The Pig 's Son experience: A Note for New Year 2026

 After three years at WestPoint academy, Mando, my daughter, transferred to University of Hawaii to continue her professional swimming for the University varsity team.

From New York to Hawaii, the gap was wide open with 7 time zones apart. The space was stretching thin with uncertainty that caused anxiety for the whole family.  We were in the dark hole trying to hold each other tight in sadness and depression that caused by unspoken and unprocessed trauma in the past. 

However, the gap was also filled with overwhelming emotional support from the schools, swim coaches from WestPoint, Naval Academy and Seattle swim club, family members from both sides and good friends.

We arrived at Oahu in a hot summertime, August 2022, to help Mando move into a small apartment that was 10 minutes’ drive to the school and the swimming pool.

My husband also shipped Mando's red scion car from Seattle a week before we arrived.

She was ready to go back to swim and study. 

My brother-in-law came over to Hawaii the same week to help with the move. He took Mando around to visit Oahu and shopping for the new place. They went to iconic Diamond Head and Waikiki beaches. They went to check out fresh Poke from Food Land.

 One thing that my brother-in-law suggested for us was a nationally famous restaurant in China Town called The Pig and the Lady.  

Both him and Mando were disappointed that they could not get in because it was fully booked. We were told that during the summer, The Pig and The Lady was usually booked a month in advance.

We stayed in Hawaii for three weeks that summer. Luckily, on the last day of our stay, we got reservation for dinner at The Pig and the Lady.   Since Hawaii was extremely expensive in general, this Vietnamese restaurant was not exceptional. It was pricy. We usually did not go to expensive restaurants.

Yet, this time we went to celebrate Mando’s new chapter in Hawaii, known as the most beautiful place on Earth.

 The dinner menu started at 5 PM. There was a long time since we arrived at 5 PM sharp. Inside, there were people chatting and sitting at the bar already. The menu was quite impressive with a lot of creative food that fuse between Vietnamese and other ethnic food.

I ordered an in house special called Phở 75 with oxtail. Mando ordered Wayuu steaks and Nguyen a poke. Later, Nguyen suggested Mando a charred marrow bone. And of course I got my vodka cocktail. The dinner was pricy but worth it. Everything was delicious and satisfying.

 The “fuse” part was quite subtle, flavorful and artsy. The atmosphere was charming and cozily cute.  The bathroom was showcased small gallery of old Vietnamese magazines and images of the Sai Gon before 1975.

After the first time I already knew that I would come back to try other dishes later.

Next time when I came back to Hawaii, Mando already had a small 50 cc moped to ride around. She was good at riding the moped. She bought herself a fancy black -spider man style- helmet as the school  and swim coach required. But when riding with me, both comfortably without helmets. She excitedly rode me places around Waikiki and always thoughtfully asked, “Mom, are you OK ? Are you scared?” I said nope. I felt like I was coming home back in Sài Gòn on my Honda Dream Lùn .

She made a reservation to go back to The Lady and the Pig on one Saturday night. We did not have to look for the parking lot. We conveniently parked our  moped right in front of the restaurant.

Both mom and daughter sat in front of the station when a skillful young chef, a stylist hair bundle on one side, wore a black professional outfit, prepared the entrée for the customers. We looked at what she made and continued to order along from her as we ate. My sweet Mando always asked and suggested me a drink first.

Again, I ordered my favorite Phở 75 with oxtail. Mando introduced me to the Burmese cabbage tea salad. The taste was surprisingly subtle. The color of white and purple cabbage mixed with green herb and peanut on top won my heart. We had few more dishes until neither could stuff our stomach. We took the left-over phở home. Both were full and satisfied. 

UH swim team in 2024 was strong with the new coach came from Boston. After a year coaching, he led the whole teams both men and women won the regional championship at St. George University of Utah in 2024. Parents went to Utah to support and cheer for the team. Things were good.

