Obamarama and Krazy Weather

It has been interesting living in Vietnam and listening to people's thoughts on our new President. His name seems to be gold here and now the entrepreneurial Vietnamese seem to be trying to cash in on it. In fact, just around the corner from the U.S. Embassy a new karaoke joint was just built (the Vietnamese LOOOOVVVVVEEEEE karaoke). The name of the new establishment you ask? Obama Karaoke. I truly wish I had a camera right now to post a picture of the sign outside. Alas, our camera is with my cute wife and adorable kids on the other side of the Pacific ocean. But to describe it, the words Obama Karaoke are in a gothic white script on a black sign. Below that sign is just the word Obama in blue neon lights. Talk about classic.

As for the weather, today in Hanoi it reached a high of 94 degrees (tomorrow will be 91 degrees). Yes, you read that right and no Hanoi isn't South of the Equator where it is currently summer. It is still "winter" here in theory. I love seeing people all bundled up on their scooters zooming around town. On the ride to a meeting in the middle of the day today I felt like yelling out the car window "It is 94 degrees! What are you doing in a winter parka???"

This winter has been incredibly warm here as contrasted to last year's cold winter. (I know if it never snows here it can't get too cold right?) Well, we are in Northern Vietnam and it isn't the tropics. In fact, on a recent work trip to the Chinese border I was informed by some government officials that in one province alone 13,000 water buffalos died last year due to the cold. Those poor water buffalos just couldn't adjust to the cold weather and keep themselves warm. Luckily, that was last year and not this year, since we are now celebrating the year of the water buffalo. Talk about a potential for some serious bad karma.


For the record, we love water buffalos! They are so mellow and extraordinary (they aren't as cool as elephants but definitely "splendid" - to use a British-ism). They were also the only thing that kept us from going unhinged on our tragically long bus rides in Laos. Xander loved spotting the "buffwos" as he called them and it helped pass the time.