Our tour guide Tho and his wife, son and mom. This son stayed home to entertain us with American Rafi songs. They live in a Hanoi suburb high rise apartment building built by the Army. The Army builds them for officers who can then sell them.

We went to the ceramics village and talked to this man and his wife who no longer make ceramics but had stories from the 1950’s when the communists confiscated all their acreage and buildings including this lovely 1903 home, the only part they got back after two years of living in their barn. The bed behind him was the only furniture left but they had hidden the family portraits and other items. His wife was very strong willed and now capitalizes on the cooking lessons she was sent to by her mother-in-law in order to cook for their extended family. Now she makes money doing it.

Above he sketches the ceramic mural, the man on left applies clay to add dimension and far left is a leaning one getting glaze. Then they are cut into large tiles and fired. Below is a Swedish artist there for awhile, now living in India where 10 workers crank out his art and then it’s shipped to Sweden to sell.

Below on the boat in Ha Long Bay. The vegetables were works of art.

Don’t try this at home.

Ha Long Bay Caves.

View from one of our portholes.