The third time we came back to The Pig and the Lady was at the end of 2024 to celebrate New Year 2025.

We invited my best friend who just moved to Hawaii few months ago with us.

This time we came to try the lunch menu. My husband ordered papaya salad. I tried the Hai Nam chicken rice and mixed fish sauce. My friend had a bowl of phở. Again, everything was good.

I was a little disappointed. I told my friend, “next time we should try the dinner menu which would offer more variety.”

During that week, parents came over to celebrate senior swimmers of Hawaii varsity swim team. The event lasted from 3 PM until 9 PM. Parents, including me, my husband and my friend stayed at the pool with the team through the rainy and windy weather. The long night embraced every one with wholeheartedly warm wishes, the cheerful shouts out and thoughtful speeches they shared with the seniors. So many leis were sent to  seniors that day.

We were happy and proud as Mando was finishing her 17-year professional swimming career.  Staring swimming at 7 years old, now she was a senior , a big sister of the team. 

Personally, I had  my own happy surprise when she declared that she would aim for  MFA after graduation. She would like to be an artist just like her mother and her grandmother.

Then the coach got recruited by Stanford. By the end of Mando’s last season, the coach was gone. She also finished her final swimming season in Houston.

Not busy with swimming schedule like before, Mando focused on art. She tried out glass making and ceramic. Ceramic sticked with her. Clay was earth element. Clay was solid and grounded. She was good at throwing. She was good at centering herself through clay.  Also, she adventured to animation. Like I mentioned from my previous note, Mando’s unique voice over and drawings always convey such a deeper sense to finding herself inward, searching for life meaning and practicing healing.

Spring 2025, Mando decided to delay her graduation so she could go to Hokkaido University in Japan for one year extension to learn Japanese culture and art.

In summer 2025, Mando told us that The Pig and The Lady in China Town would be closed soon and moved to a new location in Moana, one mile away from University of Hawaii. The news featured an owner’s interview with emotional announcement. We were sad but that was it. We did not think much. When they move to new place, we will go there to try out as well. We thought.

We went back to Hawaii by the very end of 2025 to celebrate 2026 New Year. While Mando celebrated New Year with a new set of friends in Hokkaido, we made our reservations to go to The Pig and The Lady so we can try the dinner menu.

This new restaurant was located in an affluent neighborhood next to the University of Hawaii . Predictably,  the place already packed with customers  when we arrived. It was hard to find parking. My husband drove around the block twice. Finally, he had to drop me and my friend off so he could get further parking up the hilly sidewalk.

The new location looked shiny upscale, which obviously improved from the previous restaurant. The coziness was gone but at least the rest room was clean. I thought. 

 We were happy that we got the table 10 minutes early. Everything looked promising a good New Year dinner until The Pig’s new menu was introduced to us.

The new menu was much shorter than the previous one.

I looked up and down and I did not see anything that familiar excepted for Phở 75, Bánh xèo, Bò kho (beef stew ) and something called Canh bí đỏ ( yellow soup with Vietnamese kabocha).

My husband and my friend ordered Phở 75. I looked at the menu confusedly. The waiter waited patiently to help me to figure out what I wanted to order.

I asked about Bò kho (beef stew) which apparently was very popular and familiar in Vietnamese menu, the waiter gently explained that was not Bò kho as we knew it, it was actually pasta !!!!

Then I asked about  Canh bí đỏ, the waiter again explained to me that actually another pastas dish dip with kabocha  soup !

Increasingly confused, half embarrassed and half disappointed I ended up ordering bánh xèo with absolute confidence that at least I know that bánh xèo was, I thought for myself.  

For the cocktail, I blindly ordered the last one from drink menu called “Part of your day” and my friend went with her favorite beer.

Follow up with phở 75 order, the waiter politely asked if we wanted the North or the South broth style. Now it was my non-Vietnamese friend got confused. Both I and my husband proudly explained to her what was the difference and I strongly suggested that she should order the North style so she would get the flavor of original Phở.

