Christmas in Vietnam 2015

Christmas eve...

Meet Christmas

Woke up with a headache and a small kitten, small enough to curl in in the palm of your hand-nuzzled on my shoulder. I guess this is what happens when you are an animal rights person who is drunk from the winnings of a holiday pub quiz in the middle of Vietnam.

Team 'Winners'
3 Dragons Bar, Hoi An, Vietnam

Got my bearings, fixed little 'Christmas' up with bedding and food and went to work at the cat shelter, like every other day.

Came home in the early afternoon to feed Christmas..watched a movie and rested a bit, then headed out to get a 'blind massage. Self-explanatory. Literally. A blind woman gave me one of the best massages of my life, an hour for $5. Refreshed, I left, grabbed some sugar cane juice and headed home.

Went out in the evening and met up with some friends at a local pub called 'Dive Bar.' Decided to get not wasted on passion fruit juice, relaxed with some good company, saw the lanterns in the full moon, grabbed curry and called it a night.  Wonderful full moon Christmas eve I have to admit.

Christmas day...

Woke up and made vegan banana-coconut pancakes for everyone. Then headed to the cat shelter to work.  Someone has to help even on Christmas day.  It felt good giving instead of receiving this holiday. After the shelter I grabbed some veg food (.66 usd) and went to snuggle with the kitten.  Who is doing much better, eating tons and keeping me up every single night:)

I remember meeting an amazing girl years ago in Nicaragua..she had told me she spent her Christmas cycling in Vietnam- at that moment I dreamed that would be something I will do one day...So I headed out for the afternoon towards the beach. Rented a bicycle and rode though the rice fields.

As green as green can possible be, and the air was perfect, sunny and cool at the same time..riding felt on the brim of magical.

I rode to the beach and found a place on the sand. Enjoyed a bit of green to the crystal blue sky and mesmerizing view.

Saw the periwinkle sunset..it was a perfect afternoon.

Made an African Peanut Sweet Potato stew for Christmas dinner.  Dinner and a movie at the clinic with the cat and the duck and my friend, and called it a night.  

The day after...

Once again trying to get a nights sleep with a very little and young kitten is beyond difficult. Woke up and went to get some breakfast..the exact same routine I have every other day besides Christmas. Had coffee at the shelter, chatted with family (being that my Christmas is a full 12 hours different than back in the states,) worked and headed home to Christmas.

Now I am caught up...I wanted to write down my Christmas experience so that I do not forget it. Someone I have this amazing feeling that my adventure here is just beginning and it will only get more crazy and magical from here on...

-Phil Lewis Art

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” 
― W.B. Yeats

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.” 
― Roald Dahl

Happy New Years early, from the future, in the present.

xoxo

My Christmas Holiday

It's the week before Christmas.

When I recently spoke with a family member they said that they were sad because all of the family was not together for the holiday (meaning me of course).

Never do I wish sadness upon anyone, hence my life is dedicated to helping those who can not speak for themselves, helping the welfare, lives, and future of animals. So to those people who are sad, I send waves of positive energy and understanding.  I want to live for something bigger than myself.  To help until I can no longer...to give WAAAYYY more than I ever receive. This is the reason for the season, for life.

I understand that the holidays bring people together who may not have the opportunity throughout the year to. I understand that families have long standing traditions and that this is a time to create new memories and come together. But I also understand that the holidays are about love.  Love should be universal. Not just limited to togetherness with your relatives.  We should be glowing examples of love in everything we do, not just towards our human friends, but towards all living things.

As I am here, in Vietnam, where the dog meat trade is shockingly still legal, I am ever more reminded that we have to be the voice for the voiceless.  No being is less than another, we all deserve kindness, love, respect, and joy.

Vietnam Animal Welfare
http://www.vnanimalwelfare.org/

This is what life is about. Joy.  Not turmoil, wrath, danger, confusion, and death.  But living, feeling free, feeling love and living in a world where kindness is prominent, not greed.

Please this holiday season, give love, give kindness, please be vegan for the animals, for our environment, for your family, for your children, for this earth.

