First days of 2010: Hanoi & Khao Yai National Park, Thailand January 10, 2010

Anise is over 8 months now and becoming more charming by the day, though also more in need of new things to play with and new places to explore. We tried giving her yoghurt recently, but she threw it up – so far it appears she cannot tolerate anything with lactose or soy. But she likes most other foods – dried peaches, mashed pears and zucchini, even some pureed meats. She also finally rolled over and got her second front tooth (8 total).

Below are also a few photos from my brief trip to Thailand last week. Since I had a week between work contracts, I took the chance to get out into nature, which I miss living in Hanoi. I visited Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. It is well managed, large, and has a lot of wildlife. Led by an excellent guide, Nai, the group of trekkers I was with saw rare hornbills, families of gibbons (monkeys that never touch the ground their whole lives), river otter, giant squirrels, lots of evidence of elephants (thought we never saw them), and a few other creatures. I thought we would be hiking too much to bring my heavy camera, so I only have a few photos from my Iphone, but it was great place.

Like father like daughter

Traveling Sherpa style

Traveling luxe style

Apparently they are not normally aggressive..though he unpicked the thread on my shirt

Guide Nai

Not my photo, but wanted you to show what a hornbill looks like.

Gibbons - there are only black and white gibbons in Khao Yai, but we saw several black gibbons with white babies, and vice versa. Again, not my photo.

Christmas in Hanoi December 29, 2009

Santa's elves

Svelte Rudolf

Rudolf's entourage

Happy Holidays from the Smuyens

Having fun December 10, 2009

Some photos from the weekend on the town, Dad’s birthday, and dressing up.

Sorry, no cake yet girl

Trying out a new cafe near St. Joseph's Cathedral - kind of goth for the morning.

Nga’s Birthday December 3, 2009

It was Nga’s birthday but Anise had all the fun preparing flowers, eating raspberries and grapes, and making her first toast.

Here's to you Mom!

I asked Co Loc to get some special flowers for Nga..and she went overboard

But Anise luuuved it

It's raining roses!

The camera loves us

Boutique hotel baby

The new G&R: Gums & Roses

Panther’s fashion show November 23, 2009

Nga took most of these photos after she was turned away at the airport Thursday night and had to spend the weekend at home while Dad went to Bangkok. We were all headed for a 3 day trip to Thailand, but on the day of departure Nga could not find her US passport. Though she still had her UN passport, the authorities denied her exit, so she returned home with Anise, now nicknamed “Panther” since she looks so good in her black outfit, and they socialized and did fashion shoots. Ready for NYC.

Tribute to Michael Jackson

Mom, do I really need this?

Anise Fashions November 11, 2009

Looking fresh and swanky after the arrival of her fashions courtesy of Hnin Hnin and Jacqueline, Nga’s co-workers.

Anise in fleece with air conditioning cranked up

Alternative view of AKA Smith showing off her aunt's line of clothing

Eating her way into her first pair of jeans

Showing her teeth and her split comb over

Begging for her first latte

Playing the thumbone

Missing Anise November 9, 2009

Nga’s Update: This past two weeks have been eventful both professionally and personally. We all went down two weekends ago to Quy Nhon town in Binh Dinh Province for the annual meeting for the global handwashing project. Then the typhoon came and we had to cancel our field trip and spend the rest of the week indoors. Stan and Anise barely made it out of Quy Nhon on Tues and my flight to Hanoi was cancelled and I had to come home one day later. Luckily he had help from the nanny and friends John and Felise (in the photos below). I was afraid Anise would forget me but she seemed excited to see Mommy and even reached out with two arms for me, which was great. I couldn’t believe how much I missed her – thank goodness for the videos her dad posted. As you will see by the pics, Dad was great and spent quality time with Anise while I was away. I tried to lift her up after seeing her Dad’s inspirational pictures but since my arms are shorter and weaker, Anise was like, “LAME Mom, LAME.”

11th Typhoon to hit Vietnam this year November 4, 2009

Filmed from the taxi on the way to the airport yesterday north and south of Quy Nhon in central Vietnam. The main road had just opened in the afternoon (to high-riding cars and trucks) a day after Typhoon Mirinae whipped through the area causing more damage and flooding than expected.  The central coast gets slammed every year with typhoons and tropical storms, but they appear to be getting more destructive and unpredictable.  Nga, Anise and I flew down on Saturday since Nga has a week-long workshop near Quy Nhon.   I came back yesterday to Hanoi with Anise, though initially we were told the roads were impassable and the airport would stayed closed a second day.  We just made the flight.  Nga says it’s still raining down there.  Very tough for many people who had their homes and fields and goods damaged or destroyed, though we saw a lot of relief efforts underway.  Click here for more info on the typhoon.

Waves of wood November 4, 2009

This is a short version of the video footage I took at the Life Resort near Quy Nhon, Vietnam over the past few days (I was holding Anise in one hand, and filmed mostly through a wet window, so apologies for the quality). It is a beautiful resort, but on the second day there the area was hit by Typhoon Mirinae. A ship sank on the rocks not far from the rather isolated resort, and suddenly hundreds of logs washed onto the beach. Within minutes people started showing up to scavenge the logs, but eventually the local police came and cleared the beach.

Life Resort Photos November 4, 2009

A few photos from the beautiful Life Resort near Quy Nhon, Vietnam,  where we also met up with our long time friend Sam Sternin, now working for the Gates Foundation.

View from our room (pre-typhoon)

Poor quality photo, but it's the best we have of us with Sam