Rachel with Brent's host sister on the boat at Ha Long Bay.
Motor-by vendors, trying to sell us bananas for 5 bucks. $5?! Who do you think we are, tourists?
Rachel & Brent with Brent's host father & brother
A colorfully-lit cave at Ha Long Bay.
Ha Long Bay is well-known for its unusual rock formations. Quite stunning, really, and they go on and on.
People actually live here, year round.
Commuting by boat?
They say these two big rocks are kissing. But I think our boat's dragon head might eat them first!
They served an amazing lunch to us on board the ship, with so many different kinds of seafood.
The supermarket! Fresh seafood soon to be on our plates.
Anyone know the English word for these? Kind of like big shrimp. Yum...
Dragon fruit (really, that's the name).
Vietnamese are experts at serving food beautifully.
Shrimp!
Brent, master chopsticker.
Vietnamese language lessons.
Hong Kong! Max and I flew through on our way to Indonesia. We were here for a few days.
Max and his city. He used to live in Hong Kong for 7 (?) years.
Doug and Rose, a couple I met in Hong Kong who inspired me with their social activism and lack of cynicism.
Hong Kong at night, by the bay.
When you live in the city, I guess you don't have much choice for where to dry your clothes...
The Indigenous Spirituality workshop. Over 20 participants from around Asia came together in Medan, Indonesia to discuss spirituality, the environment, and conflict/peace from the perspective of indigenous peoples. I was honored to be with them as the note-taker.
Nepali friends.
Placing seeds in the earth to symbolizing our unity and desire for growth.
Thai friends.
We all brought symbols of peace from our cultures. Guess what I brought? The Vietnamese bamboo flute. :)
Group photo.
A man from Indonesia does this amazing dance that's a mix of traditional and hip-hop.
Evening prayers with Sundanese (Indonesian) flute and voice. It's a really interesting scale, for the musicians among you... F, A, B-flat, C-sharp, E, F. Try it out.
We met with a group of Parmalin, an indigenous people near Medan.
The Parmalin started to build this house of worship when the local church (steeple seen in the background) people went at it with sledgehammers.
Lunch wrapped in a banana leaf.
We visited the ancient worship place of the Parmalin, a huge rock with several figures engraved on it.
A Parmalin man explaining the ancient rock.
The steps leading up to the worship place.
Rain? No worries when you can use the natural umbrella!
Fashionable Muslim head-scarves.
Singing by the pool...
Tea break
Anna hard at work.
singing a song from the Philippines about sexy lizards... (don't ask, I don't know)
They built this huge bonfire without any tinder. The Cherith counselor in me was wondering how on earth they were going to light it until they poured on the gasoline...
A traditional Indonesian dance.
Heading to town in an angkot.
Internet cafe--sit on the floor in a little booth. This was my roommate, from the Philippines.
A becak... good public transportation.
We visited a Hindu temple.
School of Peace students at the Hindu temple.
School of Peace refresher lecture... David is from India and a dynamic speaker.
Me, explaining something profound, I'm sure... '-)
Hong Kong, on the way home to Ha Noi.
