Thanks to Cindy Livingston, CEO of Sequel, Maison Chance will be the beneficiary of the Guess Watches "Time to Give" fundraising efforts in 2009. We visit Tim at Maison Chance with Lynn Peterson, a talented cinematographer who won an Emmy for his documentary on Safe House Ethiopia, another "Time to Give" project. You can view his non-profit organisation work at www.profilesincaring.org and www.goodtube.org

From the Maison Chance shelter in Saigon, we proceed to their vocational center which has classrooms for children from 4 years old to teens, as well as workshops for handicapped adults (handicrafts, painting, computer classes etc). Tim shows us around with great pride and joy. She has done an awesome job and is obviously beloved by all her children.

I'm admiring the artwork of a quadraplegic, who painstakingly paints by holding the brush in his mouth. It would take him couple of months to finish a painting. He's so talented and inspiring.

The vocational center has its small dental clinic and infirmary with a full time doctor in attendance and can treat minor illnesses to rehabilitation.

It's now lunchtime. All the children gather in the central room to share a meal of thit kho with boiled egg, rice, vegetable soup and a banana.

After lunch Cindy and I distributed pens and stickers to the children

Cindy enjoys inter-acting with the children.

Some of them could speak either some English or some French.

The tour continues...

Tim presents to us the future Village Chance project which will have accommodation for handicapped couples who met at Maison Chance, got married and started a family. We are so happy to be able to contribute to the realisation of this major project that incorporates an educational center and a restaurant.

Meanwhile Lynn is filming life in the classroom.

We gather at the office to discuss Tim's awesome work and shop at the gift store showcasing products made by Maison Chance artists.

In the afternoon, Cindy and I enjoy a little afternoon snack with iced lemonade at the Park Hyatt.

The Guess Watches local distributor in Vietnam takes us to dinner at Mandarine, great food & ambience...

Tim teaches Cindy & Lynn some Vietnamese...

We all had a good time!

The next day, I went about town and took some pictures along the way of the Rex, the Ben Thanh Market

Went to Trung Hoa temple in Cach Mang Thang 8 street for prayers

We stopped by my Marie Curie high school, then had lunch at Bun Ta, in the vicinity.

Next day, I'm in Hue, at La Residence hotel. It's an old colonial building renovated by a French architect and is decorated in art deco style with nice Vietnamese accents

The Residence veranda opens up to lush green and the Perfume River. The spa offers a wide variety of treatments and massages.

It was a bit chilly when I was there, about 16 degrees Celcius, and drizzling too...

The library is cozy and also serves as an internet cafe.

Beautiful garden at Chua Van Phuoc on a hill overlooking Hue, where lays my father's tomb.

Chua Van Phuoc is so charming and quaint... The rain and mist give it an eerie feeling, I really feel the serenity and peace of the place.

Also visited Phu Tung Thien Vuong,  my great grand-father, who was a famous writer and poet. I hope to be able one day to help raise funds to restore the place which is in a state of disrepair.