Stone Carvings Village

The crafts in Hanoi I find just amazing so taking the opportunity to see as much as possible while in Hanoi I went along with a group of ladies from the International ladies group to visit a stone Village near the 5 Marble Mountains, also known as Non Nuoc Fine Arts Village, where nationwide and worldwide famous handicraft works are produced. Located in Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District. Non Nuoc Stone Village has a three or four-hundred-year history which wouldn't surprise me at all.

When we arrived at the village the group wondered through alleys where taken to three houses which had a due purpose of a workshop for the stone carving. We where shown the process that takes place from start to finish of the carving of a piece of stone. Some pieces where many pieces clued together and others carved from a single piece of stone that must have taken hours to do nothing goes to waste. I found the process interesting and even had a go at carving a peace of stone myself. I don't know how the carvers sit for hours working. The stone its self is only found in a small location and is very soft, when cut the stone produces a thick talc power dust which I am sure inst that good for the lungs and even so I didn't find to many carvers wearing masks. Visiting the village I found this time old technique passed down from generation to generation very interesting.

From out of the ground to a show piece, its amazing with a skilled crafted persons hands what can be created.

Picture: Some boys that followed us around

Picture: One of the workshops

Picture: Two men cutting the soft stone by hand

Picture: Pieces of stone ready to become carved boxes

Picture: A young boy carving a piece of stone

Picture: A boy carving a piece of stone by hand

Bat Trang Ceramic Village

Taking a tour anywhere in Vietnam I have found very interesting and you could say the latest half day tour I took with my friend Nicole sent us potty.

We decided to join one of the Hanoi International Women's Club outings for the morning which lead us to Bat Trang Village to see all types of pottery.

The tour was lead by two of the French women who had recently published a book on the subject of pottery of Vietnam. With a little information on the making of the pottery we where free to roam one of the market places. After a while my eyes started to hurt as there was so much to see, roaming around one hour didn't seem enough time to view all on sale.

It turns out that Bat Trang is the most famous and long-standing pottery village in Vietnam

Some information I found was according to a legend, the village was first called as Bach Tho Phuong before its name was changed into Bat Trang Phuong. According to some archaeological documents, plenty of pottery items has been discovered at many old relics and monuments built in Ly Dynasty. Sir Nguyen Trai, a great politician, strategist, diplomat and poet, wrote in his Du Dia Chi Book at the beginning of Le Dynasty that Bat Trang used to provide 70 sets of bowls and plates as tribute paid for China. This fact proves that pottery items were very sophisticated in the past from this area. At present, pagodas and temples in Vietnam still have carefully-carved incense burners and lamp stands, which were made in the 16th century (for example Boi Khe Pagoda in Ha Tay Province).

I can honestly say that a morning of viewing so much pottery & ceramics doesn't make me an expert on the subject but I sure now know what styles I like and what I don't. I think this village will be somewhere I would like to come back to walk around when there is more time.

Picture: Ladies listening to information about the ceramics

Picture: Show room at one of the ceramics shop

Picture: Nicole & Bernadette on the tour



Picture: Main gate to shopping area

Picture: Some ceramics stalls in the village


Picture: Some of the ceramics


Picture: One of the buildings where the ceramics is fired



Picture: Some ceramics drying before being fired

Picture: A man delivering some large ceramic vases

Food Shopping

Where to shop for our day to day items? Is always a question I have to ask myself when doing the weekly shop. I have found Hanoi is an easy place to shop in compared to other places we have lived. Oh how I wish for a Coles or Safeway supermarket to do the one stop shop.

If you want to buy local items the prices are quite cheap its when you look at the expat lines that's when costs do add up. In the local area of Tay Ho or Ho Tay which ever way you want to pronounce the area name we have a number of options for shopping depending on the item we are looking for. There seems to be a mini mart on every street so hunting through them becomes a bit of hit and miss afair when you want to find something. The same old story applies when you see an item you grab it as next time it may not be there when you want it.

Picture: Syrena Shopping centre has a small supermarket

Picture: Ls Place a local mini market stocking a good selection of expat lines

Picture: One of the local hardware stores


Picture: One of the local fruit stalls


Picture: A flower seller

Picture: A local broom seller in front and a kitchen wares seller in back

A part from the local stores there is also a number of street sellers who wonder around the area with carts or bikes selling a number of items which is quite novel to see. How much they can fit on their mode of transportation will depend on the items they are selling.

