Via Dubai to Saigon

As you know, I was very impressed by a large piece of work I saw at the Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy. It has inspired me to do a similar work but in embroidered pieces instead. The theme is ‘Patterns of Saigon’.

I have started the first piece which depicts the ubiquitous Lotus, found in ponds and gardens, parks, temples and commercial logos throughout South East Asia. It is even more ever present than the white rose of Yorkshire.  

The second piece was inspired by the lights of Saigon as I flew in on Thursday evening.

The warm humidity that coats you with a satin gloss of perspiration seemed a welcome reduction in temperature after the searing furnace of Dubai where it was 32˚c at 4.30 in the morning. In Saigon, a cool 23˚ was a relief.

The new house is closer to the river so a pleasant breeze blows through the garden every evening.  The ceilings are high and a light well plunges through from top to bottom over a garden in the living area. I guess this echoes the traditional old houses that had an shaded inner courtyard where there would be plants, water and fish. In this house there is a 5’ x 2’6” fish tank in the wall of the lounge with a collection of tropical fish swimming amongst a thatched cottage, a ruined castle and a Constable-esque water mill. 

This welcoming home is filled with light, there will be no problem finding somewhere to set up the easel here. The floors are tiled and edged with black granite. The different levels are connected with a black granite staircase. Here and there, niches on the walls and ceilings are decorated with arrangements of slate, stone, mosaic and other textures.  A bougainvillea overhangs the table and chairs in the garden at the front where an orange tree and pink frangipani grow in huge pots.

Sounds heavenly doesn't it ............... but ................. last night we had a violent storm that knocked the power out and we a dripped in our beds without any fans or air-con. I haven't yet found a micro sim to fit my schmancy Nokia phone and internet access is beginning to feel like a luxury.

Anyway, it's time for my first Viet Nam siesta. I wonder what the local word is for that.