Saigon & Hanoi

Well, its been a busy few days.... lots of shopping and sight-seeing. Just when you think you got things figured out a little.... you travel to a new city and way of doing things. We had a lot of fun in Saigon (as the South Vietnamese still call it). There is definately still animosity between the North & South. The South Vietnamese still don't like the North and think they are rude and unfriendly. We went shopping at the famous Ben Thanh Market. That was a strange, fun and kinda overwhelming experience... especially with Devin (my little blond Britney Spears celebrity). The market is wall to wall vendors who are fiercely competitive for your attention and a sale.... "please Madam, you buy here...we give you good deal". You have to negotiate hard with them and they are hard bargainers. Jack says we need to take a sales training seminar from them on how not to take no for an answer. One aisle we were walking down... we were bombarded by sales women who started tugging at Devin and it scared her... I took her hand and pushed my way past them. Otherwise, it was a fairly good experience and we got a lot of fun items. Also, in the back of the market is the meat section.... I had to go there just for sake of morbid curiosity...kinda like rubber necker watching an accident... you can't help but want to see. Devin & Jack did not want to go. Well, I held my breathe and walked back to the meat section... brains, intestines, liver, kidneys, lungs, live crabs, legs... you name it. Right out there for sale! Devin said it smelled funky. We also learned you don't use those guys who bike peddler you in a little cart... they ripped off another guy in our group and Jack used them once and they tried to rip him off too.

One thing we did do which was just AMAZING was get massages at one of the local salons... I'm talking the best massages Jack & I ever had in our lives! This little tiny woman about 80 lbs contorted my body in all kinds of ways, walked on my back and was very strong! It was awesome. Devin & I also got our hair cut and she got her toenails painted. We got the whole thing (2 hour long massages, 2 hair cuts and toe nails done ) for $38 total. No kidding. Some places we ate at which were very good was Pho 24 (local Vietnamese), Momambo (good American food ... place was bamboo/ African decorations)... owner came up and talked to us for 30 minutes), Santa Lucia (Italian), and a street restaurant.

Kyle is doing great and bonding to us day by day. Devin is doing well and adapting very well to the travel and changes. She isn't big on Vietnamese food... but will eat some pho (pronounced fa) soup and spring rolls. It is a challenge to eat every meal at a restaurant with a 9 mos old ACTIVE boy and 4 year old who doesn't want to sit still. They do not have high chairs here. No plastic cups for kids...they always give you big glasses with straws for the kids. We are definately ready to have the kids eat at home. They don't have "kids meals" either. So, we mostly just share with Devin.

We are now in Hanoi. Flew up here on Monday. Ate at the Mediterraneo Italian restaurant yesterday and at Paris Deli (French/ American) tonight. Good food and good picks for the family. This morning we went shopping again and had a lot of fun on the streets in Hanoi. The people are friendly here (IMO) but not quite as overwhelming when shopping as Saigon. Got some yummy ice cream next to Hoam Kiem Lake afterwards. This afternoon , we went to American Embassy & got Kyle's visa & passport... so we are ready to travel home on Thursday. Tomorrow, we are going to Ha Long Bay... supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. A big group of us from our agency are going together for a private tour on a boat. Should be fun. Then, we leave on Thursday.

Gotta go... only have limited time on internet today....