Girl Time

I had the day off again (long story) and decided to spend it with me, myself, and I.  I wasn't feeling particularly well (I think I'm getting this five-week cold that everyone who comes here apparently gets), but I forced myself into the gym and afterwards decided to check out the highly acclaimed Women's Museum.  No one I've talked to has been there, but they've all been raving about it, so I thought I'd scope it out.  Let's take a nice, long xe om ride there, shall we?

Ah, the open road. Parental units, don't think about where my hands are while filming this.

Time for some seriously strategic maneuvering. Brace yourself for the part where we go perpendicular to the flow of traffic.

Wooh!  We made it.  Traffic's getting craaaaazy with Tet right around the corner.  Everyone's taking two-hour lunch breaks and returning loaded down with bags of gifts.  Drivers also seem more concerned with the impending festivities than with keeping themselves (or me) alive.  But decorations spill out of the stores and onto the streets, radiating from the shops' front doors, permeating the entire city and sneaking jubiliation into your subconscious.

From behind, it looks like the tree's driving the motorcycle. :D

The museum is elegantly designed and laid out very accessibly.  We start with marriage and the various rituals of the different tribes, depending on whether they are patrilineal or matrilineal.  The displays of wedding garments and gifts demonstrate the importance placed upon matrimonial rituals.  This exhibit is followed swiftly by one on childbearing...we're going to scoot right on through this one.

Wedding album.

Traditional wedding garments.

Bridal veil and headdress.

Bridal veiled headdress of the Black Thai.

"Master bedroom" of the Black Thai.

And then comes traditional women's roles within the family: cooking, weaving, pottery and teaching their children how to do the same.

Look at all those hoes!

Loom.

Weaving...stuff.

Next there was this really cool, slightly disturbing, somewhat awkward exhibit on women's roles during the American (Vietnam) War.  The women here took active roles in the military, on the homefront, and even as spies.  One of the latter was hailed in the exhibit for infiltrating enemy (American) ranks and praised for causing deaths within these.  It was odd to be put in this situation: impressed with the achievements of these women but slightly put off by the fact that their lauded actions killed Americans.  I felt like I was walking on eggshells through the whole exhibit, like I'd be caught behind enemy lines if I didn't tread carefully.  Despite these feelings, this was actually my favorite section of the museum.  It told the stories of heroic women, including some who'd been imprisoned in south Vietnamese camps in tiger cages, tortured with nails driven through their fingers, and still maintained hope for themselves and their political ideals.  There were also some really cool propaganda posters, many of which I've seen updated and posted around Hanoi during Vietnam's 11th Party Congress, which took place earlier this month.

This might be the scariest picture I've ever seen. But it's of political and technical training for clandestine missions, like those of the lady spies.

Brightly colored propaganda posters.

"Ever Vigilant."

I love this one! "Work well. Train well." These chicks are hardcore.

Of course, they had to put in a fashion section, and of course, I went gaga for it.  The clothes are so varied and lush, whether with complicated patterns or a simplicity that speaks of sophistication.

I'll take one of everything, thank you very much.

And then I hoofed it halfway (well, maybe more like fifthway) across the city back to the Temple of Literature to check out these amazing calligraphy scrolls, which appeared overnight and will be gone after Tet.  I'm dragging Roman along with me next time to act as translator, so I can load myself up.

I kind of really like these practice strokes on newspaper. Maybe next time I'll see if she'll just give them to me. :)

This guy was free-handing all those intricate works behind him.

This guy was awesome! He must have been a hundred and fifteen, and the coolest gentleman I've ever seen.

After my long solo day, it was wonderful to see some familiar faces.  The guys and I were invited to dinner with a lovely Australian couple (Aussie Sue and Aussie David) and their son and new Vietnamese daughter-in-law, who is terribly friendly and wears a mischievous grin when you catch her in just the right light.  Dinner was amazing and non-Vietnamese. :)  I'm greatly enjoying Vietnamese food, but I miss the variety and ease of accessibility found in the States.  At this point, I'm basically doing one Western-ish meal to every three or four Vietnamese meals.  I'm craving something homey at the moment, so I think I'm going to have to satisfy that need very shortly.

Today's highlight probably occurred during my long walk.  I realized that I distinctly recognized seventy five percent of my surroundings along the way.  It's nice to know that I'm beginning to familiarize myself with and recognize the different areas of the city.  Soon, I won't even need the giant map that glows like a neon sign reading "Yes, I'm an even bigger tourist than I might appear at first glance."