Of our four sons, Adam is the first one who makes the move to meet up with us on our Southeast Asia adventure. He is of course primarily motivated by his passion for food and we had talked about a Viet Nam trip together for years. But now we are here and he seized the opportunity to quit his job at Publican Quality Meats in Chicago and come and eat his way through Southeast Asia…
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| A moment long in the making……! |
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| It has been almost a year since we last saw Adam (in Chicago). |
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| And the adventure begins….. |
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| Waking up in Hanoi to start the first day, of course with a cafe sua (iced Vietnamese coffee.) |
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| First peek at a Vietnamese market for Adam. |
After a short time, comparisons between Vietnam and Nicaragua start to pepper our conversation. In 2006, we went to Nicaragua for the first time, a destination selected by Adam. We’ve travelled numerous times together (the three of us – L.A., DC, New York, Nicaragua, Paris) and have developed a comfortable travel style together. Yes, it does focus around our mutual passion for food. After several years of living in Nicaragua, where the gastronomy culture is comparatively under-developed, we have plotted for years to taste Southeast Asia together.
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| The ‘wet market” – (seafood….) |
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| A woman sleeping next to her eggs and vegetables. |
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| A peak into a temple prayer session. |
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| First bites of Ban Cao – a Hanoi specialty. |
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| An important tool / skill in traveling is the ability to communicate without a common verbal language. |
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| A visit to the Temple of Literature – the first Vietnamese University founded in 1034. In continuous use for some 700 years. and training Vietnamese scholars in Confucian principles. Adam had studied Mandarin in highschool and his early exposure to the Chinese Empire will prove helpful when traveling around Vietnam. |
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| This school prepared Vietnamese counterparts to Chinese “mandarins” – scholars who would spread across the land and teach Confucius’s philosophy of disciplined and ethical government. |
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| The gateway to higher learning… |
That Adam is one lucky kid getting having a mom who makes globalism seem normal. Of course by exemplifying and encouraging an international perspective you risk scrutiny by the NSA but in the worst case you’ll get a free trip back to the USA!
Globalism IS normal? Isn’t it??
I agree with Aaron! I love that you lured Adam there. His cuisine will surely be altered. Good to see you all together.
Easy lure… We have always wanted to be in Vietnam together ( the three of us ) primarily motivated by enjoying this superb gastronomy together! Can’t wait!
Hooray, your baby came to visit! I can only imagine how happy you are. Best wishes for fun times together, Charles
Thank you! Am “over the moon” happy and excited to have Adam join us in Asia. Lots of eating and adventure upcoming!