Journey to Peace Village

We have been having quite a lot of rainy weather this week in Ha Noi. Yesterday, after getting out of my Vietnamese lesson, I could see the storm clouds gathering, even as I watched the fierce badminton players. Badminton is a popular sport over here, and everyone from little kids to seniors plays. I've heard the "birdie" whizzing at lightning speeds and what was a leisurely game that I played with my friend Celeste as a kid has turned into a racing, intense sport.
By the time I made it on to the bus, it started to rain and the twilight sky turned pitch black. So dark I got lost on the bus ride home and missed my stop. I ended up getting off the bus across the river in Ha Dong. Luckily there was a Xe Om driver there. I usually like to hire an old guy, but with the raging storm I wasn't picky. The young man had me wait until the rain let up a bit. Then we hopped on. I tried using my umbrella as a shield. This didn't work very well as the wind picked up and my umbrella turned into an unwanted parachute. The rain pelted us and we pulled over again. The rain was the same as a storm over here. Same sounds and cooling breezes. The difference was the Xe Om driver and I were able to pick up plastic ponchos for about 20 cents. Then it was back out in the pour and I watched the wet world go by, thinking how this could be Milwaukee except I wouldn't be going against traffic on the back of a motorbike.
When I got home and paid the driver, a woman was standing there with an umbrella. A neighbor, she grabbed me by the arm and led me to the Trieu home. When we arrived she pushed me toward the door! That is one of the hard, but humorous things about being here. I am often led through traffic, etc., by the hand like a little child!