We are all earthlings, and "COMPASSION IS A VERB," Thích Nhất Hạnh

"Compassion is at the heart of every little thing we do. It is the dearest quality we possess, yet all too often it can be cast aside with consequences too tragic to speak of. To lose our compassion- we lose what it is to be human." Thích Nhất Hạnh

CLICK HERE

Shelter hearts

It’s the 17^th, Thursday

I have been in Hoi An for 2 days now, staying at the animal clinic, and helping with Vietnam Animal Welfare. There are 3 buildings, a clinic-where surgeries take place (and where I am staying-Quasimodo a rescued duck lives on the first floor), a clinic with mostly cats (80 of them currently) and another one with lots of different types of animals (a pig, chickens, ducks, cats and dogs). The weather had been shit. Rainy and cold, windy and grey. I am lying in bed with a little dog named Vivi, whom I can’t stop calling Fox...who was found with her mom on the streets here, saved before a dog catcher (for dog meat) had the chance to catch them. She, like her mother is scared of people, of interaction, of anything and everything. They just need love, and time, and more love. I am determined to get her to her puppy-self while I am here, so we are listening to cool mellow music and snuggling with lots and lots of kisses and hugs. One thing I love is that no matter what shelter I help at- the people have hearts bigger than those I have ever known. It’s amazing and wonderful- and aspiring all at the same time. Influential and reminding of how there are those people in this world who exist on the energy of their kindness and on the wings of their enormous hearts. I am grateful for these people.

Da Nang, Vietnam

"I am the master of my fate and captain of my soul"… Nelson Mandela

Current city- Da Nang, Vietnam

Note to self, no more afternoon naps…I woke up at 12 hours later and the following day. Slept yesterday away.  Hence…make-up day…and no NAPS.

I arrived in Da Nang yesterday morning, early. Dropped off my bags and walked around the little area near the beach.  Compared with Ho Chi Minh it's night and day. Everyone sits in tea shops, and the tea shops are really the only thing besides the hotels that I have seen. So I embraced the culture and sat down for some morning tea (10,000 vnd). Vietnamese Christmas concerts were blaring at full volume on the television, and everyone was passing around a beautiful, chubby, & happy baby boy. Ha- Merry Christmas early, from the future.

The hotel is stunning, for how little was paid...the fact that they gave me a robe, means I rarely take it off in my room…

Planning on heading up Monkey Mountain today to visit the Lady Buddha...and if it's half as exciting as it sounds...I’ll be in total bliss.

Skip to-
I just returned from the scooter ride up the mountain…total bliss.

Stopped at the beach along the way, spotted with small round boats in the shapes of circles that seemed to have been the same used for hundreds of years...then made it up the mountain to the white Lady Buddha.  The gardens around the statue were filled with more statues…all white, dragons and more Buddha’s. There were temples and holy places to visit. I seemed to not only be the only Caucasian woman there, but also the only one without a selfie stick. Ha. The pictures truly speak a thousand and one words. For the price of $2.5 usd my afternoon became priceless.

Sat out what I thought was the only rain storm in the little shelter with the locals...then got completely spat on by the heavens riding back. Soaked to the core and sporting the biggest smile probably in blocks, I returned, got a cold Tiger beer and laughed aloud in joy from what I had just experienced. Speaking of that, I think it’s nothing shy of a good sign when you find yourself laughing randomly aloud…a really good sign that you have just found the reason for living, the definition of happiness.  I'll take more lessons in that any day.

Saturday in New Saigon

Saturday- no clue the date

Getting here was tough. The flights, the time change, the jet lag. The migraine after my first night out. (they gave me codeine- which I have to admit absolutely works). Its technically my 3^rd day here. Day one was sleeping, going out, meeting people from all over the world and partying until 3am. Day two was migraine and sleep. Day three- today, I woke up ready to take on this journey. I went for a run at 630am and loved seeing all the people working out at the park around the block. There were groups doing yoga, groups running, some people ballroom dancing in a pavilion...and planted exercise equipment which I shared with a woman who must have been in her 80s.  Showered and took a walk around the block(s).

So the black coffee here (15,000vnd) is epic. I just jumped up and down in my room for no reason, and my hands are shaking a bit. I want more.

Ho Chi Minh city, at least the part I am in- near Pham Ngu Lao road is crazy. Its alive, colorful and I am scared to death of the scooters. Seriously. They say when you walk across the street you might want to close your eyes, the scooters will go around you, its best not to EVER pause, but walk.

