It happened again. It was Christmas Eve and it seemed everyone in Hanoi was out walking around the lake in the centre of town or riding their motorcycles to the main square around the church. There were thousands, if not hundred of thousands, of people milling around in front of the church and the surrounding area. Josh said he had never seen so many people in his life. We were simply being pummeled by the crowds and everyone seemed to want to go into the church where something was going on.
As usual, Sylvia had to go to the bathroom and since we were outside the church and there didn’t seem to be a bathroom for miles around she asked an older gentlemen who understood English whether she could use the bathroom inside the church through this side door. Both of us were ushered into a chapel where there was a toilet behind the alter. When we were in the hall coming out of the church the man asked us if we wanted to see the ‘performance’. We said sure, but our son was outside. He said he could also come but when Josh tried to get in he was blocked by the priests acting as guards because everyone, and I mean everyone, was trying to make their way through. There was one particular older woman who insisted on getting in but was being blocked at the door by the priest and she was howling in anger. Somehow, Josh managed to find his way in and the fun began.
We were taken down a hallway and ushered into the auditorium through a side door in the very front row as honoured guests, sitting in front of the nuns, in front of the parents of the kids performing and in front of a group of priests. It was absolutely unbelievable to see this grandiose performance from the very first row when thousands of people outside were watching on short circuit TV How does this keep happening to us? Thousands wanted to get in and there we were in the best seats in the house.
There were hundreds of little girls dancing, professional singers, a wide screen with excerpts from the Passion of the Lord, Internet excerpts, a mass choir and various dancers. It was truly something very special.
It was certainly quite a change form Halong Bay which was remarkably peaceful, considering how many boats set out at the same time as us. We had a four hour cruise in the morning in our own private boat. Josh asked my why I chartered such a huge boat for ourselves, but in truth, I just bought a package tour that was laid out for us and didn’t even check the itinerary.
The Bay was really spectacular as we meandered our way through the limestone islands and went into a cave. The meal, which was served to us by a white gloved waiter started with shrimps and crab freshly caught and then really got serious with about enough food to feed 10 people.
The only negative was that every other tourist was in some boat or other having the same cruise and it reminded me of our Sunday canoe ride on the Dordogne in France a few years ago where we were restfully floating down the river with about 10,000 of our closest friends.
Today we take a plane to central Vietnam, the northern part of the temperate zone and I can’t wait for the heat. Just bring it on!!!
As usual, Sylvia had to go to the bathroom and since we were outside the church and there didn’t seem to be a bathroom for miles around she asked an older gentlemen who understood English whether she could use the bathroom inside the church through this side door. Both of us were ushered into a chapel where there was a toilet behind the alter. When we were in the hall coming out of the church the man asked us if we wanted to see the ‘performance’. We said sure, but our son was outside. He said he could also come but when Josh tried to get in he was blocked by the priests acting as guards because everyone, and I mean everyone, was trying to make their way through. There was one particular older woman who insisted on getting in but was being blocked at the door by the priest and she was howling in anger. Somehow, Josh managed to find his way in and the fun began.
We were taken down a hallway and ushered into the auditorium through a side door in the very front row as honoured guests, sitting in front of the nuns, in front of the parents of the kids performing and in front of a group of priests. It was absolutely unbelievable to see this grandiose performance from the very first row when thousands of people outside were watching on short circuit TV How does this keep happening to us? Thousands wanted to get in and there we were in the best seats in the house.
There were hundreds of little girls dancing, professional singers, a wide screen with excerpts from the Passion of the Lord, Internet excerpts, a mass choir and various dancers. It was truly something very special.
It was certainly quite a change form Halong Bay which was remarkably peaceful, considering how many boats set out at the same time as us. We had a four hour cruise in the morning in our own private boat. Josh asked my why I chartered such a huge boat for ourselves, but in truth, I just bought a package tour that was laid out for us and didn’t even check the itinerary.
The Bay was really spectacular as we meandered our way through the limestone islands and went into a cave. The meal, which was served to us by a white gloved waiter started with shrimps and crab freshly caught and then really got serious with about enough food to feed 10 people.
The only negative was that every other tourist was in some boat or other having the same cruise and it reminded me of our Sunday canoe ride on the Dordogne in France a few years ago where we were restfully floating down the river with about 10,000 of our closest friends.
Today we take a plane to central Vietnam, the northern part of the temperate zone and I can’t wait for the heat. Just bring it on!!!
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