons here.

A typical apartment building in Saigon.

A statue of Quan Yin at a Buddhist temple.

Bitexco – 63 stories and the tallest building in Vietnam.

Coming out of the tunnel that runs under the Saigon River.

Ben Thanh market – the most famous market in Saigon.

Pho is a famous Vietnamese soup and this restaraunt is where Bill Clinton ate when he visited.

The first Starbucks in Vietnam – there’s a line just to get in!

Sit Lo – the bike taxi.

Yes, KFC is here.

Lam’s Mom in her dental clinic.

Lam’s Mom and Dad in front of the clinic.

Van (Lam’s sister), Lam’s Mom and Aunt Karen in front of the clinic and their house.

This is Hoang, Lam’s uncle.

Lam’s maternal Grandfather and Grandmother. 85 and 73, respectively.

David and Lam’s Grandmother.

Lam’s Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle Hai and Uncle Hoang.

Stores/houses on a typical street in Vietnam.

The sunset over Saigon – taken by Aunt Karen.

The hotel staff where they stayed.

I’m guessing they are with Khoa, the Food and Beverage manager here, but I could be wrong.

Aunt Karen with some lovely orchids in the hotel restaraunt.

Jacob and his beloved Woody and his new Cat in The Hat.

Grammie reading to James – he loves it!

Just look at him!

The fam.

Auntie Karen and the fam.

Mom and Leon and the fam.

Jacob on a giant inflatable whale in our pool.

Grammie and Auntie Karen helped him get on.

Playing in the pool with Jacob

Jacob jumping off.

Getting ready to jump…

One of David’s favorite pictures of the boys. Taken the Sunday Mom, Leon and Aunt Karen left.

Lam’s Grandparents’ house. They have lived here over 50 years and raised 8 children and many grandchildren in it.

Mom and Leon in front of their house.

Lam’s Grandmother when she was 20.

At Lam’s Grandparents’ house having a chat.

Lam’s Grandmother passing around some butter cookies. People love those everywhere!

Aunt Karen and Hoang talking.

Lam’s Mom and Dad in front of their house. Aunt Karen capturing the moment.

Lam’s Dad’s hospital where he worked for over 30 years.

The University of Medicine where Lam’s Dad studied.

One of the oldest markets in Saigon – this one’s in China Town.

An old Chinese temple.

?

Duc Ba cathedral again.

J.F.K. square – named after him when he was assasinated.

Their hotel – on the left.

Leon reading Tin Tin – which he enjoyed.

Cloud and sunset over Vietnam. Taken from the 50th floor of the tallest building in Saigon.

Light over Saigon.

HA!

Jacob likes Dr. Suess!

Opening his gifts!

Laughing!

Talking outside after eating at NYDC Cafe.

More talknig.

Jacob’s birthday cheesecake at NYDC Cafe.

Walking James…

Mai tree in front – people having fun in the back.

The rug at our place – just like this shot.

Lam’s Dad talking to Mom.

All the family meeting each other.

Lam’s Dad at our place in front of our balcony.

Playing chess on the iPad.

Hmmm…

‘I’m in Grammie Heaven!!’

Feeding James.

Laughing with Grammie.

Jacob ‘playing’ with Leon.

He said later ‘I like Leon’.

Reading together.

Jacob loves being read to.

Seeing James for the first time.

Grammie and Da Boys again.

Meeting James – for the first time ever!