Viet Nam Pictures - July 2008 - Album 2

Visited Hue, ancient King's palace, from King Gia Long to King Bao Dai. (1802-1945). Stayed at Huong Giang hotel. The view is calm and peaceful. Coffee in the morning w/ beautiful scenery.

VN pictures - July 2008

I went home to visit my Di Hai, the only close relative I have left in VN. Our house looks so tiny now, compared to everything else around. I no longer recognize the street.

Our house is now used as a boarding house for nuns and students who need to study or be in Saigon. Most of them come from Phan Thiet or the Central. It's a good thing, the young nuns look after Di Hai, keep her company, bath her as she's in a wheelchair. I'm so grateful for these people are taking care of her.

I really miss Di Hai now that I'm back. So much memories in that house.

Besides doing the 1-week tour in Hanoi and visited my aunt, I went for an adventure ride with Sister Cecilia. We hired a driver, guide, and van, going from Hanoi to Nghe-An, Phi Loc, a small rural town in North VN. Here we distributed bicycles and sandals for poor children.

I also visited Bishop Paul Hoan's pigs farm in Phan Thiet http://www.bacaixahoi.org/history.html to see the work he did to help the poor in that village. We played music to raise money for his cause too.

I also visited Sis C's boarding house, where our VN Dream For Success (VDS) charity gig money goes to. The money provides scholarships for poor girls who get good grades, poor family condition, and had already been accepted to college but have no means of financing.

Everywhere I went I was so touched by the simplicity, hospitality of the people and the innocence of the children.

I really left my heart in VN!

Please see article(s) I wrote for details (and how you can help if you wish to.)

http://heohocbong.multiply.com/journal/item/1/Sandals_and_Bicycles_

Thanks for visiting! I'll post more pictures soon!

Que-Huong

H'mong Teenagers Singing - Sapa, VN.

July 2008. While I climbed Dragon's Jaw mountain Sister Cecilia stayed behind and made new friends... (I don't think she likes climbing!) When I came back I saw her talking with a bunch of students and got them singing in both H'mong and Viet languages. The song is a popular religious song.

National War College - Class of 2008 Graduation

QT's graduation. Ft. McNair. Washington, DC.

I don't know what she studies but she has to be in same class w/ all these good looking officers in uniforms. Must be very difficult to study under these conditions! lol

I'm very proud of her. She doesn't just sings, and play music, she does...uhm...other stuffs too, whatever they are...(I've never heard of this college before until she told me she got accepted to it, and all this time it's in DC!)

Congratulations Sis!

Pope John Paul II - 1920- April 2, 2005

Just sharing thoughts on my one hero. 

 

In the world where you get so turned off reading the newspapers filled with violence, killing, stealing, more killing...I remember every time I saw news about Pope JPII in the newspaper, it would be good news for me, a ray of hope for mankind.  (Except for his funeral of course  I mourned him as millions of people around the world.)

 

He was an athlete (soccer), a nature-lover, a writer, a poet...loved the arts & theater.  He loved the media and took advantage of it to broadcast peace and love. I remember news about the Berlin wall being brought down, reuniting East & West Germany, and later read about the significant roll he played in it.  I remember the news when he was shot, and I remember the news when he seeked his shooter and forgave him.

 

Pope John Paul II was my favorite Pope and my hero. His legend lives on for me.

I'm glad I got a chance to be in Rome, and to shake his hand (!). 

 

Mother Theresa is my other hero!

 

The attached pps slide is in French... but pictures paint a thousand words.

 

Have a wonderful day!

Attachment: Lolek001.pps

Isabelle Boulay - Mieux qu'ici bas live

Mieux Qu'ici Bas haunted me the very first time I listened to it, many years ago, when I first listened to Isabelle Boulay, a beautiful Canadian singer.

Just found some of her clips on youtube. :)

She has that...voice, I can't explain it. It can go country (like Jamais Assez Loin) or like Edith Piaf.



http://www.isabelleboulay.com/ - under Discographie Mieux Qu'ici-Bas CD is my fav. :) You can listen to the whole thing here.

Take a listen to:
- Jamais Assez Loin (simple guitar playing, Roy Orbison-ish)
- Mieux Qu'ici-Bas (better than the live or video version)
- Nos Rivie`res (love piano & accordion), beautiful lyrics too! ("live often, the day to live is now...")

Aquarius - 5th Dimension

I get to listen to an original a friend just wrote
http://tuangs.multiply.com/music/item/44 and it reminded me of the hippy time.

Then yesterday after working out, one of the parents, he must be close to 60, came out and talked to me. We shared the same feelings about broken bones while working out. :) I told him I have to be real careful now w/ my hands, I already broke both my wrists, and I really can't afford since I want to play the piano. He asked what type of music I play, and we talked a little...

Then he took over the conversation. His eyes gleamed and his face beamed with such happiness... he said he used to play in a rock band. A bass player. He dropped out of college to be a serious rocker. :) He and his friends competed in Washington D.C.'s Battle Of The Bands, out of 120 bands, and his band won first place!! After that they toured up and down the East Coast... He said the song they played to win was Aquarius by 5th Dimension. It was a difficult piece to play from beginning to end.

I have forgotten how much I LOVE Aquarius. The song is so energetic and brings out the hippy, free, live and let live feel. I did go see the play "Hair" w/ my sister (and the actors and actresses were all naked in the one scene! lol!) but the best performers for Aquarius, I think, is still the original, 5th Dimension.

I think this man must have a great time playing bass on this one. Check it out, take a listen...1/2 way through... :)

2/12/08
(Words by James Rado and Gerome Ragni: Music by Galt MacDermot)

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revelation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars
This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
Age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

[Instrumental and tempo shift]

Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in
Let the sunshine, let the sunshine in, the sunshine in

[Continue to end with concurrent scat]

Oh, let it shine, c'mon
Now everybody just sing along
Let the sun shine in
Open up your heart and let it shine on in
When you are lonely, let it shine on
Got to open up your heart and let it shine on in
And when you feel like you've been mistreated
And your friends turn away
Just open your heart, and shine it on in