Back in Vietnam

It is great to be back in Vietnam again despite missing Anne, the family and friends. I keep check of the weather in NZ, and it is good to be in a warm tropical country, even if the temperature nearly kills you at times... But there is the early mornings and evening that are generally moderate and pleasant..

Work is going fine, many challenges to deal with, but working with the Vietnamese is really great. I have caught up with a few, but other still to be seen. It is spring here now and we are heading towards summer of heavy rains, hot weather and extreme humidity. Great to have a chance to get some aclimatization under way.

Myself and Greg did a little tour the other day on the back of our 100cc motorbikes. It is great fun and once you get used that in Vietnam the give way rule does not apply, use are just fine. The rule is, watch out for me and everyone watchs for everyone....

We visit a small town, with it many Catholic churches, a relique from the French I guess. It was Sunday and in on church there were lots of children attending what looked like a sunday activity day for kids..

We headed off through some rice fields (I will post more pictures from the stage the plants are now to hervest). It never ceases to amaze me that every single plant in pushed into the muddy ground, in perfect straight lines, by hand and almost all by women..

We heade to Tai Hoa, a relatively large town where Greg did stay during his historical first foray in Vietnam and TH. On the way i stopped on the road side where a few man were polishing great slabs (some a few tons) of beatiful local rocks. I went in and saw some nice specimens and being fond of mineral and rocks, had i being carrying decent amount of cash, i would have bought one or two pieces.... But i will be back..

Today, Saturday the 11th of May, i went of a walk around the project, adjacent to the village compound where we have accomodation, our meals etc...

I took a dirty track that took me to some small holders, peasnat blocks. Lots of crops in, sugar cane, maize, beens, tomotoes, you name it. The land seems very good, and some limitations to groth i am sure it is related to low soil pH and likely phosporus depletion. Some houses are really basic, the people ever so friendly..

sugar cane waiting for collection. All cut by hand and women seem to be the ones to do it

Sugar cane sprouting after harvest

Well it is about Vietnam but i have got some photos of Aotearoa, in fact from the top of the ranges on number one line. I did take the photos a few days before heading over here..

We will keep you posted

Job almost done...

Well, if there would be such a thing as "a job done" over here but it is only 6 days and I'll leave TH behind once more. It has been great to be back and again it will be a little sad to head off as you do make friendships and I think we all make a great contribution beside learning lots as well. On Friday i'll head off, overnight in Hanoi than an 8-hour train journey up north towards the Viet-China border to a place called Sapa...  If you have time google it!! I hope to stop on the way back and visit a Moon Bear Sanctuary in Tam Dao National Park help out where I can.

Just added a few photos....



Sunday visit.. We travelled 70km on Ho Chin minh "Highway" to visit my nephey and his family. A great day out and trully fantastic experience on the Vietanamese Roads. Great fun, hospitality to the max!1

Hup, Nam's wife has to be the best cook around. Subtle tastes put together to perfection....

Nam's father in law. Has been there and done that. 75+ and going strong specailly when he shows on the battle scars he suffered during the vietnam war.  Great old fellow. Keep him on your side!!

Visiting the Le Vua Temples and burial grounds. Le Vua was a Vietnamese King that battle the chinese to return Vietnam to the vietnamese people... That was many hundreds of years ago (sorry for the lack of precise historical knowledge)..

A giant fig tree. At least 300 hundreds years old, on the grounds of the temple.

Some of the dedicated pagodas or temples to the king and his family

Great carvings

Learn Vietnamese and you will know more about Le Vua than me...

Street shops as they often look around the place

One of the many larger rivers flowing through the land

Changing subject... and back to TH but this time we are talking vegetables..  The TH True Vegetable project if goes well will be a big hit in a country with 90 million people and many mouths to feed...  Due to open early in the year and I hate to think I'll miss the big party.....

Tunnel houses, 200 metres long by about 30 wide will each house 150 or so 30 metres long vegetable beds. 

Beds begining to get built. Peforated plastic, gravel than coconut straw as the growing medium..

like this above

almost ready but there are at least 15 of the giant tunnels and many more to be built...

coconut straw bales

But that is how the snmall farmers do it. there are 1000's of these little fields growing a mix of crops from vegetables to cassava to sugar cane .....

A rice field lying fallow and begining to get worked for the next spring planting..

This is only a 100 cc scooter

another..

and another with dad in helmet and kids with lovely soft hats...

After a morning works at the quarantine farm. Hard work treating "many" percent mastitis in the new heifers. 

Official at a function some time ago. To the right is the Chairwoman..

Good Bye!!