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The Maryland Bankruptcy Center is a full service bankruptcy law firm. Maryland bankruptcy attorneys David Ruben and Stacey Rogan have handled thousands of bankruptcy matters, including chapter 7 and chapter 13 cases and together they have over 25 years experience representing Marylanders in bankruptcy cases.
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For your FREE consultation contact Mr. Ruben today at (410) 766-4044, (301)-587-8900, 877-549-0888 or use our contact form and you will receive a telephone call or an e-mail back from us right away.


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(Archived document, may contain errors) A U.S. MODEL FOR PROGRESS IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD by Alan Woods Last February, as Administrator of the Agency for International Development, I released'a report. The subject was the form and effectiveness of U.S. Development Assistance. We called it Development and the National Interest. And, sure enough , it developed a lot of national interest. There was quite a lively public dialogue, which was what we wanted. Heritage was one of many groups to give us a fair and thoughtful treatment. But there was heat as well as light. Judging from some of the headlin e s that greeted Development and the National Interest, you might think it was a case of "Administrator bites Agency." The New York Daily News didn't lead with "Administrator to A.I.D.: Drop Dead," but others came close. The Washington Post, to cite just on e example, ran a four column headline reading, "Foreign Aid Largely a Failure, U.S. Report Says." Which, of course, it does not. But some of the things the report does say, and some of the questions it asks, are just as challenging to the conventional wisd o m on development. In Development and the National Interest, we began by recognizing that successful development is a long-term process, not an overnight transformation. Foreign aid is only one of many tools for development, and not necessarily the most im p ortant one. No Easy Solutions. America took over a century to become a major industrialized society enjoying high living standards. Western Europe and Japan also developed over many generations at slow but sustained rates. In all three cases, with the exc e ption of post-World War II reconstruction aid, the development process occurred without foreign aid of any significant kind. So to expect easy, foreign aid-based solutions to today's development problems simply does not make historical sense. Even in the r elatively controlled environment here in the U.S., again and again, we've seen that earmarking billions of dollars to "fight poverty" doesn't necessarily help poor people very much. Attempting the same thing globally, where problems are more complex and t h e drains on resources far greater, is an exercise doomed to fail. Indeed, until recently, many in the development community compounded the damage. First they would cheer on leaders practicing some of the most destructive policies in developing countries: state farms, parastatal enterprises, high marginal tax rates, On June 29, 1989, some seven weeks after he delivered this lecture, Alan Woods died of cancer. Despite a long and painful illness, Alan continued to give great leadership to the Agency for Inter national Development, which he headed since November 1987. Surely no AID Administrator in history has made a more significant contribution to development policy in so short a time. This lecture reflects Alan's great vision for the agency, the gains he mad e, and the challenges he was eager to confront. Washington and the nation will miss him. Edwin J. Feulner, Jr. President, The Heritage Foundation
infringements on property rights, and untargeted consumer subsidies. Then they would use the inevitable econ omic devastation that followed to call for more poverty alleviation funds. Today, thanks in part to work done here at Heritage, the battle for ideas is being won. Marxist-Leninist state economies are no longer seen as the wave of the future. They're recog n ized for the disastrously failed experiment in compulsion and economic illiteracy that they are. But transforming ideas into action takes time and effort. We haven't gotten there yet. Yes, after years of decline and deprivation, much of the developing wor l d has awakened to the need for freer, more opportunity-oriented policies - policies that we now know are the keys to economic growth and social progress. Naive Hope. But is this reflected in official American development aid? Have our traditional developm e nt policies kept pace with reality? The record is painfully clear. In almost all of sub-Saharan Africa, for example, foreign aid has emphasized poverty alleviation projects. And treating symptoms, not causes of poverty, has coincided with declining standa r ds of human development. There may have been a time when people could sincerely believe that, if only enough foreign aid could be pumped into a country, it could solve its problems. But that naive hope has been exposed as the myth it is. The acid test of s uccessful development is not how many individual projects achieve their limited objectives. It's whether or not countries or regions are making sustained progress. Indeed, when you get right down to it, there's only one bottom line measure of successful f o reign assistance. What does it take to get countries to kick the aid habit? What makes it possible for developing countries to graduate from a state of impoverished dependency to independent growth? Vague generalizations about the gap between rich and poo r countries, the developed and developing worlds, tells us little. And they miss a vital point. Among developing nations themselves, there is a vast range of successes, failures, and object lessons from which to learn. External factors do matter. Fluctuati o ns in the global economy, natural disasters, and aid levels all play important parts in the performances of individual countries. But their impact varies considerably. Some countries simply cope better than others. The question is why? They answer is poli c y: the degree to which developing country governments encourage or discourage ten basic areas of human activity. 1) Promoting poverty. Too many developing country governments hinder the ability of low-income groups to better themselves. They keep agricult u ral prices artificially depressed to the detriment of low-income farmers and the benefit of relatively well-off urban elites. Similarly, they subsidize social service programs aimed at the elites, even while they publicly rail against the "social costs" o f adjustment. Efficient private provision of social services is also often opposed by entrenched bureaucracies. 2) Squandering natural resources. Too many governments encourage the non-sustainable use of natural resources. Either they fail to promote land tenure systems that encourage sustained use of forest, water, and soil, or they actually subsidize short-term exploitation for short-term gain.2
3) Persecuting the small businessman. In many I.DCs, government policies force normal economic activity - es pecially among the poorer classes - into nominally illegal informal sectors of the economy. This erodes respect for civic institutions and discourages the development of locally controlled, nongovernment institutions. 4) Lack of property rights. Individua l property rights of ordinary citizens are routinely ignored in many developing countries. For healthy social institutions to evolve, both urban and rural small-holders must be able to earn and hold legal title to their land. 5) Red tape vs. private enterp r ise. Bureaucratic controls over commerce in many ILDCs actively discourage new businesses and competition. 11is leaves commercial life in the hands of a privileged few working in league with the state bureaucracy. 6) Weak legal institutions. Lack of faith in the ability to enforce legal agreements with government agencies - loss of credibility in the basic system of law and contracts - is a serious deterrent to development and growth in developing countries. 7) Bad economic policies. Too few LDC government fiscal and monetary policies provide adequate incentives for private investment. Excessive marginal tax rates are often further aggravated by chronic hyper-inflation. 8) Protectionism. Living standards of the poor, and growth prospects for all, are hinder e d in many I.DCs by government protectionism. Coddling wasteful state-run enterprises or a handful of virtual monopolies owned by a small, privileged elite hurts economic growth and the poor. 9) Bad investment climate. Regulations on repatriation of earnin g s and other restrictions on local and foreign investors virtually guarantee a stagnant private sector in too many developing countries. 10) Elitist education. Lastly, education systems in some 1DCs seem more interested in grinding out the next generation o f bureaucrats intent on protecting their perquisites than on preparing their people for better opportunities and better living standards. Higher education for the few is favored rather than providing the majority with skills needed to be productive. Clear l y, policy makes a difference. Good policies can't guarantee good weather. But they can guarantee a more resilient economy - one that can better withstand the shocks of hard times and better exploit the opportunities of good times. The decisions that devel oping countries make themselves are, in the end, far more important than any we make on their behalf, however good our intentions. Given this basic fact, our study concluded that, while America's role in global development remains pivotal:
3Radically r eshaping future official assistance programs to face new realities and complement these greater unofficial American contributions to development must be both an immediate concern and a long-term national priority." Concentrating on Economic Reforms. Ameri c an resources are limited. Not every developing country is of strategic or economic importance to the U.S. And not every developing country is willing to practice the pro-growth, pro-people policies that will make aid and development work. What we need to c oncentrate on now is not only development aid, per se, but the economic reforms, open markets, and free trade that are essential to sustained development itself. It's time we reaffirmed the principle that government-to-government aid should be a transitor y bridge to private flows and self-sustained growth, not a permanent condition of dependency. In the end, the real test of U.S. development aid will be how many recipient states outgrow the need for it. And that means replacing patterns of dependency with p atterns of mutual economic benefit. That means leveraging private investment and technical assistance. In short, it means refocusing - and leveraging - our limited aid resources where they can do the most good. And where they will best serve our national i nterest. We do not need yet another layer of "new initiatives" or "new directions" piled on top of the existing back'log of often conflicting executive and legislative priorities and guidelines. What we need is nothing short of a new overall policy: a new American model for development into the 21st century. It would be American because it builds on American strengths: * * our unequalled international presence in the private sector, where American multinationals train and employ the largest single global l a bor force in the world; * * the American higher education system, which already serves as virtual "university to the world"; * * and the unsurpassed American abili ty to combine growth and prosperity with tested safeguards for the environment and health. I t would be a model, not because it would be mandatory, but because it would be a practical, rewarding blueprint for success. Because it looks to the reality of the 1990s and beyond, not to the failed policies of the past. We know what our rnistakes were. A ll we have to do is to stop making them. Moving Away From the Double Standard. We've spend billions trying to alleviate poverty by spending on its symptoms. But, at the end of the day - much less at the end of decades - the countries where people are genu i nely better off are the countries where people have evolved higher living standards through economic growth. We must move away from the current double standard that recognizes the virtues of free trade among developed nations yet encourages ILDCs to indul ge in protectionist policies that enrich a privileged elite but hold back progress for the many.
4We must make U.S. government programs collaborative with "partner" developing countries, emphasizing the catalytic financial or technical role U.S. busines s can play alongside the existing contributions of the nonprofit private sector. True partnership with LDCs requires an irreducible minimum of policy cooperation. We simply cannot alleviate poverty where the host government's own policies cause poverty. W e can't hand over American taxpayers' dollars to governments that confiscate private capital and raise barriers to private investment. But we can help create a steadily improving economic climate in those developing countries we do work with. And, by doing so, we can contribute to both their progress and prosperity and our own. A Finn New Course. Obviously, the changes required to forge a new American model for development are drastic. But, when you think about it, they're much closer to the spirit of enter p rise, opportunity, and progress that is at the heart of America's own successful development into the economic leader of the world They're also closer to the vision of the development pioneers who successfully launched American foreign aid forty years ago , and made it work so well for so long. The failure of many of our more recent policies is as obvious as it is unacceptable. After decades of drift and uncertainty, it's time to set a firm new course.