Depending on the exchange rate costs seem to be changing all the time so I never really know the correct cost I am actually paying for an item. Then if it is not in the local currency of Dong its in USD so then I have to convert into Australian dollars to see how much I am actually spending.

Here is a sample of what some items cost to buy

Can of corn $1.26, 4 x 190ml Milo drinks $1.20, 2 Chicken Breasts $6.20, 1 lt long life milk $2.69, Shaving Cream $2.60, Palmolive Shampoo $1.33, Sour Cream $2.66, Tasty Cheese 500gm $8.00, Roast Lamp $30.00, small jar of Vegemite $10.00

The question I have is that in USD or Australia dollars? Where's a Coles supermarket when I want one?.........................................................

What Will Be Will Be

We have been in Vietnam since May and I can say that we have settled in quite well. I think we all have made the adjustment to living in a new country once again quite well.

So let me tell you a bit of information about where Ben works.

The Project is located in a mountainous region approximately 160 kilometres west of Hanoi near Ban Phuc Village in Son La Province, in the north-west of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, at latitude 21.19° longitude 104.33°. The nearest towns are Hat Lot, approximately 30 km to the northwest, and Bac Yen, approximately 25 km to the east. The nearest major population centre is the provincial capital Son La approximately 55 km to the northwest.

The challenge of working in nickel, the difficulties of start-up and the location have been something that Ben has enjoyed very much.

One thing that when you work in the mining industry is that you are always expecting the unexpected so as you will read below from part of the news release is that for us this was some unexpected news;

"Toronto, Ontario - September 26, 2008, Asian Mineral Resources Limited("AMR" or the “Company”)(ASN-TSX Venture)announced that development activities on the Company’s Ban Phuc nickel project will be suspended effective October 1, 2008. The Company has been unable, as the result of a combination of factors, including current market conditions and uncertainties regarding Vietnamese government policies on nickel concentrate exports, export tariffs, royalties and taxes, to obtain commitments to provide the financing required for project completion so as to permit work to continue as scheduled. The suspension will be implemented in a manner designed to maximize the value of expenditures to date, maximize cash conservation, minimize the costs of project completion on a delayed basis and provide AMR with a sufficient opportunity to resolve the various Vietnamese issues and to continue discussions and negotiations with potential providers of the required finance, including major shareholders."

So what does that mean for us? At the moment it is business as usual, Ben goes to work, Paige goes to preschool and I do my day to day thing. To be honest who knows what will happen and who knows how long that will mean we are in Hanoi for, but isn't that all apart of the adventure? I find myself saying "I will put it out to the universe and it will provide"

Here are some pictures from Ben's work and the surrounding area

Picture: Camp in the foreground and mine in the back ground on the hill

Picture: The camp under going construction

Picture: Ben's temporary office

Picture: Two of the camp staff

Picture: View from the camp mess


Picture: Children playing in rice field below the camp




Picture: Three local children by the river


Picture: Lady rice harvesting

Picture: Lady operating rice thresher

Picture: The device used in rice threshing

Picture: Water buffalo

Picture: People working in the fields. Ban Phuc village in the background





Picture: Mango sellers on the road between the camp and mine

Pink Buses, Brides And A Disco Taxi

One of the best parts about living overseas is making great friends. When friends come to visit it is great showing them around and sharing your experiences and creating fond memories.

"The Steer Family", Jillian, Shane, Abbey and Taylah are some of the friends who we met when we where living in Mongolia who now are back in Australia.

Walking through the old quarter is a must when coming to Hanoi, the sights, the sounds and the shopping is something that goes hand in hand. Fitting is some culture is easy with a stop at the Museum of Ethnology and catching a show at the Water Puppets.

I think the dodging the pink buses, seeing the brides and our disco taxi driver on a trip back from the city will be something that we will all remember from the Steers visit to Hanoi. It was such a treat for us to catch up with them all, I wonder what part of the world we will be catching up again next time , only time will tell.........................................

Picture: The Steers standing in front of the red bridge in Hanoi

Picture: Jillian consulting the guide book for information on the red bridge

Picture: Jillian and Bernadette heading off for a ride

Picture: Bernadette taking Abbey for scooter ride

Picture: Bernadette taking Taylah for scooter ride

Picture: Abbey, Taylah & Paige

Picture: The Steers and the Playfords out to dinner

Picture: A bride and groom at the Museum of Ethnology

Picture: Taylor, Abbey, Jillian and Shane sitting in a long house

Picture: Taylah, Abbey and Paige with her new dress on

Picture: Jillian & Bernadette having pina coladas at Hotel Playford