The food came first with two bowls of Phở 75. There were chopped garlic and few slides of red chill on top of something that they call “hand-chopped beef meat”.

In reality, this was a minced or grind and whatever it was that smashed up proteins into undefinable form on top of overcooked white noodle plus some seaweed- like- green in the middle and filled up with warm luke broth. Obviously, this broth was not from the North nor South. Apparently, it was not from the East nor West. It sadly came from the oblivious nonsensical straight to Hell.

Meanwhile drinks arrived with no gin that I found out after my first sip. 

And. 

I forgot to mention drinks came after the food. My friend lost her appetite for her food. She said, “we should have drink first and then we eat.” 

The final blow to my face was the dish of bánh xèo. The yellow folded half circle pancake looked sad and pissed as someone worked overtime in the dark wet weekend without getting paid.

 Who serves bánh xèo filled with slices of Chinese sauce in the middle, two slides of taro and salsa dip? They took a fish sauce away ! 

In order to write this note, I came back to check out The Pig and The Lady 's menu from their website.

It turned out that it was our mistake that we did not research the menu thoroughly before ordering the food. We are so entitled to the food that we grew up with, we did not even read!!!! 

I thought life was already hard. We should have not need to do research before and after ordering the meal ? Because we pay for that ? 

The actual title The Pig and the Lady’s Bánh xèo for the new menu was,

Pa’I’AI Banh Xeo: crispy turmeric crepe, mana ai pounded taro, lap xuong , dried shrimp, lettuce wrap, lomi tomato nuoc cham.” For $25.

I visualized a melting pot of disaster. And.

We blindly ordered and paid for it. 

Our fault.

I was sorry that I did not contemplate that I have to read all of ingredients to order the bánh xèo. I am the one of the kind mothers who named my daughter after my favorite food, Bánh Xèo. I thought I knew the dish by my flesh, heart and soul.

Turn out, humbly no. 

The Pig and The Lady took that confidence away! I did not know anything.

I said to myself, “Please just call something else, not called this dish as bánh xèo no more.” “Could we just at least leave bánh xèo alone?”

 We did not finish the whole pancake. 

We left. Heartbroken after paying $150 for the dinner plus surcharge for kitchen staff.

The disappointment turned into anger with the accusation that the new menu took the soul of the previous menu away incomprehensibly. Why changed the already nationally famous menu? Because they moved from substandard China Town to upscale Moana? Must adjust to a new affluent customers? Some one said, if you follow the money, you will find out the truth?

The soul of Vietnamese food was not there. The soulless food brough the experience down to negative zero.

Things happened for a reason, and I did not understand just yet. 

One thing I know for sure that the new restaurant won’t serve hard- cored Vietnamese customers like us anymore.

For the sake of New Year, I wish The Pig and The Lady good luck with the fusing plus diversify plus inclusion adventure. 

As for us, we parted from this once-beloved restaurant after the fourth time. With bitter sweet farewell, I would cherish the first time experience of in-house special Phở ̃̀75 in my heart for a fond of it.

Good things did not last forever.

When I flew back to Seattle, my son texted me asking what food I wanted to eat when I arrived. As usual, I texted him " something hot ".

He bought me a bowl of authentic phở from Phở Bắc, a restaurant one block away from our place. $ 20 bowl of regular phở tasted heavenly delicious.

The note was already long. I vented enough to peacefully put this experience behind to focus on good things we have. 

I would like to share that we have had a lovely time in Hawaii for the last three years. Hawaii is undeniably one of best places on Earth. The sun , sea, wind ,sand and people in Hawaii make sense. The air in Hawaii is fresh enough so people greeting each other as Aloha ( sharing a breath to share a life ) .

Hawaii generously has offered our family a fresh start. We all finally moved out the dark hole all together as a much stronger family unit. We could stay under the sun and breath a fresh air. Something did not kill you will make you stronger. I believed.