subset: commoncrawl


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In 2014 Quartet Kalos officially came into fruition, but their history is deeper than meets the eye. Two members grew up together in a small town in Sweden, and two grew up in the Midwest, two met near the Arctic Circle and three serenaded a crowd at a house concert in Paris. All four have created unique and sustainable careers in the arts.
Maria Finkelmeier (percussion), Anna K. Larson (voice), Angela Shankar (clarinet), and Sanna Andersson (cello) created the "Double It" tour in 2014 as their first project, combining their established duos "Clone Duo" and "En Vokalist och En Cellist". The project consisted of four concerts at unlikely venues in Sweden celebrating music, food, community, and sustainable living. During the tour, they spoke to the n3 music school about the entrepreneurial spirit and management of a 21st century career in music. In 2015, the quartet was granted a residency at the Scandinavian Cultural Center in Newton, Massachusetts and collaborated with New York based poet, Kathleen Kraft to create two new works for the ensemble. Performances were held at the Scandinavian Center, Aeronaut Brewing Company, and a private home in New York City.
The quartet aims to bring a fresh voice to traditional folk songs, while self-composing and commissioning new works that highlight the unique nature of this instrument combination. Laughs, fashion, wine, and chocolate may have brought these women together as friends, but a passion for art and dedication to discovery will keep them together as a musical entity.


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Local students volunteer to help Garland tornado victims
A group of students are volunteering to help people get back on their feet after a tornado damaged Garland neighborhoods.
"Very grateful. It's like finding a rose in the dessert. It's the little things in life," said Travis Koscheski, tornado victim.
The rose in Travis Koscheski's dessert this Monday morning - warm chicken fajita tacos cooked up outside a Garland rec center. He used to live in an apartment - now too unsafe for residents to return.
"I've done some volunteer work and now I'm thinking, wow, now I'm on the other end of this," Koscheski said.
Tad Long started the disaster recovery response at Good Shepherd Episcopal School in Dallas three years ago after Hurricane Sandy. The entire school pitched in collecting items and Long, with other faculty, drove them to the Northeast and set up shop with a mobile food unit.
"It's been incredible. When we talked three years ago I was amazed at the support of the community at Good Shepherd," Long said. They've responded to several disasters since, including flooding in Austin.
For the students, it's not just tacos, it's life lessons.
"These people are like you and me you know. They are ordinary people and then suddenly everything is gone," said Alena Vo, student volunteer.
Long said they'll cook and serve food all week. When this mission is over, they will prepare for whoever may need a warm meal and a little encouragement from kids after the next disaster.


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Best Western Plus Kennewick Inn
(509) 586-1332 (509) 586-0263 4001 W 27th Ave, Kennewick, WA 99337 M-Su 24hr Official site
Categories: Hotels
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At the Best Western Plus Kennewick Inn you're sure to find that little something extra. With our modern amenities and thoughtful design, the Best Western Plus Kennewick Inn will stand out among other hotels in Kennewick,WA. For the business traveler, a spacious work desk and free internet access are included in all our guest rooms to ensure you don't miss a beat while you're away from the office. For extended stays, each room provides a convenient in-room mini fridge that is ideal for drinks and snacks. We also have an in-house fitness room, so you can keep up your workout routine while you're on the road. As always, the Best Western Plus Kennewick Inn will provide you with the superior customer service that you are used to at Best Western® Hotels & Resorts.
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4220 W 27th Place, Kennewick, WA 99337 Hampton Inn Kennewick at Southridge
3715 Plaza Way, Kennewick, WA 99336


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Monster High: 13 Wishes Trailer (2013)
"Be scare-ful what you wish for" 08 October 2013 Fantasy, Animated, Music 73 mins
It's a new school year at Monster High™, and the little sister of Clawdeen Wolf™, Howleen, is determined to be more fangtastic than ever. Her dream of popularity turns out to be easier than anyone imagined when she stumbles upon a genie named Gigi Grant™ who grants her not 3, but 13 Wishes! But the ghouls quickly learn to be s-careful what you wish for because each wish comes with a dark side, and soon the student disem-body of Monster High™ is turned upside-down! Join Frankie Stein™, Clawdeen Wolf™, Draculaura™ and the rest of their creeperiffic ghoulfriends as they journey deep inside the magic lantern to save the very soul of Monster High™… while flashing their killer style every step of the way!
Watch the official Monster High: 13 Wishes 2013 trailer in HD below or find more Monster High: 13 Wishes videos on Vidimovie.


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Stock Graphic >> Object - Gold Birds 298253 by Kaazuclip @ CreativeMarket
File Size: 93.26 MB; DPI: 300 DPI.
Gold Birds - 12 pieces
12 piece clipart set for personal and commercial use includes all colors seen, perfect for scrapbooking, greeting cards, digital scrapbooks, web graphics and many more uses!
Each PNG image is 3000px X 3000px with 300dpi
What you get: ? Graphics as shown ? Sent as PNGs (transparent background) at high resolution ? Watermarks will not be in supplied files
What you should know: ? Please do not share these graphics with anyone else ? Please do not claim these designs as your own ? You are responsible for having the required software to open files sent
*For commercial usage,no additional licence is needed
Buy Now ~ $7
Gold Birds
by Kaazuclip
Keywords: gold, bird, birds, gold birds, gold bird, gold woodpecker, gold swan, gold duck, gold eagle, gold cardinal, gold parrot, gold vulture, gold flamingo, gold pigeon, gold bird flying.


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Hosts kitted out for World Cup
England will enter the home World Cup armed with a new jersey they claim is their most innovative yet.
The kit for England 2015 was unveiled at a glitzy presentation at Twickenham, the setting for all but one of the team's matches at the global showpiece which kicks off against Fiji on September 18.
Four price points of £120, £70, £60 and £55 have been set for the men's shirt - although the £120 jersey is a commemorative Test edition of which only 2,015 are available - while the junior size costs £50.
The change strip is red, with England stating that more than 220 hours of testing and over 250,000 miles of travel have gone into perfecting the design, which features the addition of a red rose that has been 3D injection-moulded.
Other innovations include contoured ball-deadening grip placement to enhance physique and position-specific fit developed through 3D body-mapping technology. Makers Canterbury insist that it is their lightest kit to date.
The new shirts lift the number of England kits released over the last 10 months to six and the Rugby Football Union has already been accused by fans of seeking to profiteer from the World Cup.
However, the RFU points out that all branding from its regular jersey had to be removed in compliance with World Cup regulations, resulting in the release of two of the kits.
The £50 cost of the junior jersey is also sure to attract criticism, although the figure is around the market standard when compared to the equivalent for the England football team.
Speaking at the 100 days to go until England 2015 event at Twickenham on June 10, RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie defended the cost of the shirts.
"The higher priced shirt is a special, different, commemorative model for the World Cup. The routine shirt, if I can put it that way, is normally priced," Ritchie said.
"We have had to bring out different shirts for the World Cup. It's wrong to look at a special edition shirt and compare that to the routine shirt, which I think is in the normal area.
"People will buy them if they want to buy them. If nobody wants to buy the one at £120 that is the call of the consumer.
"Nobody is forcing anybody to buy it, but we think it is a very special shirt. All the funds from it go back into the game."
The symbols of the Victoria Cross that were present on the rubber grip areas of the previous jersey have been removed. The inclusion of the imagery of the military medal caused controversy when the shirt was unveiled last September.
"I saw a lot of correspondence from the medal associations that didn't have any problem with it," Ritchie said.
"There were statements put out afterwards that said they didn't see any issues with it. We worked closely with them and they put out statements."
England captain Chris Robshaw was among the players to model the new kit at Twickenham on Monday morning.
"It's truly an honour to have the World Cup shirt on. Over the last three and a half, four years there's been a lot spoken about the tournament," Robshaw said.
"Of course a lot of rugby is judged on the World Cup and those are the games that people remember. To be part of one in England puts us in an extremely privileged position."


