Florence

What does one say about one of the most beautiful cities in the world, except ...maybe... see you soon - we bought tickets to see both the Uffizi and the Academia on friday,so we will most definitely see florence again. I know this is a busy time in Europe but today proved it, in Florence there were so many  people. We started our day at the Duomo but with a line that stretched for miles we wandered off - today was about wandering we hadn't booked anything it was just to look, and look we did.  Before we left home we had downloaded a few audio guides,

which I thought my 4 teenage, obsessed with having ear plugs in their ears, children would enjoy.  So today we did the renaissance tour which was all about wandering - which was good since that was my theme for the day.  We listened and walked and even managed to get chastised in a church for taking photos (actually it was Bella and she wasn't she was just listening to her audio guide - but anyway).  We wandered past statues, churches, monuments, shops selling leather goods (which we must come back to) and down to the Ponte Vecchio where we found lunch.  Then we continued wandering having a look at the oldest tower in Florence before finding ourselves back at the Duomo where strangely there was a very little line; so we joined it - but both Bella and Kaela with their shorts and singlet tops were denied entry.  So myself and the boys had a look and the guide books were right it was a little disappointing.
We were all done for the day but were a little reluctant to head back to the car for the trip home, why.... because of the drive..... it really isn't a long drive  only about 25 km but Matthew managed to fight with the GPS, yes the mechanical navigational aide,  on our way here so none of us really wanted to listen to the argument all the way home.  Matthew was not happy with the GPS because for some reason it would not let him on the autostrada (highway) so we back roaded all the way to Florence - which I might add was very beautiful for us - rolling hills, vineyards, little towns, but not so beautiful for him.

But we had to get back in the car and surprise surprise he fought all the way home - the kids and I were laughing so hard as we continually zig zagged over the autostrada yet never managing to get on - but we did make it home and again it was through the most beautiful of countrysides.

Under the Tuscan sun

This is the view from where we are staying in Tuscany. We are about an hour out of Florence staying in a 14 hundred year old home, with the most breathtaking of views imaginable. It's 1015 in the morning and we are sitting under a vine covered portico listening to Christmas carols!!! Matthew needs to fix his ipod - we are all reluctant to move but in just a minute we will have to. We are heading off to Siena today to explore and have lunch or maybe dinner by the time we get going but since we are in no hurry it doesn't matter.

Traveling........ with teenage girls!

Traveling with teenage girls can be amusing, it can be frustrating and sometimes its just surprising, for example
Girl: dad I am not taking that suitcase it's ugly
Dad: don't be ridiculous it's not a fashion parade it's just to put your clothes in.
Girl: *rolls eyes*

Or
Girl: I'm moving to Italy
Dad: why? ( expecting some cultural, historic even religious reason)
Girl: because even the taxi drivers are good looking
Dad: *rolls eyes*

Or
Dad: Come for a walk through this beautiful Tuscan vineyard
Girl: I have to straighten my hair first
Dad: *rolls eyes*

Rome

It is day 3 and we are all still madly in love with this wonderful city. I am sitting under the portico of the Pantheon watching the Piazza in front of me, it's late afternoon and the Piazza is filled with all sorts of people. To my right their is a group of black clad priests and nuns in habits, in front are the "gladiators", who dressed in their gladiator costumes are looking quite the part as they attempt to attract as many people as possible to have photos with them. All around me are tourists, some with headphones on following a tour guide with an identifying flag; others wandering around the Piazza enroute to the Pantheon, many eating gelato and others, like myself, are just sitting watching.
Even though it is 530 the sun is still strong and hot not that that bothers us it really doesn't get dark until after 930 which makes for a long day of sight seeing.
Today we spent the day at the Vatican and St Peter's Basilica, which after the Colosseum, Palantine Hill and the Roman Forum yesterday, we wondered how it was going to compete. But it was amazing - there is really not much more that can be said. So tonight our last night in Rome we are headed out for dinner in an outdoor restaurant where we have yet to move away from pizza and pasta. Then we plan to walk back to the Trevi Fountain and maybe Piazza Navona and maybe just maybe there will be a chance to try yet another flavor of gelato.

Day 1 Roma Italy

Well we are here. After such a busy last week of school, we have arrived. Our flight was good mind you when we landed, my McDonalds deprived family wanted Maccas, so at 111pm we walked the entire Hong Kong airport for McDonalds - which I might add they all complained was cold.
We are now in Rome - sitting in our apartment which is near the Pantheon, listening to the street sounds below. It's late, for us its late - in Ho Chi Minh it's 330 am but we did have a nap but we are all exhausted.
We arrived in Rome 8am way too early for our apartment so we wandered, bags and all, to the Piazza del
rotunda for breakfast - OK we have lived in Ho chi Minh for 2 years and we are a little out of date with western prices but breakfast cost us 100usd. But we were overlooking the Pantheon - So no more eating in tourist piazzas but it was worth it. We sat and drank coffee and watched the piazza come
to life. We watched the garbage men arrive for their early pick up, we watched the eager tourist who wanted to be early for the Pantheon, we watched the police arrive in droves ( yes we were a little concerned with this), the gladiators ???? arrive for work, together with a number of other tourist related vendors - we watched an Italian Piazza begin its day.
Soon enough it was time to find our apartment and check in, then shower and change and had into Rome for our first day of exploration - and I can say we have all begin ( or for me continued) our love affair with Rome.

