Nha Trang, teaser

Ao Dai and Nha Trang, Vietnam

Me: I’ve been trying to connect to the internet for a half an hour now.

Hotel receptionist: Maybe try opening the door to your room and the internet will come in through the door.

Me: !? Eee… eee… That’s not how the internet works…

So my friends are getting married in Vietnam. She is Vietnamese and he is Finnish. I’ve been waiting for this wedding since I met Duyen and Arto (almost 6 years ago) so I was over the moon when they finally sent out the invitation.

This is my second visit to Vietnam (read here about the first) and is very different from the one 3 years ago. I hope to document the preparation for the wedding and a holiday reunion we are having together.

Ao Dai fitting. Ao Dai is a Vietnamese national costume, it’s usually worn for semi official events or as a uniform when working in public sector.
We are making Ao Dai for the first par of the wedding ceremony which will be held following Vietnamese traditions. Each of us will be wearing Ao Dai in a different colour (this could be called ‘brides-made dress’), except for the bride who according to Vietnamese traditions will be wearing red Ao Dai.

Approaching Nha Trang

Our first lunch in Nha Trang

Fish on the menu is fished out from these fish tanks and prepared on the spot for serving. Real fresh.

“On 3 we’ll run to the beach!”

Street sellers selling freshly cooked crabs and langoustines 10m away from the sea.

The pot’s boiling.

The pot’s boiling.

It gets pitch dark around 6:30pm, these portable laterns bring light to the beach restaurant.

Swing used as a chair at a beach restaurant.

Embroidery shop in Nha Trang

All us us girls went for an hour long full body hot stone massage and it was the best experience ever!

We went to visit a temple in Nha Trang.

Arto’s describing the history behind the temple.

On the road #2

…and then coke sold its soul to Saudi

Ready for a walk in Dubai

School bus @ Dubai

Mini park with waterfall @ Dubai airport

Artificial waterfall @ Dubai airport

Everyone has finally arrived!

On the road

Here I am again – on my way to Vietnam. Travel updates to follow.

Shooting sparkle

As soon as I saw this amazing statement piece, I couldn’t help but sing ‘walk, walk fashion baby, work it, move that bitch crazy’. This must be one if the most amazing jackets I’ve seen in a long time.

Fashion is a beauty in the shape of a gun. Made by Tara.

Timeless accessories

When I travel abroad, I make it my mission to find at least one timeless, local & wearable fashion piece. So when my dear friend Arta came to visit me in London, we made it our mission to find a timeless fashion piece for her to take home.

In a search for the ultimate accessory, we traveled to Camden Town. Just near the Horse House in Camden Town market, we found couple of craftsmen running a handcrafted leather stall. And boy you can get some fine leather crafts there.

Arta ended up getting a handmade elephant skin leather belt with her name embossed on it. The accessory to be passed down from generation to generation. And this is a story of how it was made.

We arrived in Camden Town.

And looked for the stall near the Horse House.

Arta chose the leather.
Craftsman cut 4cm wide belt (regular size to fit jeans).

Then he trimmed the edges.

Arta chose the buckle to go with her belt.

Tools in action.

Craftsman shortened the belt to fit Arta’s size.

These letters were embossed on her belt.

Embossing in action.

Embossing in action.

Voila!

Secret Orchestra

Not so long ago my friends and I were invited to see a secret orchestra performance. It happened on a top floor of semi-demolished car park in Peckham.

It was so wonderful to listen to the orchestra whilst looking over London. As the sound traveled through the car park, we sat breathless listening the wind taking the sound out of the building.

***

Nesen mēs ar draugiem tikām uzaicināti noskatīties kādu plašākai acij nepieejamu orķestra koncertu. Koncerts notika kādas pamestas autostāvvietas augšstāvā Pekhamā.

Tas bija tik lieliski – klausīties orķestra skaņās un reizē skatīties pāri Londonai. Mēs sēdējām elpas aizturējuši un klausījāmies kā skaņa ceļo ārpus telpām, līdz tā pavisam sajaucās ar pilsētas troksni.