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- Ex-NRL bad boy Lodge signs with Brisbane Nov 8
- Wayne Bennett snipes at Cronulla over Bird Nov 8
- Broncos hope Bird fit for NRL 2018 Rd 1 Nov 1
- Four more years at Broncos for Boyd Oct 25
- Broncos excited by Walters recall: Gillett Oct 23
- Hiku and Love-Henry return to Warriors Oct 9
- Broncos' fresh start as chairman departs Oct 5
- Warriors sign Blair on three-year deal Oct 3
- Warriors to weigh up purchase offer Sep 27


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Fiora Build Guide by Jazzyforcefield
Not Updated For Current Season
This guide has not yet been updated for the current season. Please keep this in mind while reading. You can see the most recently updated guides on the browse guides page.
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Your votes and comments encourage our guide authors to continue
creating helpful guides for the League of Legends community.
Fiora Build
Ability Sequence
Not Updated For Current Season
The masteries shown here are not yet updated for the current season, the guide author needs to set up the new masteries. As such, they will be different than the masteries you see in-game.
You should try to get as much damage as possible with Fiora. If You end up dying too much exchange blood thirster with Infinity Edge and try a different approach instead of direct fighting. Save Flash to get out of situations and not people with it, you use lunge to do that. Farm a lot in the beginning so you are free to move almost anywhere you want later on.
Any lane will be good for a user but mid is always best if you can get it. Early kills are easy to get with the use of lunge to harass the enemy champion until it is close enoguh down to kill it.


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French service sector activity, an important pointer to economic health, showed signs of slowing further in October to hit a 14-month low level but there were signs of improvement ahead, a survey showed on Tuesday.
The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) compiled by financial information group Markit fell to 55.2 points in October from 56 in September, showing the pace of growth slowing steadily.
The index is an important leading indicator of economic performance. Any reading above 50 points to an expansion and one below to a contraction.
Markit economist Jack Kennedy said that although activity slowed, there was an improvement in new orders which could be positive for the coming months.
The index for new orders was at its highest point for six months in October, with export orders at their strongest since June, the survey showed.
At the same time, the employment situation stabilised in October and this too seemed to reflect a pick-up in business confidence, Kennedy said.


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By Chris Wilson
Chris Wilson was raised in Victoria, British Colombia. He has a BFA from the University of Victoria, and now resides in Toronto, Ontario. He is one half of the three-time Canadian Comedy Award-winning duo Peter N' Chris, who have performed in Just For Laughs, JFL 42, San Francisco Sketchiest, and have won numerous "Audience Choice" Awards at the Toronto Sketch Fest. Chris is also a member of the comedy super-group Get Some, who perform weekly shows at the Bad Dog Comedy Theatre. He has worked on the CityTV prank show Meet the Family and can be seen in the upcoming SuperChannel show What Would Sal Do?, playing a young Scott Thompson (The Kids in the Hall). Along with Peter, he is a wrier for the CBC Website "Punchline," CBC Radio's The Irrelevant Show, and the upcoming webseries White Ninja, voiced by Paul Scheer (FX's The League).


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Doctor insights on:
Supraumbilical Hernia Symptoms
Symptoms of hernia?
Depends: Hernias by themselves may be asymptomatic (produce no symptoms) or cause slight to severe pain, or just present as a bulge (especially at the groin). Some may get strangulated causing decrease in blood flow to that organ (usually bowel) and severe pain, nausea, vomiting, redness around skin may ensue. Nearly all hernias have this potential. Symptoms may also depend on the location of the hernia. ...Read moreSee 3 more doctor answers
Hernia (Definition)
The ascendence of the gastroesophageal junction into the chest above the diaphragm through the ...Read more
Symptoms of hernia in back?
Herniated disc: Back pain and sometimes numbness tingling or weakness in leg or legs. ...Read more
What are some hernia symptoms?
Variable: Abdominal wall hernias can cause pain or discomfort, often worse with activity or certain positions. There is typically a lump under the skin that represents the abdominal contents coming through the hole in the abdominal wall (the hernia). Thus lump can enlarge, and in some cases become so large it becomes difficult to fit clothes and perform your usual activities. ...Read more
What are the symptoms of Hernia?
The symptoms of Hernia include:: Protruding abdomen, Abdominal pain, Nausea, Vomiting, Lump in groin. ...Read more
What are the symptoms of hital hernia?
Usually none: HIatla hernias can be associated with heartburn and regurgitation. Only large hernias, also known as paraesophageal hernias, are asociated with significant problems eating, early satiety, vomiting, and chest pain/pressure. When symtpomatic, these larger hernias should generally be repaired by a general or thoracic surgeon with experience in laparoscopic repair. Hope this helps! ...Read moreSee 2 more doctor answers
Describe symptoms of a hernia in women?
Similar to Men: While hernias are much more commen in men, women have similar signs and symptoms. In the groin, femoral hernias are more common in women; this may create a lump in the upper/inner thigh. Furthermore, a bulge may be evident in the labia. Abdominal wall hernias (umbilical, epigastric, spigelian, etc) will be the exact same. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
What is a hernia? What are its symptoms?
Defect or hole: Hernia is a defect in abdominal wall most of the time, but more correctly abnormal protrusion of a viscus (like disc, brain etc). Symptoms depends on what type of hernia, usual groin hernias will have swelling that could be pushed inside, pain untreated will get complications ...Read more
What is a hernia? What are the symptoms?
Hole: Abdominal wall her is are a hole in the muscular wall of the abdomen, through which abdominal contents can protrude, usually fat and/or intestines. Symptoms are typically pain/discomfort, and a bulge under the skin that often goes away when lying down or with manual pressure. Your primary care doctor is a good place to start if you think you have a hernia. Hope this helps! ...Read more
Symptoms of hernia include incarceration?
Complication : Incarceration is a complication of a hernia. It means that you can not push it in anymore. It stays out. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
What can be initial symptoms of a hernia?
Discomfort: One may feel pressure or discomfort and swelling at the site. Most common location of hernias are groins or umbilical region. ...Read more
What are the primary symptoms of a hernia?
Swelling: Hernias occur when there is a weakness in the abdominal wall, there is swelling or a lump in the area, and there may be dull achy pain or heaviness. The lump usually goes away if you were to lie down. Hernias can turn serious, and that would result in severe generalized abdominal pain, distention of the abdomen, exquisite pain over the hernia and cause with vomiting. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
What are some symptoms of hernia I can feel?
Bulge: The most common finding is a bulge in the area. Sometimes it stays out or you can push in and out. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
What are the symptoms of a strangulating hernia?
Pain: A strangulation occurs when intestine gets caught in the hernia and can't get back into the abdomen. This will cause the worst abdominal pain you could imagine, both over the hernia and generalized throughout the abdomen. May be nausea and vomiting and distention of the abdomen as well. This is an emergency and a surgeon should be consulted immediately. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Please explain what are some symptoms of a hernia?
Assuming you: Are talking about external hernias, symptoms are visible bulge, pain, nausea, and vomiting. If you have any of these symptoms other than asymptomatic bulge, you should have surgical repair when feasible. Ask for a referral to a surgeon for specific recommendations. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
What are the symptoms of a hernia in women usually?
Pain and/or lump: Usually pain or discomfort, often associate with a lump felt under the skin. Chronic pelvic pain is also a possibility, but very difficult to tell for sure, as there are many causes i pelvic pain in women. ...Read moreSee 2 more doctor answers
What is a petersen's hernia? What are the symptoms?
After gastric bypass: This is also known as an internal hernia, and occurs after surgery on the stomach, typically a gastric bypass. It occurs in the space between the colon, and the small intestine, and can cause severe pain due to blockage of the blood supply of the small intestine which can twist when herniated through the space. Hope this helps! ...Read more
What are the symptoms of hernia and its remedies?
Bulge: Usually a bulge in the area. Can be pushed in an out an at times stays out. Solution is surgery. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
What are the symptoms of a cardio oesahageal hernia?
Hiatal hernia: I believe you are referring to a hiatal hernia which when small cause no symptoms. When large, they can cause difficulty swallowing, chest pain, or ulcers. These are also called paraesophageal hernias, and are often misunderstood and underestimated by the medical community. Need an upper GI contrast study, and maybe other tests to make the diagnosis. Hope this helps! ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
I have HiAtius hernia, what symptoms can this cause?
Usually no symptoms: If it is sliding type of hiatal hernia with no GERD, but also depends on size and chronicity. ...Read more
What are the symptoms of hernia in women and location?
Pain and/or a lump: Symptoms and location are usually the same as for men, but hernias in general are less common in women. See a general surgeon for a consultation for more info. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer


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Rovers suffer Woods blow
Doncaster Rovers have been dealt a blow after confirming midfielder Martin Woods has a groin injury.
Last Updated: 22/01/11 1:40pm
Doncaster Rovers have been dealt a blow after confirming midfielder Martin Woods has picked up a groin injury.
The 25-year-old suffered the setback during the warm-up for Rovers' FA Cup tie against Wolves.
Unfortunately for Woods, the expected tear is on the other side to the groin problem he has only recently recovered from.
Rovers boss Sean O'Driscoll now faces an anxious wait to find out the full extent of the injury.
"It looks like he's torn something," O'Driscoll told Rovers' website.
"He's going to have a scan tomorrow, but the prognosis is that he is going to be out for a few weeks.
"If he's torn his adductor it would mean four weeks, I would imagine. It depends how bad it is.
"After 24-hours you get more of an idea of whether he's pulled something or something is torn. It's one of those things where you think it's a tweak and touchwood it's going to be okay; but this is a bit more serious."


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HTC unveiled the first signature Windows Phone 8 smartphones, dubbed "Windows Phone 8X" and "Windows Phone 8S."
launched on by HTC to be available through more than 150 mobile operators globally
"We've been inspired by Windows Phone 8 to create new smartphones that give the platform the iconic design and personality it deserves," said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC Corporation.
HTC's Windows Phone 8X and 8S utilize a three dimensional, pure uni-body design based on the Windows Phone Live Tiles.
Windows Phone 8X sports a a 4.3-inch Super LCD 2 display with Gorilla Glass 2 protection and 720p resolution, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 16 GB of storage, and two amazing cameras: The 8MP rear camera shoots full 1080p video, while the front has a 2.1MP, 1080p-capable camera with an 88 degree viewing angle.
The 8X will come in a variety of colors including California Blue, Graphite Black, Flame Red and Limelight Yellow.
And, the Windows Phone 8S has a 4-inch Super LCD display with Gorilla Glass, allowing users to see the Windows Phone Live Tiles, and every message and photo, with crystal clarity and sparkling color, dual-core 1GHz processor, 5MP rear camera, and 4GB of internal storage. Its two-tone polycarbonate body comes in four color combinations.
The 8S by HTC will be available in Domino, Fiesta Red, Atlantic Blue and High-Rise Gray.
The Windows Phone 8X and 8S will be available beginning in November through more than 150 carriers in 50+ countries.
Here's a video from Microsoft Windows Phone spokesperson Ben Rudolph:
Here's the infomercial:


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Keep Calm
Keep Calm Check Out These Funny T-shirts! Hysterical Designs on Ultra Soft Ringspun Cotton Tees.
10 Items
10 Items
Keep Calm and Carry On With These Cool t-shirts. Funny Shirt Designs For Any Activity!
Keep Calm and Carry On was a motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939 in preparation for the Second World War. The poster was intended to raise the morale of the British public, threatened with widely predicted mass air attacks on major cities. We love the concept so much that we took it and ran with it! Not only does it make for one heck of a stylish tee, but it also is great advice in the post apocalyptic world!
Do you know someone who has just recently gotten engaged, and is looking for the perfect way to make an announcement to the world? Whether you're planning on getting the perfect congratulations present for someone special, or you just are looking for yourself, we think that you will love our classic Keep Calm and Say I Do women's slim fit tee. Not only is it a funny design, but it's screen printed on our super soft pink ringspun cotton that feels as soft as anything else on the market. Each of the items available on this page come in a myriad of sizes. If you have questions as to how they might fit, make sure that you consult the size chart link on the page.
During the last few years, we have gone from selling a few funny designs to selling dozens of them! Looking for something to wear on Saint Patrick's Day? How about when you go fishing? Do you want to tell people that you think they need more wine or cookies in their daily routine? We are here to help. Heck, if there is anything that can help people calm down, wine or cookies (or both!) will do it.
Did we mention that these cool shirts also make incredible gifts? They really do! Even if the boy or girl you have in mind is not a complete and total anglophile, we think that they'll absolute love the collection that we have for sale here on Crazy Dog.


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Melbourne Zoo
Your Benefit: Single Entry
Regular Price: Adult USD 25.33; Child USD 12.59
|Elliott Ave, Parkville VIC 3052 VIC
|Phone Number:
|1300 966 784
|Operating Hours:
|Daily 9:00am to 5:00pm
DescriptionAustralia's oldest zoo is set in lovely botanic gardens just a short trip from the centre of the city. Because its design is sympathetic to the natural environments of the animals who live here, your exploration will take you through diverse habitats from tropical rainforest to 'African' grasslands. Highlights include the Australian bush setting (where you can meet some remarkable indigenous animals), African and Asian rainforests (the former is home to gorillas and Mandrills, the latter to the magnificent Trail of the Elephants' exhibit). On summer evenings the zoo puts on even more of a show with live bands (Zoo Twilights) and special seasonal events. No wonder this is one of Melbourne's most popular attractions.
Celebrate Lunar new Year!During Lunar New Year at Melbourne Zoo not only will you be able to meet the monkeys and primates, you will be able to meet their pasionate and knowledgeable keepers.
- Baboons: 11:00am
- Mandrills: 11:45am
- Orang-utans: 12pm
- Gorillas: 12:30pm