Side note- being a vegan here is a bit tough, not entirely impossible, but street Pho is made with meat- which is everywhere.

Its almost 9 am. I am giving myself 3 hours to muster courage and rent a scooter. I want to visit all the stared places on the cheap tourist map I was handed when I first arrived.

Updates and photos to come

Cheers from the future.

Chasing the Sun

I arrived to Tokyo early this afternoon. Didn’t sleep a wink, watched about 4 movies, mostly featuring Tom Hanks. Japan must love him like Germany loves Hasselhoff.

I went to the Opera last night in Chicago. Came home with an Uber ride around 9 pm and crashed to Ane Brun (it's been a theme). My internal clock woke me up at 630, and I smiled at the ceiling. As I went to wake my friend up (whom was to be traveling to Asia with me) she told me she was too sick..so much that she cancelled her ticket. 

I was not mentally prepped for a solo trip- but once again- "life happens when you're busy making plans" (also been a theme with me).

Got dropped off and checked in with JAL (Japanese Airlines).

The day flight was what tripped me up. I spent my entire day in a cylinder..chasing the sun. (But hey- free Kirin beer)

Through customs and onto a coach bus for an hour to another airport…but through Tokyo city first.

Its @1600 here, I believe I skipped a day, not quite sure…but am confident that I am in the future.

The the air is chilly but refreshing, the trees are lush, the birds the color of pandas and origami cranes have come alive parallel to my bus window. Here goes another adventure. Onward towards happiness and smiles. Who knows where I will go, where I will end up, what I will encounter, who I will meet, what lies ahead.  For now, it’s a day here in the city, and for tomorrow, it's Vietnam. 

Bring it on life, I’m stoked to smile and shine!

(updates to come:))

The Blank Spaces

It smells like pancakes and all I can hear are the waves.

I’ve been thinking of those spaces between the words- when we read/write them.

We need them. They are blank, they seem like nothing, rather than the something that they are. Without those spaces we wouldn’t be reminded to pause-and breathe.

The blank spaces force you to stop. Force you to pause.

When we are writing it forces us to pick up that pencil or pen and move over a little. Sometimes it grants us an ever longer pause and a re-think. We may question midway through what we are doing, what direction we are going, is the road ahead the correct one?

When we are reading we have already let ourselves go to the task. Some part of us is open to take in the words that are simply ink to paper in front of our eyes. In the spaces between the words, we pause, our eyes skip over. Sometimes it gives us a breather. It clearly separates thoughts, and different situations.

Life gives us those blank spaces.

Without knowing what to do with them is what many of us equate to boredom. To ‘a lul,’in a ‘bit of a slump.’ What awful adjectives to describe life and living...

I think that if we place sluggish and unattractive adjectives between the exciting, adventurous words of our lives we quite simply- misuse the pause.

Life is saying BREATHE. This space is necessary, you will see.

With the most respect, love, and kindness,

Brooke

Being Alone on an Explorer Ship

Every morning I wake up and it takes me about 3 full and complete seconds to realize that no little dog is jumping at my feet or there for kisses.

Eating my meals is different, looking at time is different. Coming home is different. My priorities are different.

I have not been alone in over 10 years. It has always been me and my little magical dog. And now its me and my gemstones and crystals and the earth.

It's different. I'm not a fan. I feel lonely. I feel lost. I feel bored. I feel sad. I feel sleepy.

Tucked up in a mysterious yellow tiki hut above the crashing surf makes me feel even further from the real world than ever.

Beautiful sadness. Breathtaking scenic loneliness.

"Only he who gives up is defeated. Everyone else is victorious.
And the day will come when those difficult moments are merely stories to be told proudly to those who will listen. And they will listen respectfully and learn three important things:
Wait patiently for the right moment to act.
Do not let the next opportunity slip by you.
Take pride in your scars."
-Paulo Coelho

We have to keep on walking forwards...walking backwards will take us nowhere. Nowhere new, nowhere we haven't seen already before.

Therefore lets explore! Take life on as it is meant to be taken on, as an adventure.

I listen to the roaring waves as if I am living on the deck of a explorer ship destine only for something great and exciting, something dangerous but worth it.

