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Me taking care of the bananas
For the first time ever we have harvested bananas. They grow at the back of our house and they not only create a pleasant environment to be in, they also provide food. I like that. They were sweet an very nice. A bit harsh maybe. It´s to much bananas for us to handle so I will give some to our neigbours.

When we were taking them down Carol kept saying "watch out for stains". I did not realize what she meant untill I saw my hands after handling the bananas. They were black and sticky. My hands, that is. It did not go away even after washing them for 15 minutes. 24 hours later I can still see some stains on my hands.

Today I will try to persuade the boys to have bananapancake for lunch. They are at home with me. This weekend Ruben had a fever and Ossi had an upset stomach. They are better now and will probably go to school tomorrow. Maybe with a banana or two in their snackbox.

 
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It is so fascinating to walk the alleys of Hanoi. They are numerous, crowded and trafficked. Sometimes it is so narrow that sunlight can not penetrate. Above street level the houses are stretched out and they almost touches the house across the alley. The top floors are in some places just 30 cm away from each other.

The traffic consists of bicycles and motorcycles and the drivers honk all the time to alert pedestrians and other drivers around the corner. I can imagine that during rush hour there are accidents. Its a lot of scratches and damage on the walls at the corners. I am convinced that it is from the motorcycles crashing into the wall.

During my first weeks I got lost all the time. If you give it some time and learn to find your way you will discover amazing things. All of a sudden the narrow alleys opens up and there is a crowded market place with vegetables, meat and fish in every shape you can imagine. And its fresh to. Fish and shrimps splash around in pods and hens cluck in their cages unaware that they are about to be slaughtered.

For those who do not like big open spaces, it is ideal to live here ( This is not to recommend for Ulf Lundell). Most things can be arranged and purchased here. You do not need to leave the alleys. So far, I have seen hairdressers, restaurants, cafes, shops, tailors, massage therapists, dentists, watchmakers, blacksmith, garages and repairshops of all kinds. You name it, its probably there just around the corner.

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