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We're midway through a short trip to Vietnam.
This is a transcript of my daily blog.
Day 1
Given my aversion to noodle soup, humidity and (ever since I dislocated my knee playing netball),
squat toilets, South East Asia has never really been at the top of my travel list and yet, here I am, relaxing in an air conditioned hotel room in Ho Chi Minh City, recuperating from a fairly long travel day.
Several times lately, I've been asked why we chose Vietnam as a holiday destination, most recently by the dude at the car parking place last night-
" So, what takes you to Vietnam?"
With a red eye departure of midnight, I'd already had a long day so I gave the obvious answer of,
"A plane, I reckon!"
but it did give me cause to reflect on our decision making process.
It was actually a series of unfortunate events that led to this trip. Usually September is reserved for domestic travel but this year our spring vacation travel buddies are out of action while Maddy has chemo and it didn't feel right to be exploring other parts of Aus without them so we started exploring reasonably close, off shore options. Back in January, Sophie had a trip to Vietnam planned but a nasty injury to her partner put that trip on hold. And then, in serendipitous fashion, I was googling possible birthday gifts one afternoon just before Sophie's birthday and a super flight deal to Vietnam appeared in a pop up ad. Lots of people hate how the internet tracks their clicks and anticipates their every need but I quite like the way it tells me what I need before I even think of it. Killing two birds with one stone I sorted our September holidays and Soph's birthday present all in one. Of course by the time I paid for visas and vaccinations (not to mention baggage and food on the plane), it wasn't quite the bargain basement deal I started with, but c'est la vie.
We almost didn't make it onto the plane because coming through duty free we were offered a whiskey tasting. Never one to decline a free drink, I knocked back the minuscule shot in one go and in my greedy haste it caught in my throat. A coughing fit ensued and then something worse. It felt like a boa constrictor had hold of my neck. I couldn't breathe and just for a second I actually thought I might die. Luckily I had my own personal footy trainer with me and eventually some air trickled it's way back into my lungs. Dr Google tells me I suffered a laryngeal spasm. It's put me off whiskey until at least the end of this holiday!
Our flights were with Air Asia and the amount of raised eyebrows I got when I mentioned that to people had me a little worried but, apart from some general grottiness and an unfortunate incident with an unlocked toilet door, our flights today were on time and stress free. We were even lucky enough to have empty seats around us on both legs, giving us the luxury of a little more space.
A 5 1/2 hour stopover in Kuala Lumpur was tiresome but not the end of the world.
Arriving in Ho Chi Minh City in the middle of the day in the wet season is like being thrown into a maelstrom of rain and car horns and motorbikes. It's a jaw dropping experience to travel through the streets in a taxi surrounded by hundreds of motorcycles, all traveling seemingly in different directions with no actual rules as to who gives way to whom. If we thought the roundabout at the Arc de Triomphe was madness, this is a whole new level.
Because of the heavy rain, all the motorcyclist were wearing ponchos in a kaleidoscope of colours and patterns. Sometimes there were two people under the poncho, one driving and the other just sheltering, blindly oblivious to the chaos around them. We even saw the a pretty little pink sandalled foot poking out the side of one poncho, evidence of the toddler wedged between mum & dad on the bike.
We stayed at the Paradise Saigon in downtown District 1. Like most hotels in HCMC, it has its own day spa so a massage seemed like a great idea. Half an hour later, lying face down and naked with a complete stranger walking on my back, I wasn't so sure but having survived the hour long pummelling I have to admit I feel fantastic.
Sophie had read great reviews of the Cyclo Resto restaurant so we dodged the traffic, the street vendors and a couple of cat sized rats to find the little alleyway that is the Cyclo's home. There we ate, for $45 AU for the four of us, a 6 course traditional Vietnamese dinner that started with a prawn spring rolls and ended with egg coffee.
Full as googs we braved the traffic again to check out the night markets. I was once caught in a human traffic jam in Times Square on Christmas Eve - that had nothing on this swarming mass of humanity! Crossing the road is a russian roulette of mammoth proportions. You step onto the road, look straight ahead and move with purpose. Mostly the traffic then goes around you. I can't believe I have lived this long without seeing this sight before. It's like another dimension, a world I never knew existed.
I'm so glad we came.
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So, why go to Vietnam?
We're midway through a short trip to Vietnam.
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Day 2 - Risotto to Lemon Grass
Ho Chi Minh City is a hot, sticky risotto.
Our hotel had amazing sound proof windows and despite the never ceasing traffic outside, we slept like babies till about 5am when our body clocks demanded food. This was a great time to be up and about because the heat wasn't too intense.
A Vietnamese buffet breakfast is an interesting combination of rice, pho and fruit. Concessions to the western tourist trade include bacon and pancakes, making the plate look very interesting. The coffee is thick and intense. We let Taine have two cups and 12 hours later he's still pinging!
Out on the street by 7.30 we ran the gauntlet of street vendors to check out the food stall end of the Ben Tahn markets. I cannot describe the mixture of morbid fascination and revulsion evoked by the tightly packed bundles of live frogs and crabs systematically being gutted, chopped and filleted in front of us. The gutters ran red with blood as the vendors calmly went about their business, eating their morning pho with one hand while chopping up offal with the other.
Outside the market, the street paths were alive with people eating breakfast, sleeping on their motorbikes, cooking, playing cards, washing dishes in buckets, smoking, eyeing off pretty girls (a group of boys in school uniform were very excited to see Sophie walk past) and generally going about their daily business.
By 8.30am it was already unbearably hot. The smog is very thick and breathing is difficult. We'd planned to walk a bit further to the Reunification Palace but I was struggling to get to the end of the street! The humidity was so intense my camera refused to cooperate. We took refuge in the air conditioned Saigon Centre where we drank more coffee and flower tea. The shops there were like shops in any big shopping complex anywhere in the world. It was boring but cool.
Back through the markets we finally stopped to make a few purchases before heading back to the hotel to have a shower before our transit flight to Hoi an. Visiting HCMC was an unmissable experience but we were all exhausted by our 24 hrs there.
We'd been warned that domestic flights in Vietnam are sometimes unreliable and often delayed but our trip with Jetstar Pacific went without a hitch. The plane was new and comfortable and the trip to Da Nang a quick 90 minutes. What a contrast it was to walk out of the Da Nang airport and into the waiting vehicle of our Hoi an transport. There even seems to be a respected road management system in Da Nang and although there were still a lot of motorbikes and horn pressing, it was lower key and without the imminent feeling of certain death that had accompanied every minute in HCMC.
The coastal road to Hoi an is a contrast of cultures and lifestyles. Swanky, exclusive resort complexes populate the beach front, their backs and manicured lawns firmly turned on the shanty like local houses behind them on the roadside. We have no concept of how it is to live at either end of the financial spectrum, so we just drove down the middle with our mouths agape.
Closer to Hoi an we got a glimpse of rural Vietnam with people in conical hats tending the fields and roaming water buffalo (that Google tells me are only here for the tourist trade). We're staying at Hoi an Rivertown, a new hotel on the river and close to the Old Town. The welcome here was delightful- fresh fruit and nuts and juice drunk through a lemon grass straw. Our room overlooks the river and an interesting motorbike bridge whose slippery, rubber surface already has us jumping up every 5 minutes to check out the latest crash!
From the balcony we watched the rain sweep in from further up the coast and waited it out by having an excellent dinner in the hotel restaurant. A wander through the night markets and a swim reminded us that we've come here to relax, something we don't do a lot of at home.
Pictures on my blog at
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Day 3- It's Raining
It rained in Hoi an today. Not just a shower or a cloud burst but torrential, tropical, tumultuous rain that fell from the sky in giant, splashing drops (please forgive all the alliteration- the rain was seriously intense!)
After a truly amazing breakfast we had planned to walk into Hoi an to check out the shopping but because of the rain we relented and took the shuttle. Luckily we also borrowed umbrellas because by the time we reached the first stop the rain had intensified, the road was flooded and the usual dodge the motorbike game had levelled up to become dodge the traffic while wading through ankle deep water!
The downpour certainly didn't stop the main business of Hoi an which is to sell the tourists lots of things that the tourists didn't previously know they needed. Like plastic ponchos. Out of nowhere appeared an army of poncho sellers- on foot, on push bikes, on motos, out of alley ways. Even once Geoff and Taine had relented and bought one, we were constantly 'encouraged' to upgrade to another colour or better quality. It was pretty funny, especially since the head openings weren't designed for big Kiwi heads and wearing the full length plastic actually turned you into a mobile sauna. At least Geoff had had the sense to wear his jandals, I don't think my new Sketchers will ever dry.
Our first shop stop was the tailors to get Geoff a suit. 10 minutes of consultation and measuring and a couple of million dong (Viet currency) later and we were assured that the suit will be ready to try on tomorrow. There are literally hundreds of tailors in Hoi an, making any item of clothing you desire.
We waded our way up and down the streets, bartered for and bought T shirts and jewellery and leather belts, all the while politely shaking our heads at the constant stream of ladies who ask, "Where you going?", "What you looking for?", "What you want to see?"
Mostly, the street vendors and their lookouts, while insistent are not threatening like some we've encountered in places like New Orleans or Paris. We did end up paying an exorbitant amount for a bag of soggy bananas after I was foolish enough to ask one of the fruit sellers if I could take her photo. Next thing I knew Geoff and I both had fruit poles slung over our shoulders (for the record they are very heavy), the fruit lady had my iPhone in her hand and other sellers were appearing from everywhere to get in the photo and to then be paid 100,000 Dng for the bananas - EACH! Those bananas cost more than our dinner last night. Well played ladies!
