Vespasalubong!
‘Pasalubong’ is one Filipino term which doesn’t have a direct English translation. It could be a gift but not quite. It is a noun and a verb. Something tangible yet also a gesture. The perfect way to describe it to foreigners is to cite an actual example. Think of a father coming home from the office with a bag of candies for his child. That bag of candies is not exactly a gift but more of “oh, I just thought you might like these” kinda thing. That’s exactly what a pasalubong is.
I’ve got a photographer for a brother so when he came home from a business trip in Vietnam (a country with more motorcyles that cars!), you kinda have an idea what kind of pasalubong I’ll get from him.
Since the goodie bag from him is the form of an email and the goodies inside were image attachments, you’d imagine I won’t exactly be jumping for joy. Well, I could’ve been but since I’m a blogger now, these images were highly appreciated since I can share it with other people.
As what he stated in his own blog entry about the trip:
“Another amazing thing is the sheer number of motorcycles in the road outnumbering cars. From simple Honda/Yamaha underbones to the classic Vespa. Mind you and nobody here is wearing a helmet. I believe it is only required if they are on the freeway (going to the airport). It is truly maddening if you watch them crisscross and weave their way in the streets.”
Here are more of the Vespa images he sent me.
my daughter would love this Sanrio Vespa!
But really, do you think I’ll be okay in just getting pictures for pasalubong? As luck would have it, my brother told me he found a miniature Vespa made of carved wood and he has it for me. I still haven’t seen it. I’m hoping I’ll get it from him this weekend in a family gathering. That should be one more thing worth blogging about! 
By the way, you can check out other images he took in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh by clicking this link.
Galante si kuya!
-o-
{▫}
J0HNRANA
john[dot]rana[at]gmail[dot]com
yeah, yeah, yeah. you will get it this Saturday. i dont even know where it is. its been sooooo long. hopefully the termites have not eaten that wooden Vespa away.
I am going back to Ha Noi next week. You want me to get an even bigger wooden Vespa
OO ba! Di ako tatangi dyan… hehehe
Now you have to thank me what I got you from Ho Chi Minh. Also, Vietnam Coke in can for Bennette.