Dam Gio

Dam Gio is the occasion in Vietnam's ancestor worshipping culture where family gather to remember those members of the family who have passed away. It was organised at my mother-in-law's house and was a relatively quiet affair with just Chi, her mum, her father, myself, one Aunt and Uncle and their daughter and two friends attending. In the past I imagine it was a much more sacred occasion. Some traditional aspects were still observed such as the burning of hell money and notes.





Those are real $100s by the way.

One good thing about all these occasions, a massive lunch and great food. Duck curry and grapefruit salad with bread, soft noodles and veg.



Lou had had enough by the end of lunch...



Chi's father had made a surprise appearance. He lives in the Mekong Delta In Ben Tre on a fish farm where he grows shrimp, crabs and rice, residing with his second wife and two children from that marriage, 14 and 11. Methods of communication between father and Chi are, lets say, like 1930s England. During our time in England, Chi wrote him a letter to inform of our daughter's safe delivery. No email, no mobile phone. On return, after about 6 weeks, Chi dug out her mother's old address book and started calling people down in Ben Tre trying to track him down - it's like calling the village post office which is the only place with a phone and asking after Jim the farmer who lives three miles away. The local shop assured Chi they would let her father know the news that she was back - lo and behold there he was at Dam Gio when we arrived at the house - no phone call, just shirtless, cigarette in hand and with a bucket full of king prawns and crab from the farm. There's something so romantically appealing about the simplicity of this life!