By the time we sloshed home through the puddles, the rain had stopped and we took advantage of the empty pool at the hotel for a swim.
For dinner we took Trip Advisor's tip and made the short walk to Tam Phuc's where we pigged out on spring rolls, baked chicken in bamboo leaves and other delicacies, accompanied by 2 for the price of 1 cocktails.
Afterwards we were too full to do anything but sleep.
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Nice start. I always worry about lots of rain as I need to wear sneakers for stability. Can't seem to find good sneakers that are waterproof and meet my needs. Hope you got some dry weather too!
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Loving your report. We are going in April so interested in your travels.
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Thanks dgunbug- we did get lots of dry weather. I also need the sneakers for stability and I found the Sketchers coped admirably.
live42today - I'm jealous of you now. You will love Vietnam!
We struggled for good wifi the last few days so I've had to wait to post the rest of the trip.
Here it is
Day 4
Little did we know when we set off on our bike tour this morning that we would witness an exorcism and an exhumation!
The bike tour was organised by the hotel, complimentary for all guests staying more than 3 days. Our lovely guide Nih led us across the footbridge to the island of Cam Kim, home to about 5000 villagers. The footbridge has only been in existence for a few months; before this the villagers used a ferry to get across to work and shop in Hoi an. We were joined on the tour by four young blokes from Sydney, so we made quite a procession with Taine trying to keep pace with the boys up the front and me wobbling along at the back. I was relatively proud that I managed to stay upright the whole way and didn't get off to walk at all, although the narrow pathways along side the river were a little hairy and I kept expecting to get cleaned up by a moto every time we came to a cross road.
Once across the bridge we were in rural Vietnam- rice paddies and market gardens. We stopped at the boat builders and the carvers to see their craftmanship. The carvers reminded me of Te Puia in Rotorua, a carving school where the master carver was teaching the next generation the skills required to turn wood into works of art. The master told us it is becoming increasingly difficult to find boys who have the patience and persistence to learn; they would rather cross the river to work in hospitality. I guess the issue of 'grit' in young people is a global one.
For morning tea we stopped at the local market, a very casual collection of tables covered in raw meat, trays of fish and vegetables ready for the local trade. We were given rice flour and tumeric pancakes which we wrapped in rice paper and dipped in peanut sauce, all washed down with raw sugar cane juice.
The next stop was at the noodle makers and that was where the totally unexpected occurred. The husband of the noodle maker was described as the man who 'looks after the dead people'. Nih explained that according to the local religion, dead people are allowed to return to their houses for one hour on the anniversary of their passing. Because the afterlife is a boring and lonely place, the family prepare gifts for their departed loved one and it is these gifts that the man makes. They are large cardboard reproductions of things the dead person might like to take with them, like toys or clothes or, for young single men, a girlfriend or an iPhone. The family buy these gifts from the gift maker, display them in their home on the anniversary of the death and then, when the hour is up, they burn them!
We were fascinated by this most unusual occupation but our attention was a bit distracted because in the room beside us there was a clearly distressed little girl and a man who appeared to be yelling at her. Nih explained that the girl had been showing signs of being 'possessed' and a fortune teller had been bought in to see what the issue was. He had decided that there was an unsettled spirit in the kitchen and so while he exorcised the demon from the little girl in the lounge room, the grandfather was in the kitchen digging up the floor to look for bodies! Given the war torn history of the region there are makeshift graves all over the place and the fortune teller is in high demand to make sure houses are not built over the to of them. We were very worried that we were intruding on what was clearly a family trauma but the grandmother assured us it was ok and went on with her noodle making demonstration. To add just one more bizarre element, our friends from Sydney had a bit of a holiday dare going to see how many gross things they could eat, so Nih rustled up some sauce that had been fermenting with dead fish for 3 months and they dipped their noodles in that. As they were throwing up, a man came from the kitchen to whisper that the body had been found. It was a good time for us to hop back on our bikes and head home.
A delicious lunch of local beer and spring rolls by the pool helped us recuperate enough to head into town to check on the progress of our tailors. Whereas yesterday was hot and rainy, today was just hot. Mad hot. Geoff struggled to try on his suit and I actually had sweat dripping off my nose faster than I could catch it. The local people seemed totally unfazed by it and in fact many of them were wearing hoodies and jeans. Sophie picked up a playsuit she'd had made from a photo and we were so impressed with how well it was made that we all ended up with tape measures wrapped around our different bits. Who knows what we've actually ordered in our befuddled heat haze.
I guess we'll find out when we go back tomorrow.
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Day 5
It's actually hard to believe how much food we've eaten today!
We started early, at 6.30, with the breakfast buffet. The chef here does the best eggs benedict- so far our only concession to western food - and then there's the dumplings, the noodles and the fruit and Vietnamese yoghurt and today Geoff even tried the congee, a rice dish that our waitress told us is sure to fix any health problems that you have. There's so much to choose from that we have to have a game plan before we go down each morning!
At 8.15 we were picked up for our cooking tour. We sat on a corner at the market waiting for our guide and watched all the stall holders managing their day. The traffic intersections in Hoi an are amazing. There are no lights and no rules. Everyone beeps their horn as they approach the intersection and then they just weave seamlessly, like a choreographed dance, from one side to another. Although we've seen a few people fall off their bikes on the bridge, we've seen no crashes in the town, no road rage and remarkably, no squished pedestrians.
Our guide, another delightful girl called Nhi, took us to the market to buy the ingredients for our lunch. We all donned traditional cone hats and as we moved from stall to stall she gave us a lesson on Vietnamese ingredients. I struggled to concentrate because I was too busy counting the diseases we could get from the unrefrigerated meat (it was already 32C), the flies gathering in the shrimp bowls and the salad being washed in river water. Geoff was more gung ho, happy to be getting his money's worth from the horrendously expensive typhoid and hepatitis shots but I've already counted the lack of public toilets in Hoi an and we still have 5 days to go! In any event I needn't have stressed because the shopping trip was a bit of a sham. The baskets were left at the market and the food we cooked came directly from a pristinely clean fridge tucked away behind a screen at the cooking school.
With our shopping lesson completed we hopped on a boat for a trip down the river. At the sea mouth we transferred to some traditional bowl boats to travel through the coconut groves to the cooking school.
There, our chef, Mr Happy, showed us how to make four traditional Vietnamese dishes; Goi Cuon (spring rolls), Banh Xeo (crepes) with Nuoc Leo dipping sauce, Sea food fried noodles and Grilled pork with noodles. And then we ate, and ate, and ate. All of this was washed down with endless glasses of passionfruit juice. Passionfruit is about $1 per kilo, so it is served with everything.
After the banquet we tried our hand at traditional fishing, in this case, hand lines thrown into a very small and enclosed pond of pretty tame fish. Everyone caught one and then we threw them back.
By the time we bussed back to our hotel we were full of food and exhausted from the heat so we had a nanna nap and caught up on the disappointing news from home that the Nth Warrnambool Eagles had lost the Grand Final.
It was beyond us to imagine walking into town for our tailor's fittings so we lashed out and caught a taxi. Thankfully it was Sophie's shout because it cost $24 000 dong - about $1.40!
After a few days here I'm still lost but the others seem to be able to navigate from one seemingly identical street to the next so we were able to get from the Peace Tailor's to Little Angel fairly efficiently. We also found some free wifi to tap into so we could follow the last exciting quarter of the AFL Preliminary Final - Go Doggies! Hoi an is a labyrinth of streets and alleys all brimming with little shops and while we were looking for our planned dinner stop, we found a whole new part of the Old Town that we hadn't seen before. We crossed the Japanese covered bridge into a much more upmarket part of the city. The 'real' shops here sold exactly the same items as the ones that come out of cardboard boxes in the market but with higher price tags and less ambience, so we bought nothing.
As the night falls, the whole of Hoi an transforms into a party atmosphere with colourful lanterns swinging from the shops and the trees and families lining the riverbanks eating street food on plastic chairs and tables. The boats on the river are also lit by lanterns to create fairytale scene of light, accentuated by the tinkling sounds of the Vietnamese language.
Even though we couldn't possibly have been hungry, we stopped at the Citronella to rest our feet and drink beer. And because we were there we ate dinner as well, (what's a few more calories?). It was a bit disappointing because the menu was clearly 'dumbed down' to cater for western taste buds. It was all a bit bland and uninteresting - but we ate it anyway.
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Yup. Hoi an is on our list for sure now.
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Day 6
Shop till you drop
Today's title is frighteningly accurate. Truth be told I only just made it back to the hotel today. Saved by a $3 taxi ride, a swim and three bottles of Saigon Red, I think I might survive but I was definitely on Struggle St there for awhile this afternoon.