Cheers to the journey.

-Brooke

Forever Boston

It has been a bit since I have felt normal. Life is a maze. A whirlwind. As good as it can be at times, it can equally and with the same amount of force- be bad.

I was beyond stoked to have the opportunity to travel and visit Thailand last month. It was a last minute call but something I have dreamed of for as long as i can remember. The culture, the history,
the FOOD...

After almost 30 hours of travel (I will admit Emirates Airlines was absolutely amazing) I got to Bangkok, exhausted.

That night I got the phone call that Boston passed away.

<pause for a cry...again>

It was 3 am for me over in Asia. I cried through all the toilet paper provided, the towel, my pillow case and my t shirts. To date I believe that was the worst thing that has happened in my life. I understand that death is part of life, it is an unenviable fact that I have had to face many times already, but even so, I was not in the least prepared for this.

10 and a half years, we were <pause for another cry> supposed to live until we were 100 together. You know in the movies where you sell part of your soul for a loved one to come back. I was seriously wondering how to make that happen.

As my life is crazy and beautiful, its constantly moving..and Boston was my lifeline. The tether that was connected to a guarantee. My little rock. That little guy was everything to me. In all the haze, mess, craziness that is my life, he was the one thing the one thing that brought me to peace.

Whew...trying to write this through the tears is tough.

After about 6 hours of crying, and crying myself into a migraine, i stood up from my little ball on the floor and took a shower.

Went outside, grabbed a coffee and met a friend.

What I do know is that he is not gone. He is not in the beautiful little vessel he was in that we all know, but he is still here. His spirit is everywhere. In the moth that wouldn't leave my tent in Pai, Thailand, in the eyes of the dogs at the shelter I helped at in Koh Lanta, in the birds that sing in the trees as I walk by the temples in Chaing Mai.  For that I am blessed. I am grateful for being given the absolute privilege to have shared 10 of the best years of my life traveling, living, laughing, and dancing with that precious little dog.

I lived that month in Thailand for HIM. Happy because that is exactly what he did- make everyone HAPPY.

Love, Brooke

Cabin by the sea; the beginning of a journey

Day one of living in my bamboo cabin-Casa Estrella:

(I named our little home, Casa Estrella, because of the blanket of stars above..)
Sunday night should actually be included in the week because it was the beginning of this whole story...

I made coconut and cilantro rice alongside skillet garlic green beans, all fro the vegetable truck I ran to catch earlier in the afternoon.  Made a pitcher of jamaica iced tea just because. Ate dinner listening to music and the sounds of nature...the crickets, dogs, and waves. Fell asleep and awoke to the house being illuminated with lightening. There was a wicket storm and I felt like I was in a tiny wooden boat adrift on a sea during a storm of godly proportion.


(Mainly because this happened mid-dreaming). Boston snuggled closer, and together we watched and listened to mother nature from under the mosquito net. It lasted over an hour and though it seemed like we would be carried away, all was well and I fell back asleep more sound than I have been in a while.

Awoke to the sounds of the forest and the ocean singing together. Stretched, greeted the glowing inside of the bamboo cabin with a sun salutation and kissed Boston. Opened my front door to gleaming Birds of Paradise plants, a yard of shiny green plants, and a beautiful grazing cow.
(Note: cows are generally NOT allowed on our property but it was so beautiful I let it be for the moment)

Left to walk down the mountain on the Neverland stone streets to yoga. Had a café negro before and enjoyed an amazing Monday session with Alex overlooking the waves and the morning sky (as Boston observed like always).

Went after yoga into town for some supplies and came back to the cabin. Baked fresh bread with dried oregano and listened to Slightly Stoopid.

Took a nap with the dogs with the cool late afternoon breeze and remembered for a moment how beautifully simple life can be. I am grateful to be here, to wake up to nature, to grow, to evolve, to adapt, to smile. 3 children came by looking for a large white cow, it was cute and funny.

Made veggie and rice soup to accompany my oregano bread and plan to enjoy my dinner, be thankful for everything, and fall asleep reading the current novel that has been passed on to my by fellow travelers. (ok right here is where I danced to Michael Franti like a gypsy, with the dogs and crickets as my audience)

Buenos noches dia uno. Onward to magical dreams and magical days.