Off to Italy

We are sitting in the lounge at Ton Nhat Son airport waiting for our flight to Rome via Hong Kong. Yes I am very excited but the day has been full of yet more goodbyes. Both Kaela and Bella had to say their goodbyes to dear friends. Bella to Stephanie who is moving to the US and Kaela to Wendy, who moves back to Korea in a few days and Kathleen and Mayween who move off to New Zealand. I guess it's the life of expats but it's so sad to continuously farewell friends.
But time to go and board our flight.. Rome here we come

End of the school Year

The end of the school year is always frantic, there is so much to do and those last few days seem to just fly by.  For me there is Inventory, gathering resources back from teacher and students often to the tune of  "I don't think I ever borrowed that"  only to find it returned a few days later.  Tempers get a little frayed even more so in the International schools scene where many of the teachers are not only packing up classes but packing up lives.  Which also means so many farewells!  honestly since I have lived offshore I have said just way too many goodbyes.

Back to the last days of the school year and Graduations.  At our school our graduations and award ceremonies are done at the Opera House a beautiful old building in the middle of district 1.
It looks bigger then it is - so to fit us all in we split the ceremonies into 3; the elementary, the middle and the high schools - which is great but having children in the middle and the high means  I have to attend all 3 ceremonies.
So the first graduation was the elementary graduation which is a very informal occasion.  The Vietnamese do not really "get" quietly watching - all the kids and the Vietnamese staff talk continuously and not in a hush whisper but loudly.  Mind you the nannies and the Teaching Assistants are brilliant they pretty much run the whole graduation the Western staff just go which in itself is a little weird but much less stressful for us.  The ceremony this year lasted about 2 hours but by the end of the ceremony when the Grade 5's are receiving the graduation certificates there is hardly anyone left behind - the families just collect their children and leave - even stopping to take photos of their children  in front of the stage whilst awards are being given - all very strange but that's Vietnam for you.

Josh's graduation was the next day which meant i went to work for a few hours then left and headed to the Opera House because though not graduating this year he did win an award.  Their Graduation was more formal then the elementary - at one stage though a name was announced of a student who was not there at which point the entire student body of the audience put both their hands up and shock them - so typically Vietnamese, but it means "I don't know", from our spot on the first floor balcony it looked terribly funny all these kids with their hands in their air.  For Josh's award I will let Zander's photos tell the story.......

Unto the stage he goes - really should have tucked in that shirt

The Physical Education Award 

We are very proud of you young man

Josh and Ahn - such wonderful friends

Back to work I went - only to leave just a little later to head off to the High School Graduation but that should be a separate blog.

Cooking Class

Yesterday some of the teachers from school and myself went to a Vietnamese cooking class.  This is not something I would usually choose to do but when I was invited along I thought why not, Matthew is away so I thought it might give me something to do on the weekend.  Not being much of a cook I was a little nervous but I was assured that it would not be very difficult and that they pre-prepare a lot of the ingredients.  So 815 on Sunday morning saw me heading into District 1 to cook!
First stop was the markets which I always enjoy but it was made even more interesting because our 'tour guide' pointed out so many different things plus we could take photos - often the Vietnamese will shy away from having their photos taken - they don't even like you to photograph there produce which confuses me a tad - apparently photographing them takes away part of their soul so that I get but - their produce!!

Anyway - it's amazing how over time things have become so everyday - like the hanging meat, no fridge present it's just hanging there but we regularly buy our meat from the markets so it's no longer so surprising - mind you there are still things that make me cringe like the plate of eyeballs!

After the markets we headed off to the cooking School.  It actually was really fun, this is what we made

Nothing was that hard because the "kitchen fairies" had already done so much of the preparation - yes we chopped and diced but all our potions were laid out for us.  The Spring rolls were fine except we only made 3 and that took long enough - imagine making them for my family, I would need 103 it would take me forever.  The Banana blossom was easy as well - but take note of the flower chili and the fancy cut carrot which had to be cut with such care and patience - something I don't have a lot of particularly in the kitchen. Finally we made Pho, something I really love but can not see myself ever cooking in the traditional way which is steaming bones for 2 hours then cooking for 10 hours adding all kinds of spices - maybe I will cheat and use ready made stock then add the spices.  The rest of Pho is easy it is just adding things just before you eat it - we actually have it at least a couple of times a week either from the numerous Pho Shops or when our  Housekeeper makes it.  The highlight of the class of course was eating everything we made - now I just have to remember how to cook it - which really is not going to happen whilst I live here - cooking pfft!

Pho

Banana Blossom Salad

Our Chef

The things you see

Two Brides, you would think they would get further apart

Phu My Hung, where we live, is very much a suburban place to live - you could sometimes forget we live in Vietnam - except of course for the Vietnamese people, the constant beeping of bikes and of course the numerous number of Pho (Vietnamese soup) shops.  We ate lunch at one of these Pho Soups a few Saturdays ago with Brides - yes that's right Brides not one but two.  On the week end the streets of Phu My Hung get inundated with bridal photography  and I guess they have to eat.