ginger times

Last week I gave a presentation to my collegues about the Building Industry in Vietnam. Why you ask? Although suppose to be a holiday, I couldn't switch off and I couldn't help but make note of all the eccentricites in the houses, temples, government buildings whilst we made our way around the country, be them on water or land.

So I threw together a bunch of photos from the huge back catalogue, showing tall, skinny houses, buildings on stilts, bamboo scaffolding and bundles of electric cable.

To win people over, rather than use wit and intelligence, I baked. Little Vietnamese gingerbread houses! Painted in blue, yellow and pink, and laid out on our conference table.

Although the dough had been resting in the freezer for several months, waiting for me to get my act together, the biscuits were a winner.

why make biscuits when you can make houses...

Here 'tis: http://www.taphin-sapa.info/

Visit the website that Lina & I helped Julian create for the friends in Ta Phin, a minority village in the mountains around Sapa in Vietnam. The beautiful and friendly Red Zhoa talked to us about their beautiful culture, handicrafts, and the homestay they offer to visitors.