We are planning to stay in Hawaii, without The Pig's Son (my friend suggested the restaurant should change the name to reflect their fusion upscale menu).

Time passed.

2026 here already. 

Good things did not last forever and bad things would not stay permanently. 

We look ahead to embrace a peaceful year.  

After that dinner, me, my husband and my friend came back to our place  to have more interesting things to discuses and share. Wisdom and insights unexpectedly came along as add- on bonus after the bad dinner. 

One door shut. Another door opens. 

Stunningly beautiful pictures of Hawaii I took on Dec, 31,2025. 

Creative writing for Grief and Loss: Drinking (Rice) Wine: The Last half of the poem

 I started sewing second half of the poem on quilt on July 4th. The color scheme was planned long time ago. I always want to work on project that reminds me the childhood when we used to write with purple ink on yellowish paper in school. The recycled yellow papers was used because we could not afford better qualified paper.  Having enough money to buy good purple ink was not always possible. When the ink ran low, I had to add water to dilute it out so the resource would last few more days until I got money to buy ink again. 

I remember my brother always went home from school with a purple ink all over his face , his hands, arms, his clothes plus  the leaking inkblot on his note book like the one from  the picture below.

 The purple ink written  on yellowish and brownish paper was an important part of my life growing up as now an important preference for my art works.

 This small notebook was a tool that allowed school/ teacher and parents to make contact and exchange information that related to the student. Students had to fill out needed information in the beginning of the school year. Usually, the  adults in the family would fill them out for much younger students. My brother was 7 year old. I was the one to fill this out for him. Both my parents were not available during this time. My father was out of the house after the divorces and mother was in and out of the hospital. I ended up signing both my brother and my mother's name.

                                                  

 This background quilt were combined by few corduroy discarded, thick jean denim and cotton pieces sewn together. At first , I thought that two layers of these combined were thick and heavy enough for me to start quilting. I did not have to add the batter layer in the between. Later, I regretted using thick fabric for a base. Too thick, when I sew, it hurts my figures quite a lot. 

" If you cannot feel the pain, you cannot create good art." I said it to myself. 

I have been sewing the letters onto the quilt. My fingers are hurting very much after . It may take 01 solid hour to finish one word. 

Repeatedly pushing and puling the thread in and out the thick layers of fabric demands  physical strength and determination . I felt exhausted so often now. A lot of time I found my self taking a break to ease the fingers soreness. I do yoga stretching more often in between. Until my hands were too sore and tired for both yoga and sewing. 

I got an awakening. 

I need to stay away from the project just to rest and reflect. 

" Feeling too much pain, you gain nothing but shitty." " Never give up is stupid. Keeping going some times does not make sense." 

The little voice behind the back of my neck stubbornly said, " but I know that I just have to keep going/ no pain no gain. I need to  dwell inward to finish this project. That how I would get some "healing" done." 

I continued to ignore my body's pain. I choose to listen to my so -call rational voice. Blindly,  I kept going. The pain of fingers spread to the hands and then the arms. I found myself coining with medicine ointment  on my arms so I could keep up with my sewing. And the little voice continued to tell me, "  I have been doing healing word, I need to keep going. I am doing meaningful work.  Do not stop." " Healing is a life time process. You will do the healing along until your last breath. You have deadline to make." 

                                        

This was a month passed since July 4th ( today is August 4) and I strugglingly finished half of the quilt. It looked beautiful and stunning aligning with my vision for this project. I were eager to finish the whole quilt but I could not go on as my fingers are hurting so bad. I got exhausted and frustrated at the same time. The rational thinking with the little voice felt on the ground to surrender because the body could not take it anymore. 

I remember that I went to Hawaii on third week of July when the fingers already felt sore.

 I took 4 days off.  I went to the beach everyday, dipping myself into the ocean for hours. Then I went back to dig ten fingers deep into a hot sand to release the pain. 