This morning, after a less substantial than usual breakfast because our tummies are struggling from yesterday's over indulgence, we took the hotel shuttle out to An Bang Beach. I'm not a great beach person but it was nice enough lying on the sun lounge for a couple of hours. Like most things in Hoi an, the lounges are allocated according to hotel and 'connections '. I don't know what happens if you just rock up and sit on the wrong chair but we were happy in the cream lounge section under a couple of substantial beach umbrellas. It wasn't Mount Maunganui but it wasn't Warrnie with a southerly blowing either and the water was as warm as a tepid bath.
The ever present souvenir sellers were as abundant on the beach as they are in the town and so, of course I ended up with some balancing dragon flies and a new fan. What else can you say to a polite 30 yr old peddling her wares on a hot, sandy beach with a toddler in tow, except 'How much? Sure, I'll have 5." I haven't had time to study the social welfare situation here in too much depth but there doesn't seem to be as many people living on welfare or on the streets in Vietnam as we've noticed in other countries, including our own. Everyone just works really, really hard and ekes a living in anyway they can.
Although we've been encouraged to enter many shops, no one has begged us for food or money without offering something in return. Haggling is a bit of a game in Hoi an but at the end of the day I pay whatever they're asking because it just seems fair and reasonable.
It's so hot in the middle of the day that a siesta is almost mandatory and so we took one before heading back into Hoi an for our daily clothes' fittings. First stop was the Little Angel where we picked up Taine's jacket, my pants and skirts and Sophie's dress. Geoff liked his shorts so much he decided to order another couple of pairs, so I guess we'll be seeing the Angel girls again tomorrow! Having skipped lunch we decided to stop at a place on Le Loi St for an iced coffee and some carb loading. It was a foolish mistake to fall for the allure of carrot cake and french fries. Western food is not only expensive here, its also very bland but it was nice to sit for a bit.
Back on the street we ventured to the Friendly Shoe Shop to have some custom leather shoes made. Soft leather for my arthritic toe, strong leather for Geoff's new boots and a long discussion about the length and cut and heel size of Sophie's boots. None for Taine because his feet grow too fast to warrant the measuring!
In Hoi an the shop holders remember you - every time. Shop 'loyalty' is everything and they love to see you back in the market, always honouring the deal you made the day before if you want to buy something else. So when Taine decided he needed yet another 'genuine' adidas t shirt, we had to walk all the way to the other end of the town to our 'regular' t shirt seller. She was very happy to see us and her aunty, who just happened to be visiting, took a shine to Sophie's blue eyes and black hair (a much sought after but never achieved combo in Vietnam). I'm not sure why but we found ourselves following the aunty back to her house to meet her sisters, an accomplished pair of masseurs who, faster than you could blink, had me sitting in a chair massaging my shoulders and suggesting some eye brow threading. This is the way transactions are conducted in Hoi an and while the idea of a massage was appealing, the threading was not so we agreed (by pinky promise) to go back tomorrow for the massage if only she would let go my arm and let us go home tonight!
I've been wanting to visit some of the historic buildings in Old Town since we got here but by the time we walked back to that area we discovered that Soph had left the tickets at the hotel. There was nothing for it but to stagger back to the main road to look for a taxi; there was no way I could walk all the way back to the river tonight. Heat, dehydration and over spending finally had finally taken its toll and I was almost delirious.
The plan was to shower, swim and then ride back into town for dinner. We only got as far as the shower and swim and then we were so well looked after by the hotel staff that we just kept ordering beers and pool side food till it was time for bed.
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Day 7
Before we came to Hoi An I watched some Youtube vlogs of other people's visits and wondered how they could have spent so much time aimlessly wandering up and down what looked like the same streets for hours on end. And yet, we've done just that for 5 days and tomorrow when we leave we will be very sad. Every time you go into the Ancient Town you see something new. And in our case, every time you walk down one of those streets you buy something new. It took me a couple of days to warm to the whole custom tailoring thing- I'm more of a ready made, Target type of girl- but my suitcase now contains 2 pairs of pants, 2 skirts, a dress, a leather belt and a pair of shoes, all designed to fit no one else but me. Geoff has a suit, a shirt, 4 pairs of shorts and some magnificent boots and even Taine has a new jacket. As for Sophie... her last purchase was a leather jacket that she was measured for at 1pm and we picked up at 7 tonight! The pleasure of owning clothes that fit perfectly is quite addictive.
This morning was our first 'sleep in'. We're adapting to the 3 hr time difference just in time to go home. Geoff and I had a very leisurely breakfast while Soph went to the gym and Taine continued to sleep and then we went into town. It's possible to get into the Ancient Town section of the city without paying the requested fee but the ticket sales go towards the upkeep of the temples and Old Houses, so we willingly paid for ours and today we used a couple of the attached passes to look inside the various temples and shrines dotted along the streets. In one, a lovely Chinese gentleman was transcribing the writing at the shrine and he explained that it had been built in memory of hundreds of Chinese Vietnamese traders who, in the 1500s, had been killed by the government when they were on a trading mission to Hoi An. This temple remembers them but also keeps their families safe on future trips. Kids in my English class know that I like to make connections between experiences to make sense of them and this story was so like many we heard in Europe - as the locals love to say here, " Same, same but different."
In between shoe fittings we bought some completely useless souvenirs and had iced coffee and Banh Mi at a cafe. Like so many of the eateries in Hoi An, the front looked like a cafe but it was really a family residence. The food is prepared in the family kitchen and the 'restroom' is the family toilet and shower. I had to wait for one of the kids to finish brushing their teeth so I could wash my hands.
In Australia we'd call it the bush telegraph, in Vietnam I think it's done by text but next minute who should show up at our table but the lovely Kim, the lady I pinky promised I'd have a massage with today. Her sister was worried we'd reneged on the deal but we assured her we were just cooling down before we came to see her. Turns out the cafe is run by Kim's daughter in law, which is a very lucky coincidence because otherwise we might have got lost and missed our 'appointment'.
Down an alley in the market we found Kim's sisters, ready to shave our legs, thread our eyebrows, pierce our ears... pretty much any beauty treatment you can think of, all dispensed from a tray of potions on a shelf above the plastic table cloth coated massage table. We insisted that no, we'd agreed to just a neck and shoulder massage for 100 dong for me and a foot massage for Soph. Kim whisked Geoff off down the street to look at her souvenir shop and just for a milli second I became a bit anxious that I was never going to see him again and that I was going to get the 'works' despite my protestations but thankfully Sophie's assertiveness won out and I was able to enjoy what was actually a fantastic neck rub. Turns out the sisters work together to run both the beauty business and the souvenir stall. They take it in turns to work in each space and to tout for business in the market, rounding up customers like us with their own special charm. By the time the Tiger Balm was cooling, we were old friends and Kim's sister even did something clever with my hair that stopped the sweat from pooling behind my ears for 3 or 4 seconds.
The tailors where Sophie got her jacket made is also a family business. The oldest sister is the manager and the 3 younger sisters, her assistants. They design the clothes and measure the customers and deliver the orders to their dad's factory where the seamstresses work in shifts, around the clock to make the clothes in super fast, same day time for the tourists. All of them have been to university for 4 years, where they studied English and Design and Dressmaking. They work 12 hours every day, with the younger girls having 2 days off a month and the manager just 3 days off a year during the Vietnamese New Year celebration. She told us they are hoping the government will mandate a 7pm closing time in Hoi An so that the shop keepers can spend more time with their children, but she's not holding out any great hope.
Sophie's been hanging out to try the local street food by the river. The thought of all that unrefrigerated meat was too much for me but she assures me it was delish and at 25 000 dong ( about $1.35 AU), very reasonably priced! I have lots of Gastro Stop in my bag if it doesn't work out well for her.
On the way home tonight we met our first antsy taxi driver. We've been here 5 days so we're well aware of the route and the cost back to our hotel. Everyone here has been so helpful and trustworthy (people chase you down the street if you leave anything behind in their shops), so it came as quite a shock when half way home he suggested an agreed price of double what it should be. When we made it clear we knew what the price should be he suddenly turned in Mario Andretti and started playing dodgems with the oncoming traffic.
It's the only negative business transaction we've had in Hoi An.
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So, we're back in Ho Chi Minh, and while it's great to still be on holidays, no one is happy about leaving Hoi An. I've never shed tears leaving a hotel before but when the staff from the Rivertown all lined up to have their photo taken with us and then made heart shapes with their hands as our taxi drove away... well, it was like a scene from a 4 star Netflix movie and I wasn't the only one wiping more than sweat from my eyes..
I'm afraid that it doesn't matter where we might stay in the future, nothing will ever match up to the service we had at the Rivertown. We were cared for like treasured guests of the family from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. Nothing was too much trouble and within a day of being there, everyone, from the concierge to the breakfast waitresses knew our names and our preferences, especially the front desk 'talent' Nhi, whose friendly conversations taught us so much about the Vietnamese culture and the country.
