Beer + Snow = Canada

Even though it’s springtime in America, it’s still snowing in Alberta, Canada. And it’s cold. Like -20 degrees cold. I came up to Canada to visit some family and to get in some snowboarding since it’s considered a winter sport in the states. We flew out to the city of Calgary and went to Banff, one of the top places in the world for skiing/boarding. They never stop skiing until May! When I first stepped foot in Canada, I didn’t know much about the country except for the fact that there was a lot of snow and there was a lot of beer.

Remember that Molson beer commercial, "I AM CANADIAN!"

After my trip I learned that Canadians love to recycle, they have universal healthcare, they breathe in the cleanest air, most are bilingual (French and English!), the legal drinking age is 18, they are obsessed with hockey, and their money is worth more than ours…AUGH! What’s going on America!?!

Oh yeah, and they use the word "aye" a lot; for example, "sorry about that, aye?", "are you enjoying yourself, aye?", "do you want some Molson beer, aye?"

Story of the day:

My brother broke my uncle’s knee when falling off the ski lift. They’re both advanced skiers/boarders who ride black diamonds…But they ended up getting hurt on a beginner’s lift. No comment…

The main lodge

This is the view from inside the hotel breakfast area. The Canadian Rockies!

Picture at the Ski out

So high up, we’re into the clouds

Lam and Alan on the lift…

There’s a camera at the top of Lookout Mtn. that snaps a picture and links it online. My brother timed this perfectly for himself but then his friend was late and saved the picture when I went. Whooo!

Lam

"Denny’s"

Final picture of the Canadian Rockies. This is an actual picture from a trail

This is the most dangerous trail. You have to bring your own shovel and flashlight just incase there’s an avalanche. People die on this!



Auntie and me

Drinks after a day of skiing/boarding

Canada isn’t too shabby, aye?

Vietnam: underwear with pockets

I probably got you reading this post because of the subject line. YES, there are such things as underwear with pockets. And NO, I did not use them…However, my relatives really wanted me to when I traveled to Vietnam in February. In the past, many tourists were pick-pocketed while roaming the streets. So to avoid that, some smart guy invented underwear with pockets (please refer to picture below)! I believe there is enough room for your passport if you really try to squeeze it in there…

Look at the Vietnamese $$ in the pocket!

I flew in to Saigon (I should really call it Ho Chi Minh City…but I feel like I’m supporting the commies if I do) right before the Lunar New year so I was able to enjoy the festivities. I later flew to Da Nang and visited Hoi Anh and Hue. I was really excited to meet my distant relatives, especially my great grandfather. He’s 100 years old!! No lie!

He’s right in the middle

My great aunt and her dogs…They are pets, not dinner!!!!

A typical market place in Hoi Anh

Hue

Final thoughts:

This was my first time traveling back to the motherland. I finally got to see where my parents grew up and where they walked "one mile to school in their broken sandals, in the monsoon windy rain". Remember that scene from Forest Gump? Traveling right before the New Year allowed me to see the decorated and lit streets of Saigon. To be honest, it was more festive than Christmas in America. Every night, there was live music provided by a 100 person band that occurred right in center city. There were flower and bonsai displays and trees were wrapped in colorful twinkling lights. Many banners were hung saying "Chuc Mung Nam Moi," which means Happy Lunar New Year in Vietnamese. Everything was basically decorated in red and yellow (kinda like how everything is decorated in red and green for Christmas).

The streets of Saigon at night

One banner

Flowers

Being a major tourist. MAJOR

Pros:

VN has great seafood, especially their crab and super sized shrimp (imagine mini lobsters). The dollar vs. the Vietnamese dollar is 1 to 15,000. Can you believe that?! If you bring $100 USD there, you’re basically a millionaire. Vietnam also has many scenic areas to see. I wasn’t able to see Ha Long bay but I hear it is gorgeous. Maybe next time!

Seeing Vietnam also made me really interested in visiting other parts of Asia. I hope to visit China, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korean one day. Soon.

Cons: It’s a hot, third world country. Saigon is typically in the high 80’s during the winter so imagine what it’s like in the middle of summer. Traffic in Saigon is WORST than L.A., except that it’s with mopeds instead of oversized SUVs. On a side note, you should never assume that what you’re eating is clean (avoid raw vegetables and ice). All of my friends and family that visited told me to pack all sorts of pills and medication. I didn’t understand the degree of the matter until I saw my aunt and uncle get sick after a dinner feast. Thank God for Cipro.

Traffic!