By the way, this time I tried on ride Mando's moped and got a hand of it ! 

I felt free and delight. I took the moped to the beach and around Waikiki. The breeze along the Waikiki area were strong that day. I was scared but excited. I rode the moped on weekend morning when the roads were quiet and empty. The feeling of being liberated was so great. The feeling brough me back to Vietnam when I rode my moto bike everyday. I was almost crying feeling nostalgic . The silent voice screamed out loud inside my head, " I am coming home."  

First one that I texted to share the news was my daughter, Mando. She was the one who encouraged me to ride on her moped. I told her that I felt confident and competent riding moped more than driving a car. I told her that I was so proud of myself.

The pain and soreness of my hands and fingers almost went away during short stay in Hawaii.  When was time going back to Seattle, I did not want to leave. 

This trip to Hawaii was purely vacation as Mando is back Seattle for her ceramic workshop. Me and Nguyen had the apartment for ourselves. We could hang out with my friend in Kailua and my high school friend on the beach without worried about what food we should cook for the children at home. 

This was a first time I adventured out at night to Magic Island to see Friday firework. 

I was told that if you want to have a " cheap date Friday night, " you would come to Magic Island early to get a good spot with picnic blanket and a bag of your favorite chip. 

We did just that with three of us.  Me , my husband and my friend. Turned out that we had a fun time together with conversation that not included children and daily concerns. The park was crowed with people gathering for  5- minute firework show. We got a good spot but when the firework happened, every one in front of us stood up, block half of the view.  Instead of being annoyed, I felt pleased . I had plenty models to  sketch . I did not have to worry that people may take notice some weirdo was drawing them.   

                                       

My friend invited me to her friend's Moon party at Kailua. Guests were invited to circle around on the beach for sounding meditation waiting for the moon to rise above the water. Time stood still to listen to the sound of ocean and powerful singing bowls. Then of course there were wine, yummy food and music to dance the night away.  Every one usually has fun in Hawaii. Since Kailua is one of the best beaches in the world, dancing under the moon at Kailua beach was a royal retreat. 

Beside having fun, we had plenty of conversation dealing with sufferings, healing, forgiveness, love, pain and grief. Many difficult topics organically emerge when we are in the Hawaii water. I have been saying that Hawaii water and ocean carry healing property . The gentle waves of ocean indeed wash away my soreness and my anxiety. The wind cools me down so much I sleep very well once I am in Hawaii. Hawaii sun is warm enough for me to reveal the hidden truth deep down from my heart. 

I love both going to the beach alone or with some one. When I am alone, I have so many things to do. Looking at others, breathing, sun bathing, sleeping, swimming, sketching, reading good book and simply just listening life passing through.

And the most important thing is doing nothing. I was told that doing nothing is good for the soul. Doing nothing in solitude is a bliss that Hawaii can offer, in my opinion. 

                                 

There was a lady that sleeping soundly in the middle of the park on her picnic chair.  She was in the state of being absolutely alone. Look how peaceful her world was. I did not see her at first. My friend spotted her and we both stopped walking and just looked at her for a moment. Who could sleep like that in the public park. It is proven that Hawaii parks uniquely offer an "invitation for people to rest in public" vibe all around. 

Also I spend time with my Vietnamese friend from high school. We had not seen each other after 35 years. We had good conversation to catch up. We laughed like before. We recalled the past. We shared the moment on the beach looking out the blue sky and deep indigo water with the background of famous Diamond Head  in Waikiki. Who would know after 35 years, I reunited with my high school friend here right next to the famous inactive " just yet" volcano. 

Back in Seattle with a lot of unfinished works to do, I looked at the calendar. August is here already. Time fly fast. 

I am back to the reality that I have "healing job"  to do. Sounded stressful. 

One morning after my meditation, I had an epiphany. 

So far, healing had become as burden and responsibility for me. I had treated healing as a work, a business. 