The staff at the Rivertown were very representative of the Vietnamese people- same, same as us but different. Different in their contentment with life and their constant positivity. Same but different in their commitment to family. I asked Nhi what happens to people when they get too old to work and she looked a bit confused. Their children look after them of course, especially the youngest son of the family, to whom falls the inheritance of the house but also the responsibility of the ageing parents (I made sure Taine was listening to this bit!). If the parents don't have children then their nephews or nieces will take over and all children put part of their wage aside each week to fund the eventual retirement of their parents or childless aunts and uncles. It's not uncommon, as in Nhi's case, for four generations of family to be living together in one house. It was lucky she said, that she gets on well with her three sisters in law. It's not that capitalism is absent in this communist country but the focus is different. It seems people just want to be happy and have enough, there is no real desire to be rich or to have more than you need.
We took our capitalist selves back into Hoi An this morning to pick up Sophie's boots. They still weren't completely right so the shop owner at the Friendly Shoe Shop said she would ship them to Ho Chi Minh tomorrow and Sophie can pay her by Paypal later if she's happy with them. Maybe add completely trusting to the differences between us.
Shopping out of the way we spent our last hour in Old Town watching a traditional theatre performance. It was all in Vietnamese but good theatre needs no translation and we really enjoyed the dance interpretation of the Old Man and the Fisherwomen. Soph even won a prize in the traditional bingo game.
Our flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh was on time and fantastically, half full, so we got an entire row each to ourselves. Kind of like a poor man's version of business class. It was a shame it's such a short distance.
An almighty thunderstorm hit just as we were leaving the airport, turning the 8km journey into a 90 minute tussle with the traffic and the rain. It was peak hour for the motor cyclists again and you certainly have to admire their tenacity. I was freaked out by the thunder and pelting rain and I was inside a taxi. Like a Formula 1 pitstop, these guys just pull into the kerb, grab their rain ponchos from under the seat and pull out, seamlessly back into the traffic.
We were pleased to finally reach our hotel in one piece but its a terrible let down after Rivertown. The Sunland is an ageing hippy of a hotel, complete with the most dreadful decor you've ever seen. There's a roof top bar (which was flooded) and a tiny bath tub of a pool (out of action due to the lightning). We ate at the restaurant which is clearly targeted at British tourists. We chose from the only page of asian dishes available and everything tasted like the buffet at Gateway Plaza.
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On our last full day in Vietnam, we got lost.
We were up early for a less than satisfying breakfast before we got on board our mini bus tour to the Cu Chi tunnels. Cu Chi is about 70km from the city (2 hours in the traffic) and there are a number of ways you can get there, ranging from public buses to private cars to speed boats. We went with the mid price option of a 12 seater with a guide. The brochure said our guide would be English speaking but this was a bit of an exaggeration. The words Mr Vanz was speaking were definitely in English but with very few consonants and no pauses between them so we couldn't understand a word he said. This was a shame because he talked all the way to Cu Chi so I'm sure what he was saying would have been interesting.
On the way we made a pitstop on the side of the road to check out a road side market stall. It took a few minutes to register that they were selling live river rats, snakes and lop eared rabbits. The lack of refrigerated storage means its more sensible to sell the meat 'fresh'.
The Cu Chi Tunnels were built during the Vietnamese war to help the villagers and local guerrilla fighters hide from the US soldiers. They're a network of over 250km of very narrow, underground tubes connected like spider webs to bigger, communal areas providing space for cooking and arms storage. Amidst the maze were decoy tunnels and booby traps designed to outwit the enemy. The tunnels are just another example of the resilience of the Vietnamese people and the way that they just 'get on' with life, despite whatever hardships are facing them. Because they could no longer live above the ground, they went below. They even managed sneak out of the tunnels at night to harvest their crops.
Cu Chi has become a famous tourist attraction so there are thousands of people crowding through the area every day. There are 'workshops' making rubber sandals and rice paper and a shooting range where you can fire off an M16. The area is dotted with mannequins of Viet Cong soldiers and you can buy faux soldier uniforms and aeroplanes made out of beer cans. Because of all this commercialism the site has a bit of a theme park feel to it and so its hard to appreciate that this was actually a war zone, a grave yard, a place where terrible atrocities occurred and many people lost their lives.
At one stage you can climb down into one of the original tunnels and walk/crawl for about 20 metres to the exit. This, at least, gives you an idea of the conditions the Cu Chi people lived in. I bonked my head at least 10 times in the 20 metres and in the middle where it was really dark there was a rising sense of panic until you could see the exit shaft. If you're in HCMC then the tunnels are an historical site worth seeing but you wouldn't come back for a second visit.
On the way back we made another stop at a friend of Mr Vanz so we could buy some Pho (soup) for lunch. At 25000 Dong this was a real bargain, especially if you overlooked the cleanliness or lack thereof , the chickens walking through the restaurant and the squat toilet, sans paper. Cynically, I wonder if some of these tour stops are rigged to be especially colloquial for the tourists (like the faux market shopping we did for our cooking tour in Hoi An) but if it leaves you feeling that you've had a unique Vietnamese experience then I guess it's served its purpose and the family who own the shop have made a few dong.
We got the bus to drop us off at the War Remnants Museum. This is a seriously daunting place. There is nothing done to hide the horror of the Vietnam War here. The pictures and descriptions of the atrocities suffered by the Vietnamese people are explicit, from the French prisons, to the US bombings and torture of Viet Cong sympathisers and the effects of Agent Orange. It's completely overwhelming. We've had a few people tell us that the museum is anti American. I'm not sure it can be anything else. There was no act of aggression fromVietnam that started the war and the devastation caused by the US and their allies is still having an effect here. Any other explanation would be a very inconvenient truth. I felt a great deal of shame and anger that 'my' people could have been involved in such horror and it gave us cause to reflect on the meaning of the word terrorism.
When the galleries got too much for us we retreated to the coffee shop outside and that's when the evening deluge began. We thought we'd be able to wait it out but the museum closed at 5 so we sent Sophie out into the street to purchase us some ponchos (which took about 30 secs because a poncho seller magically appeared as she approached the street) and set off in the pouring rain to walk home via the markets. Somewhere between dodging the motorcycles on the footpath, the thundering rain and the holes in the pavement, we took a wrong turn and got lost. I'm really not sure how we didn't die because crossing roads in Ho Chi Minh is dangerous enough at the best of times, let alone in pelting rain, after dark. In true Amazing Race style, Sophie kept finding friendly locals to ask directions. Unfortunately many of these were conflicting, but eventually we found ourselves outside the Ben Tanh markets - that were just closing for the day!
Luckily the street food market was still open so we all chose something to share for our last dinner in Vietnam. It shows how far our taste buds have grown that even Taine chose local food and we ended up with a smorgasboard of dumplings, rice pancakes, spring rolls and chilli sauce.
The last few kilometres back to the hotel would have been smooth sailing if we hadn't had to travel through the riverside neighborhood. Maybe the rain and the 12 kilometres previously walked made us a bit complacent but we didn't really notice the changing 'vibe' until two guys on a motorbike mounted the sidewalk and tried to grab Sophie's purse. It was lucky that it was her vice like grip and fast reflexes, not mine, otherwise we would have ended the evening on a very sour note. As it was we were just cross she hadn't had the presence of mind to karate kick him off the bike.
Tomorrow we head back to Australia. This little snippet of Vietnam has been amazing. I have no doubt we'll be back.
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What a great report. I loved reading about all the interesting experiences you had - the markets, food, shopping, massages, etc. Sounds like you really made the most of your short time in Vietnam. We also loved our time there and would love to return be day. Thanks for taking the time to share with us.
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I am loving your report too. It is making me very excited to go.
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Thoroughly enjoyed your trip report! Vietnam is on my long list of "somedays" and your report makes me want to go sooner than later!
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I remember the
poncho vendors instantly appearing every time it rained from my trip in 2004. I still have and use the heavy duty poncho I bought then. I'll be back next Feb. and will probably buy another since they are still being sold everywhere so I won't pack and bring one.
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Thanks for the great report.
Was Australia involved in the Vietnam War ?
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Yes Percy. As an ally of the US, our government at the time supported the Amercian effort. It was an extremely unpopular decision, so good ole govt reintroduced conscription to force enough able bodied men to join the army. About 60,000 troops were sent to Vietnam.
I thoroughly enjoyed your report Kwaussie.
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Thanks all for your lovely feedback.
Yes Percy, unfortunately Australia was involved in Vietnam. As a child I witnessed the rallies against it but I never really understood the horror of it until this trip.
I hope all of you who are traveling to Vietnam enjoy your trip as much as we did.
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text:
BRASILIA, June 20 (Reuters) - Brazilian President Michel Temer said on Tuesday he was confident his labor reform bill will be approved on the Senate floor even after the proposal was unexpectedly rejected in a committee earlier in the day.
Speaking to reporters in Russia, Temer said reversal in the social affairs committee was a "negative surprise." His comments were broadcast on state television in Brasilia. (Reporting by Alonso Soto; Editing by David Gregorio)


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McDavid sets @ErieOtters record 19-game pt-streak in 1 of 8 #OHL #FamilyDay games, full recap: bit.ly/1A18uKg http://pbs.twimg.com/media/B-AxQpBCYAAxoeu.jpg
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