Thaipusam, Kuala Lumpur

Thaipsuam
Ron and I ventured out on the eve of Thiapusam to see witness the festival where over a million spectators and devotees came over a 5 day period.
Thaipusam is an Indian holy festival where devotees fast (vegetarian) before the festival and then spend all night in thanksgiving for prayers answered during the year. Men line up to have their heads shaved and applying sandalwood to cool themselves. Working themselves into a trance by the river to purify themselves, they then make their way to the entrance of the Batu caves and up the 272 steps to the temple.
Lead by what looks like a small band (beating drums); they smash coconuts and chant "Vel, Vel". Most spectacular of all have to be the kavadi carriers, who subject themselves to body piercing as a sign of devotion. Like firewalkers, the truly devoted manage to pull metal cages, hooked to their backs through bare skin with no signs of pain. Others weigh down their piercing hooks with limes. Some even pierce their tongues and cheeks with spikes (women also do this). The trance-like state is said to prevent them feeling any pain, and later (at the top of the Batu cave steps) hooks and skewers are removed and treated by priests with holy ash and lemon juice, leaving no scarring – adding to the mystery of this frenzy of worship.
Ladies normally carry milk in aluminum pots (pal kudam) on their heads as an offering. Couples, who are thankful for the safe delivery of a child, carry the child in a yellow sarong strung between sugar cane stalks.
it's a 10 minute walk from the river to the entrance of cave. But, it sometimes takes hours depending on the crowd and how much they stop to dance or rest.

Ropes attached to devotees body with hooks through his skin.

woman throwing coconut into fire for cleansing

Lead by drums, devotee carries heavy load topped with peacock feathers. Below, body piercings.

shaving head before

Entrance to Batu caves

women in yellow seeking offerings/donations. Man sitting on a bed of nails and under his feet. Pay him a little and he will offer a prayer for you and put a bracelet around your wrist.

child crying; woman in trance with spear pierced through her mouth.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Picture top left, view from cyclo ride (motorbikes everywhere, carrying everything imaginable from pigs, to 3,4 or 5 people, to crates so loaded down, you wonder how they can drive). Top photo on right, view from street in front of our hotel. Great boutique hotel- right in the middle of a narrow busy clothing market. Photos on far right, propaganda posters still being used around the city by the government.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Exploring the streets of the old quarter- there are 36 streets, each selling a certain product. On one street every store sells silk, another street just shoes, another vegetables, etc. There's some great shopping to be done -- a lot of unique art, embroidery and silk-- everything hand made in Vietnam and very inexpensive. Photo on top: you guessed it- dog. Many places "street food"- cooking on the street and people eat sitting in miniature plastic chairs (sized for kindergartners) or stools. We had some great meals.

Hanoi, Vietnam

On our last day, Drew and I ventured out to see the temple of literature- a courtyard with ponds and gardens that date from 1070. Stone tablets with ancient writings, and of course a temple shrine.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Visited the army museum, which was good to see but so sad to see how poorly preserved the "artifacts" were from the Vietnam war (which Vietnamese call the "American" war). The plane wreckage was a jumble of a few scrap planes that were shot down put together. Below, a prison used by the French during their occupation- and was also used during Vietnam war to hold the American POW pilots, also dubbed the "Hanoi Hilton".
We also went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum ("Uncle Ho" they call him)- where this former communist leader is preserved / embalmed-- very strange-no cameras allowed- we were allowed to walk past him but if we paused, we were prodded along by the guards. When we left, mom slipped and fell. Ron joked that he was going to get her a t-shirt that said "I fell for Ho Chi Minh". ha ha

Hanoi, Vietnam

With mom and Ron in town, Andrew and I decide to go on a last minute trip with them to Hanoi, Vietnam. It is very eye opening-- a trip not to miss. Absolutely nuts to take a 2 year old, however we survive the trip mostly with Andrew riding on my back in a baby backpack. I didn't see a single child in a stroller there. The sidewalks are narrow and are where people park their motorbikes. To walk across the street, you simply close your eyes and go, not making eye contact with anyone for fear that you'll be run over! Andrew the most part is excellent-- with a few 2 year old-type tantrums thrown in just for fun! There are cyclos to ride in (mainly for tourists) for about 20,000Dong, or $1.30US for an hour.

Melbourne

A few of the sites around the city. They had record temperatures while we were there (over 100 degrees)-- did I mention that the hotel had NO A/C! Oops- who would think to ask that?! Finally cooled off on our last night there! We enjoyed the city tram system which was free most of the time. Drew napped a lot in the stroller while we explored the city! Photo bottom right: many alley ways have cafes - this is one- but oops, they were closed when I took the photo.: )