 I almost forgot that the time I spent in Hawaii was healing without doing any "healing work." 

Hawaii taught me that doing nothing is actually healing. 

Healing is not a work. Healing is not a business. 

In the opposite, healing is process of" un-work" " un-pack" " un- burden" what inside my heart and on my chest. So eventually I will be lighter.

Hawaii liberated me from myself. Effortlessly. Gently. Unnoticedly. Just like the breeze I felt in Waikiki moped ride.  

I felt fresh and anew again. For a moment. 

I gently tamed my little voice of the back of my neck. 
"Art has been acting as my healing agent since I started to draw long time ago no matter what art I am making. I will have to take it easy. I will continue to sew to finish the quilt. No more deadline. No more pushing. I will take as much time as possible."

I enter into a phase of actual healing both my mind and the body. 

Hawaii ( II): sharks and a deep blue sea

Hawaii (I)

 Đi hai lần rồi chưa có dip ghi lại. Quá đẹp.

Xanh thăm thẳm luôn nha. 

Waikiki. Khu này nổi tiếng ở Oahu nè. Nhộn nhịp tấp nập lắm luôn á. 

Trên cái núi gọi là Diamond Head dòm xuống Waikiki thiệt là lộng lẫy. Cái địa danh ni rất là đông khách nên không có đăng ký online trước nó dek cho vô nha. Mình ko biết lấy cái xe bus #2 chạy lên. Leo vô trong cái nó biểu phải vô mạng đăng ký. Không có phone là khỏi vô luôn. Vé leo núi có  $5 mà nhiểu vậy tự tụi Hawai không muốn dân du lịch làm quá tải mí cái núi của nó.

 

Cái biển ni là cái mình ưa nhất nè. Nằm trong Ala Moana park. Có hai khu. Một bên sóng đánh tơi bời cho mí chàng mí nàng lướt ván. Còn khu này có làm bờ đê chắn sóng. Sóng cở nào cũng không sao. Biển im re. Cát lài lài xuống. Dưới biển không có đá có sỏi chi hết. Không cần mang dép hay giày. Bên này có nhiều biển đẹp lộng lẩy, nước trong xanh thăm thẵm nhìn mê. Chứ mà bước xuống mới. Hell no. Tự có đá nhọn nhọn dưới đáy. Không mang giày đạp chảy máu nha. Tụi kia chơi lướt ván nên không ke vụ này. Mình già nua mình chỉ có tham vọng dầm mình qua ngang tới cổ lội qua lội lại cặp bờ nên chỗ nào cát mịn màng êm chân là ok rồi.

 Hahaha nên cứ ngày nào cũng lội bộ ra từ chổ mình ở tới chỗ này. Chừng ba mươi phút đi bộ thôi.  Nước biển Hawaii không nóng không lạnh. Sướng gì đâu. Hai ba tiếng. Tắm xong phơi nắng xong tắm xong ngủ. Đồ để không ai dòm ngó. Xong cái quấn đồ vô tà tà đi bộ về. Dọc đường gió một chút nắng một chút là đồ khô. 

 

Tháng ba đi vào mùa hơi dông bão, lâu lâu ra thì chỉ một mình ta một cái bãi biển không ai hết . Sướng thì thôi. Mà mưa cũng ào ào năm phút rồi thôi chứ không nhiều. Lâu lâu gió lớn chút rồi êm lại. Mùa tháng ba đi Hawai được cái nắng không chói chang như lúc mùa hè. Lại ít khách du lịch. Nên thong thả. Mai mốt mình đi sẽ tránh mùa hè. Đi mí mùa kia cho khoẻ. Oahu mùa nào nghe nói cũng đông vì thời tiết khá ổn định. Ai cần vitamin D mùa nào đi cũng ok. 

Lúc nào cũng có trò chụp hình đám cưới. Bữa đó gió quá trời biển vắng. Cô dâu thoả sức tung hoàng mà chụp không cần tránh ai hết. 

Đi bộ từ khúc ni chừng mười phút nữa là tới Ala Moana mall. Cái mall rất to lúc nào cũng đông khìn khịt người. Trong thời điểm bao nhiêu cái mall trong đất liền đóng cửa hay ê chề vắng,  Ala Moana mall không hề nha. Poke ở đây rất là tươi rất là ngon và tất nhiên mắc khủng. Vậy chứ lúc nào cũng một cái hàng dài lê thê mua poke. 

Ala Moana là trung tâm cho xe các loại xe bus đi toả đi khắp nơi nè. Bus 20 ra sân bay. Bus 5 và 6  đi về hướng Makiki gần chổ mình ở nè. Bus 43 đi ra  Pearl Habor . 67 đi ra mí cái biển đẹp phía tây nè. Bus A đi thẳng lên đại hoc Hawaii nè. Mall này nằm kế sát Tagert và Walmart. Tiện vô cùng. 

Hệ thống bus ở Oahu tuyệt vời. Hai thứ tiếng. Song ngữ bên ni là tiếng anh và tiếng Nhật nha. Xe bus ở Hawai đi tùm lum hết. Cứ leo lên chạy một vòng hai vòng là vui. Chạy tới khi bác tài đuổi xuống là nhảy lên chuyến khác. Mà cảnh đẹp quá nên mình nhảy xuống hoài.  Bác tài xe bus ai cũng dễ thương hết à. Mình đi xe bus toàn lạc đường không nha. Hahhaha. Xe bus #1 có hai điểm tới. Toàn đi lạc. Mí bác thấy mình ngồi hoài không xuống là mí bác biết gòi. Aloha. Mày đi đâu. Đường Hawaii toàn đường một chiều. Không biết đường đón xe bus sai trạm bữa chay tuốt lên Hawaikai. Hahahha nên mới biết Hawaikai tuyệt vời làm sao. Biển ở Hawaikai đẹp nhưng đá nhiều. Không ưng mí.

Biển Hawaikai nè. Tuyệt vởi. Chỉ tội đá dưới biển. Không sướng bằng Waikiki

Biển Oahu đẹp thiệt nhưng ấn tượng nhất là cây. Cây nhiệt đới. Xanh rì rì . To khủng bố. Bóng tàng thiệt lớn. Cây nhiều. Cả hòn đảo như tắm trong bóng cây. Xứ nóng nên cây giang ra bề rộng nhìn đã con mắt gì đâu. 

Cây đa. Chổ nào cũng vài cây đa khủng như thế này. Cây này trước sở thú nè.

Cây này dưới downtown nè. 

To như cái nhà vậy a. Bước vô bên trong ngước lên y chang như một cung điện. 

Cây nào cũng rợp bóng vậy a

Phượng y chang Việt Nam nha. Mùa hè ra Waikiki phượng đỏ rực nha. Hết cái đường ni đi mệt lắm nắng mùa hè chói chang mà cứ ham đi ngắm hoa phượng.

Gà hoang. Tứ táng chổ nào cũng có. Nhìn vui phết

Hết một con đường phượng đỏ là tới một con đường dọc dọc cái kênh đào này, không phải hoa sứ nhà nàng mà hoa sứ một hàng dài hai ba miles dọc dọc cái kênh này. Mê quá là mê. Thơm nhắc nhớ Việt nam thì thôi luôn nha. 

Mé bên kia kênh có một con đường dài  đang nhắc nhớ mình Thanh Đa đùng cái một đàn cò trắng tơi tả bay lên. Xong luôn. Phải y chang Viêt Nam sông Sài Gòn ngày xưa cafe Thanh Đa không chời. 

Chiều hoàng hôn ni. Hawaii mở cửa sớm nên đóng cửa sớm Khoảng này năm giờ chiều là bắt đầu thưa thớt rồi. Tới bảy giờ tối là xa lộ ít xe hẳn. Hawaii cho phép chạy 50 thôi nha. Nhẹ nhàng vậy á. 

Vụ ni là làm mình nhớ Việt Nam nhất. Xe máy. Pà con ở đây toàn vespa không nha. Cái bãi giữa xe ni trong trường đại học Hawai nè. Nhìn thương không.

Cửa hàng cho mướn xe chạy nè

Bữa ra cái bãi biển này, Maliili, đẹp thì thôi. Sóng quá trời mà cái biển này dốc nên nên không dám xuống. Ngồi như ri cho sóng vô rồi ra vậy mà hết ba bốn tiếng. Bãi này ít khách du lịch, local nhiều. Nhìn tui con nít dân biển đen nhẻm, khoẻ mạnh cầm mảnh ván trượt xuống dốc cho sóng mạnh đánh ra rồi lướt ván trôi vô cười vang vang bãi biển mà hết ngày nha. 

Cái biển này nghe thiên hạ đồn là một trong những cái biển tuyệt vời nhất trần gian, Lanikai. 

Sáng ̣chín giờ sáng thiên hạ đã ra xí chỗ rồi. Biển nhẹ nhàng cát trắng mượt êm từ đầu tới chân. Không đá dăm làm chi đau chân người già. Nước biển hơi lạnh lạnh xuống một cái tỉnh người nha. Sướng từ phần xác tới phần hồn. Nằm ườn vậy hết ngày ngồi nào không hay. Cát chỗ này ngộ. Sóng đánh làm sao mà điêu khắc từng hòn đá tròn tròn lóng lánh dưới ánh mặt trời lâu ngày mà thành cát. Hay lắm kìa. To không to nhỏ không nhỏ. Mình bốc một nắm cát trong tay. Cứ vừa y chang bàn tay mình. Chớ không rớt ra như cát bình thường. Tự nhiên không biết sao mà thấy thương lắm luôn à. 

Mình biết sau này mình đi dưỡng già ở đâu rồi nè. Sau Seattle chắn chắn sẽ là Hawaii. 

Bà con kêu Hawaii mắc quá làm sao mà sống. Hahahha ừa mắc thiệt. Một lb poke hồi nảy trong mall là $20.  Tô phở đuôi bò ngon là $25 mà phải xếp hàng order trước. Nhiểu . Ly cafe chút nị gần $6 . Mà cafe Kona của Hawaii ngon nha.

Hahahha nhưng không ăn thì sống tại Hawaii cũng tàm tạm ok nha. Không ăn. Hahha fasting đê. 

Cái bảng này ngay trước một công viên lớn ở Waikiki. Thiệt là đúng cho tinh thần dưỡng già nè. Passive enjoyment. Mình thích chữ này nhất. Dịch ra không phải là " dưỡng già" là còn chi nữa. 

Aloha là một câu chào cửa miệng của người dân Hawai. Kiểu như Việt Nam mình "khoẻ không"  Ha có nghĩa là hơi thở. Aloha dich thoáng ra là chia sẽ với nhau một hơi thở. Có người dịch là 

"hơi thở cuộc đời" . sao cũng thấy thấy rất là thơ.

Hahaha mình đang học cách thở lọc không khí mà sống ̣đây. 

Ngồi thở không khí biển tắm nước biển sưởi nắng Hawaii rồi uống nước dừa dại của biển Lanikai. Xứ nóng cũng không cần bận đồ nhiều là mấy. 

Thở cho đã, tắm biển cho đã. Xong cái lên ngồi phơi nắng. Xong cái ngồi vẽ. 

Vậy chắc sống cũng qua ngày. Mặc cho sóng đánh hoài lâu ngày mà thành cát rồi bay đi cũng hay. 

Già rồi ăn chi cho nhiều . Nhễ.

Đời sướng thế thì thôi